22. TEA TIME

Alina let out a deep sigh of relief as she finally plopped down on the sofa, sinking into the cushions with a sense of accomplishment. After a full evening of cleaning, organizing, and trying to keep up with her mother’s endless huffing and puffing, her body was aching, and she felt like she could sleep for a week.

Her mother, however, wasn’t as quick to sit. She dragged herself to the sofa with the exaggerated weariness of someone who had just climbed a mountain. With a dramatic sigh that seemed to echo through the entire condo, she collapsed beside Alina, throwing one hand over her eyes as if the mere act of existing had exhausted her beyond reason.

“Oh, my poor back!” she moaned, stretching out as if she were on her deathbed. “Alina, darling, I don’t think I can move another muscle. Why do you keep this place so cluttered? It’s like running a marathon just to get through the day!”

Alina rolled her eyes, biting back a smile. “Mom, it’s not that bad. We were just doing a little cleaning, that’s all.”

“A little?” Her mother’s voice rose to a dramatic pitch as she peeked out from under her hand. “Alina, my sweet girl, I think I’ve aged ten years today. You should take better care of your old mother before I wither away completely.”

Alina couldn’t help but laugh, the sound breaking through the weariness that had settled over her. “You’re not old, Mom. And besides, you’re the one who insisted we clean every nook and cranny.”

Her mother waved a dismissive hand, as if to brush off the logic in Alina’s words. “Details, details. The point is, we’re both exhausted. Let’s just rest here for a bit, and then maybe you can order us something delicious for dinner. My treat!”

Before Alina could respond, the doorbell rang, startling them both. Alina jumped up, her heart racing as she glanced towards the door. “Who could that be?” she muttered, more to herself than to her mother. She hurried to the door, her tired legs protesting the sudden movement.

As she opened the door, she was greeted by the familiar sight of Mrs. Lawrence, her neighbor from down the hall, beaming at her with a bright smile. “Hello, dear!” Mrs. Lawrence chirped, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous gleam. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Alina smiled back, her tension easing a little at the sight of the older woman’s cheerful face. “Hi, Mrs. Lawrence. No, you’re not interrupting at all. What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much, dear,” Mrs. Lawrence said, waving her hand dismissively. “I just wanted to let you know that Caelan—such a nice young man, isn’t he?—asked if you could return the books you borrowed from him. He said he’s in no rush, but I thought I’d stop by and let you know.”

Alina blinked in surprise, her mind suddenly racing. Caelan had asked for his books back? Why couldn't he ask anyone else or come by himself? And why did the thought of seeing him again make her stomach do a little flip?

Before she could fully process her thoughts, her mother’s voice called out from the living room. “Who is it, Alina? What’s going on?”

Mrs. Lawrence perked up at the sound of Alina’s mother’s voice. “Oh, is that your mother? How wonderful! I’ve been meaning to meet her. Why don’t you both come with me? We can return the books together, and I can introduce you to Caelan.”

Alina’s eyes widened in alarm. “Oh, no, that’s really not necessary—” she started to say, but it was too late. Her mother had already appeared in the doorway, her curiosity piqued.

“What’s this about returning books?” her mother asked, her voice full of interest. “And who is this Caelan?”

Mrs. Lawrence’s smile widened, clearly delighted by the prospect of more company. “Caelan is a lovely young man who lives across the building. I’m sure you’ll find him very charming. Come along, both of you! It’ll be a nice little visit.”

Before Alina could protest further, her mother had already grabbed her coat and was pulling Alina out the door. Mrs. Lawrence, clearly enjoying herself, took Alina’s other arm, and together they practically dragged her down the hallway.

“Mom, seriously, it’s not a big deal—” Alina tried again, but her mother was having none of it.

“Nonsense, darling! It’s always good to meet new people. And if this Caelan is as charming as Mrs. Lawrence says, then why not?”

"Okay, let me just grab the books." She hurried over to her room and grabbed the neatly kept books in her hands.

Alina sighed, realizing there was no getting out of this. She only hoped that Caelan wouldn’t find the whole situation too strange. The thought of his reaction made her heart race again, but she pushed it aside as they reached his door.

Mrs. Lawrence knocked with a little too much enthusiasm, and within moments, the door opened to reveal Caelan, standing tall and composed as always. He greeted them with a small, polite smile, but the moment his eyes landed on the two women flanking Alina, his expression froze in surprise.

Alina cringed inwardly, half-expecting him to shut the door in their faces, but instead, he recovered quickly and stepped aside to let them in. “Good evening, Alina,” he murmured, his voice smooth and steady, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he glanced at Mrs. Lawrence and her mother. “And who is this lovely lady?”

Alina’s mother beamed, clearly enjoying the attention. “I’m Alina’s mother. It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Caelan.”

Mrs. Lawrence, never one to be left out, chimed in with a bright, “Yeah, we are here to return your books. I hope we are not disturbing you."

Caelan’s lips twitched, as if he were fighting back a smile. “Not at all,” he said, his gaze shifting to Alina, who was trying her best to look anywhere but at him. “I appreciate you returning them.”

Just as Alina thought she might be able to survive this encounter without further embarrassment, she heard a faint sound from behind her. She turned her head slightly and caught sight of Will and Hope, who had appeared in the doorway of Caelan’s office, clearly trying (and failing) to stifle their laughter.

Hope was the first to break, her soft giggles filling the room as she leaned against Will for support. “Oh, this is too good,” she whispered, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Will wasn’t far behind, shaking his head in disbelief as he muttered, “I’ve never seen him look so flustered.”

Alina’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as she glanced back at Caelan, who was doing his best to maintain his composure. “I’m sorry for the intrusion,” she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean for this to turn into a spectacle.”

Caelan’s smile softened, and he gave a small shake of his head. “No need to apologize,” he sighed gently. “It’s… nice to have a little company.”

His words were kind, but the twinkle in his eye told Alina that he was fully aware of how absurd the situation was. She could almost see the gears turning in his head as he tried to figure out how to extricate them all from this awkwardness.

“Would you all like to stay for some tea?” he offered, clearly trying to regain some semblance of control over the situation.

Mrs. Lawrence clapped her hands together in delight. “Oh, that sounds lovely! Don’t you think, Alina’s mother?”

Alina’s mother nodded enthusiastically, her earlier exhaustion forgotten as she eagerly accepted the invitation. “Yes, that would be wonderful. Thank you, Caelan. And please call me Helen.”

Alina, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to melt into the floor and disappear. But as she caught sight of Hope’s teasing grin and Will’s raised eyebrows, she realized that this was just one of those moments she’d have to endure.

As Caelan led them into his elegantly furnished living room, Alina couldn’t help but notice the way he kept glancing at her, as if trying to gauge her reaction to the whole situation. His usual calm demeanor seemed slightly frayed around the edges, and she wondered if he was as out of his depth as she was.

Hope and Will, ever the dutiful assistants, busied themselves with preparing the tea, though Alina could see them exchanging amused glances as they worked.

As they all settled into their seats, the conversation flowed easily, with Mrs. Lawrence and Alina’s mother taking the lead. Caelan answered their questions with his usual charm, but every now and then, Alina caught him sneaking a glance in her direction, as if he was silently asking for her forgiveness for the chaos that had ensued.

Alina tried her best to relax, but it was hard when every little thing seemed to draw her mother’s attention. From the elegant artwork on the walls to the plush furniture, her mother was determined to comment on everything.

“Caelan, you have such exquisite taste!” Helen gushed, practically swooning as she sipped her tea. “Alina, dear, you could learn a thing or two from him about interior design.”

Alina groaned inwardly, her fingers tightening around her teacup.