A Hero in the Dark: 2nd Edition

Chapter 128: Mother's Recipe

Bae squeezes me early the next morning, his arms wrapped warmly around my torso in a big bear hug. He brushes my hair and kisses me gingerly on the forehead. I smile sleepily 'till he edges away. "I'm going to shower," he whispers.

"Mm," I murmur, not happy with the idea of him leaving me, but too tired still to stop him.

"Heck of a night, Em," he slurs. "Felt good..."

"Mhm..." I agree, not wanting to open my eyes or start the day. "It was fun."

He kisses me again. "Maybe we'll do it again tonight."

I smile at that, prone to thinking of what tonight will bring, and listen as he wanders across the cabin. It isn't until Pixie hops up on the bed beside me that I open my eyes to embrace her, and when her stomach grumbles, I know it's time for breakfast. "Morning, girl. You hungry?"

I riffle through the dresser and throw on one of bae's shirts—a mahogany tee. It's big on me and goes past my butt, but it smells deliciously like him. I search the pantry for some leftover lettuce and fetch a bottle of water for myself, then check my cell. There's a triple dozen messages waiting for me, both from mom and dad. My cell pings with another as soon as I tap into mom's thread; my brother, texting me a simple: I think dad's mad at u

I try to ignore it, tap back to mom's messages, and skim through them. They're all short and to the point, yet expressing equal worry and concern:

          (03:24) Emi
          (03:24) R u there?
          (03:25) Please answer me
          (03:25) I'm worried
          (03:25) I don't care what your dad says
          (03:26) I think u and John r perfect for each other
          (03:26) Please come home
          (03:26) Talk to me
          (03:26) If not your dad, then talk to me
          (03:27) I'm sorry

She's sorry? But she has nothing to be sorry for; literally nothing. I'm the one that should be sorry. I shouldn't have left the way I did—all cold and crap, and without zero warning or proper explanation. I probably hurt her. Honestly. I don't want to leave mom, not like this...

But I don't want to risk running into dad again. He won't understand. I doubt he'll even want to talk to me, and if he does, he'll rehash the same argument over and over.

Pixie bounds over and settles herself in my lap. I hardly look at her, but I see her stare. I pet her on the head. "What should I do, girl? Go back or stay where I am, stay where I'm happy...?"

I'm startled by the bathroom door creaking open. John steps out with a towel around his waist. His hair is a riled wet mess. He doesn't notice me until I speak. "Hi."

"Oh, hey Em. How'd you sleep?"

"Good."

He frowns. "What's wrong?"

Geez, not only does he look hot, but he smells hot too. My entire body tingles in response. "My mom..." I tell him in a weak slur, not bothering to meet his perfect pearls. "And dad... they want me home... to talk, I think. Again."

For a moment, my alien boy doesn't move. He hardly reacts. He sits beside me, our shoulders brushing, watching me, until he puts a hand on my thigh. "What do you want to do?"

I shrug. "I don't want to go," I admit. "I don't want to talk to him. But my mom... I feel bad for her." My chest is as heavy as a sack of sand, and it seems to only get worse no matter how many breaths I take. "And my brother... I don't want to leave him either, but I don't want to risk running into my dad again and starting every argument from scratch. It's too much."