Sudden Bite

Chapter 11: Why now

I woke up exactly as I had fallen asleep, my back pressed to Alexander’s chest, his arms around my waist and hands interlocked. It was no exaggeration when I say that I slept wonderfully… plus waking up to a lingering kiss being pressed to my shoulder was a pleasant surprise.

“Morning,” Alexander greeted as if knowing that I was awake now, voice lower and raspier due to the sleep that infested it.

“Morning,” I hum contently before turning around in his arms so that I could face him. Part of me had wondered if last night had been a dream, it certain had been a whirlwind of emotions from my panic attack to our shared kiss. It was an amazing feeling knowing that your crush liked you back but it also seemed so unrealistic… turns out it was more than a dream and the thought made me smile.

“What are you grinning about?” He teased making my face turn pink.

“Nothing,” I reply, shoving him away to hide my embarrassment. No way could he know that I was giddily thinking about last night like a love sick nerd.

“Awn, how adorable,” he continued to tease, only pulling me closer after I pushed him away. His hug practically engulfed me; my head tucked beneath his chin making me feel small but protected. I always heighted feeling tiny since I was below average in height but right now, lying in bed with Alec, it was perfect. There I go using that word again… perfect.

“I’m not adorable,” I pout stubbornly before my stomach awkwardly growls. “Ha… ha, guess I’m hungry?” I awkwardly laugh with an even more awkward smile on my lips despite him not being able to see me.

Alexander untangles himself from me and pats my head, “C’mon, let’s get some food in you, love.”

“What about you?”

“I get sick when I eat right after waking up,” he explains with a shrug making me frown slightly but not think much about it. He slips out of bed before me and gently pulls on my hands for me to get up too. Lifting a hand Alexander moves to brush some hair behind my ear suddenly making me realize that I must look like a mess.

“No wait!” I cry out attempting to hide behind my arms.

“Kit?” He asks, amusement lingering in his voice.

“I just woke up, I probably look like a complete mess,” I tell him still trying my best to cover myself.

“I already told you that you’re adorable, you don’t need to hide,” he tells me while gently pulling my arms down form my face. “See, perfect,” he adds before leaning in and kissing my nose making me turn a darker shade of pink. Sheepishly I run my fingers through my hair to at least attempt to flatten it and not look like a complete birds nest.

“Do you mind if I use your shower?” He suddenly asks and I don’t hesitate to nod my head. I felt a little bad that he had slept in his clothes last night because I asked him to stay… that said I don’t regret telling him to say.

“Of course, I think you should fit one of Sam’s bigger shirts too so I’ll get you that,” I tell him before my stomach protests, reminding me that I need food.

“Why don’t you eat first and then you can look for that shirt,” he tells me with a chuckle. Nodding in agreement we part ways outside my bedroom door – Alec so he can use the bathroom and me so I can finally quiet down my stomach.

I was in the midst of pouring myself a pour of cereal when the doorbell rang and I was left confused. Sure it was almost noon but it was Saturday, the only people who came by the house were dad or Sam’s friends and neither are here. Sadly leaving my food I headed to the front and pulled the front door open.

“Hello-”

My greeting was cut short as I felt bile rise in my throat and my body freeze all together. A slight tremor ran through my body and my eyes widened in shock… fear… pain… there was just so much going on inside me I didn’t know what I felt.

“Hey Kit, can I get that shirt?” Alexander’s voice broke through but it wasn’t until he came up behind me and placed a hand on my hand that I snapped out of my trance.

“Well, aren’t you going to introduce me, Catalina?” The woman in tall stilettos and expensive clothes grinned widely, perfectly painted lips spreading to reveal perfectly white teeth. I swallowed a rock and licked my lips before stuttering out,

“Alexander this is… this is my mum.”

-

Part of me wanted to scream and lash out… but that really wasn’t me so of course here we were instead, sitting at the kitchen table with tea placed in front of us, Alexander sitting next me and my mother across from me. Alexander now wore one of Sam’s large shirts, which thankfully fit him since it was beyond awkward for him to show up at the front door shirtless.

How could she act so normal? So happy? I couldn’t stand it… and I think it was obvious because Alexander placed a hand on my knee and moved his thumb back and forth soothingly, speaking up for me.

“So what brings you by Mrs. O’Neil?” Alexander politely asked only to be corrected by my mother,

“Actually it’s Mrs. Hall, I’m remarried.”

The room became awkwardly silent again and Alec gently squeezed my leg as if to apologize. Releasing my mug of tea I reached below the table to take his hand. I’d need as much support I could get while facing Yu Na Hall.

