The Evermore Dissociate(Creek)

0086

Later that day, music filled the space around Craig as he attempted to clean his bedroom for Clyde's arrival. He kicked things under his bed, shoved clothes into his wardrobe, fighting back against the door that refused to close, only to give up and allow the contents to spill out onto the floor, once again. In truth, it would've been simpler for him to just clean his bedroom properly, but now he was committed to his lazy attempt.

The music that played had been loud enough, that he hadn't heard the door opening. Standing there was his mother, with a fresh batch of warm cookies settled onto a serving tray. It was the scent that caused his curious nose to investigate, but when he saw her standing there, with a smile entirely too forced, his curiosity went else where.

"I made you some cookies." Laura said, as she closed the door with her foot. "Want one whilst they're still hot?"

"...Sure.' Craig hesitated. The cookie was soft and squishy when he pinched it between his fingers. Laura certainly wasn't the best cook, and by the looks of this half baked dough, her skills weren't improving. With expectant eyes, she watched her son, waiting for him to try her creation, and so, after withholding a look of pure disgust, Craig took a small nibble out of what was supposed to be a cookie. The urge to spit it back out was overpowering, but somehow, he managed to resist and chew through the wetness in the middle.

"How are they?"

As she asked that, with a hint of insecurity, the bedroom door half opened, and Ruby's head floated around to peak in. The young girls eyes immediately locked onto the cookies her mom was holding, only to roll seconds later. "Jesus, mom." Ruby interrupted. "I told you, he isn't going to tell you anything, if you poison him."

Suspiciously, Craig's eyebrows furrowed as he looked to his sister. He watched as his mom attempted to shoo Ruby out of the room, to no avail, before he asked, "I won't tell you what?"

With a mischievous grin, Ruby began to back out of the room, leaving a frustrated mother, and a confused son. "Mom knows you like dick." Ruby called through the closed door.

"Ruby!" Laura scolded. "Don't be so crude."

Stunned in place, Craig flushed with embarrassment with wide eyes. He looked to the mushy cookie in his hand, before tossing it across the room, with it landing into the bin successfully. Usually, he'd relish in his mastered ability, however, he was too unsettled by his sisters words. Instead, he sat at the end of his bed, looking to his mom in annoyance as she stared back with pity. "What's she talking about?"

"I was speaking to your dad earlier on the phone, and he told me that you'd said you were gay." Laura replied with a soft voice. She came over to sit beside her son, with the failed cookies resting on her lap. "I'm so proud of you for being able to say that."

Her hand found Craig's and she squeezed it with comfort and love. At this moment in time, he still was at a loss for words, so instead, he listened. "I know when you're a teenager, there's more pressure when it comes to stuff like this, but I want you to know that I love you, no matter what. Nothings going to change, you know that, right?"

This conversation was making Craig feel uncomfortable. The entire time his mom was speaking, all he could think about, was how Clyde would be here soon, and his room was still looking like a war zone. Looking down at the hand that held his own, he nodded his head in understanding. Though his mom was usually an entity filled with stress, her compassion flowed through at times most needed. It was something Craig liked about her. She wasn't suffocating her children, or forcing them to endure heart felt conversations all the time. She wasn't the type of parent to scream at her children, but the way she handled things, insured a sense of warmth.

"You'll always be my little baby."

"Are you trying to patronise me?"

"Oh, stop." Laura smiled, tightening her grip on his hand. It wasn't often she'd get to be in this position with her son, unlike Ruby who, when she wasn't falling asleep on her moms lap, was demanding her hair be played with. "You don't realise that you have a cool, relatable mom."

"Saying you're cool, instantly makes you uncool."

"We're not so different, you and I." She went on to say, staring across the room in thought. "Back when I was at college, I experimented all the-"

Quickly tugging his hand free, Craig scooted away from his mom with a look of disgust. "Please don't finish that sentence."

"Alright, fine." Laura smiled to herself as she stood up, leaving the cookies on the bed. "But if you ever need some advice, come to moma."

"Oh god, stop."

As Laura paused by the door, watching her son with soft eyes, she had a thought. "Ruby told me about Tweek." She confessed. For a moment, Craig's stare lowered, before he looked away. "You should invite him over for dinner tomorrow night." And with that, she disappeared out of Craig's sight.

Her fluffy slippers dragged across the carpet as she made her way down the stairs, and when she was halfway down, there was a knock at the door. Ill-prepared for visitors, Laura glanced down at her comfy clothes in distress. Still, she rushed to unlock the door, opening it to reveal Clyde lazily smiling, with a bag of clothes at his side. Her son had forgotten to tell her that he was staying over, but even so, she stepped aside to allow Clyde inside.

"Looking good, Mrs T."

Blushing, Laura shoo'd the boy away as she locked the door once again. When she turned around, Clyde was still by her side, waiting with his hands tucked into his pockets. He'd dropped his bag at the side, taking the weight off his shoulders. "Craig's in his room." Laura said as she made her way into the kitchen.

Following behind, Clyde made himself a drink before sitting down at the table. "He throws things at me when I come over too early."

"Throw things back at him." Laura replied over her shoulder as she tended to the unwashed dishes.

"Nah," Clyde mused. "I'll just hang out with you for a bit."

With her back turned to the boy, Laura quietly exhaled. She enjoyed her time alone, and after many years of knowing Clyde, she also knew he had the tendency to talk a lot. Thankfully, Ruby entered not long after Clyde's rambling began, but when the younger girl noticed him, she became uncontrollably shy. It was uncharacteristic for Ruby to be shy, but she'd always had a huge crush on Clyde. He smiled across the room to her in greeting, but all Ruby managed in return was a crooked twitch of the mouth. It was the same each time he came over to the Tucker household, and now, Clyde just assumed that was how the girl smiled.

There was something different about the house now, though. Clyde noticed. He noticed the lack of beer, or the lazy slob that would once raid the fridge in anger. Craig hadn't told either Clyde or Token about his father moving out, but as the brunette studied the relaxed vibes coming from the women of the house, and the replaced pictures that once hung from the walls, he knew something had changed.