Halo And Horns

Chapter 05: Home

Nick sat, slumped in a window seat, looking out as the plane swiftly sliced through the clouds. The ocean shimmered down way below, stretching out for what seemed to him like eons. A boat or ship glided by under them occasionally, splitting the water in two as they went. They passed over several cities, and he saw how different the world looked from up there.

His mother sat beside him—his new mother—and his new father was on the row next to theirs, asleep, leaning his head back against a neck pillow, his mouth wide open. He reminded Nick of the funny dads in movies. The type of fathers who would do anything to make their kids happy. He shook his head and pushed the thought away before gloomily staring back out the round window, letting the sun shine on his face whenever they passed out of the clouds.

His new parents, Susan and Henry, were from England. They had gone to the US for medical check-ups and a vacation. There, they had found out that Susan was unable to bear children and therefore they had been looking to adopt a child before they returned home. As fate would have it, Nick was brought in, urgently, while they were making their way out of the hospital, after their last doctor's appointment, and when they saw no one but the police and nurses, they pretty much figured that the child must have been an orphan. Why they took in an injured 9-year-old, instead of a healthy young boy or girl, is a question yet to be answered. They had stayed with Nick at the hospital for the past month, until he recovered enough to travel. Their vacation had ended but Henry had apparently called into his work, requesting to extend his leave. Nick honestly, didn't care. So far, the couple had been nothing but nice to him but he was still convinced that it was some kind of a façade. He refused to talk to them. He simply nodded or shook his head. They had barely heard his voice and yet they hadn't even given him so much as a look of disapproval. Their eyes were full of understanding and care, something Nick never saw in the eyes of an adult except Sam's father.

They landed after about 8 hours of flying. To Nick, the 8 hours seemed like 8 minutes. He was enjoying his first time in the air all too much. But he tried hiding the excitement, to not let Susan get that satisfaction. After landing, and checking out of the airport, they gathered their luggage and hailed a cab. Henry helped the driver load their baggage into the trunk of the vehicle, chatting joyously with the stranger. They both had an accent, Susan did too. Like in the movies, he thought. He had never heard anyone speak like that with his own two ears. He knew there were British students at his school but he never got around to hearing them talk, or meet them.

He stared at them, listening to them talk, he didn't quite take in what they were saying as he was more focused on how the words were spoken in that new place. The way the words curved at places and specific letters were all very amusing to him. His focus was interrupted when he heard Susan talk to him. "Nick. Are you alright, love?" she was asking, not unkindly.

For a brief moment, Nick looked at her, surprised and with a sort of affection which he didn't mean to show. He rarely heard anyone speak to him kindly so he couldn't help it, but he knew he was not to be fooled by this, so; he quickly shook of his expression and nodded to her before quickly turning away and strutting towards the door of the taxi. As he reached out to open the door, his mother—Susan opened it for him. Surprised again, he looked at her before entering; she was smiling at him. "Thank you!" he said, not kindly but not rudely either.

After he sat down, Susan stuck her head into the car as well.

"Scoot over. Let mommy join in." she said, cheerfully. Nick, without reacting to what she said, slid himself to the other side of the seat just as he heard the trunk of the car slam shut. He looked at Susan and she was still smiling kindly as Henry passed by the window behind her. Nick heard him open the door of the front passenger's seat along with the driver from the other side then heard the doors shut close.