Adore

Chapter 12

My mother pulled up to a quant coffee shop and parked the car. I couldn't get the expression on Louis' face out of my head. I could tell what I said to my mother effected him somehow. Once we were in the shop and ordered our drinks, we took our seats at one of the tables inside. "Everything alright, Aud?" My mother asks me.

I shake my head a bit trying to relieve my face of the stress I pulled to it. "I'm fine," I lie.

"No, I know that look on your face. What's on your mind?" She asks again.

"A lot," I grumble as I hear our names called for our drinks.

My mom gives me a smile before leaving her seat. I wasn't ready to talk to my mom about anything. Her arrival was so unexpected to me and it made me realize that I had a decision to make but I have every intention of avoiding it.

"Here's your caramel macchiato," my mom said handing me my drink. "What's on your mind, honey?"

I roll my eyes. "You're not my therapist."

"Audrey," she says harshly.

"Why are you even here?" I snap at her.

"Did you have that dream again?" She asks without answering my question.

I keep silent as I sip from my drink and avoid eye contact.

"You did," she sighs. "Audrey, Harry is fine."

"No, he's not. That should've been me, mom. I shouldn't have left," I choke back tears.

She leans into me and grits her teeth. "Don't do this in public," her voice is hushed so no one else can hear her.

I clear my throat and my need to cry goes away. "Niall," I choke a bit on my words. "Wants to meet you."

"Oh? I thought he wasn't anything special to you."

"He's a friend, mom. We've been over this," I groan taking a sip of my drink.

"How did you describe him over the phone again? Oh yeah," she says as if she just had some sort of light bulb moment. "Charming?"

"Mother!" I snap at her.

"So, he wants to me meet?" She stirs her drink.

I nod. "Yeah, he told me that earlier but next week. Let's not do it this week, please."

"Okay, if that's what you wish," she takes a sip of her coffee. "But there is a reason I came here earlier. I need to talk to you about something," she pauses as I raise my eyebrow. "Your father and I are having some differences," she starts to say.

"So, you're getting a divorce?" I feel my head lower a bit in shock.

"Let me finish," she snaps. "We are having some differences, yes. We've been arguing a lot more lately and we've decided to take a bit of a break from each other."

"Mom, you two are married. You can't just 'take breaks' whenever you please."

"Not the kind of break you're thinking of," she raises her brows and takes another sip of her drink.

"You're literally being ridiculous. You two are better than that. You could've stayed and worked it out," I get a bit more irritated towards her.

"You're not happy with me," she states.

"When am I ever happy with you?" My tone comes out harsh. "I don't mean it like that," I defend myself immediately.

"I know, you just don't like me showing up here unexpectedly."