Maverick Touch: The Cat

by Ashley Nemer

CHAPTER TWENTY

  “Step, step, step.”

  “Mom, I know how to walk,” Nadia said, her tone obviously annoyed.

  “Well, you just had a traumatic event. I just want to make sure you don’t get hurt again! Come on, give me a break, my baby’s in pain.”

  “I’m not broken, Mom.”

  “No, but you could have been,” Anabella chimed in.

  Nadia looked over her shoulder and glared at her sister.

  “Thank you, Ana. See, listen to your sister. You could have been broken. Now let me baby my baby.” Laura swatted her bottom and pointed to the next step.

  Nadia heard Anabella laughing from behind her; she would find a way to get her back for this, one day. She just didn’t know when or how.

  “Don’t be pissy. Dad’s making us stay with you for two days, forty-eight hour supervision. It’s not our fault you can’t take care of yourself.”

  Nadia waited for her mom to open the door, then she walked inside and Anabella followed close behind while Laura clocked it shut.

  “Don’t you blame your father, girls; this is just as much Kain’s fault as it is his. They just worry and want to make sure you both are safe. But don’t worry, there will be a big dinner brought in tonight. You both can take up your complaints with Kain and your father then.”

  Nadia walked to the couch and sat down. She put her legs up and sighed in relief. It felt good to be home, even if she felt the house needed to be re-sanctified again after everything.

  “Where is Triple T?” Nadia asked.

  “Kain has him. He and the boys will bring him over with dinner,” Anabella said.

  Nadia nodded and then reached for the remote. She winced for a brief second, then caught herself. She didn’t want the others to see, but they noticed.

  “See, you are in pain. Here, let me help.” Laura scooted over to her daughter and wrapped her arm around her. She held her close and started flipping the channels of the television. “Ana, why don’t you make us some hot chocolate? That will help her, and Irish it up.”

  “Mom, you love any excuse to make something ‘Irish’ even though we aren’t Irish!” Anabella laughed out while walking to the kitchen.

  Nadia snuggled into her mom and felt the comfort of her mother’s embrace. Maybe tonight was happening for the best, being with the women who she loved most, recuperating. “What did you say they are bringing over for dinner tonight, Mom?”

  “Your father went home to cook his specialty.” Laura swept away a strand of Nadia’s hair and kissed the top of her daughter’s head then set her cheek on her skin to check her temperature the old fashioned way. “You know how much he loves any excuse to make ribs. And of course all of the boys love an excuse to make the fixings. I’m sure we will have potatoes and corn and coleslaw, beans, and you name it.”

  “Goodness, we don’t need all that; it’s just one night.”

  “No, it’s not just ‘one night.’ Our baby girl’s home from the hospital and from what I’ve been told by your brother and sister you’ve had quite the rough few weeks. Seems a good ole Maverick family celebration is in order. And don’t worry; we invited your friend Gabe. Not the cop boyfriend, just Gabe.”

  “Thanks, Mom, that means a lot.” Nadia held onto her mother tight. She didn’t want to let her go. Even when Anabella came back with the hot chocolate and handed it to her, she didn’t move much.

  “Nadia, do you want to talk about everything that happened?” Laura sat up and looked straight at her daughter. Her hands rested on Nadia’s legs, very loving and comforting like.

  “I don’t know, Mom.”

  “You know it’s not your fault, right sis? It’s that creep’s.”

  Nadia shook her head. She got what they were saying; she knew it deep down.

  “Matt is still dead because of me. At the end of the day, that is my fault. It was my story and my job to protect him, and I almost was killed because of it too. I think I need to start re-evaluating what I’m doing with my life, give it a real hard look.”

  “What was the story about that was so important?” Laura asked.

  “The local owner of the pet store, I thought he was using it as a front for some kind of gang related activity, so Matt and I were on a stake out.”

  “And were you right?”

  “That’s neither here nor there, Mom. The point is Matt’s dead, and I almost was too. Slade isn’t the guy we were staking out either. He was just some random thug who happened to be there. Carlisle, I mean, the guy, he isn’t what I thought he was. I was wrong all wrong; everything was wrong about this. I really messed it all up.”

  “You’re on a first name basis with him?” Anabella poked fun at her sister. She always tried to lighten the mood when she felt Nadia was getting either too serious or things were going to get out of control when it wasn’t necessary.

  “Do we need to talk about him, Ana?” Nadia’s body language changed. Both her mother and sister picked up on it, and being women, they wanted more details.

  “Yes,” they replied in unison.

  Anabella was the first to respond. “Why are you on a first name basis with a gang member?”

  “More importantly, is he cute?”

  “MOM!” Nadia let out an exaggerated sigh. “First off, he is not a gang member; he is really a nice guy. I would say he is more of an eccentric person. Please don’t tell Kevin this, but he is actually the one who came and saved my life. I don’t know who told Carlisle where I was, and I don’t care how he knew, but somehow he was the one who saved me. He killed Slade. I watched him do it right in front of me, and I would watch it again.”

  “Well, if he saved my baby’s life, then he’s okay with me. When can we meet him?” Laura sipped her hot chocolate, smiling.

  “It’s not like we’re dating, Mom. I didn’t say you are getting a new son-in-law.”

  “Did I say you were getting married?” Laura looked to Anabella. “Well, did I? No, I simply asked when we could meet him. Far be it for me to push my children in any direction they don’t want to go themselves.”

  “Mother, we all know that tone.” Anabella chimed in laughing.

  “Thank you, Ana. See, at least she knows what I’m saying.”

  “Oh, that doesn’t mean I don’t agree with her, Nadia.”

  “Traitor!” Nadia pouted. “I’m never telling you two witches anything again.”

  “So have you slept with him?”

  “Ana!!!”

  Laura laughed; she choked on her hot chocolate and watched her youngest child’s face turn ten shades of red. It was these moments that made parenting worthwhile, these special times no one else got to see.

  “Well I mean, he risked his life and fought off a bad guy. I figured you must be good in bed or something. Why else would he go through all that? I’d have left your ass on the table.”

  “Oh, why you are such a brat!” Nadia was all flustered now. She hated when her mother and sister teamed up on her. She always felt like the one who got picked on the most.

  “Alright Ana, why don’t you leave Nadia alone? I think we’ve teased her and her new friend enough for the day. Honey, why don’t you nap? We’ll clean the house some and set up for dinner, that way you don’t need to worry about anything later. How’s that sound?”

  “That’s fine, Mom.”

  “Good. Off to bed now. Ana, see to it she doesn’t drop and fall on a tall handsome gang member on her way to the bed will ya?” Laura stood up from the couch, laughing at her joke. She walked off to the kitchen, amused with herself.

  “So nice to have Mom home, isn’t it, Nadia?”

  “Oh yes, the two of you together, it’s just lovely.”

  “Stop being a party pooper, you love us. Now rest.”