by Willow Rose
But it was easy enough for me to see through the situation and her; I knew it was a lot harder when you were actually in it and when it was your own child.
"You want some more potatoes?" I asked, then looked at his plate. He had barely touched them.
Morten smiled. "I'm good, but thanks."
"You like it? It's a new recipe," I said and took a second round, enjoying the fact that my mother wasn't around to give me one of her looks. Morten could from time to time give me a hard time too, but not tonight. Tonight, he was too preoccupied with his own problems to worry about my weight and health issues.
"What's that?" he said and looked at me. "Oh, this. Yes, it's really good, Emma. Really."
He shoveled a forkful into his mouth, then chewed, smiling. I could tell he was putting up a show for me, but I wasn't sure I appreciated it. Victor and Skye finished eating, then rushed out of the kitchen and into the living room without a word. I missed hearing my son's voice and actually communicating with him, but since Skye came along, it was like he didn't need me at all, nor did he need to speak. It was better than him screaming at night like he used to, and I sensed that he wasn't having as many nightmares as before he met her, but still. He couldn't stop speaking altogether.
"You don't have to pretend, you know?" I said and ate a bite from the chicken thigh.
Morten rubbed his forehead. "I'm not. I'm sorry. It's just…she sounded so upset."
I sighed. "Listen. I don't want to keep you here against your will. You're free to go if you need to get home to her."
He shook his head and placed his hand on top of mine. "No. Emma. No. I’m here now. I’m here with you. Jytte has to wait. You're the love of my life, and you're perfectly right; it's time I show it."
I exhaled, relieved. I was happy that he prioritized me, really thrilled, but it also filled me with a huge load of guilt.
Morten looked into my eyes. "I want to be here. I really, truly do."
He lifted his glass, and we clinked them. "To us," he said.
"To us," I said.
We drank and put the glasses down.
"I have an idea," he said.
"Uh-huh?" I said chewing.
He leaned forward and looked deep into my eyes. "What do you say we move in together?"
I choked and began to cough. I grabbed my glass of water and drank from it, while a gazillion thoughts rushed through my mind. Yes, this was what I wanted, but like this? I wasn't sure. It seemed to be coming more out of guilt than out of what he really wanted.
"What about Jytte?" I asked, still coughing.
"I'll help her find a place of her own. A condo downtown or something like that. I can help her financially at first just till she gets things up and running."
"I thought she was going away to college?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I don't think it will happen. Every time I mention it, she gets angry with me. I think she needs time. Maybe a year or so off to figure out what she really wants. I did the same."
I stared at Morten, not exactly knowing what to say to him. This is what I wanted; oh, boy, how it was. But was he doing it because he wanted to? Or because I had persuaded him to and he wanted to make me happy? Was this what he wanted?
"What do you say?" he asked. "I could sell my house and move in here. There's room enough for both me and the cats."
"That's right," I said. "I forgot you had cats."
Because you never invite me over to your place.
"I’m sure they'll do fine with Kenneth and Brutus," he said chuckling.
"Kenneth will skin them alive," I said with a light gasp.
He sipped his wine, still smiling. "Oh, what the heck. Maybe Jytte can take them, huh? We'll figure it out, right? This is what you wanted, right?"
"It is…"
"But…why do I sense there's a but coming?" he asked, concerned.
I shook my head. "No. No. No buts…only…I want to make sure this is what you want too."
"YES! It is what I want. Heck, Emma, I’ve wanted this since we met one another. I could think of nothing better than to be living here…with you and those…odd kids and weird dogs."
I took in a deep breath. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"So, what do you say?" he asked.
"I…I…"
He made a face. "Please?"
I exhaled happily. "All right. I guess we're moving in together."
Morten made a happy sound, then leaned over and kissed me again, just as there was a rapid and quite violent knock on my door.
50
All eyes were on them when Maya and Alex arrived at the party. The music was loud, but all the chatter stopped, and everyone turned their heads to look at them. All eyes followed their every move, observing and judging them, sizing them up.
Maya blushed and kept close to Alex as she walked inside Thomas K's house, staggering along on her high heels. She looked around at the staring faces and realized, to her horror, that everyone else was wearing jeans, and here she was in her little black cocktail dress.
Alex had thought she looked beautiful. He had told her when he picked her up in the Uber that took them there. He had smiled boyishly and held her hand in his and told her he was looking forward to showing her off to the others. They were going to be so jealous, he had said.
Now, he was no longer holding her hand as they walked into the living room and Thomas K came over to greet them.
"Alex!"
Thomas didn't greet Maya. He gave her a look, then returned his focus to Alex.
"Let's have a beer, man."
Not knowing what else to do, Maya followed them out into the kitchen when Thomas K turned and looked at her. The look in his eyes made Maya's skin crawl.
"Not you," he said.
"Sorry," Alex told her. "The guys want to chat. No girls. You know how it is. I'll be back in a second, okay?"
Maya swallowed, not knowing what to say. She nodded nervously.
"Okay."
