Howl (18+)

Chapter Nine✔

Aubrey awoke to the jarring ring of her phone. It vibrated across the room echoing on her dresser where she had left it the night before. Aubrey groaned, burying her face back into the soft fluff of her pillow, sighing in relief when the phone finally stopped ringing. She visibly relaxed into her warm blankets, her body going slack as she began to drift again.

Unfortunately only to be jerked back awake by the sound of her phone vibrating again. Moaning she scooted to the side of the bed, reading down onto the floor where her alarm clock was stashed. Grabbing it with still stiff fingers she pulled it up to narrow her eyes at the time. 7 AM. 7. Freaking. AM. That could only mean one person.

Clara Fromata. She tended to not be a thoughtful person and would continually call Aubrey until the brunette answered. If she didn't answer, Clara was not above calling the local law enforcement to ensure her daughter's safety.

Aubrey cringed at the memory. The first time she did it had been during her first performance. The police had shown up annoyed by the hassle. This thought in mind, the brunette rolled out of the comfy haven of her 500 thread count sheets and barely made it to the dresser in time, limping on her left leg as she put her first weight of the morning upon it. It sometimes took a few good stretches to get the thing working again, sometimes the fluid built up painfully behind her artificial kneecap replacement.

She snagged the phone up quickly, pressing the accepted buttn before placing it to her ear. "Yes, mother?" She said breathlessly.

Clara huffed loudly into the receiver,  causing Aubrey to wince as she leaned forward, stretching her knee to maybe alleviate some discomfort. "I was worried sick about you and that's how you greet me? With a 'yes, mother'? What about a 'well hello my singular provider for the last twenty odd years of my life'?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes, straightening herself up, and heading to the kitchen to make coffee before Bea could wake up and she had to choke down yet another watery cup. "Hello mommy dearest, how can I be of service today?"

"Well, Aubrey, I was on the phone with Beatrice last night and she mentioned to me how you haven't been home a lot. The last few weeks."

Aubrey couldn't even contain her groan as she walked into the kitchen, her eyes narrowed as she saw the guilty party, already awake and leaning at the counter, a glass of juice in her hands.

"No need for that, Aubrey. A mother just likes to know who her daughter is seeing, no matter what age." Clara snipped, and Aubrey could hear the sound of the TV starting in the background.

The brunette frowned, pulling down a box of unopened pop tarts and holding them out to Bea. Her sister took a pack in before nodding in thanks and heading to the table with her drink. "Mother, it's not a big deal. Really."

Clara did her signature huff, crackling the receiver again much to Aubrey's displeasure. "I've been telling you for months that you need to start dating again-"

"No." Aubrey cut her off. "You've been telling me since two weeks after my fiancé died."

Clara had no shame. Allen's body was barely cold and in the ground before she had begun trying to set Aubrey up on dates as if some was some sort of widow matchmaker. "It's not nice being alone Aubrey. You know I know that."

"My fiancé died, Mother, you left yours to chase tail in California. I wanted mine. You didn't." Aubrey spat out, grabbing a mug and slamming it down.

"Careful! Don't take it out on my Gilmore Girls mug!" Beatrice grumbled from the table. Aubrey shot her a sour look. This conversation wouldn't be happening if she had kept her mouth shut.

"You don't know what it was like being married to him." Clara scoffed. "You don't even understand the half of what he put me through."

"He was diagnosed with Bipolar Depression before you started dating and admitted to never taking his medicine. You knew what mess you were signing up for." Aubrey shot back, starting the now loaded coffee pot.