Want not fear not

 

"See parents are the best," Nic said as he was carrying in boxes of stuff that Mona's mom had given them, from kitchen wares, and bedding to even two twin beds. 

But he could tell he hit a nerve with Mona. "What's the matter?"

They were alone now. Tristan and Jade had gone up to make sandwiches and whatever else they could find for a quick dinner for everyone. They planned to bring it down within the hour.

"I know beggers can't be choosers," Mona was in a pout. Of course, she hadn't made an effort to put anything away. Not even the groceries her mother had given them.

"And Rome wasn't built in a day," he smiled.

"I think she wanted me to leave," she seethed.

"Oh really? Well, you're never there. I think she feels better about all this now," Nic nodded, as if this was the best solution.

"How would you know?"

"Well, you two are a lot like." He'd had plenty of time to study this over the last few months. He'd met her mother a couple of times. She seemed reasonable. Yet, he sensed that her mother was worried about her, but just wouldn't talk about it because she didn't want to make the rift between them worse.

"No, we're not," Mona begged to differ as she looked at a box that was mainly bathroom items. She dropped it next to the bathroom as if Jade could take care of that. Naturally, there were beds to be set up. And even a desk and makeshift table for a desk to be placed too. Her mother definitely wanted there to be a study space for both of them.

"She was so nice to Jade," Nic nodded. "She might adopt her if you're not careful."

Really, he wanted to shake that fret out of her, but instead, he hugged her as if she needed one.

"You have to have some happy thoughts. You know, you've got it so much better than so many." Nic promised it was going to be great rooming with Jade.

"Oh, she'll be with him all the time," Mona swelled a frown.

"What's the big deal? You're with me all the time." He pulled back to look at her at arm's length.

"Precisely, so..so why can't I just live with you?" She looked up at him as if he'd crushed her greatest wish list.

"No, Tristan was right about this. This is for the best. We just got this place by the skin of our teeth." Nic gritted a smile. He didn't want to tell her that usually, this was the first place to flood in the building, but then again it hadn't rained in ages and the building manager promised they'd taken great measure not to let it happen again.