Synthetic Darkness (MFM)

Chapter 35: Home

Counting down minutes until you are able to see the person you love feels like waiting for eternity. Each pass of the second hand brings you another minute closer. But if you stare at a clock for too long, it seems to start counting in reverse. Taking you further away from the moment that will bring peace. At least, that's how it felt to Aiden anyway.

There were twenty excruciating minutes between him and Reegan getting their hands on their missing puzzle piece.

Aiden flexed his hands, squeezing his knee and keeping his ass planted in his uncomfortable waiting room chair. He fought with the desire to break down the door that segregated reception from the patient rooms, throwing Kale over his shoulder, and walking out of the building. He could do it, too. Kale wouldn't fight him, he knew better. The only thing keeping Aiden planted, was knowing that Kale needed to be there.

So he waited. Impatiently.

Reegan, on the other hand, was plopped down in the floor with her nose stuck in a teen magazine. Her jittery anticipation keeping her from retaining anything she had read. The article on how to know if a guy was into you had been read over and over, but each sentence was new to her. Realization of how absurd the article was had her laughing out loud. A nervous laugh that bounced off the walls and silenced conversations others were having while waiting for their own people.

She had a feeling she knew when at least two guys were into her. One of them would run long, skinny fingers through jet, black hair and blush. That one guy needed to hurry his ass up and be finished with his physical therapy session.

Aiden looked down at Reegan and shook his head in humor, as hard as he tried, he couldn't convince her to wear a different outfit. She insisted on wearing what she deemed her 'Jewel Thief' clothing. If you asked him, it was the worst possible outfit to wear. She stuck out like a sore thumb in her black leggings, sparkling black off the shoulder shirt, and bedazzled black Con's. If she was going for incognito, she was failing. Miserably.

Not that Raven was any different, he thought as his eyes scanned the waiting room. She wore an almost identical outfit. The girls were not mixing into the crowd at all. Aiden checked his watch again, sighed at the minutes he still had left, and started abusing his knees again.

Patience at that point, was not on his list of virtues.

The door to the patient side opened and a familiar face walked out, scanned the room, his eyes landing on the sparkling beacon sitting in the floor beside Aiden, and then connecting with Aiden's eyes. The man motioned his head to the side, silently asking for a word with Aiden.

"I'll be back, Doll," he whispered to Reegan. Her eyes lifted from the article she was reading and she nodded. "If Kale comes out before I'm done, tell him he isn't leaving here until I come back."

Reegan smiled up at him and teased, "I'll even give him a kiss for you, too."

"No you won't."

"Fine, but I'll give him one from me."

Aiden laughed and pinched her nose, "I wouldn't expect anything less. Be good while I'm gone."

She rolled her eyes and saluted him. When Aiden turned around and headed in the direction the man had suggested, Reegan hopped up and went to join Raven and Jeremy on the other side of the room.

"Where's Aiden going?" Jeremy asked as she sat down beside her glitter sister.

"Kale's dad wanted him." Her tone was weary and unsure. Who knew what the man was going to talk to Aiden about, but no matter what he said, they were still leaving with Kale.

All three watched as John led Aiden outside to the parking lot. Hoping that their plan was still going to be a success.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*