Suburban Vampire Ragnarok

Chapter 39

"I'm sorry to hear about your boss," Mrs. Campbell told Scott as she started piling linens into the washing machine.

"I'm not," Scott said as he took a sip of his "special" beverage. Scott's mother still didn't question Scott about the drink nor the telltale stains it left on his lips, even though she found it odd that he wasn't more specific as to its contents.

"Scotty! That's a terrible thing to say!"

"Well? Al Kohler was a jerk, what can I say?"

"You know, if you can't say something nice—"

"I know. Don't say anything at all."

"Right. You should be ashamed!"

"Yeah. I'll go flagellate myself now."

"Now, now. So, what are you going to do with this time off?"

"Maybe hang out with Tim after he gets off work. Or maybe I'll run back down to the coast again."

"Time off for grieving. It doesn't seem you're doing much of that!"

"I grieve in my own way."

"Uh-huh, sure. So, back to the beach. With a certain someone?"

Had Scott been busted again? Or was his mother just being motherly? "Certain... mom, gee whiz!"

"Oh, you mean you didn't take a certain special someone this last weekend?"

"Mom, Dawn and I are just friends. Just friends! There is absolutely nothing going on between us!"

"Dawn? You took Dawn? For the weekend? Do her parents know?"

"Yeah, I took Dawn. Who did you think I took?"

"I thought it was that Jeremiah man."

"Jeremiah? Mom, I told you, I'm not gay!"

"Apparently not, you and Dawn!"

"Mom. Like I said, there's nothing going on between Dawn and me. Nothing at all. So, don't get excited. We just went to the same place, that's all."

"Which is?"

"Mom, you're prying. Stop prying."

"I just thought I'd make conversation. You've been awfully secretive lately, not telling me where you're going or who with."

"Mom, I'm a grown man. I'm divorced, for cryin' out loud. Don't you think I deserve some privacy?"

"I'm concerned for you, that's all. I almost lost you last year, remember? I don't want to lose you again."

Scott embraced his mother. "You're not going to lose me. I'll be fine. Just have a little faith in me. Okay?"

"Okay, I'll try." Irene said as she started sniffing, her nose searching for the source of an odd aroma.

"Mom? What are you doing?"

"Do you smell that?"

"What?"

"That weird smell. It smells like... like blood." Scott released her and stepped away. "Well, now that you've stepped away I don't smell it as much."

"Uh, Mom, your sense of smell is going. I don't smell any blood. Besides, what does blood smell like anyway? You're making that up!"

"I swear, I'm not making it up. Come closer again!"