Despite the Pain

Chapter 34

I walked home in a near-daze. What had just come out of my mouth? Was it true? Of course it was true, I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't. And it just flowed off my tongue like water. Of course I loved Albion. I meant it even more the second time. It was easy to see that he meant it when he said it back to me. I had honestly felt that from him for a long time, though never as intensely as I'd felt it in the past few days.

I wanted to stay with him, but we were going to the Dawson's, and mom had spent quite a bit on food to take with us.

The meal was tense and quiet. What little conversation went on was stunted, brief, or between the kids. Autumn refused to eat unless she sat in Callum's lap. Once she'd cleared more of her plate than any of the rest of us could manage, she relocated to Zeke's lap instead. After we'd finished, while Mom and Ella argued halfheartedly over where all of the extra food would end up, Callum and I slipped out back and sat on the steps.

"Did I tell you Zeke tried to rob someone by the Plaza?" Callum asked.

"You're kidding," I said, watching him shake his head and stare out over the yard.

"Apparently what he has right now isn't good enough," he frowned. "Stubborn little shit."

"Wonder where he gets that from," I said. Callum snorted and nudged me with his elbow. I understood his frustration though. Even if we suddenly lost the income and extra food that had come to us by way of the Brysons, I'd managed to accumulate some real savings. We'd be okay until I figured something else out. "You know if you take that job and it pays half as well as it pays Adam, I'm pretty sure they'll be fine."

"Yeah, I made up my mind about that," he said, looking away from me. "I'm sure you'll hear all about it when you see Gisselle tomorrow."

"I'm guessing she got her way, since she hasn't turned up in a rage to rant at me about you," I smirked, waiting for a reaction from him.

"I already regret it," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm just glad you don't have to go into bad things like most of the kids in this town," I said, really turning the idea over in my head for a moment.

"Neither of us have to," he said, nudging my knee with his. I smiled to myself, happy to hear someone say I'd keep working at the bakery. I certainly wanted to stay; even if it was part time, it was enough.

"Albion told me he loved me today," I said after a few moments of silence. Callum looked at me, breaking into a slow smile.

"Well, it's about fucking time," he said. I chuckled, biting my lip and doing my best not to look at him. "You'd better have told him, too."

"I said it first," I said quietly.

"Wow," he said. I snapped my head toward him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," he laughed. "I'm impressed, Dawn. Good for you."

"Okay, weirdo," I said, getting up and pushing his shoulder as I went back into the house. He followed behind me, and our families said our goodbyes before Mom, Helena and I returned home. I'd see Callum again in the morning, I'll have to face a few hours in the woods with him.

...........................................................

"Dawn!" Helena sobbed, winding her hand in the back of my shirt and burying her face against my neck. "Please. Please, wake up."

"I'm awake," I murmured, wrapping her in my arms and forcing my eyes open. "I'm here. I'm up. It was just a dream; it's okay. What did you dream?"

"You died. You were in the car with Dad and--and you crashed," she said, her voice catching in her throat. I combed my fingers through her hair, working her braid loose as I tried to lull her back to sleep.