Gen Four- Chapter Eighteen

The rain meant to come tomorrow was to be the first wet day in a week and a half. The unending sun hardened the ground rigidly solid. However, my feet shuffled as if caught in the thickest of sludge with my muscles hardening like I'd run all day. I just wanted to return to the warehouse for rest, but I took the longer paths most likely to curb my paranoia. Most of them looped back around or provided me extra sight of the area I'd just come from. My widened eyes searched and locked on to every small rustle of movement. If someone followed, how could I miss them after such diligent alertness?

Relief slowly battled the fear as my feet crept me closer and closer home. I'd walked far enough away to throw off my real destination. I'd done the circling to ensure no one did indeed follow. All that was left to do was return to safety where I'm sure Larkspur would continue to prod of why I acted weird and Pieter would let me snuggle him until I was calm. I hated how cold this swampy area was though. It didn't feel freezing, but it must have been given the goosebumps rippling up and down my arms. I rubbed them down, and they came right back. I rubbed faster, and they exploded harder in retaliation.

Then the footsteps charged from the bushes. I heard them, and I doubted them. No. I'd been so careful. This was me going a bit loony, wasn't it? Yet the logical part of my brain that was pushing through my naivety still spun me around in a whirlwind. The person I'd been fearing leapt at me without wasting a single breath. Shock and disbelief cushioned the impacts─ both physical and mental. My back and head slammed into the ground, but I barely felt it. The jerk's fist found contact against my face several times, yet I hardly noticed. Calmness steadied my chest, and I'm sure those beginning moments were why I found a slim saving grace by catching his left wrist and clinging tight even though he yanked it again and again to come at me with everything he had.

     "Dumb bitch! You should have left us alone!" the jerk yelled.
    "What? Can't get it up anywhere besides the library? Pathetic!" I snapped. I blocked another punch with my forearm. "Or is it that you're upset because you were finally able to get it up even though you have to look at your girl's squashed-head, witch nose mess of a face?"

I shouldn't have taunted him. I knew better than that. However, the pain was sinking in, and the guy having easily gained dominance over me only seemed to heighten his lust for violence. Me sniveling and cowering pitifully didn't feel like it would accomplish anything either.

     "Shut up!" he shouted louder.

A few more hits came before he couldn't get past my forearm anymore. My nails dug deep into his wrist until sticky, warm drops of blood coated my fingertips. The guy swore and yelped, changing his efforts to peeling my grip off him. He clearly thought when I let go he'd achieved the best situation to keep at his undeserved revenge. However, the only thing he achieved was, in fact, moving in a way that presented me the perfect opportunity to jam my knee up right between his legs. He heaved, gasped, and slumped briefly to the side.

I pushed hard on my hands to yank myself back. Perhaps the promise of freedom granted me foolish security, for I paused for the briefest of moments to try to process what was truly going on. The jerk made good use of that moment. He recovered quickly to now clench his iron fingers around my ankle. Tiny stones one the ground scrapped the soft parts of my calves and thighs in the worst way. As I flailed instead of maintaining composed to properly block whatever came next, and so the guy went for something worse than before. One hand clenched my hands together behind my back pulling my arms in a painful, unnatural angle. Should he decide to slam all his weight down on my chest, my bones would surely break. His other hand sunk his fingers as a vice around my throat.

     "Try to say something stupid now," he growled in my ear.

I gasped for air. Now the panic swept over me fast. I sucked in the faintest of breaths, and as soon as the jerk heard that his fingers pressed tighter. My chest flared with stinging heat. Instinctively, I thought back to the days when I trained for the diving expedition. I'd lost my ability to hold my breath for so long due to lack of practice, but surely if I got control of myself for one damn second I could bring something of it back. If only. Blocking off my air supply had always been a choice before. This was forced, unprepared. Ringing numbed my hearing, and colors blanched as darkness lurked the rims of my vision.

Was he trying to kill me? Even as my kicking and thrashing flailed, the one who pushed harder to keep my throat stuck showed no sign of stopping. I thought he'd just hit me until he tired. That he'd choke me until I was on the verge of passing out. Well, that transition of consciousness to unconsciousness was here. I'd be out in a second. Here in this isolated location with no one around and no one besides the girlfriend even knowing he and I had any sort of contact there was no evidence to pin him if he took it too far. He was taking the matter this far already just for being told to leave the library. Could I really be being killed for interrupting a make-out session?

