AllFreeNovel
Share Us
What happened?
I was there during this attack. I saw it? My stomach flips with nausea. Do I even want those memories to return?
Her deep frown hurts me. “Oh Luna. What’s going on?” She reaches out towards me.
“Can I hug you?” My voice breaks again.
She’s already wrapping her bony arms around my frame. “I want to hugyou. I’ve been waiting for this moment.” Her hugs are magical, and I hold tighter around my mom, burying my face against her hair. Tears leak out of my eyes, but I hear her sniffling too. I don’t want to let her go, and I feel that she’s not ready to let me go either.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispers shakily. “I’msogladyou’reokay.”
I breathe deeply, wrapped inside my mom’s love, and I’m equally justso gladshe’s okay. After what feels like an eon, we pull apart, and we wipe our runny noses with pocket-tissues she has handy.
“How are you?” I ask in a raspy voice.
“Better now.” She smiles at my Crashdown waitress outfit, but sadness glasses her green eyes. “I’m really sorry I haven’t seen you sooner.” Her voice chokes on the last word.
I take off my alien antennas, my temples throbbing. “No, it’s okay. You shouldn’t feel bad.I understand why you waited…and I was just scared…” I swallow hard. “I didn’t want you to get any worse.”
“You haven’t heard? I’mindestructible. Your dad called me Colossus the other day.”
I laugh softly and sniff harder. “I believe that.” I ball up my snotty tissue.
My mom skims me again. “You really don’t remember that night?”
I shake my head slowly, then faster. “Not a single second.”
She inhales deeply, a breath of relief. Her shoulders relax like weight levitates off her. “I’msoglad, Luna. So,soglad.” Tears prick her eyes.
“I’mnot,” I croak. My gaze burns. “You shouldn’t have to carry that night on your own. I waswithyou, Mom.”
“I want to,” she whispers, touching my cheek softly. “I’m happy to. I’m your mom. That’s what moms do.” She nods resolutely.
I’m shaking my head, hating this reality so very much.I can be Colossus too.I want to tell her that, but I’m not even sure if I believe I’m as strong as my mom.
I lick my dried lips and my phone buzzes in my silver apron pocket. The number—I don’t recognize. Recently, I’ve been answering calls to keep up appearances. Original Luna hadn’t logged in all her contacts, so Caller ID can’t even help me.
“Sorry, one sec,” I tell my mom, stepping back to answer my phone. I see my reflection in part of the glass wall, and wet star stickers are peeling off my cheeks. I pry off a green one, my head whirling, and dazedly, I lift the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Slut.” The low, throaty voice sends a chill down my spine. He hangs up. I’d think it was a prank call, but there was no laughter in the background.
What the fuck?
I want to scream.
“Luna?” My mom senses my unease.
I gulp, lungs tight, and I rotate back to my mom. “It was a…”What am I supposed to call it?“I don’t know, actually.”
“What’d they say?” She grabs her crutches and hops closer.
“They just called me a slut and hung up.”
Her brows bunch, and she goes into immediate Mom Action Mode. Asking for my phone. Screenshotting the number with her own cell. Sending a text to security. All while balancing on crutches.
She’s my superhero.
Waterworks scald my eyes again, but I force down the tears.
