by Riana Lucas
I am happy for him to be able to come back. He can make peace with what he has left behind and make sure his mother is okay without him. We can do what needs to be done in order to make sure she remains safe.
As we reach the end of the block, I realize we are only a few houses away from his mother’s. An unfamiliar feeling begins to set in, and I have to concentrate to identify it. After a moment, when I eliminate any possible threats, I realize with a start that I am nervous. The feeling is unexpected but also undeniable. Meeting Reed’s mother has suddenly made me feel uneasy.
Reed must sense it, because he suddenly looks over at me, and there is a concerned look on his face. It is the first time since this morning that I have seen something other than anger or impatience on it, and I am thankful for it.
“Are you okay? You seem…” His voice trails off, probably not knowing how to finish the sentence. Being able to sense someone else’s emotions but not knowing what exactly it is or why can be very confusing.
“Yes. I am fine. Just a bit nervous,” I admit shyly. I do not like the feeling or admitting it out loud, but I also do not like the idea of lying to Reed.
“Trust me, Poppy. There is nothing to be nervous about. My mom is great! You’re going to love her, and she’s going to love you. Promise.”
“Umm…okay. I just never…you know…” I shrug and then clear my throat to give me time to gather my thoughts so I can form a more coherent sentence. “I have never met a human.”
Reed stops in his tracks as if he hit a brick wall and stares at me with his mouth hanging open. If I were not so nervous, I would laugh. Instead I feel the blood run into my cheeks, causing me to blush fiercely in embarrassment.
Trying to deflect, I turn around and stomp off angrily. “Never mind. It is not important. May we just go?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You are not getting off that easily.” Reed quickly regains his composure and jogs up to my side, reaching his hand out to stop me. He places his hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off, but I do stop.
I cannot meet his eyes. There will be laughter there, and I cannot deal with that, too. Today has already been a roller coaster (as Reed would say) of new and weird emotions. Seeing his laughter at my expense would probably bring me to tears, and then I would have to hurt him for it.
“You’ve seriously never met a human before?”
I shake my head with a sharp jerk, afraid my voice will betray me if I answer.
“But you come to the human world all the time. Right? Or you did, to retrieve Halflings?”
This time I nod with one sharp jerk.
“How is it possible you have never come in contact with a human?”
I let out a deep breath, gaining my composure to make sure my voice does not betray my hurt feelings. “I did not say I had never come in contact with a human. I said I have never met one. There has never been a reason for me to do so other than to ask a quick question or gather information. Interacting and being friendly with one is a whole different story.”
After my admission, Reed remains silent. Finally chancing a glance up at him, I see his eyes hold a mixture of amusement and compassion, but not mockery or outright laughter. I let out a relieved breath and relax a little.
Reed reaches out a hand and rubs my arm once to reassure me. His voice is soft when he speaks, and my nerves intensify for a different reason. “Poppy. You have nothing to worry about. My mother will like you, and she will like you just the way you are. Just be yourself. Trust me. Okay?”
“Umm…okay. If you are sure.”
“I’m sure.” He smiles at me and runs his hand down my arm. Just as our fingers touch there is a loud squeal, and we both turn to see what the noise is.
I close my eyes in frustration.
There is a group of girls on the opposite side of the road. I was vaguely aware of them approaching but had not realized they reached us. Now they are all squealing at what I can only describe as supersonic, high-pitched, ear-crushing levels. I cringe as the noise continues to assault my ears and turn to watch as they all make their way across the street toward us.
Actually, not toward us. Toward Reed.
My frustration turns to anger as they all begin to call out his name, and then it grows as the smile on his face broadens. They are like a herd of stampeding cattle, rushing to his side in a blur of arms and legs.
“Reed! Where have you been?”
“Reed! What are you doing?”
“I have to call Sarah!”
They sound like a bunch a squeaky mice as they converge on Reed, all talking at the same time, and all pulling him into hugs that are entirely too intimate for my liking. Of course it does not help that they are all dressed in their finest beach wear, which equals barely any clothes at all. The smell of coconut oil and burnt skin is enough to make my stomach coil with nausea.
Reed hugs them all back, smiling brightly and a little too smugly. Then one of the girls steps between us and pushes me, not so subtly, away from Reed. She grabs his hand and presses her entire body flush up against his as closely as she can.
Practically purring into his ear, but loud enough for all of us to hear, she says, “Reed, I’ve missed you.” Then she pulls her face back just a bit in order to look up at him with a fake pout on her lips. “We had a date like two weeks ago, and you never even called.”
I watch as Reed pulls back from her too, but not enough for my comfort, and tosses her one of his brilliant, charming smiles. One of his arms hangs loosely at his side, but the other — well the other arm is snug around his new friend’s waist, his hand touching the bare skin of her back.
My eyes narrow, and I find myself wanting to rip his arm right off. Then I envision myself grabbing the beautiful blonde girl by her hair and yanking her as far away from him as possible. Then for good measure, I see myself punching her and the rest of the squealing girls in the face. Although the thought pleases me, it does not tamp down the anger boiling inside of me. I do not like Reed touching these girls, and I definitely do not like them touching him.
