Page 220 of Nobody's Girl

“Leave me alone. I want to go home. Tell Jeffery to turn the jet around. I’m sorry you’re unstable, but I can’t be involved with you any longer.”

I guess I have to go get her mother. I feel awful for waking Toni up, but someone has to get Alyssa out of there. I pat Toni’s shoulder. Her eyes open.

“Toni, I’ve told Alyssa the news and she’s not taking it well. She thinks I’m crazy and she’s locked herself in the lavatory.”

She sits up and straightens her skirt. “I’ll go talk to her. What did you tell her?”

“You know, that we’re going to shape shift into the Phoenixes and we were born to be together.”

She rises and goes to the bedroom. I follow along behind her. She taps the door and says, “Sweetie, it’s Mom.”

Alyssa opens the door a crack, then sees me and closes it. “Tell him to leave and I’ll come out and talk to you, Mom.”

Toni looks at me and I leave.

Damn!

I go back into the cabin and sit in my seat.

I can’t believe she really thinks I’m crazy!

I’ve made a mess of this whole situation. How Our Creator picked me for this position is beyond me. It’s obvious I’m no good at it. Alyssa isn’t going to go into this as easily as I imagined.

I wait for nearly an hour before Toni comes back in. She takes the seat next to mine. “I told her everything,” she tells me. “She’s a bit shocked and not responding very much. Maybe the other couple can help. I think it’s best if we leave her alone until it comes time to land. Meanwhile, I’m going to ask Jeffery if he can call the other couple and get them to join us at your home. If she sees them and what they can do, I hope it’ll become real to her.”

Toni gets up and goes to the cockpit. My stomach hurts at what I’ve done. My mate has had the worst day ever. That boy messed her head up with his awful news, which was completely unnecessary.

She was nervous about meeting my parents, then I go and tell her she’s going to shift into a giant bird.

Of course she thinks I’m crazy. Who wouldn’t?

Toni returns after a little while and gives me the thumbs up, so I guess we’re going to meet the current Phoenix couple. I never thought this day would come. It’s not usual, from what I’ve been told.

Jeffery’s voice comes over the speaker, letting us know to put on our seat belts. I buckle mine and look over my shoulder for Alyssa. The bedroom door opens and she steps out, but she takes the seat in the very back, alone. She wants nothing to do with me.

Toni reaches from the seat behind me and pats my shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Eden. Don’t worry.”

I hang my head, which is heavy with the knowledge I’ve messed up. It’s obvious I have, since the other couple has agreed to come prove to Alyssa what we are. I blew it.

The jet lands and Jeffery tells us we can leave. Alyssa unbuckles herself and grabs her mother’s hand. “Wait for me, Mom,” I hear her say.

She’s being careful to keep her parents between us. I wait and let them all get off the plane before me. My heart the heaviest it’s ever been, I wonder if it will cease to beat in a moment.

The limo is waiting for us. Alyssa and her family are already seated in it as I climb in. Alyssa is snuggly sitting between her parents and refuses to even look my way. We travel the distance to my home in complete silence, until the mansion looms ahead.

Scotty gives a whistle as we pull up to the large, ornate gates. “Would you look at that? Wow, Ally, you’re too lucky.”

I watch Alyssa, but her eyes never leave her lap. Her hands bunch the fabric of her dress. I see an unfamiliar car as we approach the front of the house. It must be the other couple’s.

I slide out first and wait for her family to get out. I tap at Alyssa’s shoulder as she quickly grabs her mother’s hand. “Alyssa, please do me the honor of allowing me to escort you inside,” I say with a pleading tone.

Alyssa doesn’t look at me, but Toni takes her chin, lifting it to make her look at her. “Alyssa, you should let him. This will all make sense very shortly, and I know you’ll feel terrible about depriving Eden from introducing everyone to you.”

“But I don’t want to. I don’t trust him, or any of you, to tell the truth. I feel like a lamb being led to the slaughter,” my mate says.

I notice my ring is gone from her finger. I take her hand and her eyes fly to mine. “Where’s the ring, Alyssa?”

She opens her other hand and shows me she has it. “Please put it on, princess. Like your mother said, you will understand all we’ve told you very shortly.”