My thoughts numbed even as panic pounded against my rib cage. For one solemn second I couldn't help contemplate if dying was truly the worst thing in the world. Grandpa and Dad scoffed at the idea of an ultimate creator, living in a lifestyle dominated by science. I thought the idea interesting myself, but actually believing in a higher being wasn't my way either. If there was something, and I could see Mom, meet my sister, live in absolute peace...then why should I try so hard to stick to this miserable life?

But that second passed. My weakening legs put forward one last burst of effort. I shook left and right desperately reaching for freedom. Neither worked. All I could feel was the icy chill snaking through my veins from my chest. Bitter frigidness coiled around my limbs. A gasp would have escaped my lips if possible at the building swell catching around my heart. That chill, it oozed with the sensation of blood pouring from a wound, and yet it wound its way upward to what beat slower and slower. Pockets of glowing brightness punctured the darkness that was nearly my world. More and more it gathered until it consumed everything. Like the furious notes speeding toward the height of a crescendo, the swell raced to its breaking point.

And when it unleashed, a peaceful hum and comfort of release distracted me from reality. How the jerk's expression contorted in alarm. How he was blasted off me, thrown into the air, and crashed into an empty oil drum and shabby crates in front of me.

The first sensation to return was relief. My lungs flared and drank greedily of the air filling them relentlessly. That was why sound and touch flittered back to be mine. It was why my sight cleared. Of course it was. My breathing steadied faster than expected, although hefting myself to my hands and knees was as if gravity doubled. That heart of mine thrown for a loop for the contact racing and slower jumped several beats when I caught glimpse of the jerk. He groaned and couched slowly pushing himself up as well. I must have kicked him back and kicked him back really hard.

     "You..." he whispered.

His voice was full of terror. His face, now devoid of rage and confidence, showed nothing but horror. The oil drum echoed low as he pressed his back against it trying to get as far away from me as possible.

     "What's wrong with your eyes?!"

I tilted my head, confused. Had a punch or the choking popped a blood vessel to turn my eyes red? It should be blinding me then, shouldn't it? I turned more towards the guy, but he whimpered and backed even further away.

The pounding of mad footsteps signaled danger for a second time. Danger for the jerk. An orange flash appeared in the corner of our vision. It slowed shortly to glimpse at my shaken form, and the guy jumped to his feet when Leo's raging glower snapped his way. He gained a short head start. Unfortunately for him, Leo proved he was well named indeed. Like a furious lion he followed relentlessly immediately turning the predator into prey.

     "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" the jerk pitifully cried over his shoulder. It had as much effect as one would expect from a whimper of a caught animal held by a hungry cat.

I didn't turn and look as Leo caught him by the arms to tackle him to the ground and return the damage he'd done to me─ more from shock than from fear of seeing those punches hit again and again.

Leo, unlike the idiot underneath him, had the sense not to take it too far. He ceased his attacks right at that limit where the vengeance became overdone. The guy still had enough strength of his own to leap back to his feet again and scurry off at Leo's release. I did glance to watch, although he vanished behind the hill and tall grass in seconds. Much of the weight holding me down vanished then. My lungs filled themselves with deep breaths even now. I tried to hide that labored nature when Leo knelt before me. It was true his expression softened considerably, yet fury continued to narrow his stare.

     "Cinnamon, what were you thinking?" he rebuked. He gave me a chance to answer, but I wasn't sure what he wanted. "You sent Lark back, and he expressed the weirdness of the situation to alert us something was up like I'm sure you wanted. It took me too long to find you though. You should have just come back to the warehouse."
     "...I didn't want him to find out we were living there," I mumbled.
     "I would have rather he did. I know how to handle those situations. It would hardly be the first time someone stumbled upon us."
     "I...I'm sorry," I mumbled ever softer. "You're right. I was thinking stupidly."

For the first time throughout this, tears blurred my sight and washed down my cheeks.

