Dusk and Dawn

10 : Silence

"Keira."

"Brad."

"How can I help you?"

"Well I'm calling from my mum's phone as you can see and I just wanted to play 20 questions," I say, sarcasm coating every word that comes out of my mouth, "I'll start first. Where are you so I can come get my mother?"

"We're home safe , no need for you to worry." he says in a calming voice , probably the one he uses on his patients,

"Where is 'home'? " I ask annoyed at the fact he called his house home. My mum's home is here with me , "I'm coming to get her."

"I'll let you take her on one condition."

This man has my mother and expects me to negotiate in order to get her back. I don't know if I should play along or not but for the sake of my mum I agree.

"What is it?"

"I know your situation with my son."

"Oh come on." I groan, is he really going to go there right now?

"Look I'm just asking you to give him a chance."

"You took my mother so you could make me go out with Noel?"

I know I'm not the crazy one here. He basically kidnapped my mum to make me talk to Noel? How desperate can he get?

"That's not the only reason," he says , "I'll explain the rest in person , I just want my son to be happy Keira, you have to understand."

"This is ridiculous." I roll my eyes,

"Look, Noel doesn't know about this and he wouldn't want me to do this," he pauses for a bit and I hear him mumbling something as if someone else is in the room, " I have to go, I'll be outside your house in an hour."

He hangs up before I have the chance to protest.

~*~

A gray Mercedes AMG parks in my driveway and I get up from the couch I was observing the outside world from. Heading to the door , I remind myself to keep a hard face.

I open the door but decide not to step outside to show him that I don't trust him. Brad and Noel get out of the car and I roll my eyes. Noel sees that and lowers his head. His dad glances at me blankly and then opens the back seat door , taking out a wheelchair and then helping my mum sit on it. I feel a knot in my chest but try not to show it.

"You're late." I say loud enough so they can hear me.

They don't reply and I patiently wait , leaning against the door. Noel looks at me once again like I had just scolded him and starts walking towards me while Brad tries to figure out how the wheelchair works.

"Hey again." he says quietly , and shoves his hands in his pockets. He stands in front of me for a while and waits for a response. When I don't react his face hardens ; he suddenly looks pissed.

"You know-"

"We're here now and that's all that matters," Brad says , interrupting Noel , who looks very angry.

"Are you alright mum?" I ignore him and turn to my mum,

"Oh Keira, " she laughs , "I am a full grown woman , I can take care of myself."

I nod firmly , she normally can but I'm not sure about that in her current situation.

"I'll handle it from now on, Brad," I look at him intently , "thank you for taking care of her, even though no one asked you to."

"It was my pleasure," he genuinely smiles and turns to my mum , "Leah is lovely to be around."

"Which is why she should be with her daughter at all times." I snap,

"Isn't that a bit egotistical , dear?" he keeps smiling,

"You're a therapist aren't you?" I don't wait for a reply , "I need someone to keep me sane and in my situation , it's the woman you kidnapped from the hospital."

"Have you ever thought-"

"Enough." Noel steps in, "Keira , enough." he turns to me.

Excuse me?

"Who are you to order me around?" I growl at him,

"I'm your fucking mate," his voice is ferocious , his eyes green with golden specks in them. A heavy silence stains my ears and I glare back at his furious stare. We're very close , I can hear him swallowing and feel his breath on my nose.

"I'll take Leah inside and you two can talk." Brad says before pushing the wheelchair towards the door.

"No." I stand in front of him and my mum , breaking my intense eye contact with Noel, "We're done here and you can go, thank you."

I push my mum's wheelchair in the house and kick the door shut behind me.

~*~

The next morning Noel doesn't come and I make coffee for my mum. After adding two sugar cubes and a bit of milk , I stir it absent-minded and take it to my mum. I sit next to her on the couch and watch her stir it some more. She pushes some of her golden hair behind her ear and carefully takes a sip of her coffee. She looks at me while blowing on the cup to cool it down.

"What is it , my skeptical child?" she asks with a faint smile,

"Who did this?" I gesture towards her legs

"I don't remember." she shrugs her shoulders,

"You seem way too calm about this."

"The doctors said I might be able to walk again."

"What?!" , my lips form a smile, "are you serious?"

"Yes."

"That's amazing," I say louder , "but they said your back is broken."

"Stupid doctors , an intern confused my scoliosis for a broken back." she shook her head,

"He probably got fired."

"He probably did."

"That's actually quite pathetic for a hospital." I say confused,

"I know right?" she agrees.

"So how was the Brane house?" I curiously ask, putting my feet on the coffee table and quickly taking them off under my mum's glare.

"They're great people."

"They kidnapped you."

"With my consent."

"Why didn't you tell the doctors to call me?" I furrow my eyebrows,

"Look, Keira, " she starts , "you've been the greatest daughter anyone can ask for. And I'm grateful you didn't go through that phase when kids hate their mum. But it's like I'm the kid in the house," she pauses and continues when I nod, "I think you should calm down a bit. Look after yourself ; I love you , don't doubt that , but you're way too overprotective over a 30-year-old."

"I just wanna make sure-"

"I have been hurt in my life , I know," she takes my hand in hers, "You're trying to protect me from getting hurt and now that this happened you'll be even more protective. But I don't need protection, I just need for us to co-exist."

"It's not me, it's you?" I joke when she finishes , pretending that was a break-up speech,

"I just think we should take a break, " she plays along.

I laugh and she does too, hugging me when we stop.

"I'm a big girl , Keira," she says , resting her chin on my head, "start taking care of yourself, not me."