“Where’s Sammy?” She asked as if she deserved to use his nickname.

“Him and dad are gone on a camping trip, they’ll be back tonight,” I manage to explain without stuttering – although I did sound (and look) incredibly stiff.

“That explains why there’s a boy here,” she commented as if we weren’t sitting right across from her. “Well,” she began again, nose held high as always, “I was hoping to speak with you and Samuel but this is fine; I want you and your brother to come visit me, finally get to properly meet Milo.”

Her grin made me sick.

“Why?” I blurted, unable to meet her eye as I stared at the table with such a fierce look that even I didn’t know I could manage.

“Pardon?”

“Why? Why now? Why at all?” I demand snapping my eyes up in her direction.

“Calm down Catalina, that’s no way to speak to your mother,” she scolds making me roll my eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seriously rolled my eyes at someone, maybe as a playful gesture sure, but with the real malice that I just used? This woman really wasn’t good for me. “Besides, I want you two to meet Minjae, your sister; she just turned one last week.”

The sound of my chair hitting the floor rung loudly through the house as I abruptly stood up. I couldn’t speak, I just – I couldn’t. It was like facing my biggest fear face on and I just wasn’t brave enough. Like a coward I just left, I hurried away and upstairs to my room, faintly aware of Alexander telling my mother that she should come back another time. I’m not sure how she replied considering she was stubborn woman but I didn’t care.

Hurrying into my room I flung the door shut behind me and curled up in a ball on the ground, leaning back against my window seat as I sobbed into my knees. Overwhelmed, there was no other way to explain how I felt. And I exploded as a result. My body was heaving with each broken hearted cry and my hands were clenched into such tight fist I was sure that my nails would leave half-moons in my palms. The physical pain was numb to me though, my mind and emotions over taking any other sense, and by everything other sense I mean them all. I didn’t hear Alexander come into my room but I felt him as he silently sat next to me and pulled me onto his lap. Silently he held me in a close hug and allowed me to let it all out.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Alexander asked, running his fingers through my hair rhythmically, when my sobbing turned to soft sniffles and tiny hiccups. Nodding my head against his chest I pull away and wipe at my face, bottom lip jetted out.

“She left us, Alec, five years ago Sam and I were 12 years old and she left us- she left us for another man. She was having an affair and when dad found out she left him, she broke us. But dad wouldn’t let her leaving ruin us, he worked hard to give Sam and I everything we needed, and he loved us enough for two parents. And now she’s back – with a daughter. What were we not enough? Did she need to start over from scratch? And when she talked about her daughter, she looked so proud – so happy – why couldn’t we make her happy like that? It’s not fair.”

Gently Alexander pried my hands open to reveal the indents I had expected. Lifting my hands in his he kissed at the marks before lacing our fingers together.

“You’re right,” he said after a moment, “It isn’t fair what she did but know this Kit: you are enough, you are more than enough, Sam is more than enough and your dad is more than enough. She doesn’t deserve you guys and it’s up to you whether you want to let her back in your life – it’s not her choice, it’s yours and if you never want to see her again you’re just as strong as if you do.”

“Thank you,” I say with so much meaning as I wrap my arms around him in a tight hug. I loved hugs, I really did. Alexander kissed the crown of my head as he returned the hug.

“Um, she left, but she said she was gonna stop by again tomorrow,” Alexander tells me when I finally release and I nod grimly in response. It would childish to ignore the problem, she might have caught me off guard today but I was prepared for next time – I still wouldn’t be happy about it but maybe I could see her face without having a break down.

“Alright,” I nod, “But let’s forget about that today okay? I was in such a good mood before.”

“Well we have to bring that smile of yours back, now don’t we?” Alexander grinned. “You wanna go to the library? Or we could go to a café?” He suggests two of my favorite things making me smile madly, all messy feelings about my mother gone. It truly was amazing how quickly he could turn my mood around and make me feel better.

Humming in disagreement I shake my head and say, “Let’s do what you want, we always do what I want.”

“What if what I want to do is what you want to do?” I playfully roll my eyes at his cheesy line and shove him before standing up and extending a hand down in his direction even though if I tried to pull him up I’d only fall down into him. He took my hand but it was obvious that he pulled himself with little to no help from me.

“How about that date? I’ll swing back to mind and come back in an hour?” He suggests.

“An hour,” I agree with a giddy grin.

“Perfect.” With that Alexander heads out and I start to get cleaned up for the day.

First things first though is food.