     "No," Leo instantly flustered. "No, I...agh. I'm sorry. Please don't cry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. You were trying to protect Lark, and you were trying to protect us. In truth, it is actually better he didn't get by the warehouse. I just wish keeping the location secret hadn't come at the expense of you being hurt."
     "So, you're welcome?" I joked weakly, my sore throat aching.
     "Thank you," Leo chuckled after scoffing.

He offered me his hand, yet I couldn't take the smallest steps even if I shakily found footing. Leo gathered me in his arms without hesitation.

     "Just rest up. We'll get you patched up soon. I think you'll be able to make it."
     "An unforeseen diagnosis. I had no idea you were such a brilliant doctor," I joked again.
     "No more from you," Leo retorted to the quip teasingly. "Your voice sounds like a wood chipper."

I smiled, nodded, and rest my heavy head against his warm shoulder.

I would have fallen asleep had a splitting headache not settled in quickly. Thankfully, Leo was comfy and steady as he brought me to the warehouse. That was when I got swarmed with attention. Larkspur was beside himself what with the bruising starting to show, but I comforted him saying he'd done well in understanding what I'd asked of him. Coral pulled me into her and Leo's room afterwards.

     "You're going to be sore for a while and have some headaches, but you shouldn't have any problems past that. It'd quite lucky for how bad this bruising is getting. You don't even have a broken nose," she explained after washing my face, rubbing some creams, and having me hold an ice pack for a bit.
     "I was worried about that. The bruising is pretty bad though?"
     "Yeah. I recommend not working until it fades. There'll be a lot of unwanted suspicion as to how you got it."
     "That's fair. What about my eyes?"
     "Your eyes?"
     "The guy said something was wrong with my eyes. He seemed freaked out about it."
     "That's a weird thing for him to say when he's been beating you up. Let me look."

Coral gently pulled my head close to her and inspected carefully. I looked this way and that per her instructions, but she shrugged.

     "I don't see anything wrong. I just see you being as cute as ever."
     "Coral," I giggled.
     "What? You are cute." She squeezed me tight and brushed my hair back sweetly.

The comforting touch calmed the giant ball of ache that was my head. However, the touch also twinged my core somberly. This moment was too bittersweet, and Coral picked up on the pull of my expression.

     "What is it?" she wondered.
     "Oh, I'm just going to miss you," I admitted.
     "Jess and Tulip did mention that they told you Leo and I would be off soon."
     "Do you have any clarification as to how soon?"
     "The end of next month at the latest."
     "I see..."

I was disappointed, likely because I'd been overestimating my version of 'soon'. My assumption was Jessamine and Tulip would get a guaranteed place before Leo and Coral made the official announcement. Then there'd be a grace period of several months as leadership was properly handled over. But, no, it looked to be Leo and Coral were aiming to go almost as soon as the other two did find a place they could agree on.

     "Sad?" Coral noted.
     "I'm sad," I had to say. "Of course I'd be. I know the age difference between us is hardly big enough for me to really consider you my mom, but...you're the closest thing I ever had to one. That's why I do want you to go. You deserve it more than anything."
     "Cinnamon..." Coral cooed, her eyelashes furiously blinking back tears. "I'm honored, and I'm just as glad I've gotten to know you. Leo and I are going to miss all of you tremendously as well.There's no way we're not going to come visit when we get the chance, especially..."
     "Especially?"
     "Do you want to be the holder of another secret? One that only Leo knows so far?" Coral asked merrily.
     "I can't say no to that temptation."
    "You say you've been able to see me as something of a mom. Everyone here has jokingly referred to me as that too, and Leo as a dad. Well, we're finally going to be those things for real," Coral beamed.
     "Ah..." The news took a moment to sink in. I hugged her tight. "Coral! That's amazing!"
    "It's part of why we're pushing our timetable as fast as we can. Leo and I want to move and get settled to adjust to something new before another something new shakes our lives up again. Of course, we want to bring the baby to meet all of you."
     "I look forward to it," I grinned impossibly wide.

