Page 137 of Scars Like Wings

Now, it was my turn to be shocked. “I—I don’t know what to say. I didn’t consider that at all. I thought you were just being sweet and welcoming. If you want me to call you Mama, I don’t mind. I called my mom, well, Mom, so I don’t mind calling you that. I didn’t think you were trying to replace my mom or anything like that.”

“Oh, thank heavens,” Mrs. Garcia—Mama—said with a hand over her heart and a sigh of relief. “I was so scared I had messed everything up! You are such a sweetie pie for understanding.”

Then she turned and popped Quinn on the arm. Quinn held onto the spot. “Ouch! What was that for?”

“For worrying me, that’s what! You gave me plenty enough heart attacks to fill an ICU when you were a child. I don’t need that extra fear now, thank you very much!”

“Hey, it keeps you young, right? You think it was just all the Olay products that do that?” Quinn winked my way.

“You have your hands full with this one, darling love.” Mama rolled her eyes.

“I hate to interrupt this beautiful family moment, but your pan is smoking,” Natassa said as she appeared, tying her hair back.

“Oh, no!” Mama said, running back over to the stove. She moved the pan to another eye of the stove and got another one to heat on a lower temperature this time. “That would have been some charred eggs.”

“I told you that you didn’t have to cook for us, Mama?—”

“Uh, speak for your damn self,” Cody interrupted Quinn with his usual snark. “These are Aunt Addie’s breakfast burritos we are talking about!”

“Yeah, it wouldn’t be her coming home without them!” Cole said with his arm around Simone as they sat at the bar.

“But it’s a lot of work.”

“Oh, hush,” Mama waved Quinn off. “This is nothing at all. I know how much y’all love these. I know you all are going on your big vacation—which I’m so jealous of! I can’t wait to hear all about it when you get back—and I’m sure this beautiful mermaid princess will have plenty of food there. But there’s nothing like a little home-cooked meal to send you off! So, I couldn’t help myself.”

“That is so sweet! Thank you for making these for us, Mrs—I mean, Mama.”

She smiled at me while she started cracking some eggs. “Of course, lovebug!”

Quinn took my hand and guided me toward the counter. Maisie and Cody took turns taking digs at each other with some not-so-subtle sexual subtext. Simone and Cole were in their own bubble, but still remained present enough to contribute to the conversation when prompted. Cooper was… well, Cooper on his phone. Quinn, her mom, and I chatted excitedly while Quinn’s Mom assembled our burritos and dropped pieces to an awaiting Clarkson. Her mom asked me questions about my life and what I loved. She hung on every response with such interest, like I’m all that mattered.

With every answer, I felt less like a girlfriend meeting her girlfriend’s mom for the first time and more like this family was where I was supposed to be this whole time. Quinn held my hand in hers, absentmindedly caressing it with her thumb. I don’t think she realized that I noticed her full beaming smile when I would make her mom throw her head back cackling or when her mom raised her eyebrows toward me, impressed.

I had always had Everett as my Uncle. My best friends had been like my sisters practically since we met. But this? This was a full complete family, and I was a part of it now. It felt just like when I was a kid, maybe better because it had found me instead of me being born into it.

And it had never felt so right.

Heat Lightning

Simone’s island, Daylily Isle, was named so for the cherry red and sunny yellow daylilies that grew just where the soft, sandy beach met the plush, verdant grass. They bloomed year-round along the perimeters of the island because of the constant sun and perfect weather. Usually, as soon as we teleported onto the dock leading to the vacation house, the sight of them was a stunning sunset against the blues of the clear sky and ocean surrounding the island. It would make my heart leap with excitement.

Unfortunately, today, the beauty of the daylilies were painted over with vomit once we arrived.

“I told you to wait to eat those burritos,” Simone said, rubbing Cole’s back as he was bent over the dock. Cooper was on the other side doing the same.

“How aren’t y’all nauseous?” Cody asked, his face green next to Maisie as he tried his best to hold it in.

“Well, the three of us have made this trip so much that we are used to it. We also have teleported enough to know younevereat beforehand.” Maisie rolled her eyes while I nodded.

Cody pointed to Nat and Quinn as he groaned. “And you two? What’s your excuse?”

“I would definitely feel worse if I hadn’tlistenedto the girls, but I’m fine. And Natassa is a functioning alcoholic so nausea is par for the course, I’m sure,” Quinn answered, making Nat flick her off.

“Besides, Aunt Addie wrapped burritos up in foil for us in a heated bag. Butnooooo, you three are ‘big strong men who can handle it.’” Natassa used her fingers to emphasize the air quotes around the very words the boys had said along with a strong roll of her eyes.

“Aunt Addie’s burritos just taste better—” Cody paused to groan around a wave of nausea. “Fresh.”

“Yeah, but how do they taste thesecondtime?” Quinn said. With that, Cody couldn’t hold it any longer and turned to follow his brothers’ lead with Maisie shaking her head in disappointment.

---