Dirty Gold ✓ [bxb]

Chapter 35 - Assurance

"How do you even know when I'm thinking." I asked wanting to know.

Axel shrugged " Not very sure, I just do. You have this concentrated look in your eye and sometimes you pucker your lips out." He showed me and I laughed out before slapping his arm playfully.

"I don't look like that." I said trying to look serious but failing due to the amusement and fatigue I felt. For a moment, I thought that I caught Paul look at us through the review mirror. Maybe I had just imagined it. Paul and I weren't by any means close; between us a mutual respect existed. He was the man who was currently with my mother while I was the son of the woman he was with. He was a very decent man from what I had seen which suited me fine. However, his opinion of Axel and I didn't burn quite as deeply as my mother's would.

"Here we are." Paul announced as he pulled up into the driveway of our house. My anxiousness increased as I surveyed the exterior and marveled about how little had changed since I'd been gone. It was refreshing. The garden gnome mom had installed still remained, even though I'd told her so many times that it was useless since we didn't have a garden. The bottom of the garage door was still as scrapped as I'd left it: all through the summer before going to university, I had promised to paint it up but always forgot.

The red mailbox was still slightly crooked from when I was playing football with my dad a few years ago and accidently hit it in the middle with the ball so it bent it a little. Mom was angry and had told us to fix it, but Dad in his ever cool manner had joked that it gave the house a bit of character. I can swear that she probably thought that he'd turn our house into something from Dr. Seuss. That's what he always claimed.

The memory of him was a bit welcome at that stage but I pushed it away as soon as my mom appeared from behind the door causing my heart to lurch. Her hair was in a neat bun on the top of her head, she wore jeans and a simple thin lavender sweater. Her smile was as wide as I'd remembered. She too hadn't changed.

"Mom." I said simply as I reached out to hug her. Her thin arms were wrapped around me in a split second and I held her as tight as I could since I couldn't remember the last time I held her.

"Oh sweetie I've missed you." She said. It was so much better to hear her voice live than over the phone or Skype. My nose was pressed in her neck and I inhaled the scent of the Elizabeth Arden perfume she had always worn since I was a child. It made my eyes water a little. And not because it was too much.

Her arms tightened around me "Mom you're crushing me." I joked. She huffed and didn't let go "I haven't seen my baby in so long. I'll crush you as much as I want to."

Finally, she allowed me to pull away and then took a very long look at me from head to toe "You haven't changed so much. Maybe you're a little taller now."

I felt Axel's presence beside me and I brushed his fingers. My mother was now looking at him with deep rooted curiosity, a lot more than the way Paul had stared but she appeared less surprised than he did.

"You didn't tell me that you were bringing a friend with you Kendall." Mom said but it could hear the questioning tone in her voice.

I cleared my throat "Um he's not a friend. He's my boyfriend." If she was shocked by my revelation, she really didn't show it. For a moment I wondered if she had heard me at all. All she maintained was a cool and calm face towards my words.

And just as he'd done with Paul, Axel politely stretched out his hand "Axel Gold. Wonderful to meet you Mrs. Ross."

My mother tilted her head slightly to look at his hand which made me nervous. Was she not happy by my bringing him here without any warning? It was a bit irrational for me to bring him here without informing anyone but the truth was that I didn't know how exactly to tell my mom I was seeing someone. I thought that it would be better to see him herself.

But my Mom shook him back while maintaining her smile "Please call me Maureen. I haven't referred to myself as Mrs. Ross in years."

My heart stabilized.

"You must be exhausted from your flight. Why don't we all go in?" She placed her hand on my shoulder as we walked. Paul had already carried our stuff into the house through the garage which I was grateful for because the very thought of hauling those heavy bags made me feel like breaking into half. The interior of the house hadn't changed as well. Everything was just how I had remembered it.

Even the pictures of dad remained.

"I hope you don't mind that I cleaned up your room a bit." Mom said as we walked upstairs. My room was also still the same, expect neater. Mom didn't clean a bit; she cleaned a lot. Just like I knew she would. Our bags were already in the room courtesy of Paul who was nowhere in sight. Most likely back in the garage.

I smiled "It's ok mom. Lord knows that was probably the only time it would ever be cleaned with me away."

She turned to Axel "I'm sorry. Kendall didn't tell me you were coming or I'd have made the guest room up."

"It's ok mom. He can sleep in the same room with me." I quickly replied. Mom quite hesitant about that. She wasn't strict or overbearing but there were still things which she couldn't easily just let go unlike most parents.

Axel, being the charming nut he was, said trying to save the situation "It's quite alright Maureen. I can sleep on the couch."

We both stared at him in horror.

I held his hand "Babe it's really ok. Mom you can understand right?" I pleaded with her. She placed her hands around her waist "Just for tonight. Tomorrow we can set up the guest room." it wasn't a suggestion. I nodded.

"Thank Maureen." Axel thanked.

Mom smiled slightly "Pleasure is mine dear. I'm going down to make something to eat. You two should rest."

With one final squeeze and utterance about how much I was missed, mom finally went downstairs. I sat on the bed in relief "That went well."

Axel joined me "Ah it did. Apart from the fact that she must hate me for stealing away her infant son."

I threw my arm around his shoulder "She doesn't hate you. At least not yet."

He laid back on the bed "Wow how comforting. So there's a chance for her to actually hate me? Yay." Chuckling, I went on all fours right on top of him with my hands and knees on either side of him so that we could be eye to eye "No babe she won't. She just needs to get to know you."

I kissed him.

"Ok then. I'll try to make her like me." He said with a sigh.

I kissed him again "She will babe." Even with my assurance towards Axel, I wasn't assured myself. I didn't know if my mom would end up believing the things I was going to tell her or not.

I could only hope.