Seri blinked, and stared for a moment before nodding. Annabella wrapped her arms around him. While her smell engulfed him, he slowly moved to hug her back. Apples—Bella smelled like crisp apples, and she was so…warm. Was…this what a mother’s hug felt like?
When Bella pulled back, a smile remained on her face, up until she turned to her son. “You, sir, are in trouble.”
Severo chuckled. “I know.”
“Now give me,” she said, holding out her hands, her smile reappearing. “Let me hold her.”
Skya blinked as she was passed to the woman. Skya stared at her, somewhat wide eyed. It was at that moment that Seri realized Skya had never really been around women much… Probably the closest being when Severo was pretending to be one… And that was months ago.
“Oh, look at those eyes. Aren’t they just gorgeous, Emiliano?” she said with a bright laugh. “Ah, Seri, she is beautiful.” Bella beamed at him.
“T-thank you.”
“Now, Bella, you can have your fun and give your lecture later. There is a full meal waiting for us inside,” Emiliano admonished with a chuckle. “And knowing our son, there's likely pie. Come, come, you youngins, inside.” The man ushered them in without letting anyone else get another word in.
Seri sat there nervously as the food was brought out. His brow rose on realizing it was mostly seafood—crab, clams, oysters, lobster, octopus, squid, salmon, and more. There were also a variety of sides to go along with it all.
“I hope what Samantha and I prepared is okay, Seri,” Bella chimed. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, but I am aware of your dietary restrictions, being a Water Nymph, so I selected a variety of seafood dishes. I was going to prepare something separate for Skya, but Severo assured me that wouldn’t be necessary.” She frowned a bit after saying the last part.
Seri smiled. “I’m sure it all is delicious. I don’t know if I’ve eaten much of what is here… Not because I’m picky. I just…” He laughed nervously. “To be honest, I tended to eat more like a teenager before meeting Severo. A lot of deliveries… As for Skya, there are things here she can eat, so no worries.”
“Ah,” Emiliano murmured. “Right, Severo did mention you had been working towards your doctorate! I imagine you didn’t have much spare time.”
“Of course, he didn’t have spare time,” Severo’s mother huffed. “He was one of the students our grant was funding! I know the research study he was in. I remember it. Mostly, as I am the one who decided to fund it in the first place. Professor Emmet Finley is a no-nonsense type of person, and everyone in it either worked hard or risked being nagged to death, I’m sure. Sadly, it fell apart after you left,” she mused as she began to fill her plate.
That was apparently the cue for everyone to do the same. So, Seri did too. He quickly filled his own, and then grabbed the plate in front of Skya, snagging one of the baked potatoes, along with a few other things he’d thought she’d eat, before starting to cut everything up.
Staring blankly at the food he was cutting, old memories tried to bubble to the forefront of his mind. He never thought about what happened to the study after he’d been taken… Then again, why would he? Thinking about it had just depressed him.
“Why would it fall apart?” Seri hesitantly asked, before setting the plate back down in front of Skya.
“Gah!” she babbled happily. Pulling the plate closer, she went to town on it. If there was one thing he’d never had to worry about, it was her wasting food. Seri did, however, have to worry about her eating things off the floor…
“Well, to be honest, Emmet shut it down. You were one of the main students in the study. And once you were gone… Frankly, I don’t think the other students were ever up for the task to begin with. If I’m not remembering wrong, you were the only one the professor actually selected for the study, while the rest were put there by politics and money.
“On the topic of Emmet, I actually spoke to him recently. He contacted me after that first news frenzy. You see, Emmet recognized our Severo from the pictures we had out on display of our children, and of course you. He wanted to know if there was any way he could get your contact information.”
Emmet wanted to talk to him? For what? Was he mad about the study… “Did he say…why?”
Bella sent him a gentle smile. “Don’t worry, dear. I think he just wishes to see how you are doing. He didn’t sound mad, if that is what you are worried about.”
“Then I guess…yes. You can give him my contact information.”
“AH!” Severo gasped, causing his mother to jump.
“Severo…” she admonished.
“Sorry, Mamma. I just remembered something important. I’m not even sure how I forgot it. Seri…Cyrus or rather Killian, I think, spoke to the professor. There is proof that he looked for you when you went missing. The man kept looking until he was threatened into silence by the police. He said…he regretted giving up.”
Seri’s eyes widened. “Emmet looked for me?”
He hadn’t thought anyone had… He licked his lips… The professor had always been, well… Frankly, the man was a hardass…but he’d been fair and supportive, pushing him to go wherever his mind took him.
Emmet had looked… Someone had cared. Seri gulped, biting his lip as he fought the emotions trying to overwhelm him. Ugh, feelings…were so annoying sometimes.
Severo gently rubbed his back. “I’m so sorry… I should have told you right away… It slipped my mind…really. When I came out of the room after finding out, you told me you wanted to write down what had happened to you, and…it just fled my mind…”
“Ah…” Seri winced. “It was then…”