Coral and I giggled like schoolgirls as I asked her everything I could think of. She'd had an ultrasound to confirm there was only one baby, but it was obviously too soon to know the sex. The pregnancy had been planned. Leo and Coral wanted to hold a poll before they left to get name suggestions, although they were going to have the final say no matter the vote. My chipper mood when I walked out of the room had me bouncing on my feet. I'd nearly forgotten about the whole situation with the jerk. Pieter, who must have just gotten back, hurrying up the stairs with a face rigid with panic slammed the memories back hard. He was next to me in a breath, taking in my face and embracing me tight.

     "Leo told me what happened."
     "I'm okay," I reassured, seeing him wear the exact same expression that Leo wore when he knelt before me.
     "You shouldn't have put yourself in such danger!"

There it was.

    "Leo already gave me a little lecture. It was a difficult situation to judge, okay? That guy must have been taking ninja lessons since he was a toddler since I kept constant vigilance as I walked. I thought it was nothing more than my paranoia, the fact that no one has tried to hurt me since Gravel."
     "How were you so sure he was going to hurt you before he did? Why was he even attacking you?"
    "Oh. Well, the guy and his girlfriend were making out and getting handsy in the silent computer room at the library. They were rude to me, so I let the librarian know what was going on. The two ended up getting kicked out. I guess they waited for me to leave, because the dragged me to the side of a building to get revenge. The guy got one swipe before I ran away. I met up with Lark, I had him come back alone, I went a different way in case someone followed, and...that was the lead up."
     "You didn't do anything wrong," Pieter noted in a sigh. "Still, just to keep things safe we should all stay out of other people's business even if getting petty revenge is satisfying. We should look into getting you a cheap, pay-plan cell phone too."
     "Not a bad thought."

Calming, the last of irritation faded from Pieter's face. I mustered my biggest smile and coy eyes full of stars.

     "I really am fine," I said.
     "You saying that doesn't work well with half your face swollen and nearly black. It must hurt."
     "A kiss should make it better." I guided his lips to mine, and Pieter complied for a moment.
     "You seriously are being more affectionate than normal. It does make me feel something's off," he chuckled.
     "Kissing doesn't make me hot and bothered, but it makes me feel safe," I explained. "Does that reassure you?"
     "It does, yeah. I've always thought you just tolerated it, so to have you initiate it seemed weird."
     "Kiss me whenever you wish. If there is a moment I don't truly want it, I'll let you know."

Pieter listened carefully and nodded. He looked more at ease.

     "Speaking of safety, Leo told me that guy didn't get close to the warehouse."
     "Correct," I confirmed.
     "I do worry though. Despite Leo saying how he ran off with his tail between his legs, what if he chose to follow or comes exploring? If that's true, and he snitches..."
     "You don't need to fret. Had you seen him, it'd be clear choosing to dodge our steps was the last thing on his mind."
     "Still, I could relax more if we stayed at my house tonight."
     "You want to stay at your house?" I repeated, shocked.
     "I do."

Pieter's worry was more intense than I thought if he would rather spend all that time at his house.

     "I don't mind. We can go," I accepted.

Pieter squished me happily. He went off to gather some of his things, and I went around to do the same for myself. This led me to dig out my old bookbag and stuff clothes, a few toiletries, and whatnot within. The quick search brought me to the room Ruby rested in. She looked better and more comfortable but still cringed when she sat up.

     "You just have to be the center of attention, huh?" she asked, although her tone teased.
     "What?"
     "I got bedridden by bad period cramps, and you had to one-up me by getting your face punched in."
     "Ah. Yes, the things we do to be number one, right?" I joked back.
     "And now you're planning some great escape?" Ruby pointed to the bookbag.
    "Pieter's worried about the guy finding the warehouse. I told him that wouldn't happen," I explained properly. "He wants to stay the night out in case that extremely rare situation occurs."
     "Where are you staying?"
     "Pieter knows a safe place."
     "A hotel?"
     "No. I don't think a hotel would let teenagers rent a room anyway."
     "Well, have fun wherever you're going." She paused, and I couldn't stop the words she spoke despite knowing they were coming. "But not too much fun."
     "There's no risk of that, so I'll be following your instruction regardless."
     "No risk of that? With a teenage boy? Really?"
     "Maybe he wants to, but I don't. So we won't."
     "You don't want to even a little?"
     "Feel better, Ruby." I rubbed my temples. "You would think experiencing painful cramps would take your mind off sex for one moment."
     "You would think," Ruby laughed.

