Salient Secret

Chapter 35

I told Kai that I would meet him at his mom's apartment, simply because sometimes I think that boy drives around way too much. I arrive at the address in my mom's car, it's in a really nice area, well she is a doctor so it makes sense. I walk in and make my way to apartment number 127, it's on the top floor, like mother like son, I knock on the door and wait for someone to answer. 

"Avery, hi, come in," Doctor Mitchell says ushering me in, do I still call her Doctor Mitchell? 

"Thank you. Wow, this is stunning," I say in awe of this modern day, open plan loft, it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. 

She walks me to the seating area and I see Kai playing with Palmer and Sammy, a smile takes over my face and Kai notices me standing there. 

"You look beautiful, and hello," he says lightly kissing me and pulling me towards Palmer, "Palmer, this is Avery, Avery this is Palmer."

"Hello Palmer," I say crouching down and smiling, she runs towards me and gives me a hug, how sweet. She then pulls away and gives me a strange look. Sammy then comes to greet me, breaking a rather awkward moment.

"Okay kids, come on," Doctor Mitchell shouts from the dinner table. 

"This looks lovely Doctor Mitchell," I compliment, looking at the steaming food on the long wooden table with rose gold decor.

"Oh please Avery, here it's Melanie," she says smiling at me. Kai takes his seat next to me, Sammy sits across from Kai and Palmer sits directly across from me. Melanie says grace and we eat a delicious dinner. Afterwards, Melanie pulls out a tasteful looking cake that reminds me how much water I just drank.

"Where's the bathroom?" I ask Kai.

"There, first door on your left," he says pointing to a passage.

"I also need to wee," Palmer says in an adorable little girl way.

"Come along then," I say reaching my hand out for her to take but she doesn't she just walks in front of me to the bathroom. 

We get to the bathroom and I close the door, "He injected you too didn't he?" I am completely taken aback, the cute little girl I just had dinner with is not here, she said that in such a normal way. How would she even know about the injections?

"What?"

"Don't play dumb Avery, it's okay, I was injected when I was 4, he told me if I told anyone he would kill my mom, I was very young back then, but I understood, this injection sped up my mental growth, I'm not your normal 6 year old, and you're not a normal 17 year old."

"How can you tell?"

"When I hugged you I read a piece of your mind."

"You did what?" 

"I was like you Avery, at first I was confused and I didn't feel any different, but that's because I didn't know what to feel. Fortunately, someone reached out to me..."

"He injected more people?"

"He injected 4 people, you, me, another girl and a guy." I can't believe I'm having this discussion right now with someone who is learning to stay colour inside the lines.

"How would you know?" I ask.

"Let's just say I have an inside man," she continues, "We don't have much time now, we need to talk tomorrow, it has to be just you and I."

"How do you expect me to do that?" she smiles, opens the door and walks out. 

What just happened???

I walk out of the bathroom after peeing and go back to the table where Palmer is talking in her little girl voice again, "Mommy please can I have that piece?" she says pointing to a big piece of cake. 

"Is everything okay?" Kai asks, it was then that I realized I was just standing there and staring. 

"Yes sorry, I'm just amazed by how beautiful that cake is," I say a bit too enthusiastically and Kai gives me a concerned look but I just brush it off and take a seat. After cake, Palmer starts going out of her way to spend time with me, she made me braid her hair, paint her nails, and watch Frozen with her.

 It's late now and Melanie tells her it's passed her bedtime, she moans and then says, "Okay mommy, but can Averwy please be the one who babysits me tomorrow, she's awesome," she says swinging her arms side to side and tilting her head. 

"Sweetie I'm sure Avery has other plans."

"Mommy pleeaaassseeeeeee," she says loudly, pulling her moms arm. Her mom looks at me and it seems to be the perfect time to chip in.

"I can do it, I really don't have anywhere else to be."

"Yayyyyyyy!" Palmer screams running towards me and hugging me. Kai and Melanie laugh.

"Avery, I'll get your number from Kai and text you the details," Melanie says.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then Palmer. Thank you Melanie, this was lovely," I say walking out with Kai who has Sammy fast asleep on his shoulder. 

"That went well," Kai says as we step out into the hall. 

"Yeah, Palmer sure is something else."