October to October

{Chapter Thirty}

  The next morning; Lauren couldn't stop calling Joan 'her girlfriend.' Joan laughed at her, but the words made Lauren giddy. Henry was smirking knowingly as they walked into the kitchen for breakfast. They ignored him as Lauren started to make a spinach omelet as Joan taught her a few months ago. Joan wanted to help, but Lauren insisted Joan sit down and let Lauren cook for once.

   "So how are you doing?" Wren asked; she was in the kitchen and making coffee. 

 "Good," Lauren said honestly. "Wren... I'm happy."

  Wren was watching her closely. "As long as you're happy I am too. Honestly."

  "Thanks," Lauren said with a grateful smile. "I just don't know if everyone else will be. I'm not telling them right away... but I'm going to."

  "And if your parents kick you out you can always live here," Henry said helpfully as Lauren poured two glasses of orange juice.

  "Henry!" Wren chided. "Don't say things like that."

  "It could happen," Lauren said quietly. "I hear about it all the time."

  "It won't," Wren said firmly. "Your parents are good people. They'll understand eventually."

  "I hope so," Lauren said without much hope in her voice.

  "It'll be fine," Joan said quietly; getting up to put her hands on Lauren's shoulders. "Your parents are far better people than mine."

  Joan had an early class so she kissed her girlfriend goodbye an hour later, and Lauren started towards home. Ruth was doing her homework in the living room when Lauren walked in. Ruth raised her eyebrows at Lauren's outfit. She was wearing Joan's hot pink plaid pajamas, but Ruth didn't say anything as Lauren went into the kitchen to get one of the muffins that their mother cooked that morning. She liked coming home and smelling freshly cooked blueberry muffins.

   The smell made her sad for some reason. Just imagining not being welcome here any longer scared her. When she was first messing around with Joan; being ostracized by her family hadn't been at the forefront of her mind, but now the possibility was staring her in the face. The fear was excruciating. She couldn't imagine being brave enough to tell them as she saw her Mom standing at the stove. She hadn't realized until that moment just how much she loved her parents. She wasn't sure she could manage without them.

  "Morning daughter of mine," said her Mom as Lauren walked into the kitchen. "I'm off to work. Did you have a nice time at Joan's?"

  "Uh, yeah..."

  "I like those pajamas by the way. They look so cute with that red hair of yours."

  "Thanks. Uh, it's almost eight, Mom. Shouldn't you be going?"

  "You're right! I'm going to be late, but oh well. I'm always on time every other day so they can just deal with it," said her Mom as she rushed out the back door with her purse, nurse blues and keys all in one hand. "Oh, and it's your turn to make dinner tonight okay? Love you!"

  "I love you too."

  "So how was the show?" Ruth asked as Lauren returned to the living room, and she sat down in her Dad's chair.

  "I wouldn't know as it only lasted an hour thanks to the rain," Lauren said. "Alex was so angry he wasted the day with us."

  "I bet," Ruth said with a bit of a smile playing on her face. "Jake sent me a text. He said you haven't gotten back to him. He said he hoped you were feeling better."