Shadow

Chapter 23 - Free

'Valerie?'

A familiar voice woke her up. Soothing, but demanding. It could've only been one person. Her eyes flashed open. At first, it was two blurry shapes but then her eyes adjusted to the view in front of her. Then she breathed in the aroma mix of jasmine and lavender.

'Mom...' she whispered. Her voice dry and hoarse. She tried to sit up, but the pain kicked in again. Her head banged like a thumping drum and it was almost her head was being drilled by a jackhammer.

'It's me,' her mother said and took a step back.

On one side of the bed stood her father and in his arms was Jack asleep on his shoulder. He had a tough day, alright. Sleep would usually make everything better, but after the bizarre twenty-four hours that Valerie had been through, sleep was the last thing she wanted. Rest, yes, but sleep? No. She still wanted to be on guard. Not for herself, but for Jack. On the other side of the bed stood her mother, dressed in a black jumper and grey trousers. Around her neck was her own cross pendant. Her hair was shorter than when Valerie had last seen her. She looked somewhat radiant, Valerie thought. But her face filled with worry. Maybe for some concern for her daughter, perhaps?

'Abbie rang us,' her father explained as if she didn't already know. 'We came as soon as we heard.'

'Even you?' she asked her mother.

Trish sighed despondently. 'Of course. Oh... oh, look at you.' She covered her mouth.

'I'm okay, Mom,' Valerie assured her.

Trish gently sat on the edge of the bed. 'Seeing you like this, all bandaged breaks my heart.' Her voice broke. 'It really does.'

Valerie's right hand stretched and found her mother's. 'Don't worry, Mom. I'm made of the strong stuff.'

'Of course, you are,' her father said. 'You're our daughter.'

Her mother wiped away a tear. 'I was so scared. So worried. Especially with that earthquake that happened just before. Everywhere was shaking. I thought I was going to lose you.'

Valerie gripped her mother's hand tight. 'You didn't. Whatever it was, it's over now.' She almost believed her own words and wanted to believe it was over. But her other worry was Abbie. Was she alright? Did she manage to end it for good? Or did the Shadow claim her like it claimed Chloe?

Don't think about that. Don't. I'll call her, yes, I'll call her, and—

'Despite our many differences and how things ended with us,' her mother continued, 'you are still my daughter. And the Lord does teach us to forgive.'

Just that word made Valerie pull away from her.

'Forgive?' she questioned.

Should be me that's forgiving you, she thought, not the other way around. You're the one who disowned me, never accepted Jack, and what about Chloe? You remember what you did? I remember.

Of course, she didn't want to say all those words out loud.

Her mother was reaching out to her, and for the first time in a long time, she was sympathetic to Valerie's situation. But then again, how could she not be? She was involved in a life and death situation. Still, she wanted to be the bigger person.

'I'm sorry, Mom,' she said. 'I never meant to hurt you the way I did. For—'

Trish put a finger on Valerie's lips and shook her head.