Jace freezes like he’s remembered something. His body’s tense as he regains movement, expertly flipping the cooked pancakes. I almost go to him but I see it’s not just Jace tense but everyone.
Mase and Maverick share one of those telepathic twin’s looks as the others seem lost in themselves.
“No, Mum and you’re on speaker,” Jace says, tightly.
“Hello, everyone,” Helen greets, kindly.
“Hey, Helen,” everyone yells in unison.
I catch Alec’s eyes, silently questioning him and he gives me a tight smile. He comes over and stands beside me.
He whispers in my ear, “Birthday’s were the hardest.” Alec puts a hand on my knee in comfort before going back to cooking.
When Jace’s done flipping, he picks up the phone, taking it off speakerphone.
“I’m fine, Mum,” he tells Helen before he’s silent again.
Birthday’s were the hardest.
Helen’s calling to check up on Jace because birthday’s were the hardest.Mybirthday was the hardest to deal with. Because I was gone. Dec was gone. And Jace spiralled.
My heart tightens until it’s almost painful. How bad did it get?
“Wait, Mum. I have something to tell you,” Jace says loudly, like he’s trying to speak over Helen. He catches my eye and rolls his.
I laugh softly. Helen talks a lot when she’s nervous rambling.
“I’m going to facetime you, okay? I have something to show you.” Jace smiles softly at me.
He tries a few times to tell Helen he’ll ring her back. I can tell Helen doesn’t stop talking by Jace’s wince when he hangs up on her.
“She’s going to kill me,” he promises me as he fiddles with Alec’s phone.
“I think she’ll forgive you pretty quick,” I tell him with a faint smile.
I can’t help the nervousness that fills me. Helen’s like a second mother to me and I haven’t seen her for three years. It’s not just Jace I never rang, it was also Helen and Devon.
He quickly rings Helen back and she picks up on the first go.
“Jace? What’s going on?” Helen says, worriedly. “You haven’t killed someone, have you?”
Jace mouths ‘oh my god’ to me and throws his hands in the air.
I can’t help it. I burst out laughing. The guys snicker in the background.
“You have no faith in me.” Jace scowls. “No. I haven’t killed anyone, Mum.”
“Who’s that laughing?” Helen interrupts Jace.
He smiles softly at me and crooks his finger, telling me to come to him.
I put my glass down on the bench and jump down off the table, wincing at the harsh impact on my ribs. Dominic starts towards me but I wave off his concern. Butterflies start swarming my stomach.
“Mum. Don’t freak out, okay?” That’s the only warning Jace gives his mum before I wrap an arm around Jace’s waist, leaning into his embrace.
Helen squeals loudly as I come into the camera’s view. Whatever Helen’s holding smashes as it tumbles from her hands.
“Mum?” Jace questions loudly, when Helen disappears from view briefly.
