Even if it hadn't technically been "her room" since high school, Haley hadn't once woken up with that hazy sense of unease that one got when sleeping in an unfamiliar place. If anything, she had spent more mornings back at her apartment in Charleston shaking off the feeling that she didn't quite belong there. For the past two weeks, Haley had slept like a baby and awoken contentedly in her fluffy pink comforter and her washed cotton sheets. She hadn't slept as well in the two years that she'd been away than she had in the two weeks since she'd moved back home.
"Haley!" Came a familiar cry from downstairs, "Breakfast is ready!"
She would never get tired of hearing those words. Living on her own had been hell. Exciting at times, but mostly hell. She hadn't eaten an honest, solid breakfast in years. Mostly because she was always waking up early to go to her crappy job. Most days, she wouldn't eat until noon. And it wasn't like she had the money to go out and eat all the time—rent was expensive!
Even if she would have much rather slept her day away, Haley couldn't resist the siren song of a home-cooked meal. The smoky smell of bacon and the sizzling of eggs on the pan made her mouth wet. She smacked her lips appreciatively and lumbered down the hallway as if in a trance.
Haley West had changed since she last lived at home.
When she had left she was a high school graduate, eager to live life by her own rules. Stay out as late as she wanted, hang out with her friends, and just be what she perceived as an adult. But that kind of lifestyle was expensive, and couldn't be sustained for long! Especially not without a college degree. So, she partied her way through the first few months before her roommate flaked out on her. Then she had to get another job. Then her other roommate had bailed. Her boyfriend broke up with her, so there went his $100 contribution. Then she found some new roommates on Reddit, but they were creepy. Then another one, but they didn't get along with the creepy one so they moved out... honestly, it hadn't been an easy time.
Now she was older, taller. A little taller, anyway. Her hair was its natural color again and she had started dressing like an adult. No more expensive band t-shirts, but she was still stylish. Usually. Not now, of course. Haley's cute little bob was curly and uncontrollable from all the deep snuggling she'd done into her pillow. Her eyes still had sleep in them, and she hadn't done her makeup yet.
But hey, it wasn't like her mom cared.
"There she is—my little college student!" Haley's mom practically cooed like a dove as her daughter dragged herself through the kitchen, "How'd you sleep?"
"Pretty good." Haley smacked her lips, "What time is it—eight, nine?"
"More like ten thirty." The older woman said with a pat of her precious daughter's cheek, "I figured you needed to get your rest."
"Mom, I told you I was going to try to get a job today." Haley exhaled nasally, "I asked you to wake me up super early."
"And I told you I don't even want to hear the word "job" until you're sure you can handle the pressures of being in college." Mrs. West said with a stern, but gentle tone, "Now sit. I made your favorites."
Without any further hesitation, Haley sat.
Before her laid the same spread that had greeted her every morning since she had told her mother that she wanted to move back in. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausage, and biscuits straight from the tube. There used to be muffins, but there were only so many to a box. After two years of living off of ramen noodles, sandwiches, and dollar menu items, Haley wasn't exactly one to complain. Even after two weeks, she hadn't said so much as a word against the prodigal daughter treatment.
Picking up her fork and starting to saw into her pancakes, Haley was happy to oblige her mother's newfound appreciation for having her around.
"You want some syrup?" Her mom asked, touching the table slightly, "Let me get you some syrup. You want the blueberry kind, right?"
"Heck yeah." Haley chuckled, "Lay it on me, mama."
Haley watched the sticky blue sweetener flow from the bottle like water from a pitcher and onto her fluffy flapjacks. Her mom had started her off with a stack of two every morning ever since she had gotten back, but today's plate was a little taller than usual.
"Hey, what's with the extra story on my pancake platter?" Haley asked, picking up where she left off
"Well, you kept asking for seconds." Her mother placed the bottle of syrup back in the cabinet, "I figured that it'd save time to just give you another pancake—I'm a mother, I notice things."
Haley bit into her first forkful of pancake—three layers of fluffy flapjack coated in blue sticky goo. She gnashed and chewed her mouthful, before noticing something warm between each layer.
"Did you put butter between all my pancakes?" Haley asked with a wry smile and half a mouth full of dough
"Just how you like them." Mrs. West winked, "I figured you deserved a special treat since you start your first day of college tomorrow."
"It's not that big a deal." The bobbed brunette rolled her eyes dismissively, "I'm just going for a business degree. Tara's already got hers."
"And she would have gotten hers faster if she was here instead of living on campus." Mrs. West sniffed, "Living off ramen noodles and the cafeteria. I'm a mother, Haley. And all I want to do is take care of my girls—as long as you live with me, I'll make sure you have everything you need to live a happy, comfortable life."
"If that's the case, do you think you could slide me some more pancakes?" Haley pointed over to the oven eye with her fork, "I don't know what you did different this time, but these are great."
"Extra love." Mrs. West said matter-of-factly, "Or... extra butter. I'm not sure."
"Definitely the butter." Haley said, cheeks bulging.
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