Chapter 105
“Mama!”
I couldn’t believe it. I was holding my mom again after 100 years. Even though my rational brain wanted to come up with an explanation, I shoved it down. Illusion, clone, shape-shifter—I couldn’t give less of a fuck if I tried.
I had my mom back and that's all that mattered.
We laughed and cried as I swung her around the room. Despite me being a bigger woman, I still felt like a little girl while we hugged.
“Okay, okay! Put me down now, baby. Let me look at you.” I didn’t want to. She would see everything that I’ve been trying to hide in my heart with just one look; that’s a mom superpower. Trying to hide wasn’t an option though, so I placed her down.
“There’s my girl! Look at you—” her smile quickly turned into a gasp. Mom covered her mouth and walked around me in a circle, twice. “You’re glowing, Sapph. I haven’t seen you glow like this since…”
“No.” She whispered, eyeing my belly. She didn’t seem angry, quite the opposite.
“Y…yeah.” I blushed, chuckling softly. Of course she clocked that I was pregnant.
Mom glanced around, blinking twice when her eyes landed on Noa.
“Did something happen to Wyatt? Is that even him? The hair and skin are similar but the body seems wound tight, ready to pounce on anyone that gets close to you.” I blinked in shock at her observation.
Turning to Noa, he was picking his canines with his pinky finger and leaning against a wall. He winked at me and licked his chops, like an overgrown dog. I chuckled.
“Thats your takeaway, mom? That’s Noa, and he’s pretty harmless. But as for Wyatt, the situation is complicated.”
She crossed her arms with a huff. “It's in the eyes, sweetie. His eyes say it all, every time someone gets too close to you…even me.” Mom narrowed her eyes at Noa and turned back to me, smiling. “I’m so happy to finally have my baby back! We have so much to catch up on. Oh, I’ve been waiting for this. Hey, Mayor!”
“Yes my dearest Michelle?” My dearest? Oh hell no. I gave mom a look as Vrush wandered over to us.
“He’s fine, just overly polite. Vrush, I wanted to go to that new geothermal mineral bath that just opened up. Is that okay? I know my shift doesn’t end for another hour…”
He waved her off as my mind tried to keep up with everything they were saying. “Take all the time you need my dear!”
“Wait…mom, how long have you been down here?” Long enough to get chummy with this mayor at least.
“About two years give or take. I was here to help the people build something new after that awful business on the surface. By the way—” she looked up at me, eyes crinkling with pride, “I heard you took care of that bastard, Rupert. I’m so proud of you baby.”
“Oh…mom, there’s so much I have to tell you.” A soak in a mineral bath suddenly sounds like a great idea. Plus, I’d be keeping my promise to my dragon. Rest, rejuvenate and all that.
“Bye everyone! And remember, keep Cappville safe!” The shroomies salute my mother as she leaves. Then it finally dawns on me what building I’m in—it’s not an office building, it’s a police department.
My mom made cops out of peaceful shroomies!?
Honestly yeah, that sounds about right.
Mom took me by the hand and with a running start, we slid up the slippery street onto the next level of Cappville. It was like sledding down a hill but with skates on and in reverse. It was odd but who cares? I had my mom back.
The boys followed behind us but when we got to the large white building, it had three doors. One for males, females and a door called “everything else”.
“Was that your input mom?” I tapped my chin, looking at it.
“Nope. Surprisingly enough, when it comes to genders and sexuality, a lot of the people here are just like humans. We come in all flavors I suppose.” There was a soft smile on her face.
I hugged my mom. She was always the most progressive on her side of the family tree.
Waving goodbye to the boys, I stripped and entered into the bath with my mom. While we sat, various shroomies entered with trays of different foods. The variety went beyond meat and mushrooms. Vegetables, bread, my mouth watered like crazy as I started scarfing them down.
“Easy honey, remember to chew.”
She tried to get me to slow down but I’m not. I’m fucking starving. It’s like I turned off my need for food until it was in my face again. By the time I cleared everything but my moms plate, I was stuffed. I sank down into the water and sighed, idly rubbing my belly.
I closed my eyes and managed to relax so hard, I dozed off for who knows how long. I snored so loud that it woke me back up, drooling and everything.
