Faith Heights

Chapter 47

I returned to my room straight after class, like Leclair instructed. Rhea had headed off to the library to study, and I could feel Jackson's remorseful gaze on my back as I hurried across the lawn, but I didn't let it phase me.

Once I reached my room, I emptied my bag onto the bed, and spread the textbooks out in a systematic array. I'd work on Literature first, and then biology. I needed to keep my mind busy, so I couldn't worry about why Nick hadn't texted back yet. Lucas hadn't appeared either, which I was relieved by, although also confused. There was clearly more that Lucas had wanted to say before I'd ran off yesterday, and I thought he'd take the first chance to fix that. But apparently I was wrong.

When homework stopped doing the trick, I decided to finally call my parents back. Mum would be worrying like crazy by now. I wasn't too eager at having to lie to them, but if I was to leave with Nick soon, then who knew when I'd be able to speak with them again?

Mum took a few rings to answer the phone. Dad might still be at the garage, but she didn't usually schedule work for herself on a Friday night.

I could hear her grin before she even spoke. "Hi, honey! It's so good to hear your voice."

"You too. I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner." At first when I'd arrived at Faith Heights, I'd called and checked up on my parents almost every night.

"No need to apologise," She said, with what I knew was a dismissive wave. "I trust that you're ok."

"Oh- that's good." Her words caused my brow to furrow, making my glasses fall down my nose a little. 

She doesn't sound worried at all, a petty part of me noted.

When I didn't reply, she seemed to sense that something was off. "Are you alright? I talked to Crystal yesterday at the café, and she said she spoke to you. She sounded a little concerned." 

"No no, I'm fine. Exams were just stressing me out." What else could I say? Mum was rather accepting of all things mystic, but telling her the supernatural truth might be harder to hear than she was ready for.

She mumbled an agreement. "That's what I thought. I told her you'd be fine."

Her nonchalant tone agitated me a little. "You weren't worried?"

She laughed. "Hun, I never need to worry. You do that enough for yourself, me and your father."

Her joking words unsettled my stomach, seeming to crawl under my skin. For some reason, I felt like I had to explain the sensation. 

"Well- I have to worry. It's my job."

I couldn't imagine the things that would have happened to the coffee shop if I hadn't been there every afternoon to supervise, while my mother was in the back making artwork out of coffee beans. And my father wasn't much better; he had the life-endangering tunnel vision of a Looney Tunes cartoon coming to a close.

Mum snorted. "Of course it's not your job. What would make you think that?"

I met her question with silence. We both knew exactly what made me think that. I was surprised she'd even asked such a question so casually.

I opened and closed my mouth a few times before managing, "But- I had to take care of you guys. That's how we got through it."

Mum exhaled softly. I heard footsteps on her end, and a door gently close.

"Lila, I love you with all my heart. And I know... I know I didn't always show that as best as I could. But you never needed to take care of us. That's mine and your father's job."