making you question everything.
Neither kid belonged to Martin. I’d stayed in a loveless marriage for the wrong reasons.
I left Orville and his cackling lover, feeling worse than ever. I had gone for moral support from a friend and discovered more enemies, more questions, and more danger.
I should leave town. Right now. Just keep on driving away from here and never look back. Only, while I’d made so many damned mistakes, there were two things I didn’t regret. My kids.
I focused on them. I couldn’t let them down. I noticed the headlights behind me followed me onto the road that ended in a cul-de-sac. Could be the driver was visiting Jace or lost.
Would a lost car have been following me since I left Orville’s place? I gripped the steering wheel as they got closer. My windows frosted. I sped up. I wasn’t far from home.
Almost there.
I pulled into the driveway, and the other car shot past. My instant relief had me slouching as I parked.
I’d made it home. Winnie was there with Geoff, the two of them in animated argument until I walked in.
My daughter appeared wan, my son determined. They both shut up at the sight of me.
“Glad you’re both here. Pack your stuff. We’re leaving,” I announced.
“Mom, where have you been?” Winnie exclaimed. “We were worried sick about you.”
“I’m a grown woman. Pretty sure there’s no need to panic if I slip out for a few hours.”
“You should be resting,” my son insisted. Was it me, or did he appear a tad pale? They both were visibly nervous.
“What’s up with you guys? Cat got your tongue?”
“I wish,” Grisou grumbled, sauntering into view. “It’s delicious when fresh.”
Disturbing but not as much as the fact they obviously didn’t hear my cat.
“It’s nothing, Mom.”
“All good,” Geoff said, trying to be cooler.
“How are you, is the real question,” Winnie said, leading me to a seat.
“Fine.” I stared at them and tried to find a lie in their appearance. Surely, I’d have known Martin wasn’t their father. Didn’t they share a nose? Eyes?
I noticed the slight up tilt of their ears, not enough to make a big issue. The more I looked, the more I realized they barely had any of me in them. Two strangers in bodies I’d helped create.
They sat me down and fussed over me. Still much too nervous.
“What do you say we order in tonight? Meat on a stick with grilled vegetables.” Winnie sounded way too enthusiastic.
“Delicious.” My son rubbed his tummy for emphasis.
“Would you both just stop and tell me what’s wrong?” I wanted to slap away their well-meaning hands.
“We were worried about you. You left and didn’t tell us where you were going.” Geoff placated me.
“Sorry. Next time I’ll leave a note. But enough of me, we need to pack.”
“Why?” my son asked.
“Because there’s something wrong with this town.”
“You’re being silly,” Winnie replied with a high-pitched laugh.
“Am I? Ever since arriving, it’s been bad luck after worst luck. I’m tired of it. Tired of these games being played by the locals. Tired of the history weighing down our name. We need a fresh start.”
“It’s too late for that.”
“No, it’s not.” This time I wouldn’t stay in a toxic environment. I’d not suffered to make the same mistakes again. “Pack your shit. We leave in twenty minutes.”
“We can’t leave.”
“Why not?” I yelled. “There’s something wrong in this place. Wrong with our family. And if we stay…” I didn’t say it, but I heard it in my head. Felt it in my bones. I would die.
My son and daughter exchanged a glance before Winnie hesitantly said, “If you want to leave, then fine. But not tonight. There’s this thing we need to attend.”
“Not going,” I declared without hearing any details. I was emotionally wrung out. Stick me with a fork done.
“You kind of have to.”
“No, I don’t.” I didn’t have to do shit.
“You can’t refuse, Mom. It’s important,” Winnie insisted.
And I was doing my best to avoid it. But my children? “You know, don’t you?” My kids at least had the decency to not look at me as I went on softly, “I die tonight, don’t I?” I’d figured it out on the way home when the radio channel boasted about some kind of super moon. A good night for magic I’d bet.
“It’s not what I want, what either of us want,” my daughter exclaimed, confirming it.
I jumped to my feet. “You know someone wants to kill me and you’re okay with it?” Shouldn’t loving children be hustling my ass