Forever a Friend In Love

Chapter 5

Theo decides to stay when Mom calls me up to help with dinner.

"What can I do to help, Lori?" he asks, rolling up the sleeves of his hoodie when we enter the kitchen.

Mom turns away from the stove.

"I thought I saw you sneak through the front door. That's the fifth time this week you haven't come and said hi when you came over."

"Really? I didn't realize."

"Next time come say hi. This is your home too. We don't bite."

"Pretty sure Chris does." Theo mutters, going over to give my mom a hug.

"Well, now that you're both here, you can help me." Mom opens the fridge and starts piling stuff into Theo's arms.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" he asks.

"Put it on the counter." Mom tells him.

"What are we making?" I ask, helping Theo sort through the vegetables Mom handed him.

"Soup and rolls. You two can wash and chop up the vegetables. I have to start another load of laundry if Aiden's going to go to soccer tomorrow."

"Sure." Theo puts the veggies in the sink.

He hands me the cauliflower and celery and I work on chopping it up as he peels a couple carrots. Once I'm done, I move onto the onion, instantly regretting it.

"Done." Theo says proudly, putting all the vegetables in the pot.

He looks back towards me and frowns.

"What happened? You look like someone died."

"Shut up." I purposefully look up at the ceiling, my eyes burning with tears.

"Do you want me to do that?" he asks.

"Knock yourself out." I hand him the knife and go wash my hands.

By the time I'm done drying them, Theo's adding the onions to the pot and he has tears in his eyes too.

"Why was that one so awful? It's like it has something against me?"

"You volunteered." I remind him, throwing him the dish towel.

"I should've just gone home and left you to suffer on your own."

"Then we'd miss all the fun."

"Fun?" Theo laughs, "What sad life do you live if this is fun? Fun is games and parties. Oh, I see. You have fun when things end up with you in tears."

"That's not funny."

"Oh, please. Drunk and crying Cass was one of the highlights of my life. I'm never going to forget how you passed out mid conversation and I had to carry you out of the car."

"You have a death wish." I mumble under my breath, going to the pantry to find the ingredients for the rolls.

"Oh, I forgot, how's the headache?" Theo asks, taking the flour from me.

"It was fine after I got home, though it kind of came back this afternoon. But I think that one's on you."

"Is that your terrible way of saying I'm annoying?"

"Yeah." I laugh.

"Okay, but seriously, how's your head?"

"It's fine. I've barely noticed it all day."

"That's good."

"Yeah."

It's quiet for a minute while I carry the rest of the ingredients to the counter, but Mom comes back and breaks the awkward silence.