Page 68 of Laid Bare

My parents, Theo and Ann Matthews, stand on the porch, Mom fussing over the collar of Dad’s shirt, while he gazes down at her like she hung the moon.

Wetness gathers in my eyes at my first look at them since I left. They each look a little older, not by much, but the faint wrinkles forming around their eyes tells me they haven’t been unaffected by my loss. Dad looks like he’s lost some weight, and I can’t fully tell from here, but I swear there’s a few gray hairs streaked through Mom’s black mane.

My heart squeezes, and there’s a faint tickle on the back of my neck, Aero responding to the distress running through my body.

“Ready, pinky?”

It’s those words that make me realize we’re all just sitting here, waiting for me to make the first move.

“Please.”

Zane nods and opens the door, getting out. Before I can follow, he holds his hand out, palm facing forward, stopping me while he scans the unfamiliar-to-him landscape. When he’s satisfied, his wrist twists, palm facing up now, waiting to help me out of the vehicle.

My smaller hand slips into his, a jolt of electricity flowing through the connection. His long fingers curl around mine, and he steps back, making room for me to slide out next to him.

The other three doors slam behind us as the others get out, announcing our arrival to my still distracted parents.

They both turn toward our little group of five, their mouths dropping no doubt at the two massive, non-glamoured demons standing on either side of Luka and Axel, with me firmly in the middle.

“Mom,” I whisper, part in disbelief that I’m actually here.

“Bailey.” Her lips form my name, almost like she heard me calling to her.

“Mom! Dad!”

“Bails,” Dad cries, happiness infusing in his tone.

Mom and I take off in a mad dash at the same time, slamming into each other with an oomph as we meet in the middle. Dad catches us before we tumble over, taking us to the ground while he clutches tightly to us both.

Tears fall all around, whispered thank yous and prayers flowing from their mouths straight into my ears. I can’t choke down my sobs fast enough to keep them from escaping.

There’s so many things I want to say, to tell them. But the only thing I can muster is I’m sorry over and over again. I don’t need to explain why. They know.

“Bails,” Dad murmurs, “you have nothing to apologize for. We’re the ones who lied to you.”

“No.” I shake my head, gripping them both tighter. “I was so mad that I didn’t want to give you guys a chance to explain. And I harbored that anger for a long time. But all it did was make me a shit daughter because I forgot about the sacrifices you both made for me. Can you guys forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive, sweetheart. We’re your parents, and we love you. Unconditionally.” Mom always knows the right things to say.

“Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, maybe we should take this reunion inside. We seem to be drawing a bit of a crowd, and it’s making the demons a little… twitchy.” I snort a laugh at Luka’s description. But he’s right. Crowds are no good, especially when you have two demons, a vampire, a demi-god, and a curiomancer out front of your house.

“Of course. Of course. You’re right, Luka. Please, everyone come inside and make yourselves at home,” Dad says, standing, helping Mom and I up with him. “My wife has prepared lunch, and we can catch up over a couple of beers. You guys drink those, right?”

“Lucifer’s tiny testicles, we do. Hopefully, you have a good craft IPA on hand.” Zane brushes past us all and into the house, leaving the rest of us dumbfounded on the porch.

“Umm… okay. That was…” Mom shakes her head.

“That was Zane,” I giggle, used to his Lucifer outbursts. But this one? This one was new.

“Right,” Dad draws the word out. “Shall we?” He holds his hand out toward the open door.

Mom locks her arm with mine, guiding me inside. I stop just inside the foyer, taking a deep breath and reveling in the familiar smell of home. Freshly baked cookies and newspaper clippings. That’s what home smells like to me.

Mom gives my arm a tug, pulling me further into the house. Like the outside, the inside also got a new coat of paint, but that’s all that’s changed. Dad’s favorite chair is still in the same spot, all the same old pictures are still on the walls, and the hole from my controller is still marked in the drywall.

The delicious smells wafting from the kitchen, the boisterous laughter from Bane—the one that makes me gooey inside—Luka’s smile as he listens to whatever story Zane is telling, Axel and my dad deep in conversation, Zane chugging a beer as he gestures wildly to Luka, and Mom on my arm, mends the cracks in my heart that I’ve been trying to hide.

This. This is what I’ve truly been missing, and I hate that it’s taken me this long to figure it out.

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