Demon Years

Weird Returnings

"Welcome home, Maxine!"

Max opened her eyes to find herself in their crappy living room with Aunt Maria standing in front of her, holding an actual store-bought chocolate cake with the same happy words written on it that she'd just uttered. She was stunned by the small crowd around her who shouted her words at her.

Wow.

Petite like her foster mother, Maria had smooth Moca-brown skin that glowed in the flickering candlelight. Her long hair was held back from her beautiful face by a wide blue scarf she'd tied around her head that trailed down her back, just past her hair. The blue was mirrored in her peasant blouse that was tucked into a soft purple skirt that fell all the way to her ankles.

Skinny silver bangles lined both of her arms and they jingled as she angled the cake for her to see her beautiful handwriting. "It's your favorite, Mija. We're so glad you're home."

Max blushed as her gaze went from her to the rest of the dancers who worked with her mom who'd come over for her party. Even John and Greg, two of the bouncers from the club, were here.

They were clapping and smiling at her, making her extremely uncomfortable with the attention as they congratulated her on being a hero.

It ,oddly enough,it felt kinda good.

Maria put the cake down on the counter for him. "C'mon, Mija, and blow out the candles before they ruin your beautiful cake."

She always loved the lilt of Maria's Hispanic accent whenever she spoke. A voodoo priestess and midwife, Marry , as she called her, was also her godmother and her mother's best friend.

She'd been the one who'd brought and taken Diana in after her parents had tossed her out.

"Thanks, everyone," she muttered as she went to the cake and blew out the candles.

Her mom stood behind her with her hand on her uninjured shoulder. "We're all so proud of you, baby."

"That's right." Greg, a huge bear of a man with long black hair and sunkiss skin, stepped forward to hand her a box. "We took up a collection for you at the club. Hope you like it."

Their kindness touched her. It felt more like a birthday than a return home from the hospital.

Ripping the box open, she found a Street Fighter video game and a nicer vision of her black hoodie,instead of it being pitch black,it's a jet black along with the material being light and it looked soft.

"Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate it."

Cherry stepped around Greg and pulled an envelope out of the box. "You forgot this."

Max handed the box to her mom before she took the envelope.

"Here, child." Maria took it and opened it for her.

She gaped as she saw five twenty-dollar bills in her hand. "What's that for?"

Cherry smiled. "Your college fund. We know it's not much, but it'll cover most of the days of work you missed while you were in the hospital."

She looked at her foster mom, who was smiling in gratitude. But she didn't feel grateful. She felt weird about it, especially knowing how hard all of them worked for it. "I can't take this."

John snorted. "Take it. Don't make me have to whup your butt and put you back in the hospital, snotwad. Just be grateful for it and don't ever spend it on drugs or cheap women 'cause I know what I'd have done with it at your age and we're all raising you to be better than that."