It Started As A Game

Chapter 18-Meeting Parents

"Do you remember when Miss Cuckoo and Miss Wren came to get me because of Horace's dream?" Alma was sat beside you on the couch, talking about the attack as Emma and Olive distracted the younger children so Enoch could move the bodies without them seeing. You nodded. "We'd hoped it was just a nightmare, but those wights were the same ones from the dream." She sighed and shook her head. "I'll have to let the council know of all these attacks. And then fix the front door." She muttered the to herself as she stood up. "And then make breakfast. And make sure the bodies are well hidden. And..." You continued speaking quietly to herself until she left the room and you could no longer hear her.

You felt bad for the woman who already had so much to do, and now had to deal with even more due to multiple wight attacks within a month. So you went to the kitchen while Alma went to her study to begin drafting a letter to the council. Enoch still had one body left to move and was still trying to get it to stand up as it should. You got started on breakfast, carful to stay out of the boys way as he walked with the body out of the room. Humans were large and hard for him to maintain control of. He had to keep perfect concentration and not be disturbed to move them.

You tried to get as far into breakfast as you could do as to leave less work for Alma. Meanwhile Enoch had returned to finish the job by scrubbing blood off the floor, clean the knives you'd used, and put everything in else back in its place. He asked no questions, which was relieving. Eventually Olive came inside to complain about how the children wouldn't stop asking to go inside. Seeing Enoch was mostly done you allowed the redhead to bring them in.

You'd nearly completed breakfast when Alma walked in. She stared at you for a moment, tilting her head slightly to the side. "You can cook?" A grin spread across her face when you glared at her.

"Of course I can cook! Well, I suppose not very well. But at least I didn't burn the eggs this time." You responded, reminiscing on a time when you were with your mothers and nearly burned the house down trying to make scrambled eggs.

"This time?" She questioned, walking over to you to look over your shoulder at the eggs you'd just finished.

"I don't wanna talk about it." You sent her a glare over your shoulder, which was quickly replaced by a smile when she gave you a small kiss.

"Well don't burn the house down, love. Need any help finishing up?"

"No I've got it here Alma. But could you go gather all the children? Bird knows where they've run off to." She nodded, giving you one last kiss before walking off. You smiled to yourself as you brought all the food to the table.

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It'd been a month since everything. Everyone had mostly moved on from Bronwyn's death, though you all still missed her. You'd adapted to helping Alma with most of her duties throughout the day to try and assist her however you could. The Ymbryne Council started up a group of wight hunters to find and kill the last remaining ones. Attacks on loops declined dramatically within the month. No wights had come back to the loop. And those that remain don't dare show their face in any loop out of fear of being killed.

It seemed that the danger was, for the most part, over. The world seemed safe at last. You'd been frequently writing to your mothers and now go to visit them every Sunday. The first time you left you'd worried Alma sick because you'd forgotten to tell her you were leaving. From then on she made it clear that if you forgot again she'd bad you from going. Your mothers made sure you kept them updated on this woman that you were now dating and wanted to meet her.

Alma agreed to leave to loop for a few hours to do so. Though she refused to leave that long unless the children could come with. Of course it was reasonable for her to worry, especially after the events that occurred only a little over a month ago. So you agreed. Though you failed to tell your mothers how many people you'd be bringing with you.

When you appeared on their doorstep with a group of people behind you they were throughly surprised. "Sharon! Y/n is here! And she brought.. friends." Mama had answered the door. She let you all in and your first step was finding Mom, who was in the kitchen per usual. She loved cooking and knew you'd be visiting today. Though when she saw the large group she feared she hadn't made enough for everyone.

"Are any of these her?" Mama referred to Alma, in a whisper that only you and Mom could hear.

"Oh, yes, did you bring her?!" Mom said, grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking you a little.

"Yes! Geez, stop!" She let go of you and looked over the crowd that'd formed in her kitchen. Eventually her eyes landed on Alma.

"It's her, yes?" Mom whispered to you, pointing at the woman.

"How'd you know?"

"I raised you, dear, I think I'd know your type." You swatted her arm with a sigh.

"Sure, whatever." You said before turning away. "Alma!" You spoke to get her attention. "Come here, please." She smiled, leaving Emma who she'd been talking to, alone. When she stood beside you, you wrapped and arm around her waist and looked at your parents. "Alma, these are my mothers. This is Alma, my girlfriend." You hadn't referred to the tall woman beside you as your girlfriend before, but it felt nice.

"A pleasure to meet you both." Alma said, sticking her hand out. Mom was the first to take it, grinning as she did so.

"Likewise. My name is Sharon. And my wife here is Amelia." Mama gave a small smile and a nod towards Alma but didn't take her hand. "All these children.. are they yours?"

Alma gave a small laugh. "More or less so. They're my wards, I took them all in when they didn't have anywhere else to go. I suppose I am their mother figure though."

Mom nodded along then turned to you and didn't bother whispering to prevent Alma from hearing. "I like this one. You'd better marry her."

"Mom!" You yelled at her, though couldn't stop the blush from creeping onto your face.

"What? What did I do?" She asked, pretending to be oblivious. Mama just shook her head at the situation.

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I agree with Sharon.