The Biker

10 | Evangeline

Aiden left not too long after that, but not before saying goodbye to my parents to thank them for having him. He had given me a brief goodbye, then told me he would see me later.

I had walked him to the front door and saw my mom peeking at us from the corner of the kitchen. He had given me a small smile before waving and heading out the door.

The second the door closed behind him, I turned so my back was facing it and slid the length of my body down until I was sitting on the floor.

My mom walked over from where she had not so subtly been hiding and slid down next to me.

"He seems nice, Nhi. Have you known him long?"

"No, just a month or two."  I blinked a few times, shaking my head wearily.

"I just hope he is sincere. I can tell you care about him."

"I do." I told her. Yes, I was always weirdly angry at him, but that didn't mean I completely despised him. "But I just want him to be happy. His sister is pretty sick."

She hummed quietly. "Is there a cure?"

"Yes, but it requires a bone marrow transfusion. And it needs to be a 100% match for it to be effective to cure her. But finding a donor like that is close to impossible. I just want her to live. There's almost nothing I've ever wanted more. She deserves so much more than to live the rest of her life in a sad hospital."

"I hope things get better for her."

"Me too."

"On another note, what about Diana? I know you don't like talking about it much, but if you want to, I'm here for you."

The mention of my biological mother sent a chill down my spine. I had been adopted when I was seven, which was 14 years ago.  When I turned 16, Diana began trying to contact me again. I don't know how she got my information, but every time she would come and ask for money, say she wanted to rekindle our relationship, that same routine over and over.

And more often than not, I fell for it. I hated how I could never say no. But obviously, this time had been different. Aiden being there had given me a strength I didn't even know I had inside of me.

"I turned her away. I didn't give her money like I usually do. I don't know why it happened."

Mom was surprised. Every time I had run into Diana, I had given in to just try and get her off my back, but she would always come back sooner or later. She knew what happened, and her and Dad had tried to persuade me out of it. But I wanted so badly for her to prove me wrong. That she could change.

"Was Aiden there when it happened?"

"Yes. Maybe that's why. Maybe being with him gives me strength."

"No, that's not it." Mom steeled me with her gaze. "He doesn't give you strength. You have always been strong. But maybe being with him helps bring out that strength. Maybe he helps you realize that you do have it."

That put things into perspective.

"I guess."

"Well, you'd probably better get to sleep soon. It's getting late."

"Mom." I raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm 21 and you're trying to enforce a bedtime on me?"

"You're under my roof right now, Nhi." She said sternly, before both of us burst into a fit of laughter. "That was so weird. But really, I think it would be good for you to get some sleep. A lot happened to you today."

"Okay, Mom. I will."

She kissed my temple before getting up off the floor. "I love you, honey."

"I love you too." I responded, but didn't move from my spot on the floor to go upstairs to sleep.