"You naughty boy. My house then, Rachel will be more at ease with that and I'm pretty sure my bed is bigger" Veronica smiled before continuing to replenish her strength with absurd amounts of food. The rest of the afternoon was cozy and mostly uneventful, with them sunbathing, strolling, taking a dip in the sea and in general spending a nice time together.
Back at Veronica's house, they both were pretty tired, so instead of cooking something they just ordered some pizza and slumped together in the couch, watching an action movie. Halfway through it, Veronica's mother, Rachel, finally arrived with a tired face that soon turned into one of pleasant surprise. "Welcome, you must be Curtis, didn't have the chance to meet you yesterday, job and all" Rachel extended a hand to shake. "But it's like I already know you, been hearing plenty about you last night" she smiled.
"Mooom..." Veronica whined, more of a joke than anything else. It showed that they had a pretty good relationship, since they both were quite independent and gave space to each other, still keeping themselves close and loving in times of need. Rachel and Veronica were mother and daughter, but also friends.
"Well, it's true" Rachel shrugged. "Did you left any pizza for me, you glutton?" she joked, walking to the fridge in the kitchen and coming back to reach for one of the boxes, peeking into them. It was odd seeing that the height of the mother was on par with Curtis, not her daughter, but she had mentioned briefly during that afternoon that she was adopted, so it was no surprise.
"I picked your favorite, with extra anchovies" Veronica said, taking a thoughtful pause.
"Even if you hate their aroma? I smell more than anchovies then, I smell a bribe" Rachel laughed, sitting next to Curtis holding a plate with a couple slices and a can of beer. It seemed that she was one of her friends more than a mother.
"We have spent a nice day at the beach, and with the school so close and his parents away, it would suck to be home alone, so I thought Curtis would like to sleep here" Veronica said, almost sounding like a beg.
"Oh, you mean like here at the couch?" Rachel teased her, slightly bouncing on the couch they all three were on.
"Moooom..." Veronica voiced again, the mock whine, this time with a fake pout, causing Rachel to laugh her ass off.
"Fine, fine... but just sleep. I'm tired as hell and don't want any funny noises coming from your room, I've to wake up pretty soon tomorrow" Rachel conceded, having no real issue with it.
"I love you, mom" Veronica reached her for a kiss, passing over Curtis. "Jealous?" she asked on the way back, giving him a small peck too.
They picked themselves up pretty soon to sleep since the three of them were busted, Veronica wearing what she called her pajamas, just a Lakers shirt and some loose shorts, ready to sleep. Her room was plagued with sports posters and trophies, specially volleyball themed, and the only girly detail on it was a small teddy bear on her big bed. "Sorry Buttons" she said, moving him to her desk. "I have someone else to hug today" she said, oddly cutesy of her, smiling sweetly at Curtis.