Wings of Fire As Humans

[16] The Taste Of Hand Sanitizer

^Moon^

"Let's all have a sleepover. My house, two p.m."

I wrinkled my nose. Glory Bright had just invited me of all people to a sleepover. Now, if there's one thing I know, it's that Deathbringer had something to do with this.

"What did Deathbringer say to you?" I asked. "What's he trying to do?"

"You mean win a bet against me?" Glory asked.

"What bet?"

She laughed nervously. "Nothing. Anyway, I'll go invite the others. Um, also, have you been okay recently?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Yeah," I said cautiously. "Never been better."

She pursed her lips. "Alright," and walked away.

"*"

"Guys, I called you here. Do you know why?"

Deathbringer and I both shook our heads. We both are going to the sleepover since we're both invited, but he looked a bit uncomfortable any time I mentioned it, so I didn't.

Secretkeeper took a shaky breath. "I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

Deathbringer and I glanced nervously at each other. Hadn't enough bad things happened to us already?

"Good news?" Deathbringer tried.

Secretkeeper gave us a happy smile. "You know my job as a doctor's assistant?"

We nodded.

"Well, the doctor I'm assisting asked me out two days ago. We're going on a date today at six."

A huge grin creased my face. My mom finally found someone who actually made her happy. She looks much happier now, too. "Really? When do we get to meet him?"

"Are you sure this isn't the bad news?" Deathbringer suddenly asked. "What if he's like you-know-who? And then what? He get's full custody of us and then controls us the rest of our lives?"

I sent him a glare. "Mom's finally happy? Why can't you support her?"

Deathbringer sent me a sad glance. "Because... it's not that I don't support her! I do, I really do. But... I don't think I'm ready for another dad, after the last one. I don't want to meet him yet."

"Of course," Mom said. "Take as much time as you need. We're all here for you, remember that. You don't have to meet him if you don't want to."

Deathbringer gave her a weak smile before asking, "How do you all heal so fast? You have a new boyfriend already and Moon... I don't even know what's going on in there. Either way, neither of you even seem bothered at all."

My smile slowly faded. "Bothered? I'm traumatized. This is my way of coping, you know?"

"To change completely?" Mom asked. I slowly nodded. I guess.

"Want to hear the bad news?"

I held my breath and felt Deathbringer do the same thing.

"I—uh—you're... I'm not..." Secretkeeper held her breath. She was avoiding all sorts of eye contact. "Back when I first met Morrowseer, he was so sweet and kind. Always made me laugh and always took me to my favorite restaurants. I fell for his trap completely. And we got married, and after that, he took all devices and locked me in our basement. I... he shortly got me pregnant."

"With us," Deathbringer finished confidently. "We know. Why are you telling us this? He's dead now so what's the point?"

"Let me finish," Secretkeeper hushed. "My first six months of pregnancy was such a struggle, I almost gave up. I never really ate much so It wasn't good for me nor the baby."