He sent her another of his endearing smiles before disappearing with his friends, laughing. Meanwhile, Maya went back into the living room. She looked around her and realized she knew no one there. Well…she knew them because they were all from her school, but there was no one there whom she ever talked to. These were all popular kids. The ones who went to parties like this. The ones who hung with guys like Alex.
What am I doing here? I'll never be anything like them.
She found a couch and sat down while the chattering and loud music continued around her. There was a group of girls that Maya had often seen hang around Alex in school that stood close to where she sat. They kept turning their heads to stare at her. Someone said something, and the rest laughed. The way they looked at her made her feel uncomfortable.
I should never have come.
An hour passed and still, Alex hadn't come out of the kitchen. Maya was on her phone, going through her Facebook feed or texting Christina, who constantly asked how she was doing, if the party was fun. Maya told her it was okay, mostly because she had been so excited for Maya, she didn't want to spoil it. And the party was okay. She had more fun at home, but it wasn't terrible either.
At some point, she got up from the couch. A couple of girls were dancing, and she walked past them toward the bathroom. As she arrived at the door, there was a line, so she waited. Standing close to the kitchen, she could hear the boys talking.
"Why are you with that girl?" someone asked. "There’s something seriously wrong with her."
"I heard she has a mental disability," another guy said.
"You mean she's cuckoo?" a third voice said.
His remark made the others laugh.
"Come on, man," the first voice said. "You can have any girl at the school. Anyone. Literally. You can do so much better. Why are you hanging out with that one?"
Maya's heart dropped when listening to them. That one? Was that how they saw her? Like some mental retard? Just because she had suffered memory loss?
Maya felt like she was about to cry and left the line to the bathroom, then rushed back into the living room with the intention of leaving. But she never made it as far as the door. Instead, she ran right into the flock of girls from earlier. They shaped a half circle around her, making it hard to get around them.
"Hi there, Maya," a girl named Lene said. "Say, you don't look so good. Are you all right?"
Maya nodded and pushed back tears.
"I'm fine."
"You're not leaving already, are you?" she asked. "The party is just getting started."
Maya nodded. "I think…I need to…"
"No. Not when we're just getting to know each other. Why don't you stick around a little longer? Get the party going?"
"I can't…I have to go," Maya said.
"But certainly not without having a drink first," Lene continued. "Right, girls?"
"No, you can't leave without at least having a drink," another girl from Maya's class named Anina said.
"What would people say?" Lene said.
Maya stared at her. Lene stretched out her hand where she was holding a plastic cup.
"Here."
Maya stared at the cup, then at the flock around her. All eyes were fixed on her, anticipating her reaction. Maya knew why they were doing this. Because they knew she didn't drink. They knew she would say no and then they could mock her for being such a dork.
But not this time. No, Maya was sick of playing nice. She was sick of being the dull one. She grabbed the cup and started to drink, guzzling it down. All the girls’ eyes were on her; some were laughing and, as soon as the liquid hit her tongue, she realized why.
Maya almost choked, then began to spit on the carpet below her. The girls recoiled so they wouldn’t get hit.
"What the heck is that?" she yelled, startled.
All the girls broke into laughter, some turning their heads away. Lene grabbed the cup out of Maya's hand. Triumphantly, she leaned close to Maya and said:
"That was my urine."
"What?"
"That'll teach you to stay away from Alex."
As she said the words, she swung the cup toward Maya and the rest of the urine was thrown all over Maya's dress.
Maya let out a loud shriek. The cup landed on the carpet, and Lene stepped on it as she and her gang left Maya, giggling and pointing their fingers at her. Maya stayed behind, staring after them, biting hard on her own lip to not start crying. Then she turned around and ran outside. She didn't care that she had no way of getting home. She'd walk if she had to, even if it meant freezing to death. She hurried out and slammed the door behind her, then let out all the tears while beginning to walk home in the snow.
Seconds later, she heard the door slam once again.
"Maya!"
It was Alex. She heard him call, but Maya was so angry she didn't stop. She kept walking up the driveway, and Alex came up behind her.
"Maya, please stop."
She turned around to face him. "Was it all a part of your plan, huh? You never wanted to be with me, did you? Was that why you wanted to bring me here, huh? So they could humiliate me? Was it all part of your plan?"
Alex looked surprised.
"No! Maya. How could you think such a thing? As soon as I heard what they had done, I yelled at them. I got so mad, Maya, you won't believe it. Then I came out here to find you." He paused, then grabbed her hand in his. "Maya. I am so, so sorry. I had no idea they would do this to you. You must believe me."
Maya swallowed, then pressed back more tears, but it was too hard, and she had to let them go. Alex came close to her and put his coat over her. He lifted her chin up and made her look into his eyes.
"I swear, Maya. I didn't know."
"All those nasty things they said…why did they say them?"
"They're morons," Alex said. "All of them. And they're jealous. I mean, look at you. You're gorgeous; you way out-dressed everyone there. And you did that for me. We don't need them, Maya. I, for one, am never going to hang out with them again. Any of them. I want to be with you, Maya. I don't care what they say."
