Coming Home

Coming Home ~ Chapter 6

"You went through all that." Avia says to me in shock after I had explained everything that had happened the past fourteen years of my life.

"Yeah."

"You're here."

"Clearly."

"You're alive."

"Do I look dead to you?" I quip back.

Avia rests her hands in her lap, looking shell-shocked at me. After a moment, she throws her arms around me, wrapping me in a tight hug. I hug her back, and the feeling of finally meeting my own flesh and blood made me smile, wider than I have in years, omitting my time in Maple Beach.

When we break apart, Colin, the boy, hugs me too. "Avia used to tell me stories about you. I always thought it was fake, but- but now you're here, you're really here."

"I'm here." I whisper, hugging him back. I feel a tear form in my eye. A family. This is what it feels like to have your actual family care about you.

But the moment was ruined by a car engine outside, and I flinch. It's my parents. It has to be. I press my lips together and set my jaw in determination. I am not going to run. Not from them. I am going to face them, and I am not going to be afraid. "Arika, you should go. Our parents won't be happy to see you." Avia tells me, worry evident in her voice.

I shrug. "I figured that much when they abandoned me fourteen years ago. I'll hide and come out when the time is right." I compromise, ducking behind a part of the wall that juts out into the living room, and not a moment too soon. The door opens, and two pairs of feet walk inside, talking.

"Connor, you should tell them." A feminine voice speaks up.

"No, Heather, it is yours after all." A male voice responds. My parents. I think. For a split second I consider stepping out now, but it's too soon.

"Oh, fine! Kids, we have some news!" The woman says excitedly. "We're having another baby!" Heather exclaims. "You guys are going to have another sibling! Colin, I know you wanted to be an older brother, and Avia, you can stop obsessing over that imaginary friend you have."

Wait. I think, stemming the anger that started bubbling inside of me. It's not time yet.

"Arika isn't imaginary!" Avia protests.

"Honey, you're almost twenty one now. You can't keep this up with imaginary friends and myths about Elementals."

Now.

I step out of the coverage of the wall, but she doesn't notice me. "Oh, so now I'm an imaginary friend and a myth!" I say, my voice falsely cheerful. "Isn't that right, mother?" She turns at my voice and stumbles back.

"No, no, no, you're dead. We- we..."

"Abandoned me. Yeah. I kind of noticed that." I snarl back at her, throwing one of my arms out to the side. "Did you really think, that after all this time, I wouldn't be able to find you?" Everything is pouring out. All of the hurt, all of the anger I had felt over my abandonment. All of it was coming out, like a flood.

"What do you expect me to say? I was trying to protect my children!" She retorts angrily.

"Your normal children, you mean. Me? No, I'm a freak. A mutant. A monster. Someone you," I point at her. "Couldn't care less about. Even if I am your daughter!"

"So, why are you here? Closure?" she snaps.

"Right, right. I just made a ten thousand mile ride with little money and food for closure of the event that ruined my life! No," I say, my voice dropping. "I came to see if there was a fiber in your body that regrets what you did all those years ago. But I guess I was wrong." I reply, my voice cracking on the last syllable.

I walk out the door, but not before every tap and in the house starts running, and fast. Putting my helmet on, I mount the bike and start the engine.

"Where will you go?" Heather asks me, following me out the door. I lift my head to look at her, knowing she couldn't see my face because of the tinted helmet. No regret. Nothing. Just anger and annoyance that I had shown up in her life again.

"Why would you care?"

I drive off, already knowing the way back. I leave my past at my back, but not before a single tear runs down my face, falling off my chin.

-----

The ride back to Maple Beach was a long and hard, but standing outside Helen's inn late at night with the rain pouring down on me made it worth it. I was finally home. Really home. I hook my bike back on the same rack as before, and push open the door to the inn. Helen has her back to me, and she looks like she was cleaning her counter.

"Still got that room?" I whisper, a bittersweet smile creeping across my face.