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She answered immediately. “Hello?”
I wasn’t prepared for the rush of tears at the sound of her voice. I brought my hand to my eyes, dragged in a breath.
“Mom?” I whispered.
A heartbeat passed and then she gasped. “Mila?” Her voice hitched. “Is that you?”
“Yes,” I managed to say. “Yes, it’s me.”
“Ohmigod. Chris! Chris—come here. It’s Mila.”
She put the phone on speaker, and then the two of us were sobbing while Dad kept saying, “You’re all right? D’you need anything?”
“No, no.” I sniffed and reached for a tissue. “I’m fine. Just happy. It’s so good to hear your voices.”
“We’ve been right here,” was my dad’s gruff reply. “It’s you who left and never got in touch.”
My stomach twisted. “I know. I’m so sorry. But I was afraid that if I had any contact with you, they’d hurt you.”
“Damn it, Mila.”
“No, listen.”
We spoke for over an hour while I did my best to explain everything that had happened from the day I’d left. I glossed over the bad parts of my three years on the run, but I could tell they were hurt that I hadn’t come to them for help. Like Joey, they couldn’t seem to understand that I’d done it to protect them.
Still, they were my parents. Warm, loving. They forgave me.
At the end, my dad said, “Well, as long as you’re happy, Camila.”
“I am,” I said. “I love him.”
“Then we’ll love him, too,” Mom stated firmly.
Tears welled in my eyes again. “I know you will.”
“So?” Dad asked. “When are you coming home? Your mom misses you.”
“Soon,” I said. “I promise.”
My dad grunted.
“Can we call you at this number?” Mom asked.
“Yes. Absolutely.”
Gabriel’s text came, saying he’d be home in a few minutes.
“I have to go now,” I said. “But I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Love you,” said Mom.
The tears pricked my eyes again. “Love you, too,” I said and ended the call.
24
Gabriel
Tomas’s smile was triumphant as he strode through my door. “We have found her. The slayer.”