I didn't need much more as Mr. Clay had the rest of the essentials. Pieter linked his arm in mine protectively as we walked, and we hailed a cab as soon as possible to avoid the endless stares of people on the street. The cab driver constantly glancing in the mirror to look at my face was bad enough. The relief sweeping over me at entering Pieter's house proved irresistible indeed. What made it better was that Mr. Clay was nowhere to be found. I worried at first, but Pieter reminded me his dad did have to go out occasionally to shop. I rested on the couch while he searched through the fridge. I meant to help him, but the quiet house with just the two of us surged up a series of thoughts that had me gazing forlorn at the floor while I nervously rubbed my hands together.

     "You okay, Nutmeg?" Pieter noticed after a few minutes.
     "Um, maybe. I've just been thinking." I hesitated, and Pieter let me be until I was ready. "You know, there was an incident not long before the government raided us. Dad said he wanted my help with an experiment. While he said it was testing out that music-laser toy, I...I realize now, thinking on it, that that was a lie. We were playing when my throat suddenly closed up and I couldn't breathe. Dad acted so calmly and gave me an injection that cleared it up. But, in hindsight, it's strange that he had the solution so close at hand. I remember him checking his watch before he helped me. He...he must have drugged me. That was the real experiment. I was being used as a test for something like that."
     "Nutmeg..." Pieter whispered, at a loss for words. "I'm, I'm so sorry. That's horrible."
     "Dad must have done things like that in the past, which is why Grandpa got so angry at him before and after. He knew what was going on."
     "I..."
    "I shouldn't be surprised. Mr. Flaxen told me I was an experiment, but I just thought he meant an experiment for how a child should be raised in isolation with the lies The Company wished to tell. What if...what if there was so much more done though? What if I was drugged other times? What if my body was tampered with in some way?" I inspected my shaking hands.

Pieter returned the package of cheese to the fridge before sitting next to me on the couch. The shoulder he offered I instantly clutched and cuddled to like a scared child.

     "If there was experimentation done to you, one would think the results would have shown by now, right? You're as normal as one can be from what I've seen," he spoke, presenting logic.
     "I've heard a voice for the longest time now. It's rare, but I can't deny it anymore. Sometimes I feel hands on my shoulders. When that guy attacked me, he was gotten off of me somehow before Leo came. I think I did it, but I don't remember the moment. He was absolutely terrified of me once I came to. He said something was wrong with my eyes."
     "Oh." I'd thrown off that logic instantly. "Well, tell me about the voice first. Does it sound like a man or woman, or would you say it's more the voice of instinct?"
    "It's a definite voice. A woman's. It usually says something helpful, but I can never talk back to it. The sensation of the hands is the same. It's as if something within me can sense incoming danger, and it tries to pull me away from it."
    "The Company is far head of normal technology. What if you've got some kind of chip installed in your head? Like an A.I. assistant like you see in movies, but because the place got raided it never was set to work as it should?"
     "That...makes the most sense out of any idea I've considered, but I suppose I've just been considering that I'm mad," I exhaled, pushing a lot of stress out of my system.
     "Voices or no, you're not mad." Pieter pressed his head upon mine.
     "What do you think about what happened with the guy though?"
     "I don't know if I do know. It was likely that rush of super-human strength you get when in intense situations. Maybe you misheard him too. It likely wasn't that there was something wrong with your eyes but that he was afraid of your death glare."
     "Maybe," I said, less certain.

I shifted to Pieter's lap when the worrying still made my skin crawl. He welcomed me without question while the conversation that didn't yield much for answers, even though it never could have, didn't present me something else. I told Pieter I'd heard voices, felt ghostly appendages, and blacked-out during a moment of impossible strength. He hadn't shown a single hint of rejection. All of it he instantly accepted, and he attempted to make sense of it alongside me instead of dismissing it as imagination.

