“Yes, the support is crashing down upon me. You don’t believe I can go backpacking, and your great solution for my life is for me to use the same dating app my exes used to cheat on me?”
“Oh, Lucy—” Lala said.
“Thanks for the dinner.” I picked up the cake plate. There was still half a cake left, and I wasn’t about to leave it behind.
“Wait, why are you upset?” A crease appeared between JoJo’s eyes. “We just don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“We want to protect you,” Mamma added.
My fists clenched, but I injected my words with a calm I didn’t feel. “I know. It’s just been a long day, so I’m going to head to bed.” Before they could stop me, I crossed the yard and slipped through the back gate.
“Lucy, wait.”
I let out a long sigh but turned to find Lala jogging after me.
“What?” I’d meant to sound sharp and snippy, but it just came out defeated.
“I don’t like you leaving without a hug.”
She wrapped her arms around me, enveloping me in her warm, earthy scent. I melted into her, carefully balancing the cake plate inone hand. Unwanted tears burned my eyes. I’d been able to keep them at bay when fueled by anger, but Lala always had a way of cracking me straight open.
“What’s going on, honey?”
I shrugged. “It just feels like I’ll never be enough.”
Her lips parted. “What? How could you say that? You’re always enough, Lucy. We love you so much.”
“I know you love me. I love you, too. I just…” I trailed off. “Never mind. I’m just being dramatic.” I forced a smile, but Lala still looked concerned.
She cupped my cheek and gazed intently into my eyes.
“Please,” I said softly. “I just need some space.”
Her shoulder dropped and a sad smile twisted her lips. “If that’s what you need. I just hope you know we’re always here for you.”
When I got home, I stuck the cake in the fridge and crawled into my nest, fluffing the large velvet pillows so they formed a protective wall around my body. A shuddering sob shook my chest. Lala had warned me a while ago that my omega hormones would likely become harder to manage the longer I was without a pack, and they were hitting hard tonight. Even though plenty of omegas these days delayed getting packed up, my unique hormones made my omega urges all the more intense, even on suppressants.
My phone vibrated and I fished it out of my pocket.
Summer
Hey are you ok? Did you survive your moms? I was teasing before but now I’m worried I hurt your feelings
Lucy
You’re sweet. I know you were just teasing
I paused, unsure what else I wanted to say.
Lucy
My birthday’s just hitting harder than I thought. I think I’m going to take a little solo trip this weekend.
Summer
Do you want me to come over? I tried making a croquembouche this afternoon and it ended up in a spectacular disaster, but it still tastes good
I squinted at the picture she sent of a lopsided stack of what looked like cream buns.
