BAILE (Where We Come Home)

Chapter 24 A Mother's Secrets

"I'll see you on Monday." I hugged April and Charlotte. I stepped back, seeing Riley through one of the classroom windows. He smiled. We didn't even really get a chance to say goodbye.

April and Charlotte turned around, before looking back at me with knowing smiles.

"Hopefully you find some answers."

"I hope so too." I glanced back at the bus. "Bye."

"Bye."

I entered the bus, sitting opposite Eliza. I waved goodbye, my eyes on the dream of a man through the school window.

"Excited to go home?" I asked Eliza.

"More than ever." She answered. "But I hope that everything will be okay."

I moved over to sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her. "Everything's going to be fine, the truth will set us free."

"Isn't that a quote from the Bible?"

I thought about it. "Maybe." I didn't have a clue, but it sounded right.

Eliza and I slept and played games to the pass the time as we travelled for what felt like years until we reached home.

When I looked upon my parents I felt a deep dread fill my stomach. I was so scared of what my parents would have to say now that Eliza and I knew what we were.

"I hope you two are hungry." My father placed a huge feast of roasted meat before us.

Eliza and I just smiled as we loaded slices of meat onto our plate.

"Why so quiet?" My mother placed a hand on each of our shoulders. "Has everything been okay at school?"

"Well..." Eliza's voice faded out.

"We know we're not human." I blurted out. I looked to my father to see all colour had fled his face.

"Who told you?" My mother's tone was surprisingly cold and crisp.

"No one needed to." I told her.

"Who told you?" She repeated.

"It doesn't matter!" I snapped. "What matters is that you kept such a huge secret from us!"

"It was for your own good!" She yelled back.

"Aileene-" My father began.

"-Don't try to console me for the good duty I did for the both of you."

"Duty?" I rose from my seat. "A duty to lie?"

"A duty for a mother to protect her children."

"Who from? You?" When she didn't reply I left the room, kicking on my boots before heading out the back door. I followed the path, jumping up onto the stone fence to climb onto Bowie's back. I didn't have to spur him to get going as he tore across the paddock, leaping over stone fences as we followed the hills downward.

I leapt from his back as we hit sand, landing onto my feet rather ungracefully.

"Christ." I clutched my left ankle. I sat down on a log, removing my boot to see my ankle had swollen a terrible looking red and purple.

Bowie returned, pushing his nose into my face. I gave him a hug before leaning against him so I could go to the water. I dipped my bare foot in, the brisk temperature easing my burning ankle.

"Isla."

I turned around to see my mother standing a few metres away, her salt and pepper hair blowing in the breeze around her face. I sat down on the sand. My mother stroked Bowie before letting him take a wander down the shoreline.