Page 71 of Fated to Them

How could she? She hasn’t been here that long.

Taylor continues making her lunch, and I watch.

“Remember to use your lunch break to get Maya. She will sit and draw until you get off. Also, Thursdays are sports days, so she wears her yellow shirt to school. Fridays are library days, and books need to be returned on Monday,” I tell her, and she nods, but I can tell all the information is a little much.

I grab a pen, writing it down along with some of the things she needs to remember, like Maya’s immunization being due in two weeks, her teacher’s name, and the school’s phone number, before handing it to her. Taylor takes it, looking at it, before placing it in her handbag. Opening my wallet because I know she hasn’t got any money till her first pay, I hand her all the cash in my wallet, which is around $500 from my last week’s pay. She looks at it, confused.

“Take it. You will need it till you get paid, for fuel and for Maya,” I tell her.

When she doesn’t take it, I grab her wallet out of her bag and place the money in it before putting it back. Looking in her bag, Taylor sees the bottle of pills, grabs them, and pops one in her mouth.

“What are those?” Maya asks, shaking the bottle.

Taylor takes it from her, placing it back in her bag.

“Birth control,” she tells her.

I look at Cyrus, who has a silly grin on his face, saying, “I told you so.” His compulsion truly is working, but it raises another question: Has he ever used it on me?

“Grab your bag, Maya,” I tell her when I notice the time. I walk Maya to the car, buckling her in. My sister stops to give me a hug when Cyrus walks over to her and hands her a phone. She looks at it before looking at him.

“So you can ring your sister and in case the school rings.”

“I will ring the school today and tell them your number,” I tell her.

“Eli already took care of that,” Cyrus says.

I shake my head, pressing my lips in a line.

“Look after Maya, Taylor,” I tell her, looking at Maya in the back of my old car. I swallow the lump that formed in my throat.

“Of course, I will. I am her mother.”

“Yes, you are, so don’t forget it this time,” I tell her, and she seems confused.

She shakes her head before kissing my cheek.

“I will see you later?” she says, and I grab the door.

“I am leaving, remember? But yes, I will see you soon, hopefully. I love you.”

“I love you too, sista,” she says, and I choke up at her words.

I haven’t heard her say that in ages; she almost seems like her old self.

“Have fun,” she says, closing the door.

I watch as she leaves, taking Maya with her. Their lives carry on without me while mine is falling apart.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Adeline

We leave for Soya; we actually drive, which is a relief, though my entire body is stiff as we finally pull up to the house. It’s dark and almost midnight.

The drive took an entire day and night of my life, which I wouldn’t get back. Cyrus and Eli took turns driving while I remained in the back, ignoring them. I hadn’t spoken to them. I didn’t understand their desire to come back so soon. I knew it was inevitable that I would have no choice, that they would force me to come, but why so urgently?

Getting out of the car, I stretch, my back cracking painfully as I stand. Cyrus goes to the boot, grabbing my bag while I follow Eli inside. Eli goes into the kitchen, flicking the lights on. Whereas I walk upstairs to the room they had placed me in the first time I visited. Cyrus walks upstairs, walking past the door before stopping and looking in.