VIOLET SKY, takigawa chris yuu

━ chapter thirty-two

act iii

life will go on;
together?
no.

chapter thirty-two

❛honestly, i'm eighteen, not ten❜

━━━━━━

Amara lands in San Antonio at eleven-fifteen.

Lucas is waiting for her.

He stands awkwardly in front of the escalators. Baggage claim sits to their right, crowds forming around the conveyor belt.

He has changed, strangely, even though she knows it shouldn't technically be possible. But he seems taller, leaner, thick black hair tucked underneath a San Antonio Spurs ball cap, dressed in jeans and a grey t-shirt. His face looks fuller, his skin the same rich brown as hers. He looks better.

"Hey," he says with a clear note of uncertainty in his voice when she stops in front of him. "Um, Mom was going to pick you up, but I told her I'd get you. You know how cranky she gets after nine. I hope that's o —"

His voice cuts off with a choke as she hugs him. Only a second passes before he quickly wraps his arms around her, squeezing so tightly her breathing briefly cuts out.

"Sorry," she mutters when she steps away after a moment, rubbing her eye. "I just didn't realize how hard it would be to leave. So, it's . . ." she hesitates but something tells her to be open with him, that holding herself back won't do their relationship any favors. "It's just nice to come back to someone who actually cares."

He touches her arm. "Yeah, I get it," he says gently. The accent lilting his English is familiar, reminding her of Luisa. She is unbearably relieved he is here instead of their mother.

They grab her two suitcases and step outside. It is warm and humid tonight; the walk to the car in the short-term parking lot is enough to make her skin sticky. They arrive at an old Ford pickup, the paint faded and peeling. He tells her it belongs to Belen but since she isn't working tonight, he could use it.

"How are things at home?" She asks when she climbs into the passenger seat. The truck turns on with a roar, gears shifting noisily.

Lucas purses his lips, pulling out of the parking lot. "They're . . . I don't know. I'll be honest. Luna is fine. But Mom is really . . . I don't know. It's just a feeling. Something is wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Like I said, it's just a feeling," he mutters. "I've tried talking to her about you but she's quiet. I don't know if that's good or bad."

"No news is good news, right?" But even that sounds weak to her own ears.

He grimaces. "I hope so. I'm sure things are okay. I wish I could spend the weekend at the house but I'm working. Still, just," he glances at her when they arrive at the red light that takes them to the main road. "Call me if anything goes wrong."

"I will," she promises. His words remind her to text the others and she spends a couple minutes doing that. It's the next day in Tokyo, around one in the afternoon.

"How are things with you and Belen?" She asks absently.

He pops a piece of gum into his mouth. "Good. Really good. I can't wait for you to meet her. And Lily. You'll love them."

"When are you guys free?"

He taps his thumb on the wheel to the low song playing on the radio. "Next weekend. If Mom doesn't have you on a leash. And if I can convince her."