"So where did you get off to, mom?" I ask as she makes her way through the front door and into the kitchen.
"I was running some errands." she sighs, placing three paper bags on the counter. "Where is Spencer? I need some help." She scans the area looking for him before spotting him through the window.
She beckons him inside as he looks up from cutting a large beam of wood. He enters the kitchen, completely ignoring me and looking at the older woman beside me.
"There's some more bags in the car, could you grab them please?" she questions, gesturing toward the front door.
Spencer nods his head, moving through the room and down the hall to the front door.
He returns with another four bags, piling them onto the counter beside the ones my Mom dropped in earlier.
"What are you doing out there, Spencer?" My Mom asks, gazing through the window at Henry arranging the screws and nails into piles on the grass.
He meets my eyes briefly before shifting back to the older woman. "Just passing time." he sighs, forcing a smile and leaving the kitchen again.
"What have you been doing?" My mom asks, unpacking the groceries.
"Oh, I just took Henry out this morning and then did some cleaning up."
"You still haven't arranged for Spencer and Henry to meet Charlie?" she faces me, holding two cartons of milk.
"I've been- busy." I lie, putting the dairy products into the fridge.
"Jennifer-"
"Don't you Jennifer me, Mom. I'd like to wait until Spence and I are at least ok. Did you know he's still pretty much ignoring me?" My voice raises slightly and I'm shocked at the words I just spoke to my mother. "I'm sorry, I'm just finding all of this hard. Charlie is fine, Jake-"
"Can we eat now?" I'm cut off by Henry entering the kitchen, Spencer close behind him.
I shoot my Mom a warning glare, begging her not to inform Spencer in the whereabouts of our child.
She rolls her eyes, causing a frown to push on the brows of the man watching us.
"Sure, what would you like?" Mom saves me the stress, reaching for Henry's hand and leading him toward the fridge and freezer.
Short chapter, I'm so sorry!!
