Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
Adeline
My mother knew who they were all this time. Knew everything, and I had been hiding it from her, thinking I was protecting her and doing the right thing. I feel bad about keeping it from her but also relieved that I don’t have to hide anything from her and that I can now be open with her.
“I am so glad you are home. I have been so worried ever since Pete rang.”
“Does Pete know you know about the hunters’ organization?”
“He makes out he doesn’t know that I know, but he knows, or he wouldn’t have rung.
Pete has always had a bit of a thing for me, so he has stayed in touch over the years.
I never believed the story he fed me about your father dying in a car accident.
I have always known it was the organization, always known it was that Jamison that killed him for wanting to expose him. ”
“Expose him?” Cyrus asks.
“Yes, my husband told me he caught him out with something. He said it was too dangerous to tell me. That if he ever went missing, it would be because of Jamison.”
Cyrus seems to think for a second before nodding. “I will look into it,” Cyrus tells her.
But it won’t do much good. Jamison is dead. Sam’s father died a few months ago.
“I would appreciate that. It would be good to have answers,” my mother tells him, and he nods.
Hearing a car door shut outside, I look to the hallway leading to the front door.
“That will be your sister. I know you’ve been through hell, but I would rather keep all the supernatural stuff to us. I don’t want her finding out and spiraling again,” my mother says, and I nod.
“Had to go all the way into the city to grab milk. The general store was out,” I hear my sister sing out as she walks toward us. She stops, looking at me.
“Ada?” she squeals, throwing herself at me. I hug her before holding her at arm’s length.
“You look great,” I tell her, and she truly does. She has gained weight, and her skin is glowing.
“You lose weight, Ada? Looking a bit skinny,” she says, tugging on my now loose clothes before hugging me again.
“So, you’re back for good? Been quiet around here. Hey, boss men,” she says, giving Cyrus and Eli a wave.
“Not sure yet,” I tell her since they are still here listening in.
We chat a bit about work, and she is excited about me working with her. She is doing great, and I can tell Maya is stoked about having her mother back in her life, making me wonder if I am interrupting their lives by coming back.
When Eli gets a text message, he pulls his phone from his pocket, looking at it.
“Our ride is here. We have to get going,” he says, looking at me.
Sadness starts bleeding into me through the bond.
“Come out with us, Addie,” Cyrus says, grabbing my hand and squeezing my fingers.
I nod, walking them out to their ride.
“Remember to answer your phone when we ring, please. And if you want to come home, ring us, and we will fly back and get you,” Cyrus says before crushing me against his chest.
Eli walks over to me before pulling me to him, though he doesn’t say anything. His arms wrap around me before he kisses my head and lets go. He gets in the car, and I feel terrible, his emotions all over the place.
“We will see you soon, but please keep in contact,” Cyrus says, getting in the back.
Eli won’t even look at me, but Cyrus gives me a nod before the car pulls out of the driveway and heads down the road. Sighing, I watch them leave before turning and heading inside.
Going to my room, I find everything still where I left it. I start unpacking and putting things away. My mother comes in and closes the door before helping me.
“You okay?” she asks.
I bite my lip, shaking my head.
“Things will get better. You will get past this, Ada,” she says, and I nod.
We unpack in silence. It is good just having her company.
When we are done, I go and help mom cook dinner like I used to do when living here. I’ve wanted to come back here so desperately, but I feel out of place here, too, making me wonder if I would ever feel comfortable anywhere.
I will make it work. This is where I belong, I keep reminding myself.
I help set the table while mom dishes out dinner before we all sit down to eat. I barely touch my food, my appetite gone, as I listen to my sister talk about life. I try to pay attention, yet my mind is consumed with more depressing matters.
“You alright, Ada? You barely touched your food,” Taylor says.
“Yep, just tired. I think I might go have a shower and get ready for work tomorrow.”
“Are you going back tomorrow?” my mother asks, a little shocked.
“Yeah, I don’t want to sit around the house all day,” I tell her.
That would drive me mad, and I need the distraction of work.
I pick up my plate before scraping the scraps into the bin, rinsing it, and walking off upstairs to have a shower.
When I get out, I can hear Maya in her room and Taylor reading a book to her.
I head down the hall, grabbing my clothes out and getting dressed before getting clothes ready for work.
Once done, I climb into bed, only sleep never comes.
Looking at the clock for the hundredth time, I see it is midnight.
I roll on my side, trying to find sleep.
Giving up, I go to get a glass of water from downstairs.
I look at the pictures on the wall while finishing my glass before placing it upside down on the dish rack and heading back upstairs.
Walking past my mother’s room, I stop. I stick my head inside, checking on her before seeing the empty spot beside her.
I open the door wider, and she sits up, hearing the door creak.
“Ada?”
I stand there for a second, getting ready to leave, when she pulls the blanket back, tapping the empty spot, and I rush over, climbing into bed with her. She tucks the blanket back around me before spooning me.
I get comfortable before finally falling asleep.
