The Green Girl ✓

Meeting Rachel

Alice POV

Even if I hadn’t known who the woman that was sitting on the crisp white sheets of the bed was, I’d instantly recognize her as Caden’s mother. He looked just like her. She had a fair complexion, long black hair and the same bluish-grey eyes as the boy. The only difference was in the features of the face; Rachel’s were far more refined and feminine.

“Hey…” Caden greeted in a small, hesitant voice.

“Caden!” The woman exclaimed, looking up from the book she had been reading and placing it on the nightstand located next to her bed. I saw Cade’s tense body relax a bit as his mother recognized him. “I’ve missed you so much!”

She opened her arms and he went to hug her. The boy closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around his mother’s body holding her tight and slightly swaying them both back and forth. He placed one soft, long-lasting kiss on his mom’s forehead and gently brushed her hair with his fingers.

I stood by the door feeling terribly out of place. This was something private. I had no right to be here.

Caden finally let go of his mother and spoke a bit worriedly.

“Mom… There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” He moved to the side so she could see me. “This is my friend, Alissa Green. Alice… This is my mother, Rachel Kavanagh.”

“Pleased to meet you, Rachel.” I smiled sheepishly at her. Caden had told me she preferred it when people addressed her by her first name instead of with Mrs. Kavanagh.

At first she looked startled to see someone new in the room. Her eyebrows scrunched and her eyes narrowed slightly as her gaze ran over me. I started to panic. What if she didn’t like me?

But then Rachel smiled.

Not a shy smile, or a polite fake one, but a genuinely warm smile.

I blinked a few times, surprised by her reaction and looked at Caden. He seemed just as taken aback as I was.

“Hello, Alice! Why don’t you come sit next to me?”

My gaze fell on Caden once more and I waited to see if he’d approve. The boy nodded curtly and I cautiously approached Rachel’s bed. I slowly sat down on the white sheets, still a bit worried that even the slightest movement from me would startle the woman. But she looked completely calm as she continued to smile at me.

“So, Alice… Tell me about yourself!”

“Umm…” I wasn’t sure where to start. My fingers fidgeted nervously in my lap and I bit my lip. Rachel must have picked up on my anxiety as she helpfully urged me:

“How did you meet my son?”

I relaxed. Well, that was an easy question and a safe topic to discuss.

“I tried to pick a CD that was at the top shelve in the music store but I couldn’t reach it and Cade got it for me.”

“How nice of him!” Her smile was directed towards her boy this time.

“Well, I couldn’t help it; she looked so cute with her unsuccessful attempt to reach it. She even stomped her foot like a little child.” He laughed.

“I don’t remember doing that.”

“You did, just after you groaned.”

“So I reminded you of a little child. Is that why you call me kid?”

“Yep.” The boy nodded. “A small, impatient girl. That was my first impression of you. Although Alice is actually my age. We share most of our classes at school.” He added, turning to his mother who was looking at us with an amused expression. “So we became friends really fast.”