"Really?" Maya said with a loud sniffle.
"Yes. You're the best thing that has happened to me…since…well, since ever."
He put his arm around her shoulder. "Come. Let's go back to my place. I don't live far from here. We can walk there. You can take a shower at my house. I’m sure my mom has some clothes you can borrow. Come on, Maya. Let's get out of here."
51
The knock intensified and I rushed toward the door. Kenneth barked and growled.
"I’m coming; I’m coming, geez," I complained and opened the door.
Outside stood three men I had never seen before. They wore long dark coats like they had just stepped out of The Matrix movies. No sunglasses, though. I could see their eyes and faces, but that didn't make me feel any better. Their faces looked like they were taken out of a movie too. Stern, icy cold eyes, and I could almost see the muscles underneath those heavy black coats.
"Mrs. Frost?" the middle guy asked.
My eyes grew wide. "Y-yes?"
"We need to talk to you."
"O-okay?"
He pulled out a picture on his phone and showed it to me. It was a picture of Skye and, as I saw it, my heart dropped.
"We're looking for this girl."
I looked at the picture while contemplating what to do. I had never been good at lying; people could usually see right through me. That was why I never played poker. I had to come up with a face that was believable.
"I…I’ve never seen her before, I’m afraid. Is she lost?" I asked. I could hear how my voice became shrill and cursed myself for being so incredibly see-through.
"We have reason to believe that she’s here," he said and put the phone away.
"Probable cause," the guy next to him said.
"Eye-witness testimony," the third man said.
"Really?" I said, playing along. "Well, I only have a son that age, so…"
"We never told you how old she was," the one in the middle said.
"Well…well…I…I guessed it from the picture. I am a mother you know, heh-heh. We know that stuff."
Stop talking, you moron, please!
"We need you to give us the girl," the middle man said.
"What girl? I don't have any girl."
"As I said, we have reason to believe you do," he said, his voice growing increasingly more serious.
"But I don't," I continued. "Why would I have an extra kid? I have enough kids of my own, heh."
"We don't think this is amusing," the middle man said.
"I can tell," I said.
"Give us the girl," the man to the right said.
I shook my head and wrinkled my forehead. "I told you, I don't have her here. Now, would you please leave? I’m trying to have a nice evening with my boyfriend."
"We'll leave as soon as you give us the girl."
"Well, that's gonna be pretty hard since I don't have her."
"We have reason to believe you do," the middle man repeated.
"We're not really getting anywhere here, are we?" I said. "You have to start paying attention to what I say. I. Don't. Have. Her. Now, if you'll please leave so I can get back to my boyfriend. We were having a great time until you guys came along. He told me we should move in together. I’ll have you know that I am very excited, and I am not letting you ruin that."
"As soon as you hand us the girl," the middle man said.
I stared at them, then sighed and put my hands on my hips. "Say…who were you again? Because I don't think I can recall you identifying yourselves."
"Our identity doesn't matter."
"Well, you're not the police; I know that much."
"We could be the police," the guy to my left said.
"You can't just decide to be the police. Is this guy for real?" I asked.
"We just need the girl," the middle man said. He sounded like a robot, and I was beginning to wonder if he was one.
&nbs
p; "Please, just leave, will you?"
"Not without the girl."
"She's not here. And I’ve run out of time and patience with you people. Go somewhere else and harass someone else," I said and started to close the door when the man in the middle reached out and grabbed the door in his hand. He pushed it open with almost no effort, and I was pushed back inside the hallway. When he let go of the door, I noticed his hand had left finger marks in the wood where he had grabbed it.
These guys were no joke.
"The girl," the middle man said and stepped closer.
"No," I said feeling very intimidated by this guy's size. Especially having him so close to me. "Go away."
The man then reached out his gloved hand and grabbed me by the throat. I could hardly breathe as he lifted me off the ground, just as Morten came out into the hallway.
"What the heck is going on here?"
Morten was still in his uniform, so as soon as the man saw him, he let go of me, and I fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for air.
"Who are you people?" Morten asked, looking at their faces. "I haven't seen you around here before."
The man didn't reply. He looked down at me, giving me a look to let me know this wasn't over yet before he turned around and walked out to his friends. Morten followed them into the driveway, but they were already gone as he got out there.
Morten closed the door and locked it, then knelt next to me. "Are you okay?"
I sniffled and sat up. I felt my throat. It was sore. "I think so."
"That guy left a bruise on your neck. I can't believe it. I should have arrested them while I had the chance."
I nodded. "Yeah, well, I have a feeling you might get a second chance to do just that."
I rose to my feet, and Morten helped me get back into the kitchen. "Who were they, Emma? What did they want?"
I sat in a chair and sighed, then looked up at him. "Skye. They wanted Skye. And I have a feeling they're willing to go very far to get her."
52
Maya was still crying when they reached Alex's house. She couldn't help herself. Never had she been so humiliated in her entire life.
