unexpected reunion[6]

Lukas had been standing there, his mind replaying the earlier conversation with Claire, when the sudden creak of a door made him turn around slowly, his eyes narrowing, and his body still. His expression remained unchanged as he faced the sound.

To his surprise, he saw his mother, Jessie, standing at the entrance with the door just closing behind her. Before Lukas could greet her or say anything, Jessie was already moving toward him with wide arms and an exuberant smile, her enthusiasm infectious.

"LUKEE!" she exclaimed, her voice louder than he expected. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY DON'T YOU CALL ANYMORE? IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I LAST SAW YOU!!" She took a step back to inspect him, squinting up at him as though searching for any signs of change. "Have you gotten taller?"

Lukas raised an eyebrow and sighed, placing a hand on his face. "Mom. I've literally visited you just a few weeks ago... and I call you like every day."

Jessie put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You haven't called for a week or so, though. And there's this one number that keeps calling me…"

Lukas blinked. "Oh right… I changed my number. Sorry, should've told you." He let out a soft chuckle. "Anyways, what are you doing here?"

"Am I not allowed to visit my own son?" Jessie smiled brightly, but it was clear that she was relieved to see him. "Besides, I was curious if you and that girl, Claire, are getting along lately."

Lukas stiffened slightly. "Yeah, we're okay," he said quickly, brushing off the question. "What are you doing with your eyes?"

Jessie closed her eyes rapidly, winking exaggeratedly. "Isn't it obvious? I'm winking."

Lukas blinked, a small, awkward chuckle escaping him. "Yeah, sure."

Before Lukas could respond further, Claire finally emerged from the bathroom, looking calm and composed, but clearly still a little tired. When she saw Lukas talking to his mother, she hesitated, standing there in silence. Her eyes flicked between them, unsure of how to approach.

Jessie spotted Claire immediately. "HEYY CLAIREEE!!!" she shouted, practically bounding over to Claire. "It's been too long!"

Claire, caught off guard by the enthusiasm, smiled politely, though it felt a little forced. "Good morning, ma'am."

Jessie's eyes sparkled mischievously as she grinned. "Awh, so I'm a 'ma'am' now, huh? Guess I don't look as young as I used to."

Claire, sensing the moment of slight awkwardness, quickly replied, "Oh no, I... You still look like you're still in your twenties!"

Jessie, waved her hand dismissively. "Honey, I've been on this Earth far longer than you. This little flattery doesn't work on me, but thank you!"

Claire, feeling the tension, shifted her gaze. She had caught Lukas looking at her, but as soon as their eyes met, she quickly looked away, her face flushing slightly. Lukas didn't say anything, though the air between them seemed charged.

"Alright, you two," Jessie continued, breaking the silence, her voice bright and enthusiastic. "I've been planning to go to the mall. So, you're both coming with me unless you wanna stay home. We could watch a movie or maybe cook together instead!"

Claire quickly responded, trying to hide the discomfort. "We could go to the mall."

Lukas, hesitated for a moment. "We could maybe stay at home," he offered. "Mom, maybe you can even teach Claire how to cook."

Claire shot Lukas an incredulous look. "What are you saying, my cooking's bad? I thought you judged me enough..."

Lukas blinked, trying to clear the air. "Claire...You know thats not what i mean.."

Claire, feeling embarrassed, turned her face slightly away, her eyes now focused on the floor. "Yeah, I get it. I can't cook..."

Before the situation could escalate further, Jessie—sensing the growing tension—swiftly intervened, punching Lukas in the arm. "Ow!" Lukas protested, but Jessie wasn't listening.

"Alright, kids, get ready. We're going to the mall!" she announced, her energy unwavering. She briskly walked to the front door without waiting for further input, and Lukas and Claire followed her silently.

