Doodle Heart | ✓

chapter nineteen: family

a/n: hellooooo! This is going to be a bit of a short chapter to get more of Mae's mom, a summary of Dustin's reunion ;), and a sneak peek of how Parker's handling everything... And also! Guys, we are so close to 1k reads!!! Keep it going, I love all of your support!

N I N E T E E N : FAMILY

MAE CONSULTED ICELYN on her drive up the coast to her parents’ estate in the Northern part of the state. She hadn't driven for awhile, and it felt relaxing to be alone and free in the road for once, even if it was on the road to her parents. Though Dustin had yet to respond to her texts, and Parker had yet to apologize, Mae decided to silence her thoughts on boys for a weekend. Besides, she would have to deal with Lewis on Christmas Eve.

The night before was terrible, so Mae packed all of her things and went to bed early. Icelyn hadn't even awoken when she left. Now, she was almost halfway to the estate and she was almost three days early.

“Mae, I am so sorry that happened. I should've been there, I should've done something—”

“Lyn,” Mae chuckled in between a yawn, “none of this should be your problem. I'm dealing with it on my own, and I just wanted you to know that. But thank you. Seriously.”

Icelyn frowned on the other end of the phone. “Call me when you get to your parents’ place. You're probably driving right now, anyways.”

“Yeah, I'll see you later, Ice Queen.”

“Right back at you, Mae-Bae.” Mae pressed the end call button on her steering wheel, returning her car to the previous silence, besides the sound of her driving. The sky was a gloomy overcast, reflecting her mood perfectly. In the back of her little car was a small carry-on sized luggage with everything she needed at her parents’ house. She would have to go Christmas shopping tomorrow.

It wasn’t until noon did she park her car along the curb of her childhood home. It was a mass of modern architecture overlooking a canyon, and had the best views of the Pacific sunset. An apprehensive knot settled in her stomach as she lugged her suitcase out of the car and made her way up to the front door.

She winced, pausing before her finger hit the doorbell. She could turn back now and they wouldn’t even know. But she hit it anyway.

The doorbell echoed throughout the empty house and she heard a quick shuffling of feet behind the door. When it opened, she met the very sober face of her mother. Mae was stunned.

“Mom?”

Mae’s mother smiled at her, looking up with happy wrinkles beneath her eyes. “Mae, I didn’t think you were coming home early.”

“Yeah… uh, I just thought it’d be better since it’s a Saturday morning…”

Her mother chuckled to herself and grabbed Mae’s luggage instead of her. Hugs were a new concept in this mother-daughter relationship. “Well, it’s good to see you, sweetheart. Come in, come in. Your father’s, ah, in his study.”

Mae had to fight not to roll her eyes. Where else would her father be? Her mother shut the door behind them and rolled the suitcase behind her. Mae left her shoes next to the front door whilst glancing about at the home she used to hate. The floors lacked spilt wine and broken bottles, chandeliers shone brightly like diamonds, and every single wall looked brand new.

“Your father told me you were coming home for Christmas, so I thought I’d get the house cleaned up a bit. Come, let's put this in your room,” she said, hauling the case up the steps. Mae was too in awe of the house's transformation to offer to help. It was so very different, yet just the same.

The grand set of steps led to a fork, and the two turned to the left wing. The hall was long and was lines with family portraits, of Mae especially.

When they finally arrived at their destination, Mae sucked in a breath. Her room was cleaner and tidier than when she last left it. The bed sheets weren't torn, her easel wasn't tilting like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and almost everything had been replaced with a newer version.

“I hope you like what I did with your place. I know it was a stretch doing this without your permission, but I did get you some new things,” her mother told her, nervousness lacing her voice. She shuffled over to the closet and drew open the door. A few new pieces of clothing hung on hangers and we're folded neatly into drawers, while a shiny pair of heels sat in the corner. Pushed up against one of the walls was a vanity with a variety of accessories splayed across the table.

Mae took another look at her mother: same chocolate colored hair, same dark eyes, same smile… but with just a bit more life. Three years away. She had only been gone for three years and it was as if her mother was never an alcoholic or drank from a Fountain of Youth.

“Mom, thank you.” Never did she think she would ever say those words without spite.

Her mother beamed with pride. “I'm sorry for… everything. I want to make it up to you.”

“Okay.” But was a two week break enough? She was supposed to go to college after this year, too. They could try though, they could try extremely hard.

IT WASN'T LIKE Dustin meant to ditch Mae at the formal. He tried calling her, even if he gave up after the first ring. He was excited, ebullient, over-the-moon crazy.

His parents were home from China. Finally.

He knew first through Allen, who had dutifully informed him over the phone while Dustin was waiting for Mae who had run off to the restroom. He knew second when the gold Lexus came into view. Third, when he came across the five or so suitcases propping open the front doors. Fourth, by the staff scrambling around. Last, seeing his parents in physical form, home at last.

To say Dustin awoke happy was an understatement. He was a kid on Christmas morning, heading to his mom and dad and catching up with them all morning in the kitchen over a huge feast of breakfast.

Dustin could get used to this.

THERE WAS A different air to Parker, and both his mom and Peter could sense it. A gray cloud hung over his head when he walked into the hospital room Saturday morning, barely awake.

His mother had stayed the night, falling asleep over plans for a Christmas party that was to be held at the Jin estate in a few days.

He slumped in his chair, mumbling out a greeting and smiling like nothing was wrong. But it all crumpled to ash, when his mother asked him, “Honey, is everything okay?”

Parker shook his head and cast his gaze towards the ground. He was ashamed of himself. “No, I messed up, mom. I messed up so bad.”