Meet The Parent... Friends Forever

"hi mrs. fong," colin said, trying not to sound sheepish, "i'm colin tan."
"come, sit down and have breakfast," mrs. fong said, not kowing what else to do when her daughter comes out of the bedroom with a boy.
"would you like coffee or tea?" mrs. fong asked as she served colin some sandwiches.
"coffee would do fine. thank you," colin said, shayna was just standing happily behind him.
"ok. shayna, come in and help me, please," mrs. fong asked as she dragged her daughter into the kitchen.

"mom!" shayna grumbled, as they stepped into the kitchen. she knew her mother was a little paranoid and needed some answers.
"i didn't have sex with him ok mother? if that is what you wanna know," shayna said, as she prepared the coffee.
"are you sure? i have to know these things shayna. i'm your mother. if anything happens to you..." mrs fong tried to go on the nagging spree but shayna would not let her.
"mother, if i did have sex i would tell you. trust me alright. i didn't. he sent me home late last night and i didn't want him driving alone because he had drinks. that's all. nothing else happened," shayna said to her mother, slowly, to get her assurance.
"alright. i trust you. just don't do it again alright? let me know in advance when you're bringing home a boy," mrs. fong said, dishing out sugar from the sugar bowl.
"is he your boyfriend? that boy your father always talks about to you?" her mother continued after just a few seconds of silence.
shayna smiled to herself. maybe it was time to paint herself a picture of her self-fulfilling prophesy.
"yes he is mother and i love him," she finally replied.
mrs fong also smiled, "good. then i would expect wedding bells to chime soon enough." they laughed as mrs. fong took the coffee out to colin.
"mother!" shayna grumbled, "you can't just assume it!"
mrs. fong said nothing but smiled and went to do the laundry.

"your mother seems nice," colin said, "considering that she didn't throw me out of the house when she saw me. she even served me coffee."
shayna laughed, "yes. i had to do some reassuring back there so she didn't flip."
"i'm glad that's over. and i had a great time with you last night, though we didn't have sex," colin whispered.
"me too. now hurry eat up and go to work. it's nearly ten and i wouldn't want your father to start freaking out too," she said.
"right. are you going to work soon too?" colin asked.
"later. i have a story telling session at the hospital later. need to prepare for that AND i have to see alyssa later before work to apologise."
"that's a good girl. you better talk to alyssa. tyler messaged me and said she wasn't too happy about your response to their 'happy news'."
"i know. i'll sort that out soon."

"good. i'd be taking colby for his weekly checkup later in the afternoon. maybe i'd bump into you at the hospital later," colin said, kissing her forehead.
"that would be nice. i haven't seen colby for a long time."
"ok i have to get going now. thank your mother for me. love you sweetie," he said.
"me too."

as shayna closed the gate, she wondered if she'd ever meant what she just said to colin... cos megan's still banging on her conscience at the back of her head.

***

shayna got dressed and headed down to Soup Junction. She wanted to catch alyssa before she was busy during the lunch hour. and there alyssa was, wiping her counter and stacking up the soup cups properly. She didn't look happy just for someone who just got attached.

"hey," shayna said, as she approached alyssa. but the reaction was just a forced smile.
"come on. stop being like this. i know i was totally not a good friend yesterday night, backing out on dinner like that. i'm really sorry," shayna explained herself.
alyssa shot shayna a look and then continued with her silence.

"please lyss. talk to me. i am happy for you and tyler. it was just that i was just too surprised," shayna continued.
"come on shayna. just surprised? it's not like i knew you just yesterday. can't you just be MY friend for once? be the one to me happy for me instead of always being the other way around?" alyssa finally spoke.

shayna thought abou it for a while. it was true. she had been living in her own little world and she was always the lead character and alyssa was just the good friend that stood by here all the time, just a small supporting role. it was never the other way around.

"i know... i'm sorry lyss. but i'm here. let's talk about him. nothing about me or colin... just you and tyler," shayna said, holding her best friend's hand.
finally, alyssa smiled.
"alright. tyler's been really nice to me. after your disappearing act, tyler was the one who helped me back to a cab when i was drunk. he is a really sweet guy. not like those men who just use and dump.

"hmm i heard," shayna smiled, "just glad that you found someone that you can love sweetie. you know, maybe we should hang out again someday. i promise, no backing out."
"sure but tyler would be on on overseas trip starting next monday. maybe when he returns or something," alyssa suggested.
"it's a date," shayna said, hugging her friend.
"are you gonna bring colin? i heard from tyler you and him are getting steamy," alyssa commented.

"i thought this session we weren't going to touch on colin and me," shayna reminded.
"i know but you two are the ideal drama couple. i want to be kept updated. who knows i might write a story on the two of you on your wedding!" alyssa, the dreamer appeared.
"he still has a girlfriend, for goodness sake," shayna brought the dreamer back to reality.
"yes, that makes up for the drama part," alyssa joked.

"alright enough joking for the day. i have to get on to work. i'll call you soon ok?" shayna said, hugging her friend one last time for that afternoon.