It happened slowly. Way too slowly in his opinion. But she slowly relaxed around him and though she still kept a respectable distance it became easier and easier for her to talk with him.
He felt his heart expand every time she offered him a genuine smile. His skin tingled when she finally set eyes on him.
« Sometimes I wonder if you shouldn't just kidnap her and have your sweet little way with her until she falls for you again- HNGH » Sawyer grunted in pain as Thomas got a punch in.
« Why are you even insisting on training with him ? » Max sighed from where he sat out of the ring.
« No one else can keep up with me, » Sawyer let out through gritted teeth.
« You can't keep up with him, » Max pointed out. « Have you dealt with those suits from LA ? »
« Signed a fifty millions dollars deal yesterday, » Sawyer took of his gloves and went over to grab a drink. « And this ass wouldn't even celebrate with me. »
« I came along, » Thomas remained impassive while he took his gloves off too.
« And pulled a face the whole time, » Sawyer glared at him.
« He's always pulling a face, » Max said.
« Nah, he was straight out sulking and looked at his phone the whole time. Even Autumn asked him what was wrong. »
« What happened ? »
« Julian went on a camping trip with his mother and he couldn't find a reason to tag along. »
« Shut up, » Thomas threatened his friend but the jerk was already out of the ring.
« How's it going with her ? » Max asked.
« Good, » Thomas couldn't help but soften.
« See ? Have you ever seen him smile like that ? » Sawyer slapped Max on the shoulder.
Thomas ignored his annoying friends and went to the showers. Julian had somehow convinced June to try out the home theater he had built in the cellar and they had moved their weekly movie night over. There was no way he was missing out. He stopped by Lizzy's favorite italian on the way back and bought a bit of everything. His daughter would probably refuse to come anywhere close to June and he still felt bad about it. She was the same as ever but the second June appeared his daughter turned into a hateful little ball of anger. He couldn't force her to love her mother but if he wanted to bring her back into their life, and God he was desperate to have her back at his side, she needed to become at least cordial with her.
Julian picked his mother up and they both arrived half an hour after himself.
Lizzy quickly rushed into the kitchen, smacked a kiss on his cheek, piled some food on her plate and ran back upstairs before they ever made it inside. He sighed but allowed it and went to greet June.
Fuck, she was beautiful he Realized all over again. She sent a small, timid smile his way and handed him a plate piled high with brownies.
« Thanks for having me over, » she rubbed the biggest scar on her face like he had noticed she did whenever she felt flustered.
« No problem, » he smiled back and led them to the kitchen. « I haven't had time to set the table yet. »
« It's okay dad, » Julian stopped him from getting everything out. « We're going to eat in front of the movie. Help yourself to whatever looks good, mom. »
« Oh, » Thomas felt crushing disappointment settle.
« Wanna watch it with us ? » Julian turned to him and Thomas could swear he saw mischief dancing in his dark eyes. « I'm almost positive you've never seen this one. »
« Why not ? » He tried to sound neutral but from his son's bemused look it was a big failure.
Turned out June hadn't gotten used to horror movies. She spent more than half of the movie hiding her face in her hands, in their son's shoulder or behind his back. While Thomas spent the whole time watching her. She was adorable as she yelped in fright and tried to peek but couldn't bear to watch it.
« It was awful, » she blinked as the credits rolled in, still shaken by it.
« That bad ? » Julian chuckled at his mother's disheveled state. « What did you think about it dad ? »
« Huh ? » Thomas turned to his son and glared at his knowing look. « Good. »
« You enjoyed this ? » June frowned at him. « I wouldn't have guessed. »
« Really ? » Thomas tried to remember anything from the film but his mind came up blank. He could tell how many times she had gasped and described her exact expression of disgust but nothing came when he tried to envision the screen.
« What's the name of the movie dad ? » Julian taunted him.
« You didn't say it, » Thomas started picking the empty take-out boxes. « Leave it, » he stopped June when she got up to help.
« Come on, » Julian rolled his eyes. « Mom ? »
« Walrus ? » June made a disgusted grimace.
« Almost,» Julian grinned at her expression.
« You don't get to pick for the three next movie nights, » she frowned at him and lightly slapped his arm. « I'll have nightmares. »
Julian left with his mother to drop her off after June refused Thomas' offer. He hated that he knew she would toss and turn alone in the dark unable to sleep because she could never sleep without him in the past when he forced her to watch horror movies. His face turned bittersweet as he remembered how much he used to love dragging her to the theatre because he knew she'd cling to him the whole time and he would convince her to stay over afterward.
Lizzy got out of her room just as Julian came back and Thomas felt that she was about to pick a fight so he stayed.
« You're okay princess ? » He caressed her head as she sat next to him in the kitchen.
« Got any leftover ? » She glared at the counter. There were only a few of June's brownies left.
« They're delicious, » Julian pushed the plate toward her before turning to get himself some water.
« No thanks, » she pushed the plate away and only waited a beat before getting it off of her chest. « Is this going to become a regular occurence ? » She glared between Thomas and her brother.
« What ? » Thomas frowned.
« Her coming over ? You playing house as if she hadn't spent our whole life in jail for freaking murder ? »
« Liz, » Thomas started in a firm voice.
« Have you been over at her house ? » Julian cut in and if he hadn't sound so calm, Thomas would have stopped him. « No, of course you haven't. It's a tiny house, probably fit in this very kitchen, the whole of it. Yes, she just got out after spending half of her life in prison and do you know where she sleeps ? On the sofa. All her clothes fit in a small trunk under the window,» Julian smiled sadly but didn't let his sister look away from his eyes. « She flipped the whole fucking trailer herself and made us each a bedroom. You haven't stepped into her house in the whole damn year and yet your room is still there. She keeps it clean, change the sheets regularly, spends the small money she earns on upgrading it to your taste because she fucking learned everything about you. It may have been something I wrote in passing in one letter when I was eleven but she knows you like Snickers so despite being allergic herself, she always keep a few packs in her cupboard just in case. She knows you won't come and she's being pretty respectful of your huge boundaries, but whenever I come over, I notice she has something ready for you, be it a drink, a dessert, a snack, anything. It's just waiting for you. She rides to work every morning and one day I explained to her that it would be a lot faster if she passed by our school instead of going all the way around but she never does, and it's not for my damn sake. You resent her and I fucking get it, but wether she did it or not, if you just tried to get to know her, you'll learn what a beautiful person she is right now and I'm proud of having her as my mother. »
« How can it not matter that she murdered someone ?! » Lizzy shouted and Thomas felt his heart break at the tears rolling down her face.
« Let's say she did it, » Julian leaned over the counter. « She was seventeen years old, pregnant with twins and all alone in this big scary world. It was wrong, it's not an excuse, but she paid her dues. Can you let her live now ? »
« This girl didn't get to live, » Lizzy choked out.
« Mom's body is covered in scars, » Julian's eyes turned red. « Small, big, round, neat, jagged. Name it. I don't know what she's been through those last seventeen years but I know she suffered enough. So if you don't want to 'play house' with her, that's fine, but don't fucking ruin it for me. »
Thomas felt lost and distraught as his son left them in the kitchen.
« Do you still love her ? » His daughter asked in a soft, scared voice after a while.
Thomas felt even more disconcerted as he didn't want to lie to his daughter but he also didn't know how to explain it to her in a way that made sense to her young, angry mind. It didn't make sense to anyone else. Never had.
She left before he could answer.