Reed must have sensed my anger, not that I was trying to hide it, because he glances over the blonde girl’s head with a questioning look in his eyes. I cross my arms over my chest and cut my eyes toward him. The other girls around him notice me for the first time, and sensing the danger that I am, take a step back. I flash a feral smile. The touchy blonde, however, does not get the hint. She barely glances at me before turning her head back to Reed and bringing her hand up to his chest. She begins to rub up and down in small movements that make me see red.
Reed must sense this, too, because he pulls her hand away and then begins to extract himself from her grasp. “Uh…Kelly, this is Poppy. Poppy, Kelly.” He finishes pulling the girl away from him, but she does not allow herself to be pushed too far away. She still grabs on to his forearm, trying to maintain contact as if to show her possession.
I glance to where they are still touching, then at Reed, and then finally at the blonde. “Hello,” I say between gritted teeth.
“Oh hi!” she says in her high-pitched squeaky voice. I cringe. “Are you Reed’s cousin or something?” She says this brightly, but I can see the slight anger in her eyes. Instead of answering, I give her a feral smile. One that shows just the tips of my pointy teeth, liking the idea of her being scared of me even more. The threat is not missed, and she lets out a soft gasp, but tries to hide it by turning back to Reed.
“Well? What happened to you? When are we going to have another date?” She is back to purring. I look to Reed, wanting to know his response as well. I catch him staring at me with slightly narrowed eyes, as if he is trying to figure something out.
Probably how he is going to date this girl while he is living in Faery Land.
He finally looks back down to the girl who has somehow managed to wrap herself around him once again. “Kelly, that was not a real date. It was a study date. You know that.”
“I know that’s what you said, but I know what you meant.�
� She turns and winks at me, as if we are sharing some sort of secret girl code. A soft growl slips past my lips. The girl does not hear it, but Reed’s Fae ears do not miss it. He lets out a frustrated breath and begins to pull away from her again.
“I’m actually going to be really busy for a while, Kelly. Family stuff has come up. I really need to get going. I’ll…” He hesitates but then finishes strongly. “I’ll let you know when I have time. See ya.” He flashes another smile to soften the words, but turns back to me and begins walking away. When he reaches my side, he does not stop; he just grabs my hand and pulls me along beside him.
Chapter Twelve
“I see now what I have missed by not interacting with humans. I am so thankful to have been enlightened.”
Reed still holds my hand, pulling me at a fast pace toward his mother’s home, but he stops walking when I speak. He turns to look at me, and at first I cannot read his expression, but then I see the light in his eyes just before a smile spreads across his face.
“Is that sarcasm I hear?” he teases.
I sniff and turn my nose up into the air. “I have no idea what you are talking about. I do not use sarcasm.”
Keeping my face averted, I do not face him, but my eyes peek at him when he makes a strange noise. His lips are clamped shut, and he is holding in laughter. I cannot help but to smile too. It is nice to see him relaxed and acting like the Reed I know.
As if hearing my thoughts, he says, “I was wondering what happened to my Poppy.”
My heart skips at the possession in that one little word, but I push the thought away. Now is not the time or place for these thoughts. “What do you mean? I have been here the entire time.”
He shakes his head, and a shadow passes over his eyes, but he does not let the smile slip away. “You’ve only been partially here. You’ve been so focused, I was afraid I’d lost the part of you that came out before we went to Faery Land. The fun part.”
I try not to be offended by his words, because they are true. I was never a fun Fae. My work ethic, my dedication to training, and my king have always come first, even before my own happiness. Upon meeting and getting to know Reed, a fun, more likable side of myself surfaced. It was always there, waiting to have a reason to come out, but Reed was the one who helped me allow that to happen.
Since returning to Faery Land, I have indeed been tamping it back down. Losing Rho and facing Damien forced me to put battle and training as my top priorities once again. Something Reed once said to me comes rushing back — that there are always going to be bad things to face, but trying to make the best of them and have fun can make all the bad times not so awful.
It is amazing how such simple advice can be so important.
When I started letting go and having fun, I liked the new side of myself. Having lost sight of that again makes me a little sad.
“You are right. I have been so focused on my revenge that I had forgotten. No more. I will be fun from now on.”
Reed laughs. “Well when you say it like that…” His words trail off, and I know he is making fun of me, but I am unsure of the reason why.
“Why are you laughing at me?”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Reed. Stop this nonsense. You are laughing at me. I can tell by your tone. Now please tell me why.”
“Okay, okay. But I wasn’t laughing at you, not really.” I shoot him a disbelieving look, and he holds his hands up in surrender. “Fine, it’s just that you can’t say you’re going to be fun and then be fun. That’s going to make you not fun.”
“That is not true. If I say I will be fun, then I will be.” I cross my arms over my chest and pout. When I realize what I am doing, I put my arms back down to my sides.
Reed is laughing once again. “That’s exactly what I mean. You can’t be so uptight and try so hard. You have to relax and let yourself have fun. If you loosen up, it will come naturally.”
