Malvie

Malvie - Part 3, Chapter 4

Mal was woken up the next morning by her phone ringing and buzzing on the nightstand next to her.

"Hello?" she said, still half asleep and rubbing her eyes.

"Mal, we have a big problem," Fairy Godmother said on the other end, discomfort in her voice. "I'm supposed to present our research to the IMC tomorrow but I'm finding considerable inconsistencies in our data. If I present this, it could cause a massive domino effect to take place resulting in major problems with uses of this work. We have to right this situation ASAP."

"Okay, what can I do from here?" Mal asked, now more awake after hearing the disturbing news.

"Nothing. That's why I'm going to fly you back here. We don't have time for a ten-hour drive."

"Flying me back? When?"

"As soon as I can. I'm sorry for ruining your weekend back but this is urgent. I can give you an hour, tops." Mal turned to Evie whose eyes were slowly opening.

"Sure," Mal said reluctantly, knowing Evie would be crushed.

"I'll have a limo pick you up and bring you to the airport in an hour. Do not be late! We have to get this done before tomorrow." Fairy Godmother hung up, leaving Mal with Evie and her thoughts.

"What was that?" Evie asked, waking up from the conversation.

"Fairy Godmother called," Mal explained. "There's issues with our research. She's flying me back in an hour." Evie suddenly became wide awake, her head shooting to the right and staring at Mal.

"An hour?!" Evie repeated. "You're leaving me in an hour?" Mal nodded. "I thought we had the weekend?"

"I did too, this was unexpected. I'm so sorry." Tears filled Evie's eyes.

"You can't leave now. I won't see you for another month!"

"Evie, I don't have a choice. Believe me, I'd rather stay, but she's counting on me to be there."

"But Mal, you said—"

"Evie, please don't be like this!" Mal exclaimed, her voice rising. "I don't want to argue. I have to leave in an hour end of discussion." Mal let out a sigh and wiped a tear from Evie's cheek. "Besides, you didn't even know I was coming home. Just imagine I was never back. You've been okay without me."

"Okay?" Evie repeated, her voice also rising in volume. "Okay?? I've been the complete opposite of okay without you! Do you know how many times I broke down sobbing since you left? How many times I just sat alone in our bed wishing you were right next to me? Just because I haven't thought about death doesn't mean I'm okay! I feel broken when I'm not with you!" Mal was speechless.

"I—I didn't... get that impression when we talked," she said softly.

"Because I didn't want you to worry! You had stuff you had to take care of, I didn't want to prevent you from doing that!"

"Yo, yo, what's all the commotion?" Jay asked, walking into the room with Carlos at his side as usual.

"Mal's leaving!" Evie cried.

"But you're not supposed to go back 'til Sunday night," Carlos recalled.

"Fairy Godmother is having some problems at the lab, so she asked me to come back. I leave in like forty minutes."

"She can't leave!" Evie cried, plowing into Mal and hugging her. Mal hugged her back, one arm wrapped around Evie's waist, the other holding her head.

"I have to," Mal told all of them. "I'd rather stay but this is an emergency."

"She has to go, Evie," Jay said to the crying girl. "Don't be selfish."

"Selfish?!" Evie shouted. "Selfish?! Trying to control my panic attacks and trauma by keeping the most important person in my life close to me is selfish?!"

"No, I'm sorry," Jay apologized, correcting his actions. "Those weren't the right words to use." Evie continued sobbing into Mal's shirt, her heart slowly being torn apart.

"Evie please don't be like this," Mal begged. "I don't want to have to leave on such a depressing note. I'll try to come home and visit again as soon as I can." Evie gazed into Mal's eyes as a tear struck her cheek. Mal gave a small smile and kissed Evie's cheek gently.

"You'll be alright, I promise," Mal reassured her. She gestured to the guys. "You've got them, remember?"

"Yeah," Carlos chimed in. "What are we chopped liver?" Evie chuckled a little, sniffling and wiping tears from her eyes.

"Look Evie, none of us want Mal to leave but if it's what's best for her and the research, she has to," Jay remarked, trying to use a calm voice. Evie took a deep breath and nodded, beginning to relax.

"I'm going to get dressed, okay?" Mal told her, letting go. She grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom to change.

"I know this isn't easy, Evie," Carlos continued. "But Jay and I will do all that we can to help." Jay nodded, agreeing with the boy's statement.

Mal and Evie stood together by the driveway of the school holding hands, Carlos and Jay near them as they all waited for Mal's limo. Less than a minute later, a long black limo pulled up next to them, Mal's ride waiting for her.

"You gonna be okay?" Mal asked Evie, holding both her hands now.

"Probably not," Evie said, trying not to cry. Mal gave a hint of a chuckle.

"You will be," Mal whispered back.

"Bye Mal," Jay stated with a small wave. "Don't blow yourself up."

"Yeah and don't be tempted to eat the experiments," Carlos joked. Mal smiled at the two and wave goodbye. She climbed into the limo, shutting the door and rolling down the window.

"I'll call you," Mal told Evie before giving her a kiss.

"I love you," Evie replied.

"I love you more."