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1
RACHEL
Ican’tbelievemymom is actually here, standing in our apartment, swiping her finger across our counters. Her eyes narrow on the dust lingering on her finger before she turns to me and clucks her tongue.
“Well, this place is in need of a good clean.”
My shoulders slump, and I stifle a groan while I watch Mom move towards the glasses still sitting in the sink. She wrinkles her nose at the old water sitting in the cups. I’m thankful when she doesn’t say anything. She should have been here when I first moved in. The place had been a complete disaster. At least now it’s livable.
I watch her take off her sunhat and place it on the edge of the couch while she looks around the place, frowning at the pile of tennis shoes still lingering by the front door. She purses her lips at the stains on the floor. Sadly, even after all the mopping and scrubbing, we were unable to remove them. The stains were there to stay. As Mom walked around the apartment, her shoes kept getting stuck in certain places, making her frown deepen and my worry rise.
“But I suppose it’s home,” she murmurs.
I’m vaguely aware of Hunter, Seth, and Lucas standing behind me in the foyer. For once, Seth is quiet. I kinda miss the sound of his voice. It’s too quiet. I can feel their gazes boring a hole through me, their questions digging into my back. I refuse to turn around, worried Mom will see the affection I hold for the bros and discover our little secret within seconds.
Mom is usually pretty good at reading people. It’s one of her insane superpowers. I remember the time I had my best friend from high school, Kristen, and my crush, Jason, over for a school project a few years ago. With one measly glance, Mom knew instantly that Jason and Kristen had a thing for each other. Needless to say, Kristen and Jason began dating a few weeks after our hangout, and I was stuck playing third wheel. It sucked, but what’s a girl to do?
“What are you doing standing there?” Mom asks, making me flinch. “Let’s get you unpacked and ready for dinner. Which one of these rooms is yours?”
Before she can walk over to one of the bro’s doors, I lurch forward, dragging my very heavy suitcases behind me and down the hall. “Over here, mom,” I rush out.
I chance a glance behind me, peeking over the top of Mom’s head as she follows me down the hall. Hunter’s bemused look meets my gaze while Seth and Lucas share a knowing glance. Whatever they know, I truly wish they would fill me in on. I have no clue how I am going to be able to get through this dinner without spilling the beans.
“Sorry I didn’t call,” she says while I shove my door open with my shoulder. “I knew I should have called, but you’ve been so busy these days, and I assumed it would be nice to surprise you. I’m just glad I got the date of your return right.”
The familiarity of my room calms the churning in my stomach ever-so-slightly. The fairy lights are still hanging above the bulletin board and the half-finished vanilla candle sits on the desk, which is cluttered with sketchbooks and paints, bringing a smile to my face.
“Well, isn’t this nice,” Mom says while following me inside.
I dump the suitcases on the floor and heave a sigh while wiggling the tension out of my arms. Maybe I should take a few pointers from Seth and pack a bit lighter for now on. I don’t even think I wore everything I brought to Paris.
“Is everything alright, sweetie?” Mom asks with a frown as she brushes my hair away from my face. “You’re so quiet.” She takes a step back, her frown deepening. “You’re a bit pale. Are you sick?”
“No, Mom,” I say while batting her hand away. “I’m just a bit jet lagged.” And extremely worried you’ll find out I’ve been dating all three of my roommates and judge me harder than New York A-listers judge Fashion Week designers.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, sweetie,” she says while pulling me into a tight hug. “I should have called. We don’t have to go out to dinner tonight if you don’t want to.”
“No, we can,” I say while wiggling out of her grasp. “I probably shouldn’t stay out too late, though. Do you have a place to stay?”
Mom chuckles. “Of course. I’m staying at that Stargaze Hotel, about a twenty-minute walk away. You know the one?”
I nod. “Yeah, it’s in the middle of the little campus town.”
Mom’s smile brightens, which only makes me feel even more guilty for not coming home more often. Although, in my defense, she’s always been the one telling me to get a job, that the world offers no handouts, and that I need to discover my own path. Well, I have now, Mom. Sort of. I lost my job last semester due to missing work, even though I called, but I suppose not everyone can be empathetic. So, I will need to work out that little situation. But I do have a life here. A life I enjoy with the bros.
I just don’t know how I can share it with my family.
“Is everything alright at home?” I ask.
My heart twists when Mom sighs and sits down on the bed. The mattress dips quite low with her weight, and her hands grasp the frame to keep from tumbling backwards. “Everything’s fine,” she says without looking at me. “We just miss you.”
It’s hardly the answer I’m looking for, but I can tell Mom isn’t in the mood to talk about the fam. I know things can be hard. My father is a writer, and my mother owns one of those quaint pottery places where people go to paint jars while drinking wine or coffee. Both are quite satisfied with their careers, but it’s not like they bring home six figures. And living in New York is extremely expensive. Mom and Dad inherited our apartment through my maternal great-grandmother, but even with no rent to pay, water and gas are expensive, not to mention groceries, commute, and school. I’m lucky my paternal grandfather was interested in my education and created a college fund for me.
So why did Mom spend the money to fly here? Did she really miss me that much?
“You know what,” Mom says while springing up from the bed, “why don’t we skip the unpacking and grab some burgers?” She circles around my suitcases still taking up most the space. Before I can say anything, she’s already out the door and stalking down the hallways. I run after her, hearing her call, “Do you boys want to come? My treat?”
I stop several feet behind Mom, shaking my head at the bros while they look between themselves. Their bags are lying in a pile in the middle of the foyer. Lucas is downing a large glass of water while Hunter is leaning against the kitchen counter. Seth is staring at me as if I’ve suddenly sprouted an extra head.
