Darker Than Blood

.15

The door bell rang.

The grin on her face was natural. She knew who it was. Jumping from the bed and nearly toppling down , she ran towards the door.

Not even caring about her bird nest of hair or her worn out PJs.

Breathless with anticipation, her hand shook as she unbolted the door.

More like tried to unbolt the door several of times because of how bad her hands were shaking. She wanted to rip down the door!

And just like that she had remembered a particular scene.

Will you let me in Sarah?

Now that she knew what he was. .she actually understood his question. Even if he had been a monster , she would have let him in. Not caring about herself at all.

If he wanted to have her blood, she would give it all. Every drop of it.

Smiling hard, she pulled the door wide and—

"Why are you smiling?"

The clipped tone of a woman instantly melted the smile off of her face.

Her heart dropped to her stomach.

A cold sweeping in on her.

"Mother. ."

The stern face of her mother welcomed her . Sarah didn't look like her at all. She was soft all around while her mother was as hard and as unforgiving as she could be. The wispy wirey hair of the middle aged woman made her look even more stern . Thin lips, thin over plucked eyebrows , gray eyes that had seen her life go from bad to worse .

She was a woman who had seen it all and like a giant oak tree no storm could shaken up her roots.

She didn't wait for Sarah to let her in.

She moved with a force , bumping into her shoulder hard . Sarah bit her lip and stepped back .

She cast a wistful look at the bright day outside and then at the woman in her humble place. She felt. . .stuck. Stuck at a place she couldn't get out.

Sighing, she shut the door close.

Just as she turned at the stick figure of her mother. .she was looking expectingly at her daughter.

"Did the city made you forget your manners?" She rasped.

And then Sarah shook her head slightly. "No , mother."

The woman raised her thin eyebrow in a well? gesture.

As if she was forced to do this, Sarah moved towards her mother mechanically and kissed her on either cheek. Just as she was about to back off—her eyes widened when the bony arms of her mother wrapped around her in a loose manner.

"I missed you , lamb."

She wished she could say no . . you miss controlling me around. You miss ordering me around. But she didn't say anything.

Just hugged her back as she was suppose to do.

"You smell like him."

Sarah knew who she was talking about. Her father.

And it wasn't the first time she thought. .

Was her father as submissive as she was? A people pleaser?

Finally they broke apart and quickly Sarah took a step back . Not at all used to  being close to her.

"I'll make tea. You must be tired . " Sarah said hurriedly.