reticent

76

• COLE •

"Shut up." I mumble, leaning back onto the couch pillows behind me.

"You shut up." Grayson replies.

"You're the one yapping down my ear." I say.

Our mother watches from across the room, curiosity shining brightly in her eyes. I glance away from her. When Xander told me that our mother was alive, I didn't really feel anything. I don't remember her, neither does Grayson. It's like she's just a random woman coming to visit.

     I look over to the door, seeing Mason holding onto our father and Elijah as they help him toward the door. When I look back at my mother, she's watching him too.

     Amalia walks into the room. She whispers, "dad said to come now."

     I grab my crutches from beside me and use them to help me stand up. I hobble out of the room and go over to Elijah's car. He, Xander, Grayson and I are going in this one while Amalia, Mason, our mother and father are going into the other one. Mason isn't happy about it, but dad wanted to keep an eye on him.

     I get into the backseat of Elijah's car, putting my crutches on the floor. Grayson gets in the back with me, then our brothers climb into the front.

     Then we're off.

• AMALIA •

"This song licks ass." Mason grumbles, stroking Petal, who's sitting on his lap.

     I frown. "I like it." I whisper. "Quit being so moody." My voice isn't very loud, but he hears it.

     He smiles. "Or what?"

     My frown deepens. "Or I'll kick you out the car."

     His smile widens into a grin. He sighs and leans back, then grabs his phone from the pull out tray between us.

     "Do you guys want food?" My dad asks, looking at us in the rear view mirror.

     I shake my head. Mason shrugs. "I could eat." He says.

     "Alright." My dad whispers, pulling into a McDonalds drive through. He turns to my mother. "What would you like?"

"I forgot what they have." She replies, looking down like she's ashamed.

My dad doesn't say anything before ordering. We go through the drive through, and he passes a burger and chips to my mother. "That's what you used to get." He tells her before turning around and passing Masons to him. Then he gives me nuggets, chips and a vanilla milkshake.

I furrow my eyebrows. I didn't ask for anything.

"Eat as much as you can, baby."

I set my drink in the cup holder and eat a few chips. I pick at the food for the rest of the drive, eating it even when it becomes cold.

•

Elijah's car makes it there before my dads does. Xander comes out to help our father get Mason. When I go to grab bags from the boot, my dad says: "we'll grab them later, sweetheart. You get inside."