Forlot: The Mom Who Lives Next Door - Book Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

I frowned. I knew for a fact that lady was not supposed to be trespassing that house, and you will know here in a minute. Clenching my hand that was not holding onto the suitcase into a fist, I stormed off the sidewalk and onto the front lawn, making my way towards the woman.

"Hey!" I shouted.

My intention was not to scare the poor woman. I just wanted to confront her and question her why she was by the house. But I think that I startled her anyway because her body shook. She stood up straight and glanced in my direction. Keep in mind that it was dark outside, so I could not get a good look of her.

"What are you at this house?" I demanded. "The leaders of Forlot forced the neighbors before to move out because the house was unfit to live in."

The lady did not say a word. The only features that I could see of her were her eyes.

I sighed and continued. "Look, I am a pretty nice guy, so I will not call the police. You just need to leave. Please. I do not want to get you in trouble."

The woman blinked. Then, she finally spoke.

"You do realize that there are no police officers in Forlot."

"I am aware of that. I was referring to the police...in the next town...over."

It hit me. Hit me like a brick.

That woman's voice. It sounded familiar. Too familiar. Like I have heard it every so often of every day.

"...Mom?"

I heard giggling coming from the lady, and her eyes were shut. When she stopped with her giggling, she opened her eyes.

"Mom. That is you, is it not?"

"You are correct," she confirmed my suspicion. "My smart and talented son."

I squinted at her and realized that she was telling me the truth. She was my mother, and when I knew that, question after question spilled into my mind.

What are you doing at this abandoned house?

Why are you out here and watering plants at nighttime?

Is this your new home?

I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, clearing my thoughts, and decided to ask her my first question. That is, I would have if she had not answered it already.

"Is is not exciting?" Mom said. "I moved into this house when I came back to Forlot. I really wanted to be close to you and Amy. To hear you laugh. To hear Amy cry. To look out the window and see you two when you are leaving your house." She let out a sigh and hung her head. "I did not realize how long I was gone. It felt like years."

"It was only months, Mom."

"True. But still..."

I heard footsteps behind me and peered over my shoulder. It was Milo. He was running towards me and Mom. He came to a halt, scraping the heels of his shoes against the dirt, when he saw my mom.

"Ms. Blossom?"

Even through the blackness, I noticed Mom smiling at him. He liked Milo and thought that he was a good friend for me.

"Milo, it is good to see you," she said. "And you can call me by my first name. Donna. After all, you are my son's closest and supporting friend and of course, I approve of you."

Milo ran a hand through his hair. "Yep. That is me."

Mom set down the watering can by the flowers and rubbed her hands together, wiping off small amounts of dirt that clung to them. "What are you boys doing out here at night? I smelled food earlier, which means that Bill and Kira made supper."

"We went to your store, Mom," I said. "We were looking for you."

"For me? Why? Is everything okay?"

"We wish," Milo said.

"Hmm. Let us go inside, and we can talk about whatever it is that you feel the need to say, okay?"

My mother went up to the front door of her house and pushed it open. She gestured us inside, and my best friend and I scrambled into her home. She followed us and closed the door behind her.

"Let us sit on the couch," she suggested. "Would either of you like a snack? I know that you will be having dinner, but I am wondering if you are really hungry."

"No thank you," I declined her generous offer.

"Do you have root beer?" Milo asked.

She glared at him. "I thought that you hated root beer, Milo."

"I know, but I have to have it if I want to be cool."

I got ahold of my mom's wrist and tugged. "This is no time for snacks." I do not know why I did not wait until we all sat down, but I blurted it out anyway. "Amy and I were almost killed by a bomb!"

Mom's eyes bulged, and she gasped and covered her mouth.

I breathed heavily through my nose and patted the top of her hand. "Sorry to scare you like that, Mom. But it is true. If Amy and I did not leave Amy's room when we did, we probably would have been as good as dead."

She slowly uncovered her mouth. "So wait. T-the bomb...was in my daughter's room? My sweet, little daughter's bedroom?"

"Yes."

"How...how in the world did a bomb end up in her room? How?!"

"That is what Milo and I would like to know."

I let go of her wrist and entered the living room. Milo and Mom followed me, and I set the suitcase on a glass table, unlatched it, and opened the lid. Slowly and carefully, I pulled out the damaged doll and showed it to Mom.

She took one look at Gabi and said, "It was her. She did it! She set me up!"

"Who set you up?" Milo asked.

"That evil woman. Kira."