——

The drive to the mall was long enough to let Lukas collect his thoughts, though the silence in the car felt heavier than it should have been. Jessie hummed lightly to the radio, her mood seemingly unaffected by the previous interactions. Lukas, on the other hand, found himself glancing over at Claire every now and then. She kept her eyes on the window, lost in thought, and Lukas couldn't help but wonder if he said anything wrong at the aquarium

Finally, they arrived at the mall, and Jessie immediately bounced out of the car, leading the way with her enthusiasm. "Alright, let's get moving!" she called, waving her hand in the air. "We're gonna have some fun today, I'm not taking no for an answer!"

Lukas and Claire followed behind at a slower pace, and Lukas couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt when he saw the way Claire seemed to pull away slightly, distancing herself from the situation.

Inside the mall, Jessie's energy was palpable as she navigated them from store to store, chatting with every store clerk, her laughter echoing in the air. Lukas felt his eyes wander over the racks of clothes, but his thoughts kept returning to Claire. She was just a few steps behind him, her body language quiet, subdued. Whenever their paths crossed, Lukas tried his best to make eye contact, but Claire always looked away.

They ended up at a small store selling jewelry and trinkets, and Jessie immediately started examining some of the handmade pieces. Lukas wandered through the aisles, his thoughts drifting, when he turned to see Claire standing near a display of necklaces.

Her eyes lingered on a delicate silver necklace, the pendant shaped like a tiny crescent moon. Lukas stopped in his tracks, watching her for a moment, and then Claire turned, as if to ask someone's opinion. She looked around, ready to ask Jessie about the necklace, but Jessie was nowhere in sight.

Lukas stepped forward, catching her eye. "You like it?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly soft.

Claire's eyes widened, clearly startled by the question, and she quickly looked away, a faint blush creeping up her neck. "I... I was going to ask Jessie if it was cute," she muttered, clearly flustered.

Lukas shrugged, an almost imperceptible smile tugging at his lips. "I think it suits you," he said quietly.

For a moment, neither of them said anything, the air around them shifting as the words hung between them. Then Claire, still looking away, reached out and gently picked up the necklace. "Thanks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Just then, Jessie popped up beside them, startling both of them out of the moment. "Look at you two, picking out gifts! Lukas, you should get one, too!" she said cheerfully.

Lukas nodded, his gaze still lingering on Claire as she moved to the counter to buy the necklace. He grabbed another necklace for himself, though his mind was elsewhere, still caught in the brief moment of connection that had just passed. But as they made their way to the checkout, Lukas couldn't help but wonder where the lines between them had shifted, and what, if anything, he could do to bring them back to where they were.

After a long, eventful day, they finally arrived home. The air was cooler now, the sun beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow over everything. Jessie, always the first to hop out of the car, stretched her arms wide and sighed in contentment. "I'm drained," she muttered, locking the car door behind her.

Claire, who had been sitting silently in the backseat, rubbing her eyes from the exhaustion of the day, nodded in agreement. "Me too," she said, her voice quiet. "I couldn't sleep last night."

Jessie tilted her head in concern, turning to face her. "Well, that's not good. You really should rest, honey," she said, her voice softening slightly as she reached out to pat Claire's arm.

Claire gave a faint smile, appreciative of the concern, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah… maybe," she mumbled, clearly not in the mood for more conversation. She followed Jessie inside, her steps slower than usual, and Lukas trailed behind them quietly.

As they made their way into the house, Jessie immediately led Claire to Lukas's room, her voice still light and chipper. "You can rest in here for now, Claire. It's comfy, trust me!" she said, her excitement almost as if she were showing off her own home. Lukas didn't say anything, but he couldn't help but watch the interaction with a sense of unease bubbling in his chest. He stood by the door, silently observing as Jessie guided Claire to his bed.

Claire hesitated for a moment, looking between the bed and Lukas, as if unsure where to settle. Then, with a soft sigh, she sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned back, her eyes already closing. Jessie gave her a quick, reassuring smile before she turned to Lukas, giving him a wink. "You'll be okay, right?" she said, her voice carrying a hint of mischief.

