"Your friends are gettin' here next Wednesday?" Mum asked as she took out another thing from a cloth bag she brought from the grocery store.
"Thursday, actually."
"Havin' party, yea?" Dad chuckled at my conversation with Mum. He was working on a file while sitting next to me on the cream couch. This was the thing I didn't want to be a real adult because of—working even on a free day. Just like schoolkids did with homework. Well, some adults didn't have it like this, but I was planning on ending up in the same field as my parents. Just watching them was exhausting. And still, I wanted to do the same job.
I rolled my eyes at my dad's words and looked down at Zoé. I was watching her as she slept. It was such a weird feeling to have her little body in my arms now. Such a small creature. She was very young, after all.
They had been here for almost a week already. Daphné and Dad, sometimes with Zoé and me, went around London to spend some time outside, and other times the four of us together with my mum just had family time here in the apartment since the winter was not really warm.
I turned my gaze back to Mum, who was still doing some stuff in the kitchen with Daphné accompanying her. I heard them talk about things around the baby two days ago. It was understandable since Zoé was Daphné's first child. And dad was probably not really helpful since his job was taking a lot of his time, while she could work easily from home. Or maybe having more sources was just better.
It was really good to see how the two of them—Mum and Daphné—were feeling alright with each other. Because how I mostly saw on TV that ex-wives hated the new ones or the other way around, apparently. It didn't always end up like that. And that was pleasant to witness.
"Are they all comin'?" Dad asked after a while, to which I turned to look at him.
"Just Amy, Ev, and Del."
Dad just nodded at my answer, and I gave him back the still-sleeping baby after he put down his laptop. Zoé fell asleep in my arms not so long ago, but I liked to hold her. My little sister. I wouldn't be able to see her in person for some time after the Christmas break, so it was probably only natural.
I got up and left for my room. Being with all of them the whole time… well, it was slightly exhausting. They all were talking about work sometimes, and then just some other things that didn't really interest me. Or maybe it was because I just wasn't used to the full house.
After entering my room, I fell onto my bed and took out my phone from my sweatpants pocket. The first thing I did was open Instagram so I could see what was new in the world. However, my eyes fell on the new notifications. I wasn't surprised even though the last time I posted something was a couple of months ago… but I didn't have a private profile, so anyone could like anything—I didn't mind as I had nothing to hide.
However, my brows furrowed when I clicked on them and saw who had liked my latest post. Not only did the profile picture look familiar, but so did the username. Curious, I clicked on it to see if my thoughts were right. It seemed like Ava didn't know what to do, so she just liked my photo. Today. A week after she kissed me. I shook my head before I started looking through her profile. Thankfully, she didn't have a private one either.
Ava didn't have many photos with her so-called friends on her Instagram profile. Only like one. I wasn't even surprised after our talk in the lavatory not that long ago, to tell the truth.
A smile spread across my face as my eyes fell on what looked like a family photo, which was actually one of a few with people in it. She was smiling while standing next to two younger kids. Her pretty eyes seemed so happy to be there—right next to her family.
I felt a weird sensation rise in my chest, to which I let my fingers touch my lips. She smiled similarly when I let her kiss me last Friday. The kiss felt pretty nice too…
I sighed. The moment was nice, yes, until she just ran away, leaving me there alone. And now she liked one of my posts. Was it a sign or something? What was I supposed to think? Was it her way of flirting? Or maybe she was just making fun of me…
"Sidney?" I heard Daphné call out my name.
Turning my head to the door, I saw Daphné as she slowly opened it, looking at me right after. She stared at me for a moment. Probably because of how I was lying here like that, spread across the bed like a whale.
"Come. Dinner's ready."
Nodding, I got into a sitting position as she left the room, closing the door behind her a little. I took one last look at Ava's Instagram profile before leaving the phone on my bed and going for dinner.
My family was already sitting down while Zoé was probably still sleeping. I sat down next to Mum, eyeing everyone. The three of them started eating casually after wishing the others a good appetite. It seemed like a casual family dinner we hadn't had in quite a long while.
Even though I was glad to have Dad and Daphné over for a few days, it felt weird—all of this did. Mum had told me a few times that she was completely okay with this as they got separated in a good way a few years ago already, unless the whole thing was just an act in front of me. It was still just so weird every time they all were in the same room, acting like nothing had happened. Not that I could feel any tension whatsoever.