It couldn’t have been more than 5 minutes…how embarrassing.
“So, if that was anything to go by,” my mom flicked a piece of lettuce off of her face,”you’re still my voracious little dragon.” A dark look covered her face as she crossed her arms in the water.
“So why hasn’t Wyatt been feeding you?”
I gulped. “Mom…I said his situation was complicated.” I wasn’t really sure of how much to tell her, I mean Wyatt’s bloodline was a secret he kept from me for years. It wasn’t my right to tell her about it…but this is my baby too. A baby that could be half wolf, half dragon.
If that was the case, then I should tell my mom.
“Uncomplicate it, Sapphyra. You know you can tell me anything.” She was right. Even when I was an absolute brat, my mom always had an ear out for me.
I sighed and let the story flow from my mouth. From the moment the monoliths attacked and Wyatt locked me away till finding out that my son was resurrected and used to torture me. It took a good two hours to tell her everything, including Guy and our fated mate-ship.
“Oh boy. You know I respect your religion even if I don’t understand it, right?”
I nod.
“And the idea that god made someone special for you isn’t foreign at all.” She purses her lips, “but the audacity this woman has to think she can enter your dreams and tell you who you can and cannot love is beyond me. I’d like a good 5 minutes alone with this Phereda.”
I burst out laughing. “Really mom? That's the part you’re mad about the most? Not about…” I couldn’t say his name but she knew who I was talking about.
Her gaze softened and she smiled, but she smiled like she was saying goodbye to me. She did that when I went to college.
“Sweetheart. Wyatt is an impossible man. And regardless of how I feel, you still love him so deeply that you made another child with him. He’s in our family, in our hearts and regardless of his half-assed plan to save you—I know he was just doing the right thing—to him anyway.”
She paused, laying her head against the rock walls as the seafoam green water covered her.
“That being said, if he ever does anything like that in front of me? I’m making you a widow my damn self.” I loved my mama. She made threats seem as natural as breathing—a skill I’ve been trying to learn my whole life.
“Mama?”
“Yes baby.”
“I’m worried that I’ll never…get over, Wyatt.”
“Why do you say that?” She sipped something in a cup nearby.
“I don’t know.” I rubbed my arm for comfort. “I feel like I’m addicted to him. Like we go beyond husband and wife and childhood friends.”
“Like soulmates, you mean?” I nodded. “But this goddess of yours says you aren’t, right?”
Another nod. “Then it sounds like she doesn’t know what the fuck she’s talking about.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Mama that’s not—”
“What advice are you asking me for Sapph? Are you asking if I think you should leave him?”
“No.” I bit my bottom lip, trying to form the words.
“Are you asking how to move on…or if you even should?” she leaned forward.
“I…I think so. I don’t think I can move on from him but I want to try. Even if the goddess is bullshit, I can’t deny how I feel about Guy and I won’t. I love him…I think I’m in love with him.”
The blush on my cheeks didn’t come from the heat of the salt water. This was the first time I’d said the words out loud. I was in love with Guy Dynamo, the superhero of my dreams…no. The man of my dreams. But I had to wonder if this could ever really work.
Could I have a future with one man while living in the past with another?
I grunted softly, feeling a sharp pain in my side.
“You alright, baby?”
“Yeah. It’s probably all the food I just stuffed in me. You did tell me to chew.” I softly chuckled, rubbing my side.
The cup my mom was holding slipped into the water. Her eyes were on me. She gulped like a shark was circling me.
“Sapph…”
[Sapphyra. I hate to interrupt you boo-boo]
My mother jumped slightly. “What the hell? Is that a menu screen?”
I nodded.
“This is my System. What’s up?”
[Don’t freak out.]
I narrowed my eyes on the screen. “Why?”
[You’re bleeding, Sapph.]
“What? That makes no sense, I don’t have any injuries right now.” I started sweating, a ball of nerves bounced around in my stomach.
Maybe I got a paper cut somewhere? That makes total sense. I absolutely am injured and it’s not the worst case scenario.
Yep.
[Sapph, I’m so sorry, girl. Look down.]
My body vibrated with fear as red came into view.
Blood—my blood.
And it was coming from my crotch.