As Fortune Would Have It ✔

{Chapter 8}

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

I felt more than see - my eyes were still locked on the woman I called "Mother" - Andy's position shift from flirty to a protective stance before me.

She laughed, tossing her purse onto the counter top, dropping her lawyer briefcase by the door, kicking off her shoes. "I am still your Mother, you know, Hallie," She nodded towards Lisa, finishing her statement. "Same for you, Elisabeth."

Lisa stood by the counter, her hands gripping the edge so tight her knuckles were turning red.

No words came from her, and Andy and I both knew why. Lisa was four years younger than me, and whenever Mom got pregnant for her, everything became good. For a while, at least. Mom took off from her job for a few months and I thought we were a happy family. Mom's original job was as a secretary at the lawyer's office and she quit two years after Lisa was born, so I was six. I thought Mom was done for good, but I was wrong.

In fourth grade, right on schedule, Mom randomly came home and said that she had B-I-G news. She decided she was going to put her lawyer job back on top. Mom had a degree in law but never pursued it because of us. But now, she was going to do the exact opposite. And she did. Basically, she worked her way up to the top and left me and Lisa down in the dirt.

That meant more time alone with Lisa while Mom worked long jobs at the office. She was never there for Lisa. I was. Always.

I swallowed angrily. "You sure have a funny way of showing it."

Mom paused, turning her head around and tilting it to the side in amusement. "Was I talking to you, Hallie? No. But thank you for your comment even though it wasn't needed. I was talking to Lisa."

I ducked behind Andy's arm, marching right up to Mom, thrusting my index finger in her face. "You don't have the right to call her that! You weren't there for Lisa, you STILL aren't!"

Mom sneered. "Get your finger out of my face."

"Or what? Why don't I shove it even closer, huh? How about that?!" I walked closer to Mom but squealed in protest as arms wrapped around my waist from behind me. Andy lifted me up and hauled me backwards, away from Mom, all the while I was kicking and screaming.

"Let. Go. Of. Me. Andy, let go! Let-let go!" I hit him as much as I could without looking behind me and I felt my hands touch the slightest bit at his hair. So soft.

He grunted in pain and I screamed as he started to drag me towards the front door.

"Hi, sorry, Mrs. Tucker, we were just heading out. I'm taking Hallie out for some pizza at Pizza Hut."

"What the- pizza? No! Andy, no! Let go of-mmmmm!!" My reply was cut off as Andy covered my mouth with his hand.

Asshole.

"Coming, Lisa?"
The look he sent Lisa snapped her out of her frightened gaze. This was the closest Mom and I had ever gotten to actually fighting. Literally.

"Yeah, Mom. I'm going, too." She hugged Mom and grabbed her purse and I watched as she held the door open for us and walked outside.

There was a slight breeze going on outside, and that only deepened the tense environment we had already. The flowers by the door were turning dark, becoming dead by the second. The flower pots were cracked, most likely due to my temper tantrums like the one that I had not so long ago.

Andy grunted and let go of me, throwing me to the ground.

I huffed in pain and stood up, brushing the dirt and grass off of my pants.

I turned to glare at him and was shocked to find that he had the exact same expression.

He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. Hard. "Damn it, Hallie. Get a fucking grip of yourself. Quit acting like a goddamn baby for once and act your age." He let go of me and breathed through his nostrils angrilly. "Fuck, man."

I felt tears come to my eyes. Andy had never gotten this angry before. Which meant I stepped out of line.

"I'm sorry, Andy. I'm sorry." I sobbed, holding my arms close to my stomach.

He looked at me for a minute, saying nothing, then I felt relief as his arms wrapped around me. "It's fine, Hallie. You're okay now." He whispered calming words into my hair and I closed my eyes and breathed him in.

"I hate to interrupt this ADORABLE moment, but, uh, I'M starving."

Lisa's statement made me chuckle and I pulled back from Andy, wiping my eyes.

I huffed Lisa, chuckling. "You're right, kiddo. I'm hungry, too."

We walked side by side to Andy's car and I looked at her in confusion when she pulled away from me.

She had a silver object resting in her hand and my eyes narrowed.

"My phone? You're giving it back now?" I smiled and snatched it away from her, putting it in my pocket. "Why'd you take it anyway?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I was checking Ryder Earrings's blog posts. He's announcing the winner of the concert next week. So I got excited and wanted to see if I can find more news."

I shook my head. "Lisa, you DO know that the concert's in three weeks, right? There's no need to look that up now."

She grinned. "Whatever, Hallie. You know what they say, 'The early bird gets the worm'."

I laughed at her and Andy unlocked the door.

"I CALL SHOTGUN!"

Lisa scrambled to the front seat and I rolled my eyes at her. Immature, much?

I grabbed my phone and pressed the home button. No notifications. So Jake STILL hadn't texted me back?

I frowned at the thought.

Then a ringing noise came from the front.

I peered over the driver's side, looking at Andy, who now had a phone pressed to his ear. "Who're you calling?"

"Addie. She's going to meet us at Pizza Hut. It's code red."