     "There's one more thing," I mumbled.
     "Yeah?"
     "I was talking to Cinnamon and Ruby earlier about where my house might be located. Ruby suggested it might be in that preservation park up north. Do you...do you think think you can help me look it up on those internet satellite maps? I'm too scared to do it myself."
     "Because you might actually find your house?"
     "Yeah."
     "If you want to, I'll help you. Just as long as you're sure."
     "I'd like to try," I nodded.

My hand stayed firmly clenched in his as we made our way to the office on the second floor. Pieter's eyes narrowed as soon as we stepped inside.

     "Hang on, has Dad still not replaced this hunk of junk? It was ancient even when we first got it.  This has really been what you've been using for study this whole time?"
     "It does run slow, but I don't mind. It's not my place to demand your dad buy a new computer either."
     "You can. You have my permission. It's the least his barely useful butt can do."
     "Let's bring up the map for now."

I truly didn't mind the computer, but with Pieter being upset about it the long boot-up and wait for the pages to load stretched out twice as long as normal. He tapped his fingers irritably and only calmed when the map loaded.

     "If we zoom out and go north, it shouldn't take long before we get to the park's area. It'll be..."

I held my breath as the great distance was covered in mere seconds.

     "Right here."

Pieter and I leaned in. My expression flattened, and he leaned back in the chair with his arms folded. The entire area of the park was covered up with a tan blotch with repeated text of 'Map Not Available.'

     "This proves this area is the right one though. If it was merely a conservation area, there'd be no reason to hide it," Pieter said. "I'm sorry. You got something of an answer, but not the full one."
     "It's okay." I shook my head and then pointed on the screen. "This is more than you'd expect. See this large river running throughout the blockage? This is the only one big enough to be the river I played in. The river ran this direction, and our house faced this way. If the river comes out of the block here..." I muttered to myself, doing the mental work. I eventually circled a southwest section of what we couldn't see. "The house is likely around here."
     "We could always try to sneak there."
    "If the location is still being kept hidden after all these years, then the buildings weren't left to simply decay. The space was re-purposed or they're at least watching it."
     "Well, it sounds like a fun adventure if you ever want to try."
     "I'll keep it in mind," I managed to laugh a little.

Pieter and I returned downstairs not long after the front door opened and closed. The crumple of plastic bags hinted Mr. Clay had indeed been shopping, and we found him putting away groceries when he came into view. He glanced back for a brief moment, nodded, and returned to his work. Pieter scoffed and rolled his eyes the other way yet was content to leave it at that. Things only fell apart when I did one simple thing.

     "Hello, Mr. Clay. It's nice to see you again," I greeted.

Mr. Clay shifted again. However, as he went to nod a second time he got a better look at my face. Proper emotion tinted his expression for the first time since I'd known him. His eyes narrowed momentarily in anger, and that hint of rebuke fell upon Pieter.

     "Excuse me!?" Pieter shouted as soon as he saw. "What the hell do you think you're doing giving me that kind of look?! You think I'm the one who did this?! Sure, Nutmeg's just hanging out with the one who beat her face in no problem! What kind of bullshit logic is that?!"
     "Pieter..." I gently held his arm, but he shook me off.
    "You have some nerve looking down on me when you're the worthless excuse for a person! You've failed in every possible way, so if you dare for one second─!"
    "Pieter," I begged harder. The shouting and rage reminding me of earlier wasn't doing me any favors. My voice quivered, and I blinked back tears. Pieter inhaled deeply, although he still shook.
   "I come home for the first time in forever, and you do nothing but show me why I don't come around! You should be thankful Nutmeg bothers! If you care at all, replace that hunk of junk computer upstairs with something she can actually study on properly!" He stomped past his father towards the front door. "I'm going on a walk!"

The door slammed with the force of a cannon. The silence that followed proved just as deafening. Mr. Clay had returned to his emotionless mask while his shoulders slumped further like a defeated animal in a corner. When I said nothing, he slowly began putting away the groceries again. I stepped out on the front porch. Pieter was already out of sight. Despite being able to catch up to him if I wanted, he clearly needed time alone.

     "Mr. Clay?" I said after going back inside a few minutes later. He stuck the plastic bags in the recycling and didn't reply. "You don't have to buy a new computer. I really don't mind the one you have. It's taught me patience if nothing else."

