Always, Darling

Chapter 26

~ Ｉ Ｍ Ａ Ｎ Ｉ ~

The ride home was silent and uneventful other than us stopping off at the FBI field office so Amma could pick up some case files. Mom and Amma spoke in hushed tones in the front, turning on the radio to muffle the words that left their mouths. Parth stared out the window the entire time, his mind obviously transfixed on Minnie and the last words she had spoken in a language that only my older brother was familiar with.

And then there was me, worried for Minnie as I had been for the woman who resembled my birth mother. Worry that still persisted weeks after a party that ended awfully.

Worried for Parth who had not only been beaten up but also shaken up by Minnie's words. Who usually confided in me first but hadn't spoken a word to me other than a brief I'm fine.

Now at home, Parth had retreated to his room while Amma went to her office, poring over dozens of case files, searching for something hidden in each shred of evidence.

I was with Mom in the living room watching some late night show in an attempt to stay awake for a moment longer. The night after the party, I had been plagued with nightmares of that woman, and I feared the same would happen again.

My eyes were fixed to the television—not that I was paying attention—when it flickered off, leaving the two of us in silence.

"I think it's time for you to get to bed," Mom said. "You can sleep in until ten tomorrow, but Zio Sandro is still taking you for the day. Not for work, but to keep you and your brother company."

"You mean babysit us."

Mom sent a sympathetic smile and reached out for my hand, squeezing it. "You shouldn't be left alone after what happened today. Now go to sleep. You'll thank me for it later."

I shook my head. "I'm not tired, Mom."

"You should listen to her." Amma approached us from behind, placing a hand on my shoulder. "When has she been wrong?"

I smirked. "Amma, I can think of hundreds of times that she's been wrong. Remember that haircut Parth got back in March? It was worst thing I had ever seen, yet Mom was here hyping him up for no damn reason."

"It was nice!" Mom turned to Amma, who was looking at her with an amused smile. "It was. Right, Arya?"

"Sure it was, Aves," Amma said.

"You two have skewed ideas of what's 'nice' when it comes to your darling son," I muttered.

The two of them simply chuckled at my statement, and Amma took a seat next to me, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me into her side. "You okay? You've been a little off since the hospital."

Deciding to start off with the easier one, I said, "Parth got beaten up. Is he gonna be okay? And what about Asher? Is he gonna get what he deserves?"

Mom sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "He's a little shaken up, but eventually, he'll be fine. It'll just take time."

"As for Asher and his friends," Mom continued, "we're pressing charges, but since they're minors with rich parents, they probably won't serve any time."

"True, but Asher's parents weren't exactly thrilled about everything he's been doing to you and Parth," Amma said with a smug look. "They plan on sending him to military school to finish off his last two years of high school."

"Good riddance," I said.

My moms nodded in agreement.

Mom reached for my hand and asked, "Is there anything else that's bothering you?"