Just An Attraction

If They Had Mitski in the 2000s She Would Play It At Midnight

They fell asleep during the movie, Abby and Mike.

The movie had ended just a couple of minutes ago and Victoria cleaned up the popcorn bowl and the cups. Laying a blanket she had on the back of the couch over the two of them. Tucking them in. Mike looked so peaceful when he was asleep, and even unconscious he still was ready to protect Abby. Almost shielding her with his arm. A cute sight.

Carrying the bowl and the cups to the sink she turned on the hot water and clogged the drain. There were a few plates in there from yesterday that she hadn't gotten too. Dishes were a simple task, and she needed to busy her mind somehow. It was hard trying to find something to do with herself since Caleb was with his dad. Of course, he'd be returned to her tomorrow but she just couldn't wait that long. It wasn't that being a mom was her only personality trait, but being a mom really felt like her only purpose and without that purpose she was just... empty.

The doorbell rang and she immediately shut off the water. Drying her hands on a kitchen towel that she hung on the handle of the oven she rushed over to the door and looked through the peehole. Not seeing anyone there she furrowed her brows and opened the door.

To her surprise Caleb was standing there with his little suitcase and tear streaks staining his face. Once he saw her he let go of his suitcase and hugged her quite forcefully. Crouching down she hugged him tighter. As soon as she did Caleb just started bawling.

They stayed there until he calmed down. Victoria was rocking them back and forth in the doorway. Once his sobs turned to hiccups he squirmed a bit and she let him go. Wiping his face with his hands he sniffled.

"What's wrong?" She didn't want to ask why he was home early, that question may just be answered once she finds out what happened.

"Ellen kicked me out."

"Who?"

"Dad's girlfriend. She started screaming at him about me, and then I was locked out of the house." Caleb sniffled again, visibly holding back tears.

"Oh, honey, and you walked here all by yourself? Come on, I'll make you some hot chocolate."

She opened the door wider and ushered him inside, taking his little suitcase in as well. Caleb noticed something move on the couch and he looked back at his mom curiously.

"Is Mike staying over?"

"What– Oh, Abby and Mike just wanted to watch a movie here. That's all."

"I missed it?" His eyes filled with tears again.

"Bugaboo, you and Abby can watch a movie tomorrow morning. Maybe you can show her those cartoons you really like."

"Yeah!" His eyes lit up and the tears went away. "Can you make my hot chocolate with the little marshmallows?"

"Of course, I can." Victoria set a teflon pot on the stove and opened the fridge to get the milk. They always had hot chocolate with milk.

Late into the night when Victoria couldn't sleep she tried busying herself with small tasks to do around the house. As far as she knew Mike was asleep too. Stopping by Caleb's room she peered through the door, cracked just enough for her to see her sleeping son. Her eyes welled with tears and her hand came up to muffle any sound she made. Backing away from his room she quickly moved to the bathroom downstairs, fluorescent light flooding only a small portion of the first floor. Mike was in fact not asleep, trying to rest but he couldn't figure out why he wasn't already in dream land. Perhaps he didn't have a reason to be dreaming. No longer on a quest to save his younger brother Garett, half the time now he didn't even remember his dreams.