Page 12 of Legal Returns
“Five thirty-one,” I murmur the numbers aloud.
“Sammy?”
I blink and start to hum. I’m back in the present. Mom is standing in the doorway smiling back at me.
“What’s going on, honey? Do you need something?” Mom says with that gentleness and understanding I’ve come to love her for.
I move forward and wrap my arms around her. She returns my embrace and holds me tight. Everything quiets down and I’m able to process some of what I saw.
I push aside the things I’m confused about. I will deal with them later. Mom kisses the top of my head. I can’t reconcile the monster in my vision with the person she’s raising me to be.
Mo-mo is love. Every day, she gives us all nothing but love. I want that when I get older, but how can I be the man I saw and a man worthy of my own Mo-mo?
My heart breaks. I know for sure I will be that man. There are things in my visions that I know are inevitable and others I know will change. I will never change who that man is.
I can only hope he wasn’t me and is my dad. I squeeze Mom tighter and inhale her scent. My racing heart slows down, and I start to feel grounded once again.
“Talk to me, Sammy. Use your words and tell me what’s going on.”
I take a step back. “I’m fine. I need a new coloring book. I finished the last one.”
“Sure, come with me. We’ll get out a new one. Do you want me to come sit with you to sharpen your crayons and colored pencils?”
“No, I will ask Elijah to help. I’m going to play with him before bed.”
Mom gives me a warm smile and runs a hand over my hair before she cups my face. She has love in her eyes as she looks back at me. It makes me feel safe.
“You are such a good big brother. Elijah loves hanging out with you. I know you are having a day. I can make him take a rain check if you need. He will understand.”
“No, he will understand, but his feelings will be hurt. I don’t want that. He only wants to help. I’ll be fine.” I giggle. “He has washed himself red to hang out with me.”
Mom gives me a look and then a smile. “Oh my God, Sammy. Don’t give your brother a complex. That was one time. I’ve been teaching him to wipe and wash thoroughly after a BM,” she gasps.
“I know, Mom, but he gets excited and forgets.”
“He’s still a baby,” she says and frowns.
“If he wants to hang with the big kids, he has to clean his butt like one.”
Mom bursts into laughter. She’s so pretty when she does that. I can see why Dad loves her. The light surrounding her says it all. She’s good at the core.
“Here, take this. I’m not messing with you tonight. I’ll be in to check on you two later. Have fun.”
“I thought I heard you two,” Dad says as he appears and wraps his arms around Mom.
Before I can walk away, I’m pushed into the future and I’m standing the same way with a woman in my arms. I can feel both of our happiness as I hold her. She turns to look up at me, but I can’t see her face. I look around and we’re in a different home.
Not the one from the earlier vision. I nod and back out of the vision. Today has been a lot. Some time with my little brother will make me feel normal … I hope.
CHAPTER 6
Bella Training
Tasha
Sweat is drippingdown my face and into my eyes as I breathe hard enough to question if I’ll make it. I can’t help longing for the days when Val would record our training sessions and Onyx would critique from a distance.
This woman is out to kill us all with these trainings. I don’t plan on being a Marine, so what’s this woman trying to prepare us for? I want to redshirt, please.
