Everything To Lose

Chapter 11

It was Friday night, and Raven was sitting on one end of the couch with Aden, reading to him from one of his books. Clarke was in the kitchen making them dinner. Raven would often spend the weekends with them at their home, she simply loved Aden, having helped Clarke raise him so far, and he in turn was extremely fond of her. 'Aunt Rae rae' he called her with affection.

Raven was alerted of a text on her phone then. It was Lexa, she held it up and read in her mind.

"Raven. I'm a mess. For some reason there's no place available for Madi and I to rent out in this short a notice. There's this one good place, but the landlord says I can only have it after a month. And we gotta vacate this place this weekend."

Raven looked down at Aden, cuddled into her side, playing with the corner of the pages. "Hold on buddy, I just got to reply to a few texts"

"Clarke is not going to deny you your own home. Just come here" she replied to Lexa.

"I know she won't. I just don't know if we're ready to see each other yet" came Lexa's honest reply.

"I don't know about you, but she's been waiting 4 years."

Raven could almost image Lexa's tired sigh, and how she would go deep in thought for a few minutes right about now. But she also knew, being a mother now, Lexa had more to think about than just herself.

"Alright, could you ask her for me? Tonight? I'm assuming you're at her place."

"I am, she's in the kitchen, making dinner." Raven replied

"So can you?"

"I will"

"And let me know if she's fine with it"

"FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME LEX, SHE WILL BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HOME"

"Okay okay... just keep me posted."

"Who's Lexa, Aunt Rae Rae?" came Aden's voice.

Raven gasped, and then covered his tiny little mouth. She looked around and confirmed that Clarke was in fact still in the kitchen and dancing around to her shuffle playlist while she cooked.

"Where did you learn to read like that?" Raven scolded.

"I know some words" he said with a grin.

Raven looked around once more and then whispered to him. "Okay bud, this is going to be our little secret okay. You cannot tell mommy."

The thought of sharing a secret with his aunt and being able to keep something away from his mom thrilled him to another level. He nodded excitedly.

"Lexa is a code word okay?" she said to him.

"Okay. Lexa." He repeated. "What does it mean?" he asked innocently.

Raven softened. She thought for a while.

"Strength. That's what it means." She said and she kissed atop his blonde head.

"Strength" he repeated. "Lexa" he allowed himself to feel the word on his tongue and he quite liked it.

"But this word stays between us okay. You cannot use it in front of momma."

"I won't. I promise" he said. And Raven smiled.

Dinner was simple. Raven and Clarke catching up on each other's day, Aden still rambling about his amazing trip the school had taken them to. Clarke tucked him in for the night, then came downstairs and poured herself and Raven some wine and they sat on the couch with the intention to just relax, unwind and settle into the weekend vibe.