«Don’t you ever dare do sothing that dangerous again, got it? Was I clear? You have no idea how much you worried ! I swear, I was one step away from going out myself in the middle of the night and dragging you back by your ear!» Veronica scolds , furious, sitting to my right at the huge table in the living room — it’s lunchti.
«Your mom’s right!» lania cuts in, sitting to my left, putting on her angriest face just to ss with . «Only an idiot would spend the night in so random forest in the middle of nowhere just for the thrill of living like a Hawaiian aborigine!»
«I’ll refrain from comnting...» I hiss, shooting her a glare.
Out of all the excuses lania could’ve used to justify my absence... she told her this island awakened my wild, primitive side and I felt an overwhelming need to sleep under the starry sky and wipe my ass with palm leaves! Of course a worried mother like Veronica would lose it — the travel agency assured us the island is free of any form of life, but obviously there’s no absolute certainty that it’s really true, and Veronica was terrified that so wild animal that slipped through the island’s sterilization might have attacked in my sleep.
Whatever. I’ll have to endure my daily lecture quota and then make it up to her when we’re alone again. Business as usual.
«Ugh... this weekend really flew by...» Naomi complains. «It feels like we landed an hour ago, but it’s already been a day and a half, and soon it’ll be ti to go back to gray, chaotic New York. Aaaah... I can already feel myself missing all these bright colors and this peace...»
«Don’t be sad. Now that we’ve discovered this fantastic little island, nothing’s stopping us from coming back for a sumr vacation too — this ti for a lot more than just a weekend,» Veronica comforts her, winking.
«Even if I worked a hundred lifetis, I could never afford a proper vacation in a place like this...» Naomi grumbles, discouraged.
Veronica stares at her, eyebrows furrowed.
«If I hear you say sothing like that again, I swear you’re staying ho next ti! I’ve told you a thousand and one tis not to bring up money when you talk to ! Spending this weekend all together was truly fun, and if I feel like inviting you again, I’m certainly not doing it because I expect you to chip in with us! Even though you’ve been my son’s best friend for years, we’ve never really had the chance to spend ti together, and now that we finally did... I understand why he cares so much about you. You’re a truly wonderful girl, just like your aunt and your cousin. Yesterday, Britney and I talked a lot, and I made it crystal clear that the door to our ho will always be open for her, and she shouldn’t hesitate to ask for help if she needs anything — for an exceptional mother and woman like her, this and more. And the sa goes for you and lania. You’re welco at the Lance place — just give a heads-up and I’ll have my special atloaf ready, the one my Jacey loves so much.»
Britney and Naomi can barely keep back tears of gratitude, while lania...
«Now I get why you’re crazy about that woman — your mom really is number one,» she whispers to .
«Yeah,» I reply proudly — Veronica really is the best mother in the world, and every day she proves it all over again!
Lunch finished, it’s ti to gather our things and pack our suitcases — but not only that.
«This place is a complete ss, and I’m not about to have people saying the CEO of Seiryu Biotech U.S. leaves places dirty when she goes on vacation! Naomi — you and lania do a sweep and see if anything got left behind. I’ll remake the beds and tidy up the bedrooms, while Jace and Britney will wash the dishes and the cookware. Move it — the plane will be here in an hour!» Veronica orders like a general, and we all imdiately snap into obedient little soldiers.
«I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough for what you and your mother have done for us. You literally saved our lives...» Britney murmurs, with a bittersweet smile.
«Oh, you don’t need to thank — it’s all her doing.»
We’re side by side, doing exactly what General Veronica ordered. And between one scrub and the next... a faint shiver runs up my spine when our elbows bump or our arms brush. Fuck, I feel like a kid who just discovered girls exist and gets hard the mont he accidentally touches one, and yet... that’s exactly it. I’ve gotten to know Britney well enough to realize nothing will ever happen between and her, and maybe it’s precisely that resignation that makes it all so exciting. With every touch, every ti she shifts her elbow just a little, I almost get the illusion she did it on purpose to seek physical contact with — or at least, that’s what I like to think.
«By the way, Britney, am I wrong or do I still owe you a lunch out?»
«A lunch out...?» she repeats, confused. «Oh, yes, that lunch at Cordesol at... honestly, after all the money you’ve already spent on us, I don’t think it’s right to take advantage even more...»
It’s clear that insisting would only make her even more uncomfortable, but then it hits .
«Rember what Veronica said earlier? No more bringing up money. Anyway, since you don’t want to treat you to lunch at so fancy restaurant, at least let treat you at my place — a little lunch, just the two of us. I may not look like it, but I’m pretty good in the kitchen, you know? I’d really like to cook sothing for you — and of course I’ll make sure I only buy the cheapest ingredients from the cheapest store in all of New York, so you won’t feel guilty.»
«I-I think it would be fun, but...» she hesitates, uncertain. «A-Are you sure your mom would be okay with it? I an, I know perfectly well your invitation is just a friendly one and there wouldn’t be anything wrong with accepting, but... well, if lania told she wanted to invite a man more than twice her age over for lunch and they’d be alone in the house, I’d worry a little — not so much about my daughter’s intentions, but his. And I’m sure your mother would think the sa way...»
If only she knew what her daughter gets up to — forget inviting older n over for lunch...
«Yeah, I guess you’re right...» I murmur, trying to hide how disappointed I am.
Damn, that woman is so chaste and pure she’d make even Kimberly look indecent!
Kimberly... I wonder where she ended up. Still, she said she’d co back, so I don’t think I need to worry — she knows how to take care of herself, even if I can’t deny that I often find myself missing her...
I barely have ti to dry the last plate and put it away in the cabinet when the roar of an airplane engine echoes from the landing strip not far from the resort.
Unfortunately, all good things co to an end, and it’s ti to go back to the good old routine.
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