California's POV
"Well hello there." The woman smiled holding kitchen mitts between her hands.
"Hey mom." Jack kissed her cheek walking in.
"My names California, it's nice to meet you." I shook her hand.
"She's my girlfriend." Jack smiled behind us and I couldn't help but blush.
"Wow, you must be an amazing girl. I've never met one of Jack's girlfriends." She smiled closing the door behind me.
I simply laughed and followed her and Jack into a darkly painted room.
"I thought you'd be at Jack's until tomorrow, so i went over to Kathy's for dinner." She looked at Jack.
"That's fine," He shrugged.
"What about you, are you hungry?" She smiled at me.
"No, no I'm fine." The lack of spoken words failed to make me sound the least bit genuine.
"Okay, then how about some tea?"
"I'd love that." I beamed.
"Alright, just give me a minute." She left into an open corridor.
"So," Jack faced me as I looked at the family pictures displayed above the fire place.
"So?" I laughed.
"It doesn't bother you?" He said clearly referring to his adoptive mother.
"Why would it bother me? She's a wonderful woman and I can tell she's rubbed off on you." I spoke picking up a picture that displayed Jack and a couple other people.
"It's just-"
"She's your mother, Jack. Her being a big part of your life does change anything." I looked up at him still holding the photo frame in my hands.
He smiled and I could tell he was happy with my answer.
"But- I just don't understand why you didn't tell me." I shrugged setting the picture down.
"It's not something you just come out and say, shes my mom and thats just the way it is." Jack looked down at me.
"Well I like her." I kissed his cheek.
"The tea's ready." She peeked her head out of the kitchen.
Jack led me into the spacious room which was painted a light beige and had a smaller table set up in the far corner of the room.
After we were all seated, Jack's mom started to make small talk.
"Do you attend Westside as well?" She asked lifting up the dainty cup.
"Yeah- I moved here in August." I nodded stirring the tea with the miniature spoon.
"That's nice, where from?"
"California," I set the spoon down taking the cup in my hands.
"Lovely, why Nebraska?" She asked but I knew she was just curious.
"It's quiet," I shrugged half lying.
"What about your parents, how are they?" Her question made reality start to sink in.
"Mom-" Jack cut in.
"No it's fine," I stopped him.
"Um-" I paused unaware of how to answer the question.
"My mom, she's a detective and my father, he was overseas." I took a swig of the scolding tea letting it burn my throat on the way down.
"Was?" Her curiosity got the best of me.
