*****
Laura
I've never had much of a liking for healthy food. I mean unless we're talking about fried broccoli or pizza, which just so happens to have almost all the food groups in one dish. But plain vegetables with lettuce and organic panini bread was not the type of healthy I was talking about. Nonetheless...
"I love it so much, thank you Mama Keen". I forced a smile and took a bite.
"Oh your too sweet honey, the vegetables are also organic and are not genetically modified, how wonderful is that?" She asked looking me straight in the eyes.
I could care less about genetically modified food, almost everything we ate had been modified in some way, so I didn't see what the big deal was.
"It is Mama Keen, I applaud you".
She laughed and looked at her daughter. "Lola tell Laur never to become an actor", she said turning to put her plate in the dishwasher.
"I could smell the bullshit from a mile away". Both Lola and me choked on our food. Milo started laughing, trying to chug down a glass of orange juice.
"Mama Keen I don't know what your talking about, the food really was-", but then I thought fuck it.
"Your right it's pretty shitty, I was expecting meat to be honest". Lola smiled.
"There's the Laura I know", she stated proudly.
"What kind of friends do you have honey, they just insulted your mothers food", Mama Keen said jokingly.
"Ma she's not wrong". But our attention was pulled towards Milo who was scarfing his food down making the most obscene of sounds.
"Milo could you eat any louder?" Lola questioned. But her mother hushed her as she stared lovingly at Milo.
"Atleast someone likes my cooking", she stated warmly.
"Your the best Mama Keen", he gave her a thumbs up.
I rolled my eyes, typical Tuesday night.
Every Tuesday the three of us would have dinner together at each other's houses. Last week it was my house, the week before it was Milos and now it was L's turn. We called Miss Keen mama Keen because that's what she was like to us. A second mother, someone to lean on and gain support from. Someone who could listen to our problems and help us push through them.
After her divorce with Lola's father, me and Milo were there for the both of them trying to reciprocate the amount of love we received.
I knew a lot about losing a parent so I really bonded with Lola and mama Keen when the divorce happened. Milo would always make her laugh and lift her spirits when things got really tough.
The custody battle was the worst. Lola felt like she was being pulled and pushed in different directions and Milo was her rock, he really became the big brother in that situation and pulled her through. I loved Milo for that.
Milo really was the only one with a full family, although just because your parents divorced doesn't mean your family isn't full. Lola and mama Keen have never been happier, but Milo did have both parents and a sibling so I envied him a little.
Ok I envied him a lot, but he was never crude about having more than me and Lola, he was always sincere and careful when mentioning his family. It was still a touchy subject even years later for me atleast.
I turned to look at him as he playfully argued with Lola about the food. I smiled. When Lola and Andy broke up Milo broke his nose and cracked his ribs. I snickered. Andy deserved it anyways.