"Sidney?" Mum asked after a moment, to which I looked up at her with raised eyebrows, waiting for her to say more as I kept on eating. "Henry will be coming over for dinner tomorrow."
I didn't know how to react, but I also almost died from coughing on my food as I stared at my mother. She had a blank expression on her face as she kept on looking at me. What was this? My dad and his new wife and my mum and her boyfriend here? Well, being passive in these situations was probably a solution for them. Seemingly, at least.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Mum asked worriedly when I couldn't stop coughing.
"Right," Dad spoke up, making me switch my gaze to him. "We wanted to go out tomorrow, so your mum took it as an opportunity."
Oh…
I eyed the three of them when I finally stopped coughing. They all looked at me like this was just normal. Was it? Were these our normal days now? Was I overreacting? Maybe. Most likely.
"What 'bout Zoé?" I asked finally. "Wait, why don't you go to a restaurant or something, too? I could babysit her."
I eyed my mum. It would be fucking weird anyway if we had her ex-husband's kid in the apartment while he was not even here and she would have her boyfriend over, right? Such an awkward situation. Unless Dad and Daphné were planning on taking Zoé on their little date. However, my words seemed to be in place as my mum's expression changed into a small smile.
"Are you sure? Because that would be nice."
Were they scared to leave me alone with a few-month-old baby? I didn't blame them, nor was I surprised. But then I got an idea—I could invite Jade or someone over to keep me company and help me with my baby sister.
I nodded, getting back to the food on my plate. All of this was just so weird, so I rather continued eating to forget all of this. Having the family together was a nice idea, but in the end, it got kind of… uncomfortable? Yeah. Maybe I just still wasn't used to all of this like I had thought.
As planned for the next day, Dad and Daphné went out about half an hour ago while Mum was still in her room—preparing herself for the date, most likely. All the while I was sitting in the living room on my phone since Zoé was being a good kid, sleeping again.
My eyes fell on a new notification on my Instagram account. Someone had sent a message to me. I clicked on it, curiously, and instantly froze. Ava texted me a moment ago asking if I wanted to meet up. And then my eyes fell on the sign announcing to me that she was typing a new message at the moment.
avathompson: you liked my photo so I thought..
Shit.
Furrowing my brows, I clicked on her profile to check myself to see if her words were true. As I scrolled through her latest posts, I let out a frustrated breath. When did I like it? Which one? How…? Why, just why? Why was it the reason she texted me?
I stopped when I found the one. The photo with her and the kids, who were most likely her siblings. Sighing, I sank down on the couch. Was it a good thing? I wasn't sure.
"Are you okay?" I heard my mum ask, which made me glance up at her. She seemed to be leaving finally, dressed up with her purse in hand.
"Yeah. You leavin'?"
Mum nodded, checking her watch, "Henry should be here any moment. Are you sure you two will be okay?"
This time, it was I who nodded, to which I heard our doorbell ring. Mum's date was here, and Jade should also be at the door any moment. My mum glanced at me one last time before putting on her shoes and light brown coat, saying her goodbyes and leaving.
My phone chimed with a new message notification, which made me look down at it—Ava texted me again. I sighed, exiting her profile to look into our chat room.
avathompson: it's ok if you don't want to
sidney.sanderss: we can
sidney.sanderss: meet up, I mean
I licked my lips, glancing at sleeping Zoé. I didn't even know why, but I felt slightly nervous. Or happy? Was I happy that she texted me? Maybe. It was definitely better than her ghosting way that went on for a whole week.
avathompson: I'm free on Wednesday
sidney.sanderss: same here
Dad was leaving with Zoé and Daphné on Wednesday morning, so this hang-out shouldn't be much of a problem. Was it going to be a hangout? A date? Probably not. Just small talk. I could only guess that Ava wanted to tell me she made a mistake and we should forget it. And then she would threaten me about how she would make my life hell if I told anyone—again. Or maybe, just maybe… that was already behind her. I could only hope.
