Fate's Return (Twisted Fate, Book 2)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Suzie came over after school, but apparently, I was comatose.

Nothing, not even water, could wake me, they said. Instead of waiting so that they could include me, Suzie and my mother planned the party on their own. Every detail was worked out as I slept, and when I woke up on Friday morning, all I had left to do was shop for new clothes. At least I could count on my mother's hesitancy to allow me to do anything but breathe to keep Suzie's extravagance in check. But what made them think they could railroad a party I had been reluctant to throw? Who did that?

I couldn't believe I'd slept all day and night, but I woke feeling refreshed. I was in such a good mood as I dressed after my morning shower that even the thought of seeing Gabe at school, of having him seek me out, didn't bother me. Much. But I couldn't expect it to be perfect. Tolerable wasn't happiness, but neither was it unbearable.

The possibility became a non-issue when my mother suggested we skip class and spend the day before my birthday together. Tomorrow, I would become an adult. In a week, a high school graduate. Finally, something happened to work in my favour, and even though she wasn't my first choice of companion while shopping, I wasn't about to turn the opportunity down. Maybe, by forcing her to see I could leave the house without being harmed, my mother would stop hovering.

We left the house late, nearly noon, and went to the mall. It wasn't much, but a second floor had just been opened, and at least fifteen new stores were set up for business. We went to each and every one, even a maternity store that, as my mother argued, had a cute window display. When I said I wanted to go home, she said we'd go for supper. When I said I wanted to hang out with Suzie as I texted her during supper, my mother talked me into going to an old movie at the theatre.

That's how we wound up in a dark parking lot with arms full of bags and lost, not even sure we were in the right area.

"Use your keychain to unlock it, Mom, and we'll hear it beep." I shivered as the cool night blew through my lightweight jacket. My arms were too loaded with bags to hug myself for warmth, so I promised my body that if I could endure the chill just a little longer, I would take a long hot soak in the tub as soon as we got back home. "Follow the beep."

"I did!"

"You don't just point it. Press the button." I stopped bouncing on the balls of my feet and held out my hand, our bags swinging in the air and rustling as they rubbed against one another. "Gimme it."

"Well, well. You are such a little hero, aren't you?"

I looked around us. Nothing. We were the only ones here. My mother placed her ring of keys in my hand. Didn't she hear it? It was deep, dark, and threatening. A voice I knew and feared.

"Aly?"

My mom was watching me. I nodded and pinched my lips into a forced smile and raised the keys to press the button to unlock the doors. There were no beeps or flashing headlights. I pivoted and faced the opposite direction to try again. No luck.  Were we out of range?

Laughter rumbled in the wind. "Little girl, little girl. Don't play with mommy's toys."

"Maybe we're in the wrong lot," I said, and swallowed, trying to remain calm.

My mother seemed ignorant to the sound. Maybe if I'd said something before, my crazy level wouldn't have leapt from thinking I heard what people thought to hearing voices that couldn't exist. As soon as the party was over, I would tell my parents everything, and let them choose whether to have me committed.

"Open your eyes, little girl."

I gulped and tried to blink it away. Ridiculous, I knew, since I couldn't see it. But I couldn't answer with my mother here. Not when she didn't know what I was talking to, because I was pretty sure it wasn't a who.