I find Dad staring at Mom. As if he can feel my stare, he looks up at me. There’s tension and anger in his eyes, but also worry for me and her. Something has changed about him. He’s still cold, but it’s like his defenses have weakened.
It’s been a year since I’ve seen him, and that little change is quite prominent.
Mom pulls back and there’s color to her face. She looks better just because she got to hug me.
“I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so worried?—”
I cut her off quickly. “I’m fine.” Somehow my tone comes out gentle.
She nods.
“Now, will you leave me so I can rest? I spent a night in a cell. I need to sleep.”
She backs up. “Yes! Of course. We’ll talk when you wake up.”
I frown. “Aren’t you leaving?”
Both of my parents freeze and share a look with each other.
It’s Dad who decides to address me. “We’re moving back home.”
My jaw hangs open in surprise.
What the fuck?
Mom joins in with a warm smile. “Permanently.”
My parents are going to be here. They are moving back home.
For fuck’s sake.
“Why?” I whisper..
Anger returns to Dad’s gray eyes. “Because ofyou. We’ve already lost one child. We are not losing another.”
Tears build up in Mom’s eyes and she sniffles. Dad wraps his arm around her and pulls her to him.
You lost her because you weren’t here.I want to scream those words at him, but seeing my mother become small and weak does something to my heart.
“She’s gone… Xavier” Mom sobs in Dad’s chest.
I move my legs to walk away from them when a hiss leaves my lips, and catches their attention.
Mom looks at me and slowly her gaze settles on my leg. She steps away from Dad, and starts moving closer to me. “Oh my… What’s that? Why is there blood? What happened?” Her hands start shaking.
Dad stares at the wound on my leg and then at me. “Care to explain what happened?”
I run a hand through my hair to gather myself. “It’s just a cut.”
“There’s a cut,” Mom whispers, her fingers playing with the diamond necklace. I notice how hasty her movements get and how hard she’s staring at my leg.
I glance at dad and he’s noticing the same thing. Getting closer, he puts a hand on her back and says, “I’ll call a doctor.”
Somehow those words make her pale.
“Relax,” Dad tells her as he cautiously brings her to him. “He will be okay. I promise.”
Mom breaks free from his hold and rushes out into the hallway. Dad is behind her as if he knows what’s going to happen.
