The Beast

Chapter 10

I stepped onto the porch of the house I had been calling home since I could remember. Coming to visit my parents during the start of the new semester had been a sudden decision, but one that I couldn't bring myself to regret. I missed my parents more then I could say, and it had been much too long since I had last seen them.

Getting away from Xavier Night wasn't even the littlest bit of a reason for me to go visit my parents, at least that's what I was trying to convince myself of. It just so happened to work out that I would come visit my parents for a week and that would mean avoiding any encounters with the terrifying man for at least the week. Plus with how busy he was, by the time I'd go back he would forget he had even ever met me.

I took a deep breath knocking on the door preparing myself for my parents reaction. My mom was sure to at least cry a few, as she liked to call them happy tears. I heard somebody fiddle with the door knob before the door was pulled open by my mom too immersed in talking to notice it was me at the door. She was probably telling my dad the latest gossip, and when she finally looked up her eyes went wide. She rushed towards me her arms wide open, grabbing me and pulling me into her comforting embrace.

I heard her yell for my dad making me wince at her loud voice so close to my ears, her voice slightly thick, and I knew the tears had already started. My dad walked out of the kitchen into the foyer looking alarmed until he saw who was being hugged by my mom. He rushed towards us and my mom let go of me as my dad pulled me into his embrace pressing a kiss onto my head before pulling away.

"You didn't even tell us you were coming." My mom said sternly, probably worried she didn't make enough food. But as her eyes raked over my, her face softened into a smile. There was this way that she looked at me, the way only a mother looked at her child. That absolute devotion, that made me never want to leave this house again.

"It's so good to see you though, regardless you should have told us, we would have been more prepared." My mom said.
"We don't even have chocolate." My mother exclaims and I let out a snort.
"Now that's a deal breaker, I'm going back." I say grabbing for my bags and my mother's eyes widen in alarm as my father lets out a small chuckle.

"You don't actually think I'd go back, do you mom?" I ask and she promptly shakes her head, but I scowl down at my bags, she totally thought I would have left.

"Honey let her come in she's probably tired from the long drive." My dad said putting an arm around my shoulders steering me further into our home.

My dad sat me down at the kitchen table, taking the chair next to me.
"How's university going Raine?" My father asked.
"It's going really well. We have a new professor, his names Mr.Hale and I'm completely sure that he's crazy." I say and my dad laughs.

"Why?" He asks, and I settle down to tell him the strange tails of the erratic Mr.Hale. From him bringing in some fur from his cat in a sandwich bag and setting it on his desk, to the times he'd sat down on a student's desk while the student sat in the chair. I'd never seen one of my peers look that uncomfortable. But for some reason I leave out how Mr.Hale had invited a guest speaker from a company with supposed criminal connections. Out in the city, nobody knew about the scandalous rumours attached to Night Enterprises, but in town, there wasn't a person who didn't.

At times it saddened me, poor Mr.Night was judged by the whole town, but he was so intimidating, I could barely think in his presence.

I watched as my mom bustled about the kitchen trying to make up for the lack of preparation time I'd given to her, by cooking everything in sight.

"Mom what's this?" I ask her, the green bean and chicken type stir fry, looking quite intriguing, but having witnessed my mother's crazy cooking too many times, I just wanted to know the ingredients. She was a great cook, just sometimes a bit too adventurous. Last holiday season she'd roasted a turkey and the sauce she'd made with it was made of melted marshmallows mixed with oregano, and some other spices. Unlike most people she didn't serve the sauce at the side, instead drizzling it all over the turkey. It was an interesting combination to say the least.

"Just boring stir fry, I wanted to mix in something special but your father outright denied eating it if I did that, this morning at breakfast when I told him of my recipe." My mom complained, looking absolutely adorable as she pouted sadly. My father gave her an apologetic smile. While my mother liked trying to cook new things, she hated cleaning. So if a recipe sounded too horrible my father threatened she'd have to clean up herself, if she made it. But usually he and I would just have to bear whatever my mom concocted up, which was fortunately mostly good.

"Here are your plates." My mother said, setting them down before us, pressing a kiss to my cheek, and pinching it playfully as she handed me cutlery. Usually my cheeks being pinched irritated me, but after not seeing her for so long, it was a forgivable crime.

We all sat together for dinner, and I had to push back tears. I had missed this so much, the soft chuckles of my father when my mom would scold him for his improper table etiquette, my parents forcing me to eat more. Back in my apartment, nobody cared about how much I ate. I didn't need for anyone to, I was an adult, but there was something about knowing someone cared enough to pester you that way. It was just the feeling of being surrounded by the people you love most, while eating. A part of me wanted to stay an extra week, but I couldn't afford to skip classes that way. I knew these few days would pass by faster than they should be allowed to.