Cora Lent

“Why have you been so tired? Was it because of the baby? Because I can understand how tiring can be to go to college and raise a baby”

“Pushing a baby out of my vagina is more tiring than you’re thing. Plus the thing is sucking the nutrients out of my body every two hours and crying for some of the others.” She said, a warn smile. 

“Okay that’s cool I guess?” Caleb asked, slightly confused. “But I need your math book still.”

“My math book...” she muttered, sliding out of the bed and padding over to the other side of the room as quietly as possible so as not to wake the sleeping baby. “I think it’s over here somewhere.”

“Well at least they come in good flavors.”

“Chunky peanut butter is the best one, well I think so anyway. It’s been keeping me going the last few days.” She smiled, glancing over at the baby. 

Liv looked up at Cora once more as she spoke, her eyebrows furrowing together slightly out of pure curiousity. “I would never… with the baby, I wouldn’t,” she muttered, her fear only increasing as she noticed Cora’s expression. “What.. um, what do you need to tell me?”

Cora nodded, seeing that the girl was telling the truth and being grateful she was holding the baby. It was like a tiny protection. “Well, before I had Cersei Eric said he wanted a paternity test to check she was his. He was in one of his states and there was no way to calm him down so I said yes. The results didn’t come through until this morning, and I don’t know where he is so i can’t tell him. I thought you should know though, he’s not her father. We must have done the maths wrong. I’m so sorry, I know this has caused a lot of unnecessary pain for you. Really, I don’t know how to apologize to you enough.” She said, her voice braking as she tried not to cry. 

Liv opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn’t find the right words - so she closed them back again. She watched Cora take the baby; gulping as she felt a ton of bricks hit her heart. That was Eric’s baby - Eric’s daughter, and she couldn’t help but to feel jealous - sad, even, as she watched the scene. “She’s beautiful,” she commented, gulping once more.

Cora looked up and gave the girl a soft smile. “Thanks, I think so, but I’m biased.” She said quietly, rocking the baby back and forth gently in her arms as she saw the girls facial expression. “Liv...there is something I need to tell you, I just don’t know if I should do it while i’m holding the baby incase you hit me...” She muttered, sitting down gingerly on the sofa. “I don’t know if you’ll be pleased...or not...” She muttered. 

Liv’s mouth nearly dropped as Cora said that; her gaze finally falling down onto her stomach that was covered with a blanket. “You did? You did! Oh! I- I didn’t - sorry,” she started to stutter.

The girl waved her hand, giving the girl a small smile. “It’s fine, trust me i’m well aware it doesn’t look like i’ve had her.” She said in a slightly bitter voice, her stomach still rounded. As if on cue the baby started crying from the bassinet next to the couch and Cora stood up, picking her up and cradling her in her arms. “She needs feeding, here, take the tv.” She resigned, not having the energy to argue. 

‘’You’ve been here for two frickin’ days, I get that you’re pregnant but c’mon you can’t possibly be that lazy.” Liv rolled her eyes. “- and it’s Dr.House, for your information.”

Cora just looked at her with her eyebrows raised. “Well I actually gave birth yesterday, but alright.” A small smile coming onto her face. “What did you think the thing I was holding for 90% of the day was? A burrito?”

‘’Do I look like the type of person to care what you did on Spring Break? Newsflash, Cora. I do not care. I’m only here because you basically hijacked the TV and my TV show is on.” 

“Well, I was here first. So you’re going to have to go and find somewhere else to watch the pre menstrual hookers of Beverly Hills or whatever it is you’re waiting to watch.”

“How was your spring break? We just got back from Disneyland, the kids loved it.”

“I stayed in bed mainly, well in the house, no one tells you how fucking painful it is to have a kid. Like, the aftermath. Do you have photos of the kids at Disneyland? I’d love to see.”

“I work as a forensic scientist for the FBI. Head of the division.”

“Well shit, way to outdo everyone else at this reunion.”

“She grew up so fast, seems like was yesterday that I drove you to the hospital”

“Oh trust me I remember, you fucking carried me to the car!”

Elijah chuckled and opened the door to the pub. “Yeah, you’re telling me,” he laughed, sliding into a small booth. “That sounds about right,” the young man told Cora. “Yeah, I know we were,” the boy grinned, picking up the menu. “So whad’ya want to get?”

“Fucking nightmare.” She mused, following him into the pub and sliding into the booth opposite him, scanning the menu. “Hmmm...I’m going to take a glass of the Sauvignon, rose, not white. I’ll get it, what do you want?” She asked, pulling her purse out of her bag and standing up. 

“That’s better” he grinned “They are two, your little one is 10 now, right?”

“Yep, nearly 11. She’s not so little anymore!”

Elijah laughed. “I can still hear the screams in my ears,” he teased the other. “They’re good, they’re good! Yeah, thanks again; Max absolutely loved the whole surprise date night thing.” he smiled. “Thanks again for doing that; and I’ll help you and that uh, what is he? A history professor? A professional sleep hypnotist?” Elijah teased the girl.

“So can I, and the pain, but let’s not talk about it, jeez.” She laughed. “No worries, I’m glad I could help you guys out with some alone time. It’s hard when they’re little.” She smiled, understandingly. “ He was a sleep hypnotist but gave it up when it didn’t work one me. Ruined his entire career.” She joked back. “Yeah a history professor, but sometimes I think he might actually be a saint or something. Big removal from everyone at school let’s put it that way. You were all such boys then.” She laughed, poking him in the arm. 

“I could use all the help I could get.” She shrugged, not offended at all. “Oh sounds like a good job, good luck! It’s probably better work than I do. I dream of the day I’m not surrounded by misogynists.”

“Thanks.” She said, smiling brightly before frowning. “What do you do?”