Riley Hayes | A Vampire Novel | Book 2

Chapter 2 - needed regrets

The first time-consuming dinner at home was horrible, to be honest. I had assisted mom in the kitchen but she didn't have spices anymore.

Usually, I would hold back items unbeknownst to the leader and provide them to mom, but I hadn't raided for them in seventeen months so they didn't acquire any luxury anymore. Damn Ryan, couldn't he have done something for my mother? He knew I sneaked in items for her.

She had prepared a stew with leftover scraps. And she had managed to get a fresh baguette and she made butter for it. My siblings were loving it. It barely tasted like anything and I wouldn't admit it... Okay, I would, maybe I missed Anthony's food a little bit. Somehow, mom managed to make this dish decent without any seasoning.

Which was an accomplishment in my book? We all chatted and laughed during dinner remembering sweet memories and I helped her clean up. The youngest all went to bed already and only Willow and Dani stayed up a little longer with us.

Mom warmed up some goat milk for us. The goats are giving too much milk so they're handing it our every morning. Eventually, Willow and Dani yawned and were shooed upstairs by mom to also go to bed. Finally, mom and I had some alone time. "So now that your siblings are all asleep, how about you tell me how it was?" She reached out over the table to hold my hand. "I know when something is wrong with my children, and love, it is all written over your face."

She used the nickname he used for me as well. But she is my mother, she would know if something was wrong like she said she just knew. Mother's instinct I guess. "He had his moments, obviously, but he wasn't always the monster I portrayed vampires to be," I admitted.

She hummed, "I noticed when you spoke about him, your eyes showed a certain spark."

"Maybe. But it is too late now, he's... Gone." I looked at our intertwined hands frequently. "And I did it."

My mother gently rubbed her thumb over my hand in a comforting manner. "Do you regret it then?" She asked which made me think.

I didn't think I did. There was a choice I had to make and I still agree with that choice. But I would be lying if I hadn't imagined a life with him and our child. Or maybe if my child will resent me for it later. "What's on your mind, Riley?" My mother noticed my deliberation.

I shook my head, no good thinking about the past or the future now. I looked at her and she seemed worried about me. "It's okay mom, I know the choice I made was hard but needed."

She raised her eyebrow at me, "Riley Hayes, you are still hiding something from your mother." Just like how I pouted, she did the same which made me laugh out loud.

We resembled one another. Could I tell her she was going to be a grandmother but wouldn't see her grandchild? I opened my mouth to tell her but then closed it again. She noticed and squeezed my hands again, "you know you can trust me with anything right? You're my daughter..." She reassured.

I didn't want to say it out loud so I stood up and walked up to her. I grabbed both her hands again and this time placed them on my belly. Which, I guess was growing nicely.

She was confused for a moment and then looked closely at my stomach and then back up to me. She then gasped as the realization hit her. She stood up and hugged me while shrieking softly, she didn't want to wake everyone else. "What? How?" She gasped again and had the biggest smile ever. "I didn't know you did the deed with a lucky man!"

I chuckled and let her hug me and then touch my stomach again only to go back to hugging me. She was so enthusiastic, and she didn't even know who the father was. She thought a human of course. "The father isn't human."