AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Who is his father?" I ask.
He laughs. "You seriously don't know?"
"No idea," I say.
"His name is Odin," he says. "And he's one tough son of a bitch."
Raven
I replay my life, over and over in my head as if it were a cellophane reel.
When I was a baby, my father died. One might assume that would scar me, but it actually didn't. At the young age of thirty-two, a rare form of cancer took his life. There was nothing anyone could do. It was just an act of nature.
My mother was resilient, and she taught me how to stay strong.
"Always remain in the present, but be sure to work toward a better future," she said. "That way, if anything goes wrong, you'll have a reason to keep going."
I didn't get to know my dad, but I knew my mom thought the world of him. We were closer than most families because of the tragedy.
It's typical for a lot of families to experience some form of injury, but the children around at school didn't understand. They made an effort to point it out, casting me as an other.
As I grew up, I made the choice to fall into my work. In a way, I guess I betrayed her wishes. She always pictured me as a veterinarian or a doctor of some kind. She wanted me to help people.
I don't think she ever pictured me at the top of some financial firm.
She chose the name Raven because I was born with long, thick, and black hair - so black it actually reflected a silver hue when the light shone on it. She said I was made of magic, but she was wrong.
When I left for the city, it was a huge blow for her. It meant separating our two-person family. I was effectively shattering what we had fought to make so strong and durable.
I told her we could find a place together in the city. I could take care of all the expenses. She declined every offer I gave to her.
So I left. Started a life by myself. And when I became successful, she told me she was proud. But I could tell I let her down. Our connection had been disrupted. I failed her.
I wonder - Will I ever see her face again? Hear her voice?
Finally make her proud?
Outside of the city, the number of houses grows sparse, and the number of trees and green landscape increases. There aren't too many people where we are. For the first time in a long time, that feels good to me.
We turn down a long and narrow path, shrouded by massive firs. The road itself is covered in dirt and pine needles. Another thirty minutes passes, and for a second, I think we're lost. But just as we reach the end of the secluded area, I see our destination.
Odin's home is a wide, two-story ranch. It's a quaint sight, and it also reminds me a little of home. The sight causes me to shrivel up against the door.
Instinctually, I reach out to Ash for support, lightly squeezing his arm. He turns to me and asks if I'm okay. So earnest, and I love that, but I still don't know anything about him.
There's nothing more that I want than to fall into him, but there's so much we haven't shared. Okay, maybe my dad's death did affect me more than I thought. I just fucking hate talking about it.
"I'm just thinking about my home," I admit.
"You want to talk about it?" he asks.
"Not really." I laugh, but it comes out more awkward than I expect.
Ash is actively engaging with me. It's a bit different from what I'm used to.
"You sure? I'm here to listen," he says.
I shrug and decide to open up. Just a little. "This might sound dumb, but I never really got the chance to make my mother proud."
