               time moves strange when one begins to lose track of the days. laurenâs reality had become an amalgamation of work , commutes , & existential crises. however , these things fluctuated -- although persistent they were not unceasing. lulls in time could only be found in sleep , for motherly duties still reigned when not at the library , teaching weekly art courses or on the subway headed this place or that. lauren would never curse her role as a mother though , for she adored her son. & most days , his existence was the only thing that kept her tethered so devoutly to this earthly plane. it was simply that , as he grew he began to take on his fatherâs likeness ... his mannerisms even , despite his absence. the latter haunted lauren , as it was one of many facets of her reality she couldnât quite shake. how , she often ponders , had things gone so awry ?
            the answer comes to her in dreams sometimes , but she forgets them just as eyes flutter open & form flits from mattress. itâs a quiet saturday ; even weekends are often marked by routine , but this one differs. lauren sits within her kitchen , ambient noise abounds. ( a most charming characteristic of living in new york , she supposes. ) doesnât draw her from her musings though , as she sits with tea in hand whilst young boy sleeps the early morn away. aidanâs set to celebrate a birthday today , with the actual date having been midweek. on the day of , sheâd prepared an elaborate breakfast for him , smothered him with kiss upon kiss before sending him off to school & surprising him upon returning home with an intimate celebration had with close family & few friends. the celebration to be had on this day was larger in size , meant to incorporate peers of both the scholarly & extracurricular variety. lauren may have been something of a recluse herself , but it certainly didnât mean aidan had to be.
              despite the allure of decorating speaking to her most prominent passions , itâs often not enough to stifle the emotion hat arises within upon each passing year. often , she fantasizes that she will awaken to the sight of her beloved zeus , eager to aid her in raising their hybrid of a son. however , the latter bit of such a reverie brings about FEAR. it wasnât so much that she was afraid of her own son ; rather , she was afraid of her own shortcomings as a result of her ... human standing. eager to be rid of such thoughts , moments pass as she goes through the motions post - tea , conducting party preparations with ample time to spare. dainty digits diligently chop fruit & place each piece seamlessly on a platter , the sound of an ajar door causing attention to shift elsewhere. one glance at her watch , & lauren's privy to her most cherished companionâs arrival. knife is placed aside , haste marking motherâs movements towards apartment entrance.
             â sophie ... ? â saccharine sweet , ever - clear voice chimes. before the other can even say a word , sheâs eager to pull her into an embrace. despite the thoughts that have burrowed within brain , casting them away is as simple as being within the otherâs mere presence. unfortunately for lauren , sheâd learned the hard way that there were few she could rely upon in this life. sophie was one of few who proved exempt from this though , & for that lauren was eternally grateful.
             â oh , soph , â she coos. â iâm so glad youâre here. i still have a lot left to prepare , iâm just getting started , really. so ... oh -- sorry ! iâm sorry , gosh , i donât mean to bombard you. come in , come in ... ! the little oneâs still asleep , but i assure you the minute he hears your voice heâll be up in no time. â
4 @wergeldsâ <3
