Page 43 of Raw

I sat down on the armrest of the couch with my arms crossed over my chest now while she excitedly stood there with the phone pressed against her ear.

“Mama? It’s Vespyr! How are you?” she asked.

Although I had always been the one closer to Mama, they had their own special bond.

Not something I could say about Papa and me.

“No, everything’s perfect. Don’t worry. Fennec and I walked down to Jason’s because we needed a few things.”

I watched her as she spoke, and with every smile or frown, I couldn’t help but feel this familiar feeling inside of me grow.

Vespyr was one of a kind, and although she didn’t look like all those girls in high school, she stood out in my eyes.

Her eyes moved to mine, and with a sweet smile, she stepped closer to me. “He’s right here. I’ll let you talk to him.”

She held the phone to me, but it took me a while to grab it.

“It’s Mama,” Ves said as if I didn’t know already.

I let out a heavy sigh and took the phone into my hand before holding it up to my ear.

“Hey, Mama.”

“Fennec, darling. It’s so good to hear your voice again,” she announced, sounding as if the heaviest weight lifted off her shoulders. “How are things going?”

“Things are great. Papa wants to build his own cabin, that’s why we came down to Jason’s. To get a few things we need,” I explained.

“Has he had enough of sleeping in that tent?”

“Seems like it,” I said with a chuckle, keeping my eyes on Vespyr.

I reached for her hands which were clasped together, nervously moving while she continued to stare at me.

“Listen, Mama. Vespyr had this idea of us coming home for the holidays. Papa first wanted you to come up here, but I know you wouldn’t want that. So how about we come visit you in December?” I suggested.

It would make her and Ves happy, that much I knew.

“That’s surprising,” she replied, keeping quiet for a moment while I slid my fingers through Vespyr’s.

I smiled up at her and received one back immediately, but when she continued to look at me with those eyes filled with emotions, her face changed.

“What is she saying?” she whispered.

“Nothing,” I mouthed, still waiting on Mama to talk.

“I’d love to have you home for Christmas. Let me know when you’ll be heading to town and I’ll have the rooms ready for you guys. How’s Vespyr holding up?”

“Ves is fine. Helps a lot around camp and she already shot a squirrel. She’s putting dinner on our table,” I said proudly, making Vespyr’s smile return.

“Sounds wonderful. Pass her the phone before you hang up, okay?”

“Will do. Is there anything else you wanna tell me, Mama?”

“Stay safe. And tell your father to not work too hard. Building a cabin takes time and strength.”

She didn’t have to tell me that because I knew damn well how hard it was to survive out here.

But Mama was still in love with him, and he felt the same about her.

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