Peanut

4. Hey Peanut

"What happened to you?" Dad asks as I hobble into the cafe where I find him setting muffins on display.

"Jasper happened, I swear he's ratted his last tatouille" I groan trying to shake the glitter out of my hair.

I woke up this morning, happy and relaxed but once I looked in the mirror I freaked. Jasper had poured what seemed like a litre of glitter over me while I slept. He better prepare for what's coming to him. I plop down on the stool and munch on a doughnut.

"Come on Ophelia! Eat a proper breakfast" Dad complains.

I just laugh with a mouthful of doughnut and amble back upstairs to get ready. Jasper must have left in order to avoid my fury. Gray and Gabe are still asleep, meaning I can take my time in the bathroom. Sharing 1 shower with 5 people in the house is difficult, especially when me and Dad are the only ones who clean up after ourselves. My relaxing shower was disrupted however when someone began banging on the door. There goes my plan to take my time.

"Ophelia? I'm desperate!" Gabe pleads.

"Use the toilet in the cafe!"

I hear him groan and his footsteps retreating quickly. Assuming Gray will be up soon to, I get out of the shower and get ready for the day. I blow dry my hair (which still has glitter in it might I add) and slip on an oversized beige sweater with some black leggings. I also decide to add some cute clips. Before I can add anything else Gray begins knocking impatiently as I expected. I lace up some black converse and then head into the cafe to help Dad.

"Ophelia refill coffees please" dad says, rushing around with his hands full with dishes.

"Sure" I comply, picking up the coffee pot. I'm in my own thoughts thinking about possibly watching Mamma Mia again tonight as I refill cups.

"Hey Peanut"

Huh? Are they talking to me? I search for the person, and I'm once again surprised to see Leo sitting in the cafe once again. Right in front of me. However that surprise soon becomes mixed with embarrassment when I realise I've overflowed his cup with coffee. Immediately we both reach for napkins and pat down the surface.

"Sorry" I apologise.

"This seems like deja vu, Peanut" Leo smirks.

"What's with the 'Peanut'?"

"It's a nickname! Give me one!" He urges.

"Jerk? Annoying? Pig?" I suggest.

"Why're you so mean Peanut?" He cries dramatically in a joking manner.

"Maybe that's just my factory settings?"

I feel a tap on my shoulder and see Gabe stood there with worried expression, mouth agape. "We have a problem" he mumbles.

"Let me guess? You got into trouble with the neighbours again? I told you to stop trying to skateboard on their porch steps!" I laugh but soon stop when I see his face become more serious. His eyes move to something near the front door again causing me to follow his gaze.

Stood at the door is my Mother. The woman who abandoned us 5 years ago, took our money and left a note saying, 'Sorry but I'm going to New York, I've met another man called Frank who I love.'. This woman who walked out of our lives has now just walked into our cafe. "Hi kids" she says quietly.

No way. I can't stand to look at this woman. Does she have no brain? How can she have the audacity to just show up and call us "kids" after 5 years of no contact, 5 years of no explanation, 5 years without a Mother?! If she's here for forgiveness or to be part of our lives, she has another thing coming. We grew up just fine without her, in fact we grew up great without her. She doesn't deserve to be called a mother. She doesn't deserve to call us her "kids"!

Shaking my head I storm out through the back door. There's no way I can look at her any longer. As I head to the exit, I see the expression of all the customers. This town is pretty close knit, everybody knows everybody's business. Everyone knows who Stephanie Walker is how she she left our family. Therefore I'm not shocked when I see dozens of surprised, disappointed and angry faces. Even Leo who just came into town recently had eyes as wide as saucers.

I grab my backpack as I exit with Gabe and Leo hot on my trail. Poor Dad is in the kitchen and doesn't have a clue yet. Jasper and Gray probably don't know either. How can she just show up like that?

I climb into the car and blast the radio. Of course Gray's Carrie Underwood CD that he thinks we don't know about starts playing. I put on my seatbelt to try and stop myself from marching back in there to give her a piece of my mind.

Leo seems to be talking to Gabe and eventually Gabe gets into the car too. Leo drives off on his motorcycle, the sound of the engine being drowned out by Carrie Underwood. Me and Gabe both sit silently until soon enough Gray stalks out, slamming the door with anger written over his face. He sit in the driver seat starts the engine. Off to school we go.
- - - - -
After what seems like an eternity, we pull up to the school building where we see Jasper smiling and laughing with his friends. See this is what our life is like without our Mother.

"Will we tell him together?" I ask.

Gray simply nods, signalling for us to get out of the car. We climb the steps towards Jasper, and each step feels a year long. Once we reach him, Gray wraps his arm around Jasper and guides him away from his friends and to a private hallway inside. Jasper doesn't object, recognising the look on our face.

The last time we approached him like this was when the school told us Dad was in an accident. Turns out it was nothing major, dad had just tripped over the lead for Jasper's guitar. The school had just over reacted when the hospital called saying our Dad couldn't pick us up after school.

"What is it?" Jasper asks nervously.

We all looking at eachother wondering who'll tell him. Finally I speak up, "She's back"