Malcolm had retrieved his computers, monitors and clothes from his apartment in New York yesterday and had been taking the day off to set up. He had dozens of emails from clients that he needed to respond to. He hauled his boxes out of the small U-Haul into his apartment and unpacked them one by one. The last box had a large rolled up dog bed along with food, water bowls and toys.
Hades.
Malcolm touched the bed, his hands shaking. His familiar hadn’t returned since the night Malcolm shouted at him. That had never happened to him before. Hades had never left him like this. Yes, they’d had moments of separation when they were running about town, but not because of… because of Malcolm driving him away. Hades had abandoned him… and he couldn’t blame his familiar. Everything in his life was broken or missing.
He started to pull the dog bed out to set it up but stopped. Hades wasn’t coming back. Even if he did, he didn’t deserve his familiar anymore. He hadn’t murdered Calli’s parents… but he’d caused their deaths. That was too heavy, and too dark a burden to bear.
He pushed the dog bed back into the box and folded the lid down, sealing away those painful memories of that night.
Don’t think. Don’t feel. It was the only way he would be able to manage from now on.
He turned back to his desk in one corner of the second bedroom and started to hook up the computers.
“Knock, knock,” a familiar voice said from the other room. “Can I come in?”
“Mom?” He pushed his head out from the second bedroom and saw his mother lingering in the doorway of his new apartment. She wore jeans and the navy blue peacoat she wore when she wasn’t going to work. Whenever she was headed to the ocean, she wore her more beat up clothes and a thick rain slicker and boots.
“Honey!” She beamed as he came over to hug her.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, still surprised.
“I thought a little housewarming was in order.” She eyed the bare walls. “Are you sure you don’t want to move in with us for a while? Your father and I only use the downstairs these days. His latest expansion spell would give you an entire two floors above us for your living space.”
“Thanks, but no. I need some time on my own.”
His mother’s brow rose, “Your father thinks you’re staying away because you’re angry at him.”
That nearly destroyed Malcolm. “Oh God, please tell him that’s not it.”
“You should tell him.”
“I will. Just… not right now.” He tried to find the right words to explain. “There’s a lot to unpack right now, and I’m not talking about the moving boxes. When people talk about prophecy, I don’t think they ever really think about what it’s like to be on the receiving end. I have a lot of anger right now. Boatloads of it. But it’s not aimed at dad.”
His mother searched his face, “I hope it’s not aimed at yourself…”
Malcolm turned away.
She put a hand on his cheek. “Oh honey, don’t…”
Malcolm sagged a little. “Because of me, Calli’s parents are dead. Because of me, dad almost died. Even if you could argue I’m not responsible for it, it’s still because of me. That’s the gift these damn prophecies gave me. The guilt of existence.”
His mother could only look at him with sympathy. She was such a big part of his life, yet not part of this world. She knew she couldn’t truly understand what he was going through.
“I’m upset too,” his mother confessed. “Upset at your father. I understand why he did what he did. I even understand why he didn’t tell me. But that doesn’t make it any easier to accept. Or forgive. Just understand, I will support you, whatever you do.” Her voice was like a hand reaching through the sea of doubt and loathing that had closed over his head. He let her pull him back above the surface and nodded.
“I promise, once I work through a few things, I’ll come by and see you.”
“See us?” Sarah asked.
Malcolm nodded. “See you both.”
She hugged him and left him alone. He stood at the doorway to watch her leave, giving each other one final wave as the elevator doors closed.
He worked on his desk setup a few hours before Jasper arrived. His friend had agreed to ride his motorcycle to Boston and return what little of Malcolm’s life he had left behind in Moonstone that terrible night.
Jasper studied the apartment. “Well… it’s not bad… bigger than your place in New York.”
Malcolm nodded as he moved to take some of the boxes Jasper had set down in the hall.
