The Threat Of Fear

chapter 26

        "Hey." my brother greeted.

"Hey," I repeated, standing up and hugging him before sitting back down.

He sat down across from me.

"So," I hummed, drinking some of my coffee. "What did you need to talk to me about?"

"I didn't see you on Christmas." he pouted. "Were you working, or something?"

I had forgotten that I never told him about being disowned.

Mother and father must not have told him either.

"Actually, come to think of it," he hummed. "I haven't seen you by the house for a while. Mother and father haven't even talked about you in a while either."

"They're, um, there is a perfectly logical explanation for that," I mumbled.

I can't look him in the eye.

"And that is?" he pushed.

"Father," I replied.

"What about father?" he asked.

"father disowned me," I whispered.

The words feel like venom in my mouth. It hurts to say it out loud still. It's been almost half a year since it happened.

"What?" he exclaimed. "Why?"

"Keep your voice down!" I hushed. "It's because of the fact that I'm living with Alec, Nick, and Shade."

        Thanks to the 'escape thing', I have been ordered to take time off by Alec, Nick, and Shade.

I don't really mind it all that much though, but at the same time, it gives me much more time to think about it.

Shade...

He's been calling me every chance he gets to check up on me. He would be here, but his assignment has not been completed yet. He almost did leave before him and his team completed the assignment, but I was able to convince him not to.

Someone knocked on the door and Alec got up to answer it.

"Oh," he gasped. "Miss. Cookie. Hello."

Mom?

"Hello." my mother's voice said.

I got up from the couch and walked over to the door.

"Is my daughter home?" she asked. "Or is she at work right now?"

"I'm here." I hummed. "What, what do you need, mother."

Alec got out of the door frame so that I could talk to her. He went back to the living room.

"I was wondering if you wanted to talk over some tea or something," she suggested. "I know this cute little coffee shop. My treat, of course."

"Sure." I shrugged.

        "So, mother," I hummed, taking a sip of my tea. "What did you want to talk about?"

The tea is warm.

"Well, first of all," she smiled at me sweetly. "How are you?"

"Fine, mostly." I shrugged. "The morning sickness has stopped, I think. And with him being out, I'm not allowed to be alone until he's caught."

"I see," she said. "So, the thing I wanted to talk to you about is that I miss my children."

"And that's all?" I asked.

"I'm leaving your father." she murmured quietly from the rim of her coffee cup.

"Oh," I uttered.

"Yeah," she breathed out. "I want a relationship with my children. Something that he has unrightfully taken away from me.

"I see." I said. " and is that the only reason?"

"Yes," she answered after hesitating for a moment.

        "Shade!" I cheered, running into his arms.

He held me tightly to him.

"Rachel." he breathed out. "How are you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm fine."

"It's getting pretty late," he murmured. "You should probably get some rest."

My stomach rumbled before I can respond.

"You haven't eaten," he sighed. "Have you?"

"Seems I've forgotten," I laughed nervously."

"You need to take better care of yourself." he chastised. "Especially now that you're pregnant."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "I know."

"Eat something before you go to bed." he softly ordered.

"Can you stay with me when I go to bed?" I asked.

He kissed my forehead gently. "Of course, my love."