Chapter Twenty-One - 'We've Bonded Over Pain'

                                    

                                          
[ A/N: Extra long chapter this time! I apologise beforehand. Both for being delayed and...well...you'll see. Don't forget to vote and comment! ]
                          
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I stretched out my arms and smiled at the absence of strain on my shoulder, the sling was finally off. It'd been a pain getting dressed for the week with an unusable arm. Now I easily slid on the uniform blouse and began to button it up, glancing up at the mirror to see the cut at my eyebrow had finally scarred over and had left a gap in my right eyebrow which looked to expand the longer I stared. I push up my bangs and examine my scalp then disappointedly pat it back down when I find that the cut there would probably take a little longer to heal completely. 
                          
I hear a few soft raps at my door before I see Grandma pop her head in. "Are you sure you can work Livvy?" She asked, concern etched across her features. 
                          
Slipping into the black skirt, I nodded, "I'll just be making coffee and manning the cash. I'll be fine." I assured her. 
                          
"You look like a maid." She commented, walking in and beginning to tidy the room. "A very cute maid, nonetheless." 
                          
I laughed, "Thanks Grandma." 
                          
Her eyes drifted towards the window and she pursed her lips, "It's very cold today. I think there's going to be a storm too. Are you sure you can't cancel and join us?" 
                          
"No can do, I've already missed a lot of shifts." I said, "I'll be back tonight for dinner anyway. Just tell Ty to text me where and I'll be there." 
                          
Grandma sighed, bending over to pick up the leather jacket I'd thrown across the room days ago- I feel myself tense when her hands lock onto it. "At least keep a jacket on you." She said, handing it to me. 
                          
I take the jacket and place it onto the bed. "Ty's coming here?" I guessed, grabbing a hair tie.
                          
"Indeed." 
                          
"Cool, I'll grab a ride to the café." I said, pulling my hair into a pony tail. 
                          
When I'm done getting ready I turned to see her looking at the large picture frame on the wall. A ghost of a smile on her lips. "You've both grown so much." She murmured, her voice distant. 
                          
I nodded absentmindedly, hesitantly taking the leather jacket and slinging it over my arm. 
                          
"He looks more like his brother than himself now." Grandma continued. 
                          
She's right, he does. Tyler was only thirteen in the photo, it was a given he didn't look like the him in the photo anymore considering puberty and all that jazz- but now that she'd mentioned it, I could really see the closer similarities between current eighteen year old Tyler and a four year old picture of a Cade who'd deceased at eighteen... "Yeah, he does." I mused. 
                          
"Best not mention this to him." I heard her say, probably to herself. 
                          
"Yeah. Best not." We don't want him to avoid mirrors, too.
                          
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"Good to see you! And good news! We've got a newbie you can train." Anna, the manager said in greeting as I entered her café, she was in the midst of making a coffee. "I'm not confident on you using your arm too much so this is a great job for you Liv. Just start by teaching her the basics."