Alliance

Friends

Chapter Eighteen

It had been two weeks since the incident and since then he had been trying avoid his parents, waiting for the swelling on his face to go down. He stared at himself in the mirror, taking in the now faded cuts. His rib cage had not been fractured merely bruised but it had healed. Victoria had been so much help these past few days, she had been there early the next morning to drive him to the hospital to get checked. She had even picked up his prescription as well.

He quickly rinsed and headed out in search of company, that company being the one and only Vicky. He had heard she had orders to fill back in the shop. He froze with one foot on the steps and looked down to his mother starring up at him, her eyebrow raised and her hands on her hips, quickly tapping her foot on the pavement floor.

"Alexander, what in the hell happened to you," she hissed making her way up the stairs.

"Uh...I."

"Never mind that, look at your face," she sighed taking his jaw into both her hands. "And to think our family reunion is just two days away."

"I need to be on my way mom, is there anything you need?" he asked

"Where in earth have you been hiding? I haven't seen you in weeks!" She said.

Alex merely brushed her touch away. Leave it to his parents to ignore him that long. It was always like this when he was a kid. His mother would focus on business and merely check on him through a phone call like she had been doing these past few days.

"I'm fine, just had a little brush with some guys. I'm on my way out mom." He honestly replied.

"I just got here and already you want to be rid of me, well think again Alexander, you are having lunch with your mother, so wipe that frown off your face and let's go." She said turning around and descending the stairs.

Alex cursed under his breath and followed suit after his mother, he was sure to get a lecture about his new face. For the first time in all his life Alex didn't complain or object, he simply hopped in the car with her and let her lead them to wherever it was.

"Where is your car?" she asked.

"In the shop, had a few problems with it." he quickly answered.

"Another banged up job?" she muttered.

He nodded and scratched the back of his head feeling uncomfortable; he didn't want to have "the talk" with his mom. Whenever she found out he was sleeping with some random girl, she talked about incurable diseases, how that was someone's little girl, and to stop and think about what he was doing, that one day he'd get a girl pregnant and then what would he do. He leaned his head back on the seat and closed his eyes wishing he would be anywhere but here.

***

Victoria finished putting the last touches on her fifth baked cake in a long time; she stared at it amazed feeling happy with her work. She had to admit that she missed Alex's company, she felt comfortable. She hadn't expected to befriend him, but in the end she guessed it was bound to happen seeing that they spent so much time together. She smiled and shook her head and remembered the way he had looked so silly in that small apron while mixing the dough.

She had to admit that over the last few days they had been spending time together he was trying to make an effort to change. Deep inside of her hope bloomed, wishing for Alexander to make a clean break through, if he did he would be a changed man, someone trustworthy.

***

"Drink the pain killers Alexander, they'll help," his mom said pushing in front of him a glass of water.