Page 89 of A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star
Mama Jama:You didn’t fall into an open manhole cover, did you? They’d never find you in the sewers. Oh God.
Two days ago:
Mama Jama:I’ve called every hospital in every major city in Scotland. You aren’t in any of them. You better not be dead in a ditch on the wrong side of the road or I’ll kill you.
Mama Jama:The police also haven’t heard of you, so you haven’t gone on a crime spree or been lured into a drug smuggling operation. Silver lining.
Mama Jama:I’m scouring the newspapers but I don’t see any stories about train hijackings ortourists being kidnapped or suffering from freak accidents. That’s good, I suppose.
One day ago:
Mama Jama:This isn’t like you, Noah. Please respond. I need to know you’re okay.
Mama Jama:Noah. David. Price. Call me IMMEDIATELY! I’m going to have a stroke from all this worry.
Mama Jama:You leave me no choice.
And finally, earlier this morning:
Mama Jama:Your father and I are on the next flight to Glasgow. Hang tight, baby. I’m going to find you.
“Oh, shit,” I whisper.
What a clusterfuck. I kept thinking I needed to message her, but so much was going on that it kind of… slipped my mind.
With a doom-laden heart, I trudge my way over to Elryk’s room and knock on the door.
He opens it with a smile that quickly turns to a frown when he sees my expression.
“What’s the matter, love?”
“My parents are coming,” I say in a panicked voice.
He looks confused. “Is that bad?”
I throw my hands up in the air. “Of course it’s bad! My mom thinks I’ve been kidnapped or killed by drug lords. Or something equally bananas.”
“Why would she think that?” He seems truly perplexed.
I groan. “Because of me. I accidentally stopped messaging her. So much was happening that I ended up with other things on my mind.”
“But you’ve only been out of contact for a few days.”
I shake my head sorrowfully. “You don’t understand. My parents are a smidge overprotective due to all the bad luck I’ve had in my life. On top of that, I’m their late-in-life surprise baby. They’re always worried about me ending up alone and without a support system once they die.”
Elryk pulls me into his arms and rests his chin on the top of my head. I slump into his embrace and my racing pulse starts to slow down.
“You’re part of the DarkWing clan now. You’ll never be alone, mo ghràidh.”
I hug him tighter. “But I haven’t even had a chance to tell them about you, or the castle, or about me being a Conduit. Fuck.”
And they don’t know about the train or double-decker bus snafus either. Perhaps I can conceal those ones?
He strokes my back, and I want to melt right into him. “It’ll be all right, sweetheart. We’ll give them a grand welcome here at Castle DarkWing and introduce them to the rest of the clan. This could actually be a good thing. Now that you’re planning to stay here with me, they might feel better seeing where you’ll be living and getting to know me first.”
“There you go, being all logical and rational when I’m freaking the fuck out.” I sigh. “Thanks.”
“Anytime, mate of mine.”