* * *
I wake up the next morning when my mother climbs out of bed.
“Go back to sleep. You don’t have to get up yet,” she says, and I roll, snuggling back under the blanket.
I can’t sleep, though, the bed feeling empty, reminding me of the times I was left cuffed to the bed while he came and went.
Getting up, I start getting ready for work, taking my time to do my make-up and hair. Getting dressed, I hear Maya and Taylor get up as she rushes around getting ready to do the school drop-off. The school drop-off I used to do.
Chucking my black slacks on and white button-up shirt and blazer, I look in the mirror. I look the part but definitely feel like an impostor. Sighing, I walk out, heading downstairs.
“Are you coming to work with me?” Taylor asks while pulling Maya’s hair into a ponytail.
“Yes, if that is alright. I need to get another car,” I tell her.
“You can have yours back. I have savings now to buy one.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. I will just come to work with you,” I tell her.
I don’t really feel like leaving now, but knowing she is going will make me force myself to work.
We drop Maya to school before stopping at the café on the way to work to grab some coffee. Getting to the office, we go our separate ways, but I tell her I will be finishing at the same time as her so I can get a lift to and from work.
Catching the lift to the top floor, I find it eerily quiet, the curtains all closed. The entire floor is cold and empty. I make my way to my desk and start up the computer.
I don’t understand why they want me to work on the empty floor.
Is it to make me want to go home? The silence up here is enough to drive anyone insane.
Noticing the camera in the corner of the room blinking, I know they will be watching; the camera can be viewed from Eli’s phone or computer.
Knowing that, I set myself up before making myself busy.
I don’t want to give them any excuse to come back, thinking I am slacking off or not coping.
I check the emails and deliveries around midday.
I hear Cyrus’s phone ring that he gave me to use.
Eli’s picture pops up on the screen. I reject the call before sending a message saying I will call back.
Yet, he rings again, and I reject the call.
I have no intentions of going back or talking to them about anything other than work. I need to distance myself from them; that is the only thing I want. To be left alone, to pick up the pieces of what is left of my life. He ends up sending a text message.
Eli: Why aren’t you answering?
Me: Busy with work.
Eli: Ring me when you done.
I don’t bother replying to the last one, knowing I won’t be ringing him.
Instead, I start going through the various files on my computer and sorting and scanning old documents in.
By the time I am done, I look up and realize it is time to go home.
Have eight hours really passed that quickly?
I even worked through my lunch break without realizing it.
Shrugging, I switch everything off, knowing Taylor will be waiting downstairs.
My phone rings; Eli is calling again. I mute it and ignore it vibrating in my hand.
Taylor is waiting downstairs for me, keys in hand.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize the time,” I tell her, and she puts her phone away and starts walking with me to the exit.
“Did mom grab Maya?”
“Yep, we just gotta grab dinner on the way home,” she says, looping her arm through mine as we walk to the car.
“How was your first day back? Must be lonely up there by yourself,” she says.
“Quiet but busy,” I tell her.
We drive to McDonald’s on the way home and buy dinner. When we get home, though, mom is on the phone.
“Honey, it’s Eli. He says he has been trying to call you,” she says.
“Tell him I will call him back; I just want to shower first,” I tell her, heading upstairs.
“What about your dinner?”
“I can heat it up,” I tell her, continuing to the bathroom. I hear her tell Eli I would call him back just as I shut the bathroom door.
I take my time in the shower, dreading having to get out. Once I drag myself out, I go to my room and slip on my pajamas before climbing into bed with a book hoping not to be disturbed. No such luck; my mother knocks on the door before bringing in some leftover McDonald’s.
“Didn’t want you to go to bed without dinner,” she says, placing the warmed-up fries and burger on my lap. The fries now resemble string cheese and were no longer crispy.
“You alright?”
“Yes, Ma, just tired from work,” I tell her.
She nods, looking around awkwardly. “Did you ring Eli back?”
“Hmm, yep,” I lie.
“That’s good then. Well, I will let you go back to reading,” she says, brushing my wet hair from my face before kissing my head.
I wait for her to leave before tossing the McDonald’s in the bin and returning to my book. My phone that is on charge is ringing again, but I silence it before switching it off completely and tucking my book away, knowing I won’t be able to concentrate enough to read it.
My sleep is restless, tossing and turning before waking in a sweat, my temperature skyrocketing, and I stumble to the bathroom.
Turning the shower water on, I let it cool my burning skin and feel my core temperature rising.
Forcing myself out of the shower, I look in the mirror, my skin flushed, and the mark on my neck is burning terribly.
I place a wet washer on it, trying to cool it down, but nothing works when I realize I am not coming down with a fever.
No, I am going into heat, but it is too early.
They said twice a year or more was normal because I had two mates?
Digging through the medicine cupboard, I find some Panadeine Forte. I pop two in my mouth and swallow them, hoping they would stop the crippling pain radiating through my abdomen and the burning feeling churning within me.