average human’s Reviews > Flourishing Heart > Status Update

Her energy seemed to fill mine as she told more stories about her and my dads.
Mother had suggested having the girls over next week. Her change in attitude made me want them to meet her, and after the success of Julia and Mother meeting, I was happy to arrange such a thing.
While I was waiting for my mother to come out of the toilet, I couldn’t help but send texts to Julia, Kristen and Hannah about the possibility of them coming over when the familiar voice pulled me off my phone.
“Well, well. Look who has a life.” Apollo’s voice sounded smug as he leaned beside me, reading my texts. His sudden appearance made me jump out of my skin with a slight squeal.
Apollo popped up at the strangest of times.
My eyebrows raised as I took him in. I didn’t think Apollo had gone back home yet as he was still wearing the same clothes from last night, all wrinkled and heavily smelling of cigarette smoke. Even the wet stains of me spitting on him were still on his collar shirt. His ocean blue eyes were hidden behind his thick black tinted sunglasses. His skin didn’t hold the usual sun-touched skin but instead his cheeks looked oddly pale. A smokey stale scent poured off him as a replacement for his normal spice and sun lotion fragrance.
Apollo for once looked like shit.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, thinking he should be at home, recovering from whatever was currently affecting him.
“Errand for my sister,” he said, simply not explaining any further.
“I’m surprised you’re walking around, to be honest.” I said, remembering his stumbling, limping body from last night.
Apollo’s teeth shone brightly as he smiled down at me. “It’s a bit of talent and practice, Guppy.”
“What was that last night?” I asked, thinking about how out of control he was. Was that dark twisted side to him real?
Apollo shrugged, “Can’t say I remember much.”
“Last I saw, you were on the floor, singing.” Trying to coax his memory.
Apollo gave a curt nod, “Yep, sounds about right.” His head cocked slightly, “What happened to you?”
“Vincent kicked me out,” I said sourly. My opinion of the snake was changing fast.
“Kicked out?” The lips of Apollo curled in amusement.
“Vincent said I shouldn’t be there, and then he drove me home.”
“Did he now…” Apollo rubbed his chin slowly before he waved it away with a chuckle. “Vincent is usually the uber-man for lost souls,” he said but something itched at me that Apollo was lying. His voice trembled, and hands shook, but he quickly drove them into his pockets.
“Really? How nice of him to put his nose in other people’s business.” My tongue felt thick along with the sarcasm I spewed.
“That’s Vincent.” He took his sunglasses off and pushed his hair off his face to rub his eyes, allowing me a glimpse of what he was covering. His eyes looked bloodshot as he looked at me. Heavy, purple-tinted bags were a slight cause of concern. Putting his glasses on his shirt Apollo shoved his hands in his pockets again, shuffling in between each leg.
“Grace?” Mother’s voice came between us.
“You must be Grace’s older sister?” Apollo asked in a humorous tone. He stuck his hand out in greeting, and I couldn’t help but cringe, Mother wouldn’t like this type of flattery.
But one of her eyebrows rose in question as she held his hand, “Who is this boy charmer?” she asked, making me halt as she had her own humor in her tone.
Did he amuse her? No, surely not.
“Mom, this is Apollo.” I pointed at the smug guy I knew wouldn’t impress her. “Apollo, this is my mother.”
Introductions over, let’s go!
“We go to school together. I have the fortune of being in some of Grace’s classes.” Even with the sickly undertone of his face, he somehow got his face to light up with a massive smile, white teeth gleaming. A perfect charismatic guy that people seem to loved.
“Unfortunate,” I uttered under my breath, making my mother look at me slightly with a look on her face I had never seen before.
“Apollo? God complex?” Mother asked with a laugh.
If she only knew how right she was, I thought as Apollo laughed at her joke.
“Just a little.” He teased, making me growl in annoyance.
How dared he stand there hands behind his back like some sort of desirable, law-abiding citizen, certainly Mother would flip if she knew all the stuff he did. Drinking and smoking! He knows how to play the fiddle well!
Mother paused a second as she looked over at Apollo, who, of course, grinned at her with his hands tucked in his deep pockets.
“You’re Susan’s boy, aren’t you?” Mother asked lightly, her smile soft but a sad glint in her eyes that made her hesitant. Apollo wavered somewhat. His smile slipped, but he quickly caught himself as he nodded almost reluctantly.
“Lucas Moore, my name is Brenda Millington. I went to school with her. I can see your most definitely Theo’s, but I can see a lot of your mother.”
Apollo was called Lucas?
“Really?” Apollo-Lucas said breathlessly while pulling a hand out of his pocket, brushing his hair back again. The slight tremor could be seen before it vanished out of sight in his pocket again. He looked like he was about to hurl. He really shouldn’t be out feeling like he was.
“Yes, Susan and I were close.” Mother looked down, trying to hide the sorrow she sounded, but like the strong woman she is, she pulled her shoulders back and gave Apollo a tender smile, “Grace and I were about to have lunch. Would you care to join us? We would love a recommendation on any good restaurants here.”
“Mom,” I stuttered, “I don’t think-”
“Not today,” Apollo spoke, like he wanted to go. “I’m here on an errand for my sister- need to get back to her” He looked sicklier as a faint gleam of sweat stuck to his forehead as his complexion turned to a gray.
He really shouldn’t have drunk so much last night.
“Okay, but you should come by sometime. I have a few old pictures of your mother when we were your age. I know she-”
“I’m sorry, I got to go.” Apollo said with a rush. “I’ll see you in school Monday, Grace.” He gave a smile before rushing towards the mall exit like his backside was on fire.
Grace, not Guppy. He was sure feeling something right now.
My eyes went to Mother as she gave a soft sigh. Her eyes observed Apollo till he went from our view. “Such a lost young man.” She muttered with a shake of her head.
“What?” I eyed her. Did she know something? She had an eye to see people for who they truly are.
“We live in a small town, and Lucas’s name has been brought up many times. The story of his family is not a nice one. I can see he is a sweet boy under all that front.” I couldn’t help but frown at her out loud thoughts.
His story?
My head jerked back at the memory of the mundane and what he said last night ′Missing a mother’s love?′ Did Lucas not have a mother? No one said anything about his family at school. The thought of what he must have lost curled my shoulders at the weight of grief he must be feeling.
“Would he be okay?”
Mother turned to me and offered a sad smile “People who are lost can go either way. They fly and overcome their problems or, they can drown.”
My breath hitched as a cold dread enveloped through my body.
Apollo would be okay…
Right?