I flinched when I heard the doorbell ring again. Now it meant that Jade was here. I glanced one last time at my phone screen, where Ava texted me that she would see me on Wednesday and that I should enjoy my Christmas.
sidney.sanderss: yea, see ya and merry Christmas
Sighing, I got up and headed towards the front door, which I had opened, exposing a smiling Jade behind them. I smiled at her too, letting her go inside the warm apartment.
"Hey."
"Hey," she greeted me, looking around the hallway of our flat. "It looks nice here."
"Thanks, I guess."
I closed the door behind her, to which I went back to sit in the living room. After looking again at my phone, where there was now nothing new, I put it down on the dark wooden coffee table and glanced up at Jade, who was admiring my home.
My eyes followed her as she went over to my mother's piano, leaving her cloth bag by the couch's side on the light wooden floor. However, Jade didn't sit down, instead, she let her fingers run across the top. I had no idea she played. But I wasn't too surprised, as we had never talked about our talents as such.
"You play?"
"Sometimes. It's my mum's," I shrugged. "You?"
"Nah, I play the violin," she gave me a small smile, to which she left the piano and came to the couch, sitting down on it afterwards. Now that was one way to confuse me.
"Oh, nice."
My friend glanced at where Zoé was sleeping before she whispered, "That's your sister?"
Nodding, I got up and went over to the said person. She seemed to be waking up and I hoped we weren't the reason for it. We didn't talk loudly as there was no one but the two of us.
I watched the small human being as she slowly opened her baby eyes while making those funny noises. At least it sounded funny to me. I let my fingers touch her small hands, smiling to myself.
"She's cute," Jade exclaimed next to me. I nodded, brushing my fingers over Zoé's light hair.
Zoé blinked, looking up at the two of us while making some of those giggling sounds again. It was indeed cute. I had never felt about babies like this before. Maybe it was our sister bond? I could only guess.
"Hi," I chuckled, touching her little fingers with mine again.
"So when are your parents gettin' back?"
I looked up at Jade, who was watching my sister, to which I shrugged, "Dunno. Hope they won't be too late."
"So," she started again, glancing around the still pretty much plain room once more, "what now?"
Once again, I shrugged, thinking. There wasn't much to do in this not-so-big place. All we could do was watch a movie or just be on our phones like we always did back with my childhood friends when we had no idea what to do.
"Wanna watch something?" I asked, leaving Zoé for a moment as I went to get the remote control. I then turned the TV on and looked at the channel that was last played. Something with animals. I could be sure that was my dad's doing.
"Sure."
Seeing there was nothing interesting on any TV channel, I turned on Netflix. While going through the offered shows, I glanced at Jade, "Well… any ideas?"
"Heartstopper?"
I chuckled, "That has like twenty episodes, girl."
"Gimme that," Jade shook her head, motioning for me to hand her the remote. Rolling my eyes, I did just that, watching as she browsed through some movies. "What 'bout this one?"
Your Name Engraved Herein…
I gave Jade a questioning look, "A sad movie? Really?"
My friend sighed, going back to browsing through the movies. She occasionally stopped to read their descriptions, which I also did. And then my eyes fell on one.
"Let's watch those cowboys," I proposed.
"Brokeback Mountain?"
Shrugging, I went to look at Zoé before I sat down on the couch, "I have it on my watchlist."
Jade nodded in agreement. She probably hadn't watched that one either. She then clicked on the chosen movie and sat down next to me. Once again, I glanced in Zoé's direction to check if the volume was too much for her, even though I was almost a hundred percent sure it wouldn't be.
"Do you have any crisps?"
"Oh, right," I chuckled at Jade's question. "Is popcorn enough?"
Jade nodded, as she kept on watching the movie that had just started. And so, I got up to head into the kitchen to prepare some popcorn. I was worried before asking her if she could come over as I didn't want to ruin her family's Christmas time, but it seemed like she was alright with spending some time here with me while watching some random movies.
"We have cheesed," I announced, taking the named one out.
"Cool."
I nodded to myself before continuing and occasionally glancing in Zoé's direction. She was quiet, and I was really glad for that. I didn't have much experience with babies, so I wasn't very confident in comforting her if she started crying.
"So, how's Christmas been so far?"
"Good," I smiled before rejoining Jade on the couch. "Yours?"
"Good."