Chapter 28 #2
She just dropped a lot of lore. I don’t even know what to start with…
“I’m guessing this is all like really new to you?” Heather asks, her tone dipping further into a Valley Girl accent; it’s endearing considering how otherworldly she looks.
“New and moving so fast. I met his family yesterday,” I say, “at the Festival of the Four Sisters.”
“Ugh, I wanted Moth to take me, but I got the dates confused—pregnancy brain!” Heather sighs, shaking her head. “How long have you been together?” she asks, grabbing a cookie from the recently filled tray and taking a bite.
“About … two, three days?” I admit. But there’s no judgement in this kitchen.
If anything, Heather seems to understand entirely.
“I keep second-guessing things, but there was something about being in the other realm with his family. It’s…
well, it just feels…” I pause, struggling to find the word I’m looking for.
“Right?” she offers. “A whirlwind. Not only are you meeting someone and falling in love, but you’re coping with the existence of faeries and castles. I’m still fully disappointed that unicorns don’t exist in any of the realms.”
“No unicorns?” I put on a show of gasping, holding my hand to my heart. “That honestly seems unfair.”
“I know. Like what even is the point, right?” She rolls her eyes, glancing toward the rest of the party.
“Is that why you decided to stay in the human realm. The lack of unicorns?” I ask. “No offense, but our world kinda sucks.”
“Friends, family, my mom—she’s like kind of a big deal.
No way I could convince her to pack up everything and move, even if it’s to a castle.
She’s got a big online brand, and for a while, I followed in her footsteps.
But life in the Moth Court felt a lot like being back online—too many judgmental whispers.
Moth never wanted to be king. Plus, he’s kinda becoming like a big, accomplished author. We like our little life in the woods.”
Gil isn’t royalty. There’s no weight, crown, or pressure there, but the thing I could never leave behind? That’s my Grams… The last 24 hours are the longest we’ve gone without talking and hell—I miss her.
I wonder what she’s up to today.
“I was so stressed early on, thinking I’d have to pick between worlds. We grow up with people telling us we can’t have everything, right?” Heather says, shaking her head.
“And we can’t…” I shrug. It’s a lesson I’ve learned again and again. The world is an unfair, terrible place.
“But what if we can?” she asks. Reaching out, she takes both my hands and squeezes lightly. “Don’t you think you deserve it?”
Deserve?
When has that ever mattered? I swallow hard, unable to answer.
But this girl married a shapeshifter from another realm, and they’ve built something warm and steady together. It’s the way it felt when I walked into Gil’s house for the first time.
She draws in a deep breath. “The bigger thing I wanted to say is, I would have loved to have a friend to talk to about all this paranormal stuff, and like, I know we just met, but now you have me, okay?”
Mom energy radiates from her, as present as the glitter on her cheeks. I squeeze her hands back.
“I think you’re going to be really good parents.”
“Aww!” she says. “Decided! We’re going to keep you, and you’re obligated to come to our next movie night. Although, fair warning, it’s Moth’s pick next, so it’s definitely going to be some regency romance, if you’re into that.”
I should be annoyed with the way she says “We’re going to keep you” as if I’m a stray cat Gil tucked in his shirt, rather than a whole person. But I’m not—not in the slightest.
They want to have me around, and I carry that feeling for the rest of the party.
We play a ridiculous game involving guessing baby food, in which neither Gil nor I win—but we also don’t throw up, so I’m taking it as a personal victory.
Gil, however, did guess how many tiny plastic baby figures were in a glass jar, which was only a little creepy—not that he could guess, that’s a fair game of chance, but the little figures with their painted eyes all crammed in there? 0/10, did not like.
The prize, however, is a gift card to a chain coffee shop that Gil proudly slides into my hands—and well I’ll never say no to caffeine.
“Guess we’ve got a spot for our next date,” he whispers, as his shoulders knock into mine.
Next date.
Even after I go home, this isn’t ending. It feels good to get that confirmation.
As the hours pass, I’m struck by how normal this all feels. Presents are next, and while everyone gathers around the stunning mother-to-be, I grab my phone to take a picture. I want to capture this moment: my new boyfriend, my new friends, my new normal.
4 missed calls.
All from Grams’ apartment complex?
Quietly, I step away, expecting the usual—either Grams or a telemarketer—but something in me goes cold as I answer another incoming call.
“Miss Brooks?” a monotone voice says as I pick up. “We’re calling in regard to your relative in our care…”
“What happened?” I spit out the words, but the room is spinning around me. “Is she okay?”
“Your Grandmother had a fall last night. We’ve been trying to reach you. She’s been transferred to the hospital.”
“Which one?” I bark, looking around for something—a pen, paper, anything. The closest thing is one of the fabric markers to decorate onesies and a paper plate. I jot down the address he gives me with shaking hands.
“Visitation is—” The man begins,
“As soon as I arrive.” No one is going to keep me from seeing her, especially when I have no idea how serious this is. The man on the phone rattles off more details: policies, fees, it’s all white noise I barely pay attention to. I need to get back to my car.
How do I get back to my car?
Reality snaps back into place. I’m in the corner of a paranormal baby shower. Heather has stopped opening her perfectly decorated presents, and everyone is staring at me.
Shit.
“I—I am so sorry,” I begin, backing away. I make it as far as the entryway before Gil catches up to me.
“Are you okay?” His voice is tender as he places a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s get you out of here.”
I manage to nod, sobs building in my throat as I apologize again, because of course I would ruin a baby shower with a family emergency.
