Strawberries and Cream

The Moon As My Companion

I close the door feeling more hollow than I should. I mean, he's going to be in my room when I get there, waiting for me, but being apart made my heart hurt. I walk upstairs and hear the familiar running of my mom's bath water and smell melon bubble bath. I reach their bedroom and take a moment to breathe. I can see a small dark spot where dad had been bleeding on the floor. I move past the spot and into their conjoined bathroom. Dad is helping a naked mom into the bubbles, a tight look on his face. She sinks into the water and sighs, an angry look coming across her face.

"Why in the hell am I taking a bath when we should be talking to our dau-" I step closer to them, and mom spots me. She tenses, and turns against dad's guiding hands, hazel eyes anguished.

"Trinity! I'm so-" I hold up my hand to stop her obvious apology.

"Mom, there's no point in apologizing to me now. I don't think I'd forgive you even if you did." I shake my head. It seems weird to me, but my parents keeping my mate from me is just something I don't think I'll ever get over. I can only accept it, and move on. Mom stands back up abruptly and water sloshes over the rim of the tub. Dad gasps, and makes a comment about being careful.

"But... even so, Trinity. I think you deserve one. Steve and I should have just accepted both of-" She breaks off, crying. Then abruptly, she folds her hands over her stomach, and folds in over herself, gasping in pain. My eyes widen as dad snatches her from the bath tub, water still running, and swoops her white bath robe over her. His eyes stressed, and his body efficiently getting her into the bedroom. I already have 911 dialed and he takes the phone from my hand. I stand next to mom, gripping her hand as she pants in pain. Sweat drips from her brow. Oh my god. I think she's going into labor! I almost slap myself in the face for thinking the obvious.

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"Aaaaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaaah!" Tiffany Smolder's cries are soft. Beautiful. Just like her. But not her birth. Mom bleeded all the way the hospital. We all had the same hopeless expressions when she was taken out of the car. We all thought she would have her third miscarriage. I would feel the pain of losing my first  sibling. Mom having me was a miracle after her first two losses, so her and dad tried again. And even though she bleeded all the way to the hospital, and had a terrible birth, Tiffany was born naturally. Her blue eyes touch my soul. Her honey hair touches her neck. Her cheeks are rosy and pudgy. I smile at her, even though she's crying. She's so pretty. So fair and frail. Just like mom. Exactly like mom. I look over at her and dad. They both look tired. Especially mom. Dark circles hang beneath her eyes, and her skin is pale and clammy. She sleeps soundly though. Tiffany quiets and looks at me sleepily. She's cranky. I look at dad. He's been looking at the floor for over an hour. As if sensing my gaze, he looks up.

"Want me to take her for you?" He asks. I shake my head. After her horrid birth and my thinking she would die, I had to hold her for as long as I can.

"She'll be asleep in a sec... Daddy, I think we need to consider what's best for the... family..." I look away. He sighs, knowing where I'm going with this.

"You want us to move back to the underworld." He gets straight to the point as usual. I pause, not sure how to reply.

"Yes... I think it'd be best if we moved back... but I don't think you'd agree with my reasoning." I mean, when a girl wants to change addresses for her boyfriend in the human world, it's usually a no-brainer what happens. The entire family isn't uprooted, and she has to deal with it. I frown at the thought.

"We've already decided we're moving back." My dad surprises me by saying. I swear my eyes pop from my head. I stare at him, shocked.

"We knew this was coming, Trinity." He looks away from my shocked expression. For some reason, this just hurts me more. My bottom lip trembles.