3.7

                                    

                                          
August 6th, 2016 - Jet lag.
                          
I made the mistake of going to bed immediately upon reaching the Hemmings' household.
                          
Of course, my body thought it was four in the morning when it was only dinner time, and for that very reason I allowed myself to lay down and rest. The nap lasted all the way until the digital clock on Luke's dresser boldly read 2:56 AM, and I audibly groaned upon seeing those damned red numbers. There was no way I could go back to bed; I was alert, ready for a brand new day. The only problem was that the day had barely even started.
                          
I shuffled out of bed and silently made my way downstairs. Luke's silhouette lay on the couch, completely still but breathing heavily. The blanket wrapped around him covered everything except his bare feet and his closed eyes. I crept past the living room, careful not to stir him.
                          
The kitchen was pitch black. I stumbled around, blindly feeling my way with cautious, outstretched hands. The unfamiliar setting only made things more difficult on my groggy mind. After one stubbed toe and several angry swear words, my fingers delicately landed on a light switch beside the fridge. I turned it on slowly, then climbed onto the marble counter and reached for a glass in the cabinet above me. The cool marble sent goosebumps across my exposed skin.
                          
"Jesus, honey, don't fall please."
                          
I shrieked, ironically toppling backwards and awkwardly grasping for something to prevent me from breaking my ass. I managed to spin my body around, sliding painfully down to the cold tile floor with one hand covering my mouth in fear.
                          
Liz looked terrified. She rushed over to where I lay slumped on the ground, partially panting from shock and partially laughing at my own unadulterated idiocy. "Oh my lord, Teni, I didn't mean to frighten you!"
                          
She helped me up and gently checked me over, making sure I wasn't bleeding anywhere. I politely brushed her off. "I'm okay, I'm just a baby. All I wanted was a cup of water."
                          
"I'm on it!" Liz exclaimed, swiftly retrieving a glass cup from the open cabinet. I made my way over to the bar stools she'd previously been perched at, gingerly pressing a sore spot on the back of my thigh. "That'll be a bruise," she said, placing my glass in front of me. "I'm so sorry, truly."
                          
"It's fine," I reassured, taking one small sip from my drink. "What are you doing awake at this hour?"
                          
The purple nightgown that draped over her and the slippers covering her toes indicated that she'd been in bed for at least a few hours. I hadn't seen her without makeup, though the sight was not much different. She still had welcoming eyes and laugh lines that perfectly framed her warm smile. A motherly appearance, undoubtedly. Liz was the kind of woman who would give you a bandage for your scraped knee and kiss it better, even if you weren't her kid.
                          
"How am I supposed to sleep when I'm a worry wart and my son is a rock star? There's quite a lot to worry about when your kid is famous," she joked. "I worry about his weight and if he's eating enough, because I know when he gets nervous he forgets to eat meals. I worry about his social life, since the tour gets so busy and sometimes he doesn't have a chance to hang out with friends other than his bandmates. I worry about his stress; oh, my god, his stress has been through the roof lately. Sometimes I worry that I can't help him."
                          
Liz returned to the seat beside me and took a long swig from the red wine sitting in front of her. The bags under her eyes became more evident as she stared off into space, biting her cheek as she did so. I felt my heart sink the longer I watched her.
                          
"I worry about you, too," she added, turning to me. "You deserve a family, a mother. I know you're only here for four days and I know you came to get to know Luke, but I want to be a mother to you. Every girl deserves a mother, no matter how old they may be. You can come to me for anything: broken heart, school help, friend drama. Just know that I'm here for you, always."
                          
I choked back tears by uncomfortably laughing and clearing my throat. "Thank you, it means a lot to me."
                          
She leaned over and engulfed me in a hug. The smell of lavender shampoo overwhelmed my senses, and I instantly noted it as a comforting scent. Liz held me for a moment too long, gently rocking us from side to side and brushing through my bed head. 
                          
"Don't cry, sweetheart, that was the opposite of my intentions," she said, brushing away a stray tear once she'd pulled away from me.
                          
I grinned and ran my hands across my cheeks. "I'm not crying because I'm sad, I'm just crying because I'm grateful."
                          
Liz nodded and stepped down from the bar stool. "I understand. I think we both should try and get some rest though, hm? I'll see you in the morning. Sleep tight, hun."
                          
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@teni_nicole tweeted: i have never felt so much love from a stranger in my entire life

                          
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update #2 because emma is lost in the mountains and i am trying to update fast as fuck so she falls behind #prayforemmabutnotreally (lov u)
                          
a bit of solution for the main characters inner conflict whats good!! i dont think any of u really cared too much about this situation but i wanted to add it bc i am a writer and i couldnt leave that problem unresolved
                          
next chapter will be cute af!! probably updating in like 30 mins lol
                          
have a dooty day/night