“My car… we have to get my car and—” God, it’s going to take so long to get there. “They said she’s okay but—I don’t know—I don’t trust them, or the doctors, or—God, you think she’s okay, right?”
“She’ll be okay, Marina,” he says, his hand trailing down to squeeze my fingers, which I barely register. “Sounds like our first thing to solve is getting you to the hospital. I’ll need to order a new glamour. It shouldn’t take too long but—”
“Can’t you borrow one?” I ask, looking around the room at the collection of faeries. “Someone must have—”
“They’re attuned to each person.” Gil’s usual calm cadence is replaced with stress. “I can probably find mine in the spring.”
I hang my head. Why did I have to go and be romantic and dramatically drop it into a large body of water?
“I won’t let you face this on your own.”
My stomach drops as I pull away. Let me. Let me? This is my Grams we’re talking about! I can feel my face twisting in anger as he raises his hands in surrender.
“Marina—”
“Do you seriously think they’d let you into a hospital looking like—” I stop myself.
Common sense wise, he knows better than thinking he can run around without a disguise.
He wouldn’t have been sneaking around the springs otherwise.
Sure, it’s a high stress situation, but it’s my Grams we’re talking about!
“Looking like?” he says, and there’s a flicker of agitation there. I gulp, getting the sense we’ve had this conversation before. It echoes something from the past that’s been blurred by time. For just a moment, he sounds like an antagonistic ten-year-old boy, and I follow suit.
“Not a human! In a very human place!” I shake my head. “I don’t want to argue with you right now.”
“Who’s arguing?” he says, his voice as gentle as his hand on my shoulder. It’s irritating in its calm, and quiet, especially when I feel like I’m going to explode in contrast. “I’ll get it sorted, just wait a few—”
No.
What doesn’t he understand about this? I can’t wait, and I don’t like how pushy he’s being.
I know he wants to help and be supportive, but it’s not like I live in a big city.
It’s a small town, and I’m less worried about weird looks or more worried about someone calling the cops on the giant fish man walking next to me. I’m worried about running out of time.
“No, that’s—” I begin, realizing my voice is sharper than intended. His posture shifts, as if wounded. Suddenly, it feels like we’re two kids sitting on a dock, wishing our worlds were a little closer.
“It’s not your problem!”
“If it’s yours it’s mine—I want to help.”
“That’s not…” I take a deep breath. “I’m really scared, okay? And confused. They said they’ve been calling since last night, and I checked my phone this morning.”
Those sunset eyes avert and—no.
“Gil, what did you do?”
“I thought it was your aunt calling to bother you again,” he says quietly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“You thought you could eliminate all distractions?” I huff, but I get it. When it comes to our time together, I fear I’m the same flavor of desperate.
“It sounds as if there is an emergency.” A low voice from behind us makes me jump. It’s Moth, looming, his expression dark.
Great. I’m about to get kicked out of a baby shower for causing a scene.
“If you will permit it, I can fly you anywhere required,” he offers, his brows pinched in worry.
He wants to … help?
“It’s states away,” I say in barely a whisper.
“He’s like super-fast.” Heather bounces over to the three of us. “And Moth is totally looking for an excuse to avoid talking about baby names. Are you okay?” Heather zeroes in on me and—God, how is she not mad?
“I’m so sorry for this happening at your party. It’s just… my Grams. You all don’t have to worry about me—even you, Gil.” I exhale. “If you could get me back to my car, I can deal with this by myself.”
“Remember what I said in the kitchen?” she asks, placing her hand on mine. “Let us help—please.”
My stomach drops. When she said they were going to keep me, I guess she meant it. Despite myself, I smile, shaking my head. I can’t say yes, not in the middle of a party.
“And I have heard it’s bad luck to say no to someone who’s pregnant so…” Heather adds.
I wince. I’ve been uncharacteristically happy the last few days, and while I think she’s teasing me, I can’t risk any bad luck. “You really don’t mind?” I ask the couple.
“I do not,” Moth replies firmly, but there’s a kindness to his red eyes I think I can trust. With no more convincing needed, it’s decided. Moth will fly me to the hospital, Heather will stay at the party, and Gil will meet me after he’s sorted out his glamour.
“Gil,” I say, pulling him close. “I…”
Tell him you love him.
Tell him right now.
When I turn, Moth is shifting. Dark feathers cover his body, and his red eyes have changed into glowing orbs as his mouth twists into a beak.
I guess when Heather said she married a forest monster, she wasn’t exaggerating. As if sensing my hesitation, Gil gives my hand a squeeze.
“You’ll be safe with him,” he says. “Though, if I could swim you there, you know I would.”
“I know,” I say, wishing I could melt into his arms, but knowing there’s no time. “We’ll talk when I get back, okay? I’ll find you?”
Tell him you love him.
“When?” he says, and I freeze. I can’t give him an answer before I know the situation.
Tell him.
“I—I don’t know,” I say. “But I will. As soon as I can, I’ll be back.” I press my bracelet to his, the cheap plastic beads clink as they touch. “I promise.”
“If you’re not, I’ll come find you.” His voice is low as he leans in, and despite my racing heart, I kiss him tenderly on the lips. “And that’s a promise too, Marina.”
I gulp, saying a polite goodbye to Heather before Moth launches us into the sky. I scream at the sheer speed before relaxing into the feeling of flight.
“Do not worry,” Moth says, his voice low and certain. “I will have you home in no time.”
Home.
As I look down at the shrinking image of Gil below, it feels like I’m going in the opposite direction. I just hope Grams is okay.