Growing Wildflowers | WLW

Betony

"Jamie!" the man shouts. "I'm so glad you're okay. I've been calling you guys for days. Where is your mother?" He holds his hands out to his sides like he wants a hug, but Jamie doesn't move. Instead, her eyebrows pull together.

"I'm sorry. Who—"

The man chuckles. "It's me," he says and pulls his sunglasses off. "Brian."

"Oh my god." Jamie opens the door the rest of the way.

My chest clenches. I have a bad feeling about the man at the door, even if she knows him.

"I didn't recognize you with the," she motions to her own clothes, "outfit. What's all this?"

Brian laughs. "I know, I know. Kinda ridiculous, huh?" He pulls at his T-shirt. "They sent this garb to everyone assigned over to Bolton."

Jamie quirks her head to the side. "Assigned to Bolton?"

Brian nods and motions to the hallway. "Do you mind?"

"Oh!" Jamie blushes and dares a quick glance at me.

"Unless." Brian leans to get a better look inside. "Is someone here?"

Jamie moves to block his gaze. "No. It's just..." She forces a chuckle. "You know how my mom is and the house is kind of a disaster right now."

I backtrack into the attached hallway as silently as I can and tuck myself around the corner. I don't want to be too far from Jamie, but Brian looks like the kind of guy who'll stake me first, ask questions later.

"I've known your mom for years. I'm sure she won't mind if I see her un-vacuumed living room."

"No, absolutely." Jamie motions for him to come inside. "Of course you're right." She glances at the spot where I was standing and lets out a sigh of relief when she sees I'm hidden. "So. What are you doing in Bolton anyway?"

"I got relocated out here." He shrugs. "I think most of the others got relocated out here too with everything going on."

"How did you get here?" Jamie asks. "The highway is blocked off by newborns and—"

The man looks at Jamie curiously. "How did you know that?"

Jamie swallows hard. "What?"

"Your mom didn't... She didn't run did she?" The man crosses his arms over his chest and shakes his head. "Unbelievable."

"Listen, relax. There's more to it than that," Jamie protests.

Brian throws his hands out in exasperation. "Do you know what Boss will do to her if she finds out she ran in a time like this? Do you know what she'll do to me if I don't report her to the agency?"

"It's not a crime to take a vacation," Jamie argues.

Brian lets out a sarcastic Ha! "On vacation? While Bolton's in the middle of a vampire war?" He's pacing the kitchen, talking more to himself than Jamie now. "She ran. I can't believe she ran. How could she run at a time like this? This isn't the Violet I know." Looking at Jamie again, he says, "Where did her fire go?"

Jamie snaps her hair tie around her wrist. "Things are really complicated right now, Brian."

He rolls his eyes. "Your mother stood next to me while we took our oath. I never would have guessed she'd skip town when things get difficult."

Jamie bites the inside of her cheek and somehow, I know what she's thinking. That's not the kind of complicated she's talking about. Jamie's mom didn't leave because there are too many vampires in Bolton. She left because her daughter is dating one and the line between human and vampire doesn't exist in the same way it used to. She left because all the people who are being turned by Parker don't deserve to die. It's not their fault. They're victims. She left because it's messy and murdering people because some guy bit them in an alley doesn't sit right with her anymore. Not now that she's seen vampires do good. Not after she's seen us risk our own lives to protect her family.