The Tali

Chapter 20 - Two Weeks

LAILAH

I couldn't stop thinking about Andrian. He hurt me, but I missed him so much and that hurt worse. I needed to forgive him, then myself so I could go back and be with him but it was proving much more difficult than I had imagined. 

"Daaad," I whined, feeling hopeless. "How am I supposed to forgive him when I don't have any answers to any of my questions?" He looked up at me from his book, then sat it down on the table next to him. 

"He's your mate, is he not?" I nodded. "There's your answer. The Gods fated you two to be together for a reason, Lailah. They don't do those things all willy-nilly. They knew who he was, and who you were and still matched you two together. Who knows, maybe he didn't join the Kamatayans willingly." He shrugged. "Regardless, I know you love him, and there's obvious evidence that he loves you, seeing as he hasn't left your body in over 5 days." 

My eyes widened. "How do you know? I thought once you cross over you can't really see what goes on in that world." He chuckled. "I just know. Your mother is my fated mate and I know I wouldn't leave her side if we were in the same position. You also said that Zeke said 'we are waiting for you to return', not 'I am waiting for you to return.' It's obvious that he means Andrian and himself." He shrugged again, I noticed he did that a lot when he tried to be nonchalant. 

"What if I forgive him and then I get back and find out that it's not all happy like you say?" He sighed dramatically. "Then fix it. Talk it out and fix it. You're 23, baby. It's time to make the big girl choices." I rolled my eyes.

Laliah...sorry...love you...so much...

"Lailah? Hello? Earth to my daughter!" When I cleared my thoughts and refocused my eyes my dad was in front of me snapping his fingers. I wiped at the stray tear surprised that I was crying. "He was talking to me, daddy. He said he loved me. He never even said that when I was with him." 

"Well, that means it's time to get over yourself and forgive him so that you can tell him you love him too." I hugged him. "Thank you, dad. I've always wanted your fatherly advice." 

EZEKIAL

I had just walked through the front door, my arms full of groceries when Andrian yelled for me. "Zeke! Come here, the mark is growing again!" Without even thinking I dropped the bags on the couch and sprinted up the stairs to the guest bedroom, and flung the door open. "What? What happened?" He pointed to Lailah's chest, and my eyes focused on the slowly growing line that turned the single line into an upsidedown 'V'. 

"Holy shit," I whispered stepping closer. If each line represented a task that she had completed- "She's got two more tasks." I looked at Andrian in shock, surprised he voiced what I was thinking. "What? I was just thinking if each line was a task, there are five lines that make up our mark so-" I shook my head.

"No, I was just thinking that. And also that we're over halfway there. She'll be back soon. She's so close." I couldn't help grinning at him but faltered when I saw his face. "What?" 

"She's going to hate me. She'll come back and I'll see the same hatred and anger in her eyes as I did last week." His shoulders sagged and he dropped his head. "If you don't knock off that depressing ass mentality, I'm going to whoop your ass." Andrian began to laugh. "Shut up old man, I'll destroy you!" 

I gaped at him. "Old man?! I'm only four years older than you!" I punched him in the arm. "Besides we're both old as shit compared to LaiLai." I laughed at his horrified expression. "She's a gravedigger." He stared at me bewildered. "And you're a cradle robber, now that we've labeled it are you happy?" 

He didn't reply. In fact, he wasn't even looking at me. "Yoohoo, Andrian?" I waved my hand in front of his face. He grabbed it and pushed me out of the way shoving past and dropping by Lailah. "Zeke, look." I moved behind him and glanced over his shoulder, my heart slamming against my ribcage as the final two lines slowly grew. "She's coming back, Zeke! Call Evanoreen! Hurry!"

For once I did as I was told without argument. Evanoreen said she'd be by as soon as possible. I made my way back inside. "Andrian-" He looked up at me frantic. "The mark is complete but she's not waking up. Nothings changed!" 

Evanoreen sat next to Lailah, her hands hovering above her body, Eva on the other side doing the same, both of them unmoving. "Well?" Andrian was frantic and desperate to find out what was going on. 

"She's reluctant to return. Her soul is quivering in the Veil trying to decide if she should. I imagine she's with her parents and that's where her reluctance is stemming from. Time moves a lot slower in the Veil and the Beyond. A week here is maybe a day or two there." Evanoreen and Eva dropped their hands at the same time.

Andrian dropped his head in his hands and sighed. "I'm the reason her parents are even there. I tracked them down." Evanoreen smacked the back of his head. "Stop making this about you. You're the entire reason the poor girl is even dead in the first place." 

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Dude, she told you!" 

LAILAH

"Honey it's time to go back. You're people need you." My father tried to pry me off. "No! It's only been four days! It's not fair! I'm going to miss you so much!" I sobbed hugging him tighter. 

"Sweetheart, your father and I love you, and we'll see you again, but you're not supposed to be here. The King already told you to return to your body, you need to listen or you'll anger him. It's also been over two weeks in your world." My mother rubbed my back. I sniffled, let go of my dad and turned to hug her.

"I love you both so much." I looked through the tears at the shimmering air behind her and my heart broke. "I've wished for this for so long, I don't think I'm ready to go back." My mom smiled, spun us around, pried my fingers from her arms. "I love you too, and sometimes mother's have to do things that will make their kids upset. I'm sorry but you don't belong here, we will always be with you and will always love you. You've become a wonderful woman Lailah. Ezekial and Andrian will teach you how to be a proper Tali." A tear rolled down her cheek as she shoved me into the shimmering portal, my dad wrapping an arm around her shoulder as she sobbed. That was the last thing I saw before everything went black.