I'm In Love With Me?

Chapter 25

"Oh, you're up." She chirped as I entered the kitchen. She was making scrambled eggs and pancakes at the same time. My mouth opened then closed at seeing the kitchen island that had cereal, bacon, toast and milk on display.

"Did you bring your entire family here?" I asked, scratching my head. Why in the world did she prepare so much? "It's just the both of us. You don't have to prepare for twelve." I rolled my eyes, taking a strip of bacon.

"Well it's just lovely to see you too little niece." She said sarcastically and I ignored her. Aunt Jackie was a nice person. There was only one thing I hated about her the most and it was the fact that she always found the poorest excuses for Jason's mistakes.

"When did you get here? And how did you get in here?" I questioned randomly. She paused, looking over her shoulder at me with a smile.

"I came in like seven this morning. And as for your second question, it's simple. I picked the lock." She said it so casually that I had to do a double take.

"That's illegal."

"Relax. We're family so it's not entirely a crime. Besides it was an experiment. Why didn't you do a full lock down. I wouldn't have succeeded if you had just dead bolt the door and set the alarm." She was scolding me like she usually did. Apparently she didn't think mom did it enough. "Honey, you need to be more careful when you're home alone." For her information, I always dead bolted the door and set the alarm. I was a bit drunk last night and tired so I guess I was too lazy to do something that took like ten seconds. Sue me.

"I tried to wake you up. You gave me quite a fright for a while. Thought you were dead." She turned off the stove, carrying over a plate of eggs and pancakes.

I took the plate she handed me then sat at the island. "Yeah well, you've been M.I.A for like three years. Thought you were murdered or something." A laugh filled the room and I looked over at her.

"Honey, if I stayed in this country for one more day back then, I would have murdered myself."

"It's called suicide." I rolled my eyes as I placed a slice of pancake in my mouth. This was the kind of conversation aunt Jackie entertained with her niece. Mom never favoured us being on the phone for over ten minutes because she knew how aunt Jackie was.

"By saying that, it makes it sound so miserably tragic."

"That's because it is." I pointed out and she waved me off, biting into a piece of bacon at the same time.

"Anyway, I was kind of living on this really cool paradise island in the middle of nowhere operated by this weird Arawak couple. There's no reception out there so that's why you couldn't reach me. It's so cute that you were worried about me." She was talking so fast, I was barely keeping up.

"No that was mom. Lauren worries about everyone but herself." Aunt Jackie gave me a look and I shrugged. She then shook her head with an amused smile.

"You are a heartless monster. How dare you not worry about your aunt Jackie." She joked and I ripped the bread in half to inspect it.

"I think you're confusing me with your jackass of a brother." I shot back and she slammed her hand down on the table. She caught me off guard so I jolted a little before meeting her very serious stare.

"Lenna, that was rude and not okay." She scolded and I stood up.

"You know what else is not okay? Him ignoring his family for months. Him cheating on his wife and walking around in Canada with a family that's not his to take care of. That, is what's not okay." My voice rose at her. I turned on my heels to leave but she stopped me.