Serendipity

Chapter Fourteen (Coraline's POV)

"So Cora, how was your interview?"
My mother asked as we sat down in our usual corner seat for lunch.
Ever thursday for the past four years, we'd gone to the same place for pizza. The Golden Crust. It was a block or two away from the gas station where i worked and we might have singlehandedly payed for their new sign and broken window repair.
"Lots of questions about how i handled situations at my previous or soon to be previous job, awkward sitting in hover chairs, managers getting distracted by security systems and they'll call me within a week if they think i'll fit their opening." I replied, half of the time without looking at her as I waived the pizza shop owner over.
"So you got the job?" My mother asked.
"More or less, yeah." I laughed.
"Hey Tina, Cora. What can I get for you two?" Jacob (the shop owner) asked.
"The usual." My mother and I replied almost in sync.
"One medium pizza with extra pepperoni and two diet cokes coming right up." The young man laughed before walking off again.
"So you're going out with Luke again tonight?" My mother asked, leaning her chin on one hand while her elbow rested on the table.
My only response was a nod.
"Should I expect you home, or will the knight in shining armour come running back to arouse the two of you in the middle of the night?" She laughed.
"I don't know, actually. I know we're going to go somewhere for dinner and walk back probably during or after sunset, so I wouldn't get upset when my daughter doesn't come home if I were you."
There was a slight look of exasperation on my mother's face for a brief moment.
I felt bad for suddenly leaving so often.
I hoped she would understand and try to be happy for me.
Before either of us said anything, Jacob brought our food back.
"Thanks, Son." My mother grinned.
"Anything to keep you guys coming in. The heater broke a week ago." He laughed before walking off.
"I'm taking you past Acme to buy rubbers before catching a train up near rittenhouse." My mother laughed over a mouthful of pizza.
"Mom! You can't take me in there to buy condoms, i was just there for an interview!" I squeaked in slight shock, almost choking on my drink.
"Fine, i'll go in alone. I'm sure a near forty year old woman with purple hair buying condoms will make the cashier's day." She said with a shrug.
"Are you joking?" I asked.
"Are you implying that if I were serious, you would put them to good use?" My mother really enjoyed "playing God" and answering a question of mine with a question of her own.
"We do not have a normal mother-daughter relationship." I decided it would be best not to tell her that i would have sex with Luke if given the chance.
Especially since we had both been fully aware of the fact that Luke was just as if not more eager than I was to move things along.

"You're welcome." My mother teased and slipped a small pack of condoms into my purse as she walked out of the store to meet me where I had been waiting.
"Oh my god, you didn't!" I protested weakly as we headed for the train station.
"I'm sure your future coworkers won't remember me. Especially since i plan on coming in when you work there so i can use your employee discount." She laughed.
"Just promise you didn't ask which kind was best." I groaned, sinking down into a seat by one of the windows.
"Moses was very helpful." The defensive tone in my mother's voice reminded me of how glad I was that I had not gone in with her.
"Thank you anyway." I said with a sigh. "But i think i'm going to try and abstain for at least a little while." I admitted.
I'm sure hearing that from me pleased my mother.

"They've really done a nice job with the place." My mother commented as she walked me to the door of Luke's apartment building.
"Yeah, I-" I began but was cut off by Luke running up to me with a huge grin on his face.
"Hi." He panted and ran a hand through his long, blond hair.
"H-hi." I stammered, feeling momentarily taken aback.
"Mrs. Jones." He said, nodding curtly towards my mother as though he had only just noticed her presence.
"Tina." She corrected him with a quick laugh.
"Right. Do you want to come inside?" He asked, opening the door for us.
"A stranger to the ways of a gentleman." My mother leaned over to whisper in my ear. "Oh, no thank you. I've got to get back to work." She turned and spoke to Luke.
I'm sure he felt as relieved as i did that she wasn't staying. It would have been awkward.
"I'll see you later." I said and gave my mother a quick side hug before following Luke inside.
"My mother isn't home either." Luke told me as we stepped into the elevator, pushed awkwardly close together by the unusually large amount of people already in it.
I nodded quickly but said nothing until we got to his floor.
"Does she know i'm coming over?" I asked. Suddenly worried that Luke had hidden intentions and neglected telling his mother.
"Yep." He laughed, unlocking the door to his apartment and letting me in ahead of him.
"Well at least she won't be surprised by-" I began to awkwardly try and make conversation but Luke cut me off by pinning me up against the wall the second the door had shut behind us.
I gasped, feeling my heart start to beat faster and heat rise to my cheeks.
Luke again refused the idea of using words by cupping his hands on either side of my face, pressing his lips against mine.
The way he did so made it seem like he were as desperate to do this again as i had been.
I found myself wrapping my arms around his torso instead of pulling back.
"I'm sorry." Luke panted, pulling back as we both gasped for breath.
"Please, don't apologize." I laughed breathlessly.
"Okay. Can i do it again, then?" Luke almost sounded as though he was begging.
"Mhm..." I nodded, biting my lower lip a little.
Luke grabbed my hips, pinning me back against the wall and grunting softly. (I'm sure he thought I didn't hear that but I did.)
I slowly snaked my hands up until they reached his hair and a few of my fingers became entangled in his hair while we kissed.
"My mother will be home soon." Luke laughed nervously after pulling away and slowly letting go of me.
"I'd hate for the first thing she sees to be me making out with her son." I giggled.
"Lets get to making dinner then." Luke nodded, grabbing my hand as he pulled me into the kitchen.