"Morning." Lynn called out upon entering the Becker family home. The sounds of pots clanking could be heard from the kitchen. The pleasant smell of breakfast reached Her nose.
"Lynn? Is that you dear? Come over and help me a bit." Diane roped her in whatever she was making in the kitchen. Making her way to the kitchen Lynn couldn't help but take the picture in. This place had become a second home for her. It felt a bit sad knowing she would leave it behind. God knows how torn Nate must feel about it.
Moving nearing the kitchen area, she saw Diane, a woman Nearing fifty. Her Auburn hair now with grey streaks that Lynn only now seemed to notice. Lines were beginning to show on her face. She had asked Diane about it but the woman seemed content with her aging. The blue in her eyes was still bright, a trait she passed to her children. Although Nate's seemed a bit darker.
"Seemed like you don't need my help Diane. You're almost done!" Lynn said, slightly awed and more than a little hungry after seeing all the food laid out. Toast, sausages, bacon, eggs, mushrooms and... What looked like orange juice? Lynn felt her heart move. Or maybe her stomach.
"Of course I need your help." Diane said in what usual motherly way. "Could you make another serving of eggs for Lia? You know she's picky about her eggs." The apron was already upon Lynn.
"Oh! And can you make a coffee for Nana? You know what he likes right? The beans are by the sink." And just like that she was gone.
Lynn went to work right away. She was used to this. Diane would often have the trio as helpers if they were caught. It served as punishment and a learning experience.
She grabbed a pan and began frying the eggs. Lia liked them scrambled for some reason. Said the way everyone else ate them was 'gross'. She recalled Nate saying something about the cause being a trip they had to a farm when they were kids but she wasn't too sure. She'd have to ask him later.
At some point she started humming a tune. Lynn didn't know where it was from but she liked it. A few moments later she served the eggs on the only plate without them. She then place the pan to the side and pulled out here phone.
(Hey you up? I'm downstairs in case you fall out of bed and see this.)
That was what Lynn sent before the walked in. A simple message she had rewritten more than she would like.It went unread. It seemed like he really was asleep.
(I'm gonna pour salt in your coffee if you don't wake up soon idiot.)
She wrote it but found difficulty pressing 'send'. She'd tried to not let it show. This past year had been a tough one. Not just for her but for all three of them. A lot of emotions left unexpressed. And this was the result of it. The feeling of walking on eggshells around each other made it so that once common interactions between them was... Calculated.
They were friends, that much was true, but it was a habit she couldn't shake. A habit she didn't want to shake. Because what if she said the wrong thing? What if she had to face Jacob's Indifference again? What if her words hurt Nate like they had before?
She looked at the message again. It was simple a bit of banter between friends, yet she couldn't help but read it again and again. After a moment she hit send. It wouldn't hurt him right? She hoped it wouldn't.
She turned her focus on the coffee. The grinder was somewhere in the bottom cabinet. It was one of those had crank one's. Why the Becker's never got a coffee machine was a mystery she never got an answer to. It seemed like there was hot water in the kettle on the counter. Lynn boiled it again just to be safe.
She ground the beans. A thought came to her. Where was the filter? It should be around here somewhere....
Bzzt Bzzt
Her phone vibrated. She cheeked it faster than she would like to admit.
(Woke up a while ago. Took a nap waiting for your slow ass. Be down in a minute.)
That got a chuckle out of her. It seemed like Nate's coffee would go unsalted today. She went back to preparing the coffee. A little relieved that her text was taken as just banter.
Lynn heard a car outside.
Jacob.
Suddenly her mood dropped. Things had gotten better between them lately. Their forced coexistence for Nate's sake had dulled much of the hurt of their breakup, reaching the point where they can atleast act friendly. The awkwardness was still there however. Nate often found himself as the bridge between the two.
'Nate, whatever your doing, do it faster!'
And then the door opened.