Succulents on the Window Sill

Chapter 21

A car pulled up in the driveway, and all heads turned towards the living room window to watch. Even Mindy pricked up her ears at the sound, before her head lifted from where it was laying on the rug to follow the direction that the sound had come from.

The car engine cut, and Corinne waited, listening as the minutes went by. If it was Zach and Jake, they were taking a long time to get out of the car and enter the house.

Corinne wanted to get up from her place on the sofa and see just what was keeping them. There was a part of her that found comfort in the unknown though. The longer that she could stay in the dark from the latest news, the longer she may be able to put off whatever new emotions she would have to deal with.

Finally, she could hear the slam of the car doors, and the opening of the front door into the house. Jake was saying something, Zach was pulling off his jacket and hanging it up on the hooks. Jake entered the living room first, a tiny smile on his lips as he dropped to the other end of the sofa from Corinne.

Fiona had turned on the TV half an hour ago, scrolling through the guide until she settled on a movie. Corinne had tried to focus on watching it, especially as it was one from her childhood that she hadn't seen in years. Her mind had been too stressed to follow the storyline though, getting muddled over which character was which, and why the leading lady was suddenly in tears.

Jake's eyes locked on the screen, his interest instantly caught as he slouched back into a relaxed position. It was as if he hadn't left the house. Corinne hoped his indifferent mood was a good sign.

Mindy got up from the rug with a stretch and a yawn, just as Zach stepped through the doorway. She walked over to meet him, sniffing at his shoes before losing interest as he moved across the room to take the only seat available between Jake and Corinne.

"Well?" Fiona was the one to ask the question on all of their minds.

Zach shrugged, slipping down the back cushions to join Jake in the laid-back position they both seemed to favour. "We're home."

"I can see that." Fiona didn't sound any more satisfied with his answer than what Corinne was.

"Did you bring that girl home?" Zach gave a single nod at his dad, before moving to lock eyes with the movie playing.

"Well, why are you smiling, Jake?" Fiona shuffled to the edge of her seat, leaning so far forward Corinne worried she may fall off it.

"Zach's finally going to bring me to the gym tomorrow night."

Corinne felt her stomach twist. Last time Zach was at the gym, he was actually with Sara. She gave her husband a firm poke in the ribs before she could even think it over.

"Ow! What was that for?" Zach clutched his side, head spinning towards her.

"Give me one good reason why I should trust the words 'Zach' and 'gym' in the same sentence?"

Jake gave a chuckle. "She's got a point." He gave Zach a nudge and a wink, which only made Corinne's suspicions grow.

Zach sighed, turning back to the TV. "We're going to the gym. And maybe McDonald's afterwards. Maybe the shopping mall too, because Jake wants some new trainers."

Jake sat up straighter, leaning around Zach to give Corinne a firm nod. There was a gleam in his eyes she couldn't trust, a turn to his lips that had her doubting everything. Zach was keeping his own face firmly on the TV screen.

Corinne folded her arms. "So what if I said I wanted to come too?"

Zach's face fell. Jake's fell even further. "You can't! Well, you can, but like, you go to Boots or to some clothes shop or something, and we'll go our own way."