Little Green Stars

Chapter 31-Red Velvet

"Now what?" I whisper up to Jin.

"Well, our prediction was right! " Jin says, pulling me to follow Malcolm outside.

Once outside, Jin runs over to throw Malcolm's bag in the trunk, but Malcolm grips it close to his body.

"It stays with me," Malcolm says in that annoying lyrical voice as if he's pretending to sound all otherworldly. Then, he gets into the back seat, still clutching his duffle bag.

"Jin," I say, grabbing his elbow before he can walk around the car. "Are you sure we can trust him?"

"Vel," Jin says, adjusting his baseball cap, his fingers twitching in anticipation. "Have I been wrong yet?"

"No," I say reluctantly.

"Okay, then," he says, walking over to the driver's side. "Get in!"

I take one last look at Malcolm—I mean my dad—with his squirrely eyes and oiled back hair. He looks ridiculous, wearing an Indiana Jones looking hat and black velvet trench coat, still grasping his duffle bag as he mumbles to himself in a grand voice. I can't help but laugh. Maeve would just die if she knew this was the guy she'd spent her whole life searching for.

I open the passenger door and move the box of my mom's things to sit down. Mom's red scarf, the one she wore every single day of her life, slips out the top of the box as I slide in.

"Red velvet," Malcolm says, as Jin and I give each other that WTF look we've come to overuse as of late. "Cocoa powder, vinegar, and buttermilk mix to combust in a chemical reaction, in turn, creating a mesmerizing deep maroon."

He's not talking about the scarf; he's talking about cake—Mom's favorite.

"I'm going to need to see that box," he says, reaching up for the scarf.

"Not until you tell us what you think you're going to find inside it," Jin demands, shooting his hand across the box while trying to backup.

"Give that back!" I demand, grabbing the end of the scarf as it slides to the back seat.

"This belongs to me," he announces as if he has some authority over me, tugging it closer.

"HEY!" I yell as the scarf slips through my fingers.

"Do you want my help or not?!" Malcolm's lyrical voice raises at me.

I turn around to see him folding the scarf, setting it inside the pocket of his black, velvet trench coat.

"How the hell are you, my dad?" I think out loud in irritation.

"The act of lovemaking. All the stars aligned to create you, just like red velvet," Malcolm responds arrogantly, seeming unbothered that he disgusts me.

I cringe and turn around to give Jin a dirty look. He got me into this.

"It's in the name of science," Jin says, responding to my mean mug.

"Where do we need to go?" Jin says to Malcolm as he heads out of the neighborhood.

"HillCrest House, the source," Malcolm responds.

"The source of what?" Am I finally going to get an answer for what the hell is wrong with me?

"The source of your sickness, for lack of a better word."

Sounds pretty accurate to me.

I freeze at his words as Jin, and I lock eyes in equal anticipation.

"I named it Red Velvet theory," Malcolm begins as if lecturing to students."Do either of you bake?"

"Umm, I like to make food art with my mom," Jin answers, thrown off by the random question.

"Well, red velvet cake is created because of a chemical reaction, that's what makes the magnificently deep, mahogany color. But, when you add food-dye to it, it takes on a life of its own, and the color is exacerbated."

How are we seriously talking about fucking cake right now?!

"What does any of this have to do with what's happening to me?!" I demand, irritation mounting inside me.

"May 31, 2003, I received a phone call from River Shamrock. Her daughter, Maeve had run away—"

"Did you know Maeve was your daughter?" I can't help myself from asking as the formality in his words shots anger through me. Not angry for me but anger for Maeve. I never thought I'd feel sorry for Maeve.

"I fathered Maeve with River after a night of love. But, River and I parted ways. I have always had greater needs to attend to."

Greater needs to attend to? What an arrogant asshole. What's worse is that there is no remorse in his voice. I feel Jin's hand slide over to squeeze mine. He must see the anger in my eyes.

"Why did Vel's mom call you on May 31, 2003?" Jin asks, trying to get Malcolm back focused.

"River knew I could summon her teenage daughter home. She hadn't seen her in months and was worried she might be in danger."

I search my mind. That must have been around the time she got pregnant with Jaxson.

"What do you mean summon Maeve home?" Jin asks, his face becoming more and more interested, desperate to try and connect the dots.

"By using the astrological pull and the spirit world, of course," Malcolm announces as if we should already know.

If I hadn't had the week I did, I would have told this guy to get lost and ignored his words as the ranting of a crazy person. But, somehow, I know the words coming out of his mouth have to be true.

"And it would have worked, but I was blinded by my lust for River—still so beautiful after all that time, so luscious—"

"Oh, my God! STOP!" I yell back.

Malcolm clears his throat before continuing, "I didn't realize what night it was, I was blinded to the astrological configuration by my inhibitions. So, I wasn't paying attention when I used the pull of the stars to summon Maeve's home. Instead of summoning Maeve home, I created a chemical reaction. I created something as unique and dangerous as red velvet—I created you."

*Please take a second to vote. How do you think Malcolm created Vel?