Four Elements Book 1 - Hidden Powers

Chapter 4 - Set in motion - part 2

 Andie loved her mother. But their relationship had been bumpy for a while, now. When she and Hannah had been younger, they were pretty much inseparable. And then... Andie had grown up. She wasn't sure when or how it had happened. But one day when Andie was about fifteen years old, Lauren had gotten angry because she had gotten home late because of a movie lasting longer than she'd expected. Andie had sensed trouble when she'd seen the fifteen missed calls and ten text messages on her phone. She had tried calling her, thinking she'd just gotten worried.

"Adrianna, what in the world are you doing? You were supposed to be at home over half an hour ago!" Lauren had screamed.

"Sorry, Mom, the movie was longer than I thought, and phones aren't allowed in the movie theatre..."

"Then you should have left the room and given me a call!"

Yes, and draw even more attention to myself? No, thanks, Andie thought.

"Mom, I was fine, it's... it's no big deal..."

"Get home, now. We'll discuss it later."

 Andie still remembered how confused she'd been. She'd nothing wrong! And even now, it wasn't like she'd been out until three in the morning! She sighed and fell back on her bed. Just then, there was a soft knock on her door.

"Who is it?" Andie asked.

"It's me," her father's voice said. "Can I come in?"

"Yes," Andie said.

The door opened and Hank came in, holding a plate. Andie smiled as her stomach rumbled.

"I thought you might be hungry," he grinned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." Andie sighed. "I just don't understand why she was so freaked out..."

"You know how she is. She hates not knowing something, no matter how small. You should see her at work, she's always looking for every tiny detail."

"I get that it's important to not let anything out when you're defending someone, but it was like I'd gotten a tattoo, or sneaked out or something! I was only a bit late and she blew it out of proportion!"

"You're never so late, or very rarely, so she got worried. But when she does, I'll admit she has a tendency to..."

"Be a tyrant?" Andie suggested.

"Overreact," Hank tempered. "But you know she loves you."

"Of course I do. It's just... she has a funny way of showing it, sometimes."

"Ah, we all get a little silly with people we love," Hank said wisely. "I'll talk to her."

He kissed her forehead and headed out.

"Dad?" Andie called as he reached the doorway.

"Yes?"

"I love you," Andie said.

He smiled that warm smile Andie was sure had made her mother fall in love with him.

"I love you too, honey."

He closed the door behind him. Andie sighed and fell back on her bed again. Just then, her phone rang. She reached for it.

"Hello?"

"It's me," Bane's voice said.

"Bane! Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. You?"

"Aside from my mom being furious with me, I'm fine," she said.

"She was worried about you." Bane said, a strange note in his tone.