Splendid Fall

Ch.38 Family Rules

Chapter 38

Birdie knew she needed to speak. She knew the longer she stayed silent, the more worried her parents would grow. She could feel their eyes on her as she sat in the living room chair staring at the teenager before her.

The dark curls that hung on the boy's forehead were painfully familiar. His green eyes were filled with discomfort and worry. He shifted around in his seat as the eerie silence of the room made every little sound boom like thunder.

"Sooo..." the boy wiped his hands on his dark jeans. "Can I go now?"

"Noor," Nora frowned with disapproval.

"What?" Noor said defensively. "She's not saying anything."

"I'm in shock," Birdie spoke up.

"See," Heyder let out a breath. "She's fine."

"She's not fine, baba," Hayden shook his head. "She's obviously overwhelme-"

"You guys are overwhelming her!" Maya spoke up.

"I don't even want to be here!" Noor complained.

"This is all too much," Nora shook her head.

"I'll say," Noor snorted. "It's been six years."

"Stop saying that," Birdie winched, feeling the empty hole in her heart ache.

"It's been 72 months," Noor corrected himself.

"That's even worse," Maya frowned.

"We should have introduced her to them one by one," Hayden shook his head. "She just got home and you guys are throwing her into the mosh pit like it's noth-"

"Rip it off like a bandaid," Heyder shrugged.

"That's not the healthiest way to deal with this," Hayden frowned.

"There is no healthy way to do this," Nora jumped in.

Birdie wanted to throw her hands over her ears as everyone in her family began to speak at once. Their voice were like warm honey running down her wounded heart, soothing her, comforting her.

But she didn't want the pain to go away. She needed the pain to remind her she wasn't dreaming. She needed to remember time had move on while she was trapped away...time she would never get back...

Suddenly, as everyone spoke, trying to be heard over one another, Zuri put down the bowl of strawberries she was eating and let out a shrilling scream from where she sat beside Heyder.

Everyone stilled as they turned to look at the eight year old living doll with her thick dark hair, big round eyes and rosy cheeks. Heyder arched his brow and turned towards his granddaughter slowly.

"Ow?" He said.

Zuri shut her mouth and smiled proudly. She held her head up high as if she had just accomplished something astronomical.

"What was that?" Heyder asked.

"You were all being very loud," Zuri said, turning back to her strawberries. "My ears were hurting."

"So you screamed?" Heyder asked in disbelief.

"It's the most effective way to get someone's attention," Zuri scowled.

"By screaming?" Heyder asked in disbelief again.

"It's a bit much, I agree. But it works every time," the little girl looked up at the jinn through her dark lashes. "You told me to scream if someone does something I don't like and you would come and save me."