I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off. “Don’t argue with me.” I keep my mouth shut, but clearly show my displeasure by squinting my eyes and scowling fiercely at him.
At least I thought it was fiercely, but judging by Reed’s laughter, it was not. When it finally dies down, he speaks, “Will you just trust me? Please?”
I huff, but reluctantly nod.
“Okay. Good. Now let’s go.” He grabs my hand once again and walks toward his mother’s house.
Sadly, I do not get long to bask in the pleasure of his warm hand wrapped around mine, because after a few feet, Reed stops walking again. When I look up to what has stopped him, he is staring straight ahead. Looking the same way he is, I see that his house has come into view. It is not the sight of his childhood home that has stopped him in his tracks. It is the sight of his mother, bent down in the front yard and tending to the flower beds.
We both stand quietly, watching his mother work. She pulls out some of the weeds and begins to spread fresh fertilizer around the base of the flowers. Then she sprays them with a light mist of water from the hose sitting next to her. By the looks of things, she’s been doing this over and over as she worked her way along the flower bed, not leaving one single flower out. The beauty of the garden reflects her hard work. The colors are vibrant against the backdrop of the house, and the smell is clean, fragrant, and refreshing.
Taking a deep breath, I brace myself for what will happen next. We left in such a hurry, that I was not able to cast a spell to wipe Reed from her memories, but that does not mean it has not been done. An unknown Fae tampered with her memory in the past. I am not sure how that affected her. As I turn to him to explain this, not wanting him to be surprised or shocked, he gives my hand a tight squeeze. I look up at his face, and he shakes his head at me. Mine tilts in confusion and he offers a small smile.
“I already know what you’re going to say. She may not remember me.”
“How?”
“I don’t really know, but I do. And it’s okay. She’ll remember me. She could never forget me. I know it.” Reed’s voice is fierce, but I can feel his fear.
His fear makes me forget the fact that he has admitted he can sense things about me as I can him. Now, my only concern is for him and for helping him get through the next few moments.
“You are right. We will make sure she remembers you.” Again I find myself making vows to Reed I am not sure I can keep.
Reed does not respond. He gives my hand another squeeze, letting me know he is ready.
We both take a deep breath to brace ourselves as we walk slowly toward his mother. She is so lost in what she is doing that she does not hear us until we are only a few feet behind her. Stopping on the lush grass, I once again have the desire to remove my shoes and allow my bare feet to touch the soft blades. Reed shuffles his feet, and I know he feels the same pull; it almost makes me smile, but then his mother turns and lets out a soft gasp.
My eyes jerk from the grass to Reed’s mother. She stares at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. I watch quietly as a mix of emotions passes through her eyes. I cringe inwardly when I first see the fear, but it is quickly replaced with confusion. She stares for a few moments longer, as both Reed and I remain quiet. Her confusion turns into disbelief and then wonder. This is when I finally let out the breath I had been holding. I think she remembers.
My belief is finally confirmed after what feels like an eternity when she lets out a small cry and launches herself off the ground and into Reed’s waiting arms.
Reed lets go of the tight grip he had on my hand so he can wrap his arms around his sobbing mother. She buries her face in his chest, and he holds her tight. Pushing his face into her hair, he softly murmurs soothing words to reassure her.
This brings a tear to my eye, and I have to turn away from the reunion.
Seeing Reed with his mother reminds me of my own mother and the thought of being separated from her once again. I realize just how awful it must have been for both Reed a
nd his mother to be separated and not to know if the other was safe. A sharp pain of guilt and utter sadness shoots through me. My guilt is from keeping Reed away from his mother whom he obviously loves so much, and my sadness is because I know what must be done.
Reed must stay with his mother.
Although it is not what I want, and the idea of being so far away from him is a horrible thought, it is the right thing for both of them. Now I just need to figure out a way for him to agree to do what I know is best.
Chapter Thirteen
In an attempt to distract myself from the emotional reunion before me, I look around the garden and lawn of Reed’s home. Up until this moment, I only thought of it as his mother’s home. Reed’s home was with me at the Seelie Court in Faery Land. Now I know differently.
Even though we are in the human world, the garden and yard are not typical of this world. They look almost like the gardens of Faery Land, perfectly created by a Fae. The time and effort Reed’s mother has taken is evident in the perfection of the flowers and the lack of weeds, bugs, or other harmful things. Not only is the perfume from the flowers strong and sweet, giving the air a refreshing break from the stench of the human world, but the colors are vibrant and fresh, providing a strong and wonderful contrast to the industrial nonsense around them. In a world that contradicts our love for nature, the flowers are alive and thriving.
Looking farther out into the yard, I notice the trees are large and beautiful as well. Some of them even have ripe fruit on them. From my position across the yard, I can smell just how delicious they would taste. Surrounding all of this is the inviting, lush, thick, green grass covering the entire yard. I finally give in to the lure of the grass by slipping my shoes off and stepping onto the cool blades. Closing my eyes, I relish in the refreshing feeling. The grass is soft and thick and cushions around my feet perfectly. I spread my toes to allow for the blades to slip between, wanting the grass touching as much of my skin as possible.