Page 23 of Fated to Them

Eli drives me home. As soon as I open the door, my mother squeals, rushing over.

“Oh my god, what happened?” she shrieks before rushing to the kitchen to grab the first-aid box.

“She got hit by a car,” Eli answers as I sit on the couch.

My mother comes running in, dropping stuff on the ground as she digs through the bag, grabbing stuff out.

“Hit by a car?”

“Yes, I am fine, mom. Just a few scrapes,” I tell her as she starts cleaning me up and pushing my skirt up, checking the rest of my legs. “Mom, my boss is right there.”

“Shh, I am sure he has seen legs before,” she scolds, and I roll my eyes as she cleans the scrapes.

“Cyrus will be here soon. He will pick me up,” Eli says.

I nod, letting my mother do her thing, feeling like a child falling off her bike. The only difference is that she doesn’t kiss each wound this time.

I hear a car pull up out the front just as my mother finishes disinfecting me and lecturing me about road safety. Eli seems quite amused by her ramblings. When the doorbell rings, she stands up, answering it and letting Cyrus in.

“Coffee?” my mother asks, and they both nod before thanking her.

I was hoping they would leave. I get up to help her, but she tells me to stay with them. I huff, annoyed, and Cyrus walks over to sit beside Eli.

“Your mother is nice,” Eli comments, and I nod.

“I am going to change my clothes. I will be back in a second,” I tell them.

“Want some help?” Cyrus asks, standing, and I raise an eyebrow at him.

“I know how to dress myself,” I tell him before walking upstairs.

I find some loose-fitting track pants and a singlet, slipping them on before going back downstairs, where my mother is handing them their coffee.

“We were talking to your daughter today about a job that has come up in Soya City,” I hear Cyrus tell my mother as I walk in, my head whipping to look at him. I’ve already told them no, and now he is going to push the subject onto her.

“Soya City? That’s a far drive for her to commute every day. She hates flying,” my mother answers, a little shocked before looking at me.

“No, actually, we would be looking to move her there if she accepts,” Eli answers her.

I glare at him. My mother looks a little frazzled at the idea.

“But what about Maya?” my mother asks, knowing I have sole custody of her, her face paling at the thought of me taking her from her.

I shake my head before sitting across from them on the opposite three-seater, glaring daggers at them.

“I’m not going to go, Ma. Don’t worry about it,” I tell her, shooting another look at Cyrus.

“She would be silly not to take it. The salary alone—” Cyrus begins to tell her when I cut him off.

“I am not going. I have told you this,” I tell him, becoming angry that they are trying to manipulate me and go behind my back and use my mother to try and persuade me.

My phone starts ringing, and I look down to see it is Maya’s school. My mother grabs it quickly, answering it and walking off before returning.

“Maya has the flu. I need to go pick her up,” she says, and I stand up.

“I can go get her,” I tell her, but she shakes her head.

“No, stay. Sort out whatever this is with your bosses,” she tells me, and I sit back down. Great, now I had to try to get rid of them.