Lukas didn't respond at first, just looking at the two of them. Something about the way Jessie had gently nudged Claire into his room felt oddly natural, but it left Lukas with a strange, bittersweet feeling. His room, once his own space, now felt shared in a way he hadn't expected. It wasn't that he minded Claire being there—it was the quiet realization that things were changing between them. The tension they hadn't addressed all day made his room feel less like his own and more like theirs, and though it made his heart ache a little, there was a small, hopeful warmth in it too.

—

He nodded vaguely, though his mind was somewhere else entirely. "Yeah, sure."

Jessie seemed satisfied with his response. "Great! I'll make sure to get some snacks or something if you two need anything. I'll be in the kitchen."

Without waiting for a reply, Jessie bounced off down the hallway, humming to herself. Lukas was left standing there, unsure of what to do next. He glanced over at Claire, who was now lying on her back, her eyes closed and her hands resting at her sides. Her chest rose and fell in slow, steady breaths, and she seemed to be drifting off into a light sleep.

Lukas stood there for a few more moments, still unsure how to proceed. The weight of the silence felt heavy between them, but he didn't want to disturb her rest. Slowly, he turned around, closing the door quietly behind him as he stepped out of the room.

He walked to the living room and sat on the couch, his thoughts racing. What had been left unsaid today? What was he supposed to do now? Everything had changed. Jessie had been a whirlwind of energy all day, dragging them around and trying to act as though everything was normal, but Lukas could feel the cracks beneath the surface.

Claire was different now. She wasn't the same carefree girl he'd met before, and neither was he. He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that there was more to their relationship than they were both willing to admit. It was as if they were standing on opposite sides of a vast divide, too afraid to cross it.

He let out a long sigh and sank deeper into the couch, his gaze fixed on the empty space in front of him. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out, distracted for a moment by the notification. But when he saw that it was just a message from soren, he put it back down without bothering to read it.

Lukas wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. Not right now.

Meanwhile, in Lukas's room, Claire stirred slightly, her eyelids fluttering open. She hadn't really planned to sleep, but the exhaustion from the day and the lack of rest from the night before had caught up with her. She glanced at the clock—just past seven. It had been a while since they'd gotten home. She could hear faint sounds of Jessie moving around in the kitchen, her laughter echoing through the walls.

She turned her head toward the window, the dimming light casting shadows across the room. It was quiet, too quiet. She had hoped that some time away from the tension would help her sort out what had been happening with Lukas, but nothing felt resolved.

She had noticed the way Lukas looked at her in the mall, the moments they'd shared that were neither here nor there. It wasn't like before, when everything had been easy and uncomplicated. There were too many unspoken things, too much space between them now.

The truth was, Claire wasn't sure what she wanted anymore. She had a sense of longing for something, but she wasn't sure what it was, or if it even had anything to do with Lukas. Maybe she was just tired. Maybe it was the fact that things had shifted in ways she couldn't quite control.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it wasn't about control. It was about trust. And right now, that was something she wasn't sure either of them had. Not with each other. Not yet.

Claire sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes as she glanced around Lukas's room once more. She needed to think. And she needed some time to herself.

She stood up, quietly opened the door, and made her way down the hallway toward the living room. She saw Lukas sitting on the couch, staring off into space. He looked deep in thought, but when he saw her standing there, he blinked and offered a faint, almost awkward smile.

"Hey," she said, her voice quiet.

Lukas nodded, still not saying much. He seemed tired, maybe more so than he let on. There was an almost fragile quality to the moment, as if neither of them knew what to do with the space between them.

"Are you okay?" Claire asked, her voice soft but genuine.

Lukas glanced up at her, his face unreadable for a moment, before he gave a small shrug. "I'm fine. Just… thinking."

Claire nodded, but she didn't push further. Instead, she sat down next to him, the weight of the day still pressing on her shoulders. For now, they were just two people sitting in silence, not sure where they were going, but knowing that whatever happened next, it would be up to them to figure out.