How to Not Fall for My Boss ✔

18. Feud

Cobie pushes the backseat door and turns to her mom without dragging her injured ankle down from the seat. She takes a sharp breath when the dull twinge hits her ankle.

"Mom! You shouldn't leave the house without telling Rose. Don't scare us like that! And check your phone for god sake!" she says in one breath. "What if something happened to you and we didn't know where you were?"

"Oh? I believed I said something to your sister before I left." Mom glances at the driving seat, but Cobie's next question forces her to shift her attention back to her daughter.

"And why didn't you pick up our calls whatsoever? Did you forget to charge it again?"

When her mom nods with a guilty wince, Cobie sighs, trying to contain her agitation. "Why did you come here out of all the places in the world?"

Her mom smiles meekly. "You forgot your lunch, Cobie. I wanted to bring it over to you."

"Mom..." Cobie trails off, her panic, fear, and fury dissipating all of a sudden. "I'm taking my day off, remember? And I told you I have a lunch appointment with um, someone."

Luke, who has been standing quietly behind her mom and following their convo, occasionally glances at her driver's tinted window, trying to make out the person who is sitting behind the steering wheel. His expression is stoic but his rigid gesture says enough that he's not in his usual state. Cobie forces herself to keep her gaze on her mom's face.

"I figured when I got here. But why didn't you tell me earlier?" her mom replies.

"I did tell you." When Cobie sees a frown on her mom's face, followed by a glimpse of confusion, she shakes her head and smiles. "You know what? Maybe I didn't. I was in a rush this morning. I'm sorry."

"How bad is your ankle? Let me see." Her mom bends over to examine Cobie's ankle but it's too dark to have a proper look.

"It's a tad bit better. Peter has bought an instant ice pack from a drugstore on the way here," Cobie replies. "Let's just go home first."

"Peter who?"

Peter uses this moment to jump out of the car as if he is getting a spotlight on the stage. "Good afternoon, Miss Evans. Long time no see," he greets. "I will be driving you two home. Let me help you with your bags."

Her mom turns her head and stares at Peter for a good ten seconds. Slowly, her eyes widen and her mouth opens in disbelief. Her stunned expression is soon replaced by pressed lips and narrowed eyes. "You!"

She takes a step forward. "What are you doing here with my daughter? How dare you come near her again?"

"Mom..."

"I-I was just helping," Peter stammers as he staggers back, keeping his distance from Cobie's angry mom.

"We don't need your help! All we need is for you to never show up in my daughter's life ever again! How did you find her? Have you been stalking her all these years? You creep! Leave her alone!" Her mom swings her bag at Peter as if she is attacking a random thief on the street. "You" — she smacks — "don't deserve to" — another smack — "even breathe the same air" — hard smack — "as my daughter!"

"Woah, aw, aw, ouch!" Peter manages to dodge the attacks at the beginning, but the last one hits his shoulder hard.

"Mom!" Cobie has never seen her mom this furious at anyone before given how forgiving her nature is. But since her Dementia symptoms progress faster this year, she notices how her mom gets easily triggered emotionally. Cobie needs to do something about this but she can't move fast enough.