“We need to celebrate! Something like this deserves it. What is there to do in this town? Or maybe I should just see myself out so you two can spend some time together?”
Chip has the exact right thing to say. “Nonsense. You came all this way to spend time with your daughter; it would be a shame if you didn't get to. We'd love to have you stay. Has it been a while since the two of you have been able to spend time together?”
My mother reaches for my hand across the table. “We keep in touch, but she likes to travel around, you see. This is the first time in years I've come to visit her where she was staying. But now it seems like this might be a permanent fix. It's driving distance, you know. Got here in about four hours. That's not too bad.”
Chip drops his hand to my thigh, resting it and letting his warmth seep into me through my clothing. He tugs on my leg until I open up more, letting his pinky rest exactly where you think it's resting. You'd never know by his face though, that he's trying to get up to no good. “There's actually a celebration in town for us tonight. I've been working hard without her knowing to surprise her. I felt she deserved at least a reception. I knew we wouldn't have time to invite any of her friends or family, but the town is also very anxious to get to know her. The timing of your visit couldn’t have been better.”
He turns to me, amusement in his eyes. He knows I can't tell him no. Not after hearing all the lengths he's gone to and invited my mother to join in. “I hope that's okay? I'm proud to be yours, and what better way than to celebrate with your new neighbors? They love a good excuse to have a shindig.”
How old is this guy? I bite my tongue against that thought, because the only people I know that use the word like that are in nursing homes. Color me curious though, because I kind of wanna see what it's about. “You'll get to be there too, right?”
I'm sure it's a strange question to my mom's ears, but Chip knows what I'm actually asking. I don't know how long he can hold this form; I don't want to go if he's not there.
“Of course, my little pastry cream. Nothing could stop me. I have a few details to take care of still, I hope you ladies don't mind if I excuse myself to get everything in order before this evening? You can meet me in the town square about six. I'll feed you dinner, don't worry.”
He gives me an intense kiss and then takes my mom's hand as well to shake it again since a hug would be awkward with her sitting, and then he walks out the door and disappears. I'm assuming he's going to revert to where he goes when he has to rest and revive himself, but I'm hoping after that cup he slid me of himself, he’ll have a good amount of strength later.
Chapter 5
Devon
My mother and I spend some time exploring the town more, and I assure her she can stay in my motel room since I'm staying at Chip’s house now. Luckily she doesn't ask if she can have the guest room; she has enough common sense to understand that we’re newlyweds that might want to get a little loud. Or do weird things to each other that would scar her.
“I'm dying for coffee. Is there anywhere around I can grab some?”
We're just a few doors down from the cutest coffee shop ever, so I pull us over that way, wondering what the protocol is here. I need to have some talks with my husband. Maybe I should keep a notebook and start writing down all the questions I have.
I order a cup of coffee, because I could use the caffeine and because it's not worth arguing with my mom over. She insists onbuying me one, and she knows I'm a caffeine addict, so it's just easier to try and drink the thing or dump it out if I can't.
I take little sips, but it tastes odd to me. It smells rich and delicious, but once it hits my palette, it goes sour. I have no issue with food, so I don’t really know what to make of this.
“You okay? You're acting a little... off.”
I try and wave her off. “Yeah, I guess I just haven't been drinking as much coffee lately, so I'm not used to the taste of it anymore.”
She walks me around the nearest corner, into a slight alleyway full of places for goods to be delivered. She leans in close, and I know she means business. “Is he controlling you? He's not hurting you, is he? Not forcing you to do anything? Is he controlling your diet or something?”
I gently grab her forearm, squeezing it in reassurance. “No, nothing like that, mom. He's... very devoted, I promise. He would never hurt me. I just don't really want to drink coffee right now.”
“Well, if you're sure.” She doesn’t look entirely convinced of this, but she drops the subject anyway as we leave the alleyway.
We window shop a few more places, ending up on a bench between two flower boxes. “Tell me how you two met.”
I have to think of a story to tell her, because the truth would scare the shit out of her.
There're people out and about, a lady crossing the street that waves to my mother. “Hey Brenda! Good to see you.”
I whip my head at my mom, raising an eyebrow up. “Is there a reason why it was so easy for you to get into this town? Anything you wanna fess up to?”
“Dated a vampire here some time ago. He wanted me to become part of his harem, but that was the time in my life where that just wasn't the thing I wanted. I don't think I've been back since though. How funny you'd end up here as well. You know, pretty rude not to tell me your husband isn’t human.”
She says all this so calmly, like she didn't just drop a bomb on me. “I'm sorry,what? You dated a vampire? You know about... all of this?” I ask, waving my hand around to indicate the town.
She turns sideways, grabbing a knee and propping her foot up on the bench to wrap her arms around it. “Honey. I've been around the block. I didn't want to say anything to you in case you weren't aware of it, but now I realize you're fully entrenched in it, aren't you? Now that that's out of the bag, why don't you tell me the real reason you won't drink coffee anymore? Because the woman I raised had to get cut off from it. You're obsessed.”
“You're going to think I'm crazy.”
“All the more reason to tell me. I’m your mother; there's nothing you could do that would make me think you're crazy. Well, any crazier than I already know you to be. But I tend to like your brand of crazy.”
