Olivia // l.t.

Chapter 13

Olivia

It turns out that by meeting his mother, he meant that he had to stop by the florist and pay for the flowers.

"You don't have to come in, but I'm sure she would love to meet you." He coaxed after we had sat in the car a few minutes.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and followed Louis inside the small Florist.

"Louis!" I smiled at the sight. A woman probably in her late forties enveloping him in a warm hug.

Then she caught sight of me. I immediately felt as if I were intruding. "Well hello." Her smile was large and inviting. I felt a bit out of sorts, given my mother rarely smiled.

"Mom, this is Olivia." Louis introduced, and she glanced at him quickly, her smile somehow only getting wider.

"Well it is so great to finally meet you!" She walked over giving me no other choice but to hug her. "I'm Johannah" She was small, and it was comforting to be hugged this way.

"Louis talks about you all the time, I swear you would think that he—"Mom" Louis interrupted, and she gave me an apologetic smile.

I glanced over at him, his cheeks were tinted pink with slight embarrassment, but he smiled at me anyway.

"I came to pay for the flowers." He stated, and she looked hurt. "Oh Louis, you know you don't have to pay for the flowers!" I gave him a smirk, and he bit his lip.

"Mom, I told you I would pay." He reached for his wallet and she smacked his hand away. I laughed.

"Nonsense, you know better." She patronized and I continued to giggle. "I told you that as long as the flowers were being used to make someone's day then you had all access."

She beamed glancing over at me. His mom was so nice, and she made fun of Louis, I liked her.

"Well, note taken." He chuckled constantly glancing over at me, I guess he was checking if I was okay.

"You look lovely dear, what's the occasion? Work meeting?" She glanced between Louis and I.

Louis cleared his throat awkwardly. "No, um we actually—"We're on a date." I cut in, surprising myself by saying it out loud in front of him.

He was surprised too, I could tell. "Yeah, we're on a date." He repeated confidently this time.

Johannah seemed at a loss for words, and I suddenly felt uncomfortable again. I knew Louis and his mother were close, and I seemed to be noticing an elephant in the room.

I'm sure it had absolutely everything to do with Holly. What if Johannah liked her, Louis did say he broke up with her. Maybe she didn't want him with someone else.

"I'm so glad." She said softly, once again beaming at her son, who was now standing close to me. Our hands were brushing against each other.

"Well go on! You two have fun, be good!" She ushered us out, and then we were alone again.

"I'm sorry about her, she can be a bit, smothering." He smiled. I shook my head. "No, it's nice, she's nice." I admitted.

I began walking towards his car, and he stopped me. "We can actually walk from here." I nodded.

We walked in a comfortable silence for a little while and then the surroundings became familiar.

"Hey I remember this!" I said excitedly as Helen's diner came into focus. He smiled, and I remembered the first time we came here and he bought me lunch.