I hardly anticipated a reaction from my weak joke, and I didn't get one.

     "You know," I started tentatively, deciding to speak what I'd wanted for a while, "I can't imagine what it is like to lose a child. I do know what it's like to have your life fall apart though. To have such happiness, and then to have that happiness haunt you as everything that's broken fills you with dread when you think about the future. About what pain will always be there, about the meager scraps that barely seem enough to keep you going. You, however, have much more than a scrap. Pieter still cares. He cares so much, and it's why he gets angry. It's an easy solution in his mind. He just wants you to be his parent again. The unconditional money, having total freedom...it's not his wish. It's simply...normal. That's what he's looking for."

Mr. Clay didn't move. His gaze focused out the window, barely blinking. I took a big step forward not having that at all. A strange bubble of noise popped out his mouth at me tossing my arms around him for a massive hug. Mr. Clay squirmed for a second, yet confusion weakened his struggle while empowering my grasp. He soon ceased fighting altogether.

     "It wasn't the longest after I met Pieter when I realized he was starved for a kind touch. It didn't occur to me, despite it being obvious, that you would be the same way. I definitely don't think you're a bad person, Mr. Clay. You've been failing your son, but that doesn't mean things can't be right. Forgiveness is there. Happiness is there. You simply have to try."

I squeezed him tighter. Hesitant and slow as a turtle, Mr. Clay lightly returned the hug. I smiled.

     "I'll let you in on a secret Pieter probably doesn't want you to know. He's going to get his GED, find a job, and move us into an apartment building when we turn eighteen. I think there's a better path though, for all of us. If you do just try, I'm sure Pieter can call this place home again. Instead of a family of two, we could be a family of three. That would be nice, wouldn't it?"

After a pause, Mr. Clay's head dipped again. My smile grew wider at his hold growing slightly more confident. Then...

     "Nutmeg?" Mr. Clay asked.

It wasn't the first time I'd heard him speak. Far from it. His voice simply stunned me with how quiet and frail it was.

     "Yes?" I replied brightly. My chest sunk a second later as realization slapped my stupidity. Mr. Clay hadn't been addressing me. He'd been questioning the name. The name Pieter only ever called when it was the two of us. I stammered hard. "Oh, I-I'm...th-that's not, uh..."
     "It's fine. Whatever your real name is, you're welcome here."

My cheeks burning, I squeezed tighter still.

Pieter got a talking-to about the slip up when he returned. He apologized for that and the yelling. While I attempted to use his need to earn back brownie points to get him to talk to his dad, it wasn't happening. Pieter stubbornly insisted repayment would be him cooking dinner and making a grand desert. I sighed but accepted. Mr. Clay seemed on board with at least thinking about giving my idea a go. Baby steps were better than nothing.

And so, a fine dinner and dessert was had while watching television and movies. Mr. Clay kindly stayed out of our way so as to not set Pieter off again and took Pieter's room to leave the bigger one to us. He did this every time I stayed over.

     "Wow, was I missing some signals or something?"

I'd clearly stayed over too many times though and made myself too comfortable. Pieter walked out of the master bath to find me in my underwear. I swore I turned red from the heat.

     "Shit, I─" I panicked. "I-I sleep in here when I stay the night, and y-you were taking so long in the bathroom I forgot you were around. I w-was just changing into my nightclothes..."
    "Well, I've seen you in a bikini, so it's nothing new, right?" Pieter laughed, bringing back the conversation with Cinnamon and Ruby.
     "I..."

I clenched my eyes, and jerked around trying to cover my face and my very exposed body all at once. I naturally failed spectacularly. Pieter coming close froze my muscles, but he had merely taken off his jacket and wrapped it around my front. He then squished us in an embrace and locked his eyes with mine so I knew they weren't roving.

     "Don't worry. I know you're not there yet, and I don't think I'm there yet either. Just don't tempt me too long. I do have an imagination at the very least, and it's that which will cause problems," Pieter laughed.
     "My apologies," I giggled. "I'll fix it. Turn around."
     "As you wish," Pieter stepped back and bowed.

And then he closed his eyes tight and faced the main door. I hurriedly changed and attacked his side with tickles after throwing his jacket at his head.