Aftercare

Chapter 41-Please

NORA RODRIGUEZ
What did he just say?
Mom?

I stare blankly at the woman sitting on the bed, then turns my gaze over to Miles. He. Was. Frozen. Not even blinking, not even breathing. I look at Mia, and she had a look on her face that said she knew about this. The women starts shifting in her bed, as she starts coughing. Her hands move up to her breathing mask as she takes it off.

Oh shit.

As she takes it off and starts breathing smoothly, her eyes find us. She keeps them on the particular blonde standing next to me, as she pushes herself into a sitting position on her bed. Oh god this can't be happening right now. I-no. He could be a monster but nobody is this much of a monster.

"Miles? Mi amor is that you?" The words barely leave her mouth when Miles sets free and rushes over to his mother wrapping his arms around her. Every sob that leaves his chest stabs me like a sharp knife, as I look away trying to hide my tears. Mia puts a hand on my shoulder, giving me some support.

Who does that? Who keeps his wife away from his children that he had told them their mother went missing? Who keeps his children away from a mother love? What monster? In what world? Miles's mom wraps her arms around Miles, her hand ruffling through his hair.

"I've missed you mi vida. Are you okay?" She mutters into his hair placing kisses on the top of his head. All miles was doing was crying harder not taking his head out of his mother embrace. "Did he see you coming in here, Mia?" She says sniffling. So Mia knew, all this time. I'm not angry at her, all I was right now was grateful for Miles seeing his mother.

After he pulled away, Ms. Hernandez put both her hands onto Miles's cheeks. "You've gotten so handsome and grown up my love. How's your brother, is he okay?" She asks still keeping that smile on her face. Mike sniffles as he kisses the inside of her palm.

"Did he hurt you? Is he hurting you? You have to tell me-" his mom cuts him off. "There's nothing you have to worry about, amor. Just please get us out of here, please" she pleads as he nods. My chest fills with warmth as he places a kiss on his mothers forehead, and I fall in love with him one more time.

Her eyes find me as a smile widens on her face. "You must be Nora, ah you look so much prettier than Mia had described you amor. Thankyou for all you've done for both my sons" she says as Miles turns his head to me and a smile stretches on his tired face. I get closer to them, softly sitting on the bed.

I smile. "Miles told me so many wonderful things about you Ms. Hernandez. It's clear where he gets his beauty" i say as a half chuckle- half sob leaves Miles's lips. She smiles. "Oh well, I could never be as beautiful as my sons but, your too kind. I can see what he sees in you darling" she replies.

After a few seconds of silence, Ms. Hernandez sneezes, taking her hand up to her face, and when she does, the sleeve of her gown slides down her arm, revealing the most frightening purple circle on her wrist ive ever seen, along with red lines all over her bare skin.

Miles's expression changes as he slowly holds his mothers arm. She looks down at her lap before speaking. "Amor, I swear it's not that ba-" before she could even finish, Miles gets up, walks towards the door and opens it so harshly i thought it would break.

"Miles wait!" I yell after him but the shithead doesn't bother. "Stay with her" i tell Mia before storming out of the room after him. He's going to get into so much trouble. We're dead for sure. I follow him as he walks towards the dining table, where Hugo was just getting up from.

And my worst nightmare came true. "You fucking psychopath" Miles yells as Hugo turns his head to face him in confusion. He suddenly slams his fist into his fathers face, making me physically wince. "Miles stop!" I yell as Rylies mom gasps. Hugo looks at his son in shock, as an uncomfortable silence takes over the wide room.