“I’m so glad you made it,” she says. “Your father will be so happy you’re here. How was the drive?”
“Boring,” I say.
“Come on then. I’ll make up your room.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
She waves me off as we step into the house. “It’s as simple as putting clean sheets on the bed and giving it a vacuum and dusting. Not that I don’t do that all the time, but you know…”
“Yeah, Ma. I know.”
“Your brothers and sisters will be so happy you’re here.”
I roll my eyes. We have a pretty simple sibling relationship. I’m not close with any of them. I’ve always sort of felt on the outside, looking in on all these jokes and things that I didn’t understand.
It’s a me thing, I get it, but it doesn’t change the way I feel.
I spend most of the time in my room, only coming out when my mother calls me for dinner. I spend a little time with them after we eat, watch a movie and catch up, but then I go right back to my room.
In the morning, I help my mother set up for the party. I hang decorations from the ceiling and doorways, blow up balloons until I feel like I’m going to pass out, and I pick up the cake.
My siblings are happy to see me, but not any more than I knew they’d be. I get comments like I always do, about finally showing my face. It’s nice to see all my nieces and nephews because they’ve grown so much since the last time I saw them.
The house is packed with our family, and though I can see the love, I really can’t feel it.
I wonder what they would do with Aliko here. How accepting are they of monsters? Do they have monster friends? What will they think of me dating one?
Why do I care?
I’m not sure I can even say I’m dating one anymore.
Everyone leaves pretty late, and I head to bed after letting my parents know I’ll head home tomorrow. My father says he understands but my mother looks disappointed. One of my brothers didn’t even say bye to me when he left.
I sleep like shit that night, but it’s no better than sleeping at home alone, so I can’t complain.
I wake up early, say goodbye to my parents, and jump on the road. I drive past my house and to Aliko’s, just to see if he’s stopped by. He hasn’t.
But I finally do something I’ve thought of doing so many times since coming home. I pull into the driveway, shut my car off, and pull the house key from my center console. I stare at it for a long moment, wondering if I should go in or not.
Aliko had the keys mailed to my house since he didn’t have a mailing address. I haven’t used the key yet because it didn’t feel right.
But maybe I could go in there and get everything ready. This way, when he comes back, he’ll have a comfortable home waiting for him.
Chapter Thirty-One
Aliko
I’m starting to worry that I’m getting sick, but I don’t think it’s a physical thing that’s bothering me. I think I’m just so tired of pretending. Of hiding. No matter where I go, I can’t be myself—and that really sucks.
But I felt more like myself up on land with Leif than I do down here, in the quiet darkness of the ocean. It’s lonely. Cold. Worse than it was before, now that I know the warmth of love.
I fucking hate it.
Which is why I have to go. I need to leave. When I think of when I came back here, I still don’t understand why I did it in the first place. But it doesn’t matter… because I did. Now I just need to fix it.
If only I could find my amulet.
The ocean is huge. My father could have hidden it anywhere. He could have destroyed it. Something tells me he didn’t go that far, and I guess worst case, I’ll take his. I still want to know what that is all about, but I can’t get an answer from him down here. Maybe one day.
