Unexpected Turns

Better

When Amara awoke again, she was alone. She rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly. Her body was stiff and sore, but nowhere near as awful as she felt in that pit. She winced. A horrible sense of dread started to gnaw in her stomach as she thought about how much trouble she was going to be in. She knew that she had worried her parents, but she really did do something stupid, and now she knew it.

Mara tilted her head as she heard the light sound of talking on the other side of the heavy doors, her heart leapt as she recognised the sound of her parents voices. At first she was happy, but when the voices grew closer she had to fight the urge to hide under the sheets and pretend that she was asleep.

"Okay. We get it Stein, she needs rest. Don't worry, we won't be letting her out of out sight," Amara heard her mother say. Her eyes fell down to her lap in guilt. There was more discussion that she couldn't make out when the doors began to creek open.

Amara dragged her eyes up to meet the weary gazes of her parents. They looked tired, like they hadn't slept. Mara has to swallow her guilt again.

"Baby," her Mama breathed as she made her way over to feel her head. "How're we feeling?" Amara had to fight tears at how nice they were being.

"M'okay," she croaked. "Tired. And a little sore." She saw Stein nod behind her father.

"You'll be sore for a couple more days," Stein said. "Your ankle is wrapped up nice, so is your finger. I'll remove them soon. How's your head?"

"…Fuzzy." Stein nodded again.

"But no pain?"

"No."

"Alright," he nodded to her parents and her and left without another word. Her Papa made her way over to her other side to brush some hair out of her face.

"Ready to go home?" he said in a the softest voice she'd ever heard him speak in. "You can stay on the couch while your Mum and I look after you." Amara nodded, finding it hard to meet their eyes.

"Where's Masen?" she asked tentatively.

"He's with Tsubaki and Blackstar, sweetie. They're at our place." Amara nodded.

"Good. I wanted… Voglio dirgli che mi dispiace. [I wanted to tell him I'm sorry.]" she whispered. Her parents smiled widely.

"I think that'd make him very happy." Her Dad rumbled with a smirk. "Very cool of you." Amara giggled.

"Okay," Mama rubbed her shoulder. "Let's get you home."

The journey home was horrible. It was raining still, but even seeing it from the car made her feel sick and scared. She thinks her parents could tell, even though she was trying to hide it. All she could think about was how cold and wet she was. She didn't want to see another storm again for as long as she lived.

By the time they pulled up to their apartment building the rain had let up. If Amara was being honest, that was the only reason she could bring herself to exit the car. Guess the whole experience got to her more than even she thought.

"It's okay, Mara," her Papa muttered she he picked her up. "Just close your eyes' a minute. We'll be inside soon."

After making their way into the building and getting cuddles of Aunt Tsubaki and Uncle Star, she was bundled on the couch with blankets and her teddies, the television playing quietly. Her Mama was putting Masen to bed, she said she can apologize to him tomorrow. That'd just have to do.