“What we were doing there doesn’t matter. What matters is that there were childreneverywhere. They were like… crawling out of every crack and crevice.”
“How did this become a horror story?”
“But I realized that out of all of them…youare the best one,” I say. “They were such lowly children. I’m glad we picked the perfect one that’s so much better than the other children.”
“I’m…” Waylon hesitates and thinks for a moment. “A part of me is like… is this a compliment? Is it a threat? Is this man in front of me the strangest human to have ever existed? One never really knows.”
“I know. And the answer is…” I freeze when we walk into the kitchen where quite a few people are gathered, including Ava and Lewis.
“Don’t look her in the eyes, don’t look her in the eyes,” I whisper as I try to shield JacksonandWaylon. They both fight a little, for some reason.
“My mother is not Medusa,” Jackson says.
I grimace when I realize she’s caught me trying to protect my lovelies. “She’s looking at me.”
“Do you think it’s because you’re shielding us from her?” Jackson asks.
“She’s scrutinizing me.”
“I really don’t blame her!” Waylon tells me.
“Jackson… Leland,” she says, and I freeze, caught in Medusa’s hold.
“Hey, Mom,” Jackson says. “Thank you for watching Waylon.”
“He’s really no trouble at all. He’s an absolute angel, unlike…” It’sveryclear she’s looking at me. “I’m glad you both came back safely.”
“Both of us?” I ask.
“I would hate to see my son sad,” she says.
It sure took you many years to figure that one out, I think to myself. Honestly, the only reason she got away with any of her attitude was because Jackson kept that relationship going long after I would have given up on it. But I also never really knew what it meant to have a family, so maybe it was harder for someone who did to cut ties so easily.
“Jackson, this one here is quite normal and well-behaved,” Ava comments as she eyes Ellis, who is sitting at the table.
Ellis flashes everyone his puppy-dog smile. He’s just happy to be here, happy to be alive, and happy to be included. And… for some reason it appears that he’s happy to be around Medusa.
“Jackson, I was telling your mom about this dog we saw at the clinic the other day,” Ellis says, happy as can be.
“He’s already too far gone to be saved,” I explain to Waylon.
“Oddly, I think the only one who has a problem with her is you,” Waylon whispers back.
“Are you makingmeout to be the villain?” I ask in disbelief. But it’s not like Waylon knows about Ava’s less than pleasant side… well, the side she doesn’t wear on a daily basis, that is.
The oven beeps and Ava ditches us to hurry over to it. She pulls out a large dish of baked ziti and slides it to the middle of the table. The table isn’t big enough to fit everyone, but people grab chairs or whatever they can find to slide forward to make room.
Then plates are passed around and filled with pasta, breadsticks, and salad.
“I’m so hungry,” Tavish says as he immediately dives in.
I watch him for a moment before leaning into Jackson. “How long would it take for the poison of your mother’s choosing to take down a man of… oh, for example, let’s say… Tavish’s size?”
“I wouldn’t poison the whole dish,” Ava says. “How would I enjoy it myself if I did?”
I eye her then lift my plate and make a show of sniffing it. While I take a bite, I dish up two more plates for Cassel and Jeremy. “I’ll be right back. Jackson, watch my plate while I’m gone so she can’t poison it.”
“I can help,” Waylon says as he pops up and follows me.
