Mia
It was a week after I left home. The weekend was fast approaching and I dreaded mum’s call. I wasn’t going home this weekend. I had meant to tell her when I was leaving but I didn’t have the courage to. I was afraid that she would cry and make me promise to visit.
Dealing with her on phone was better and I was grateful for the invention. I decided to call her before she called me and I got sentimental and pushed into making the trip back home. I was going to be in charge if I called and steered the conversation to where I wanted.
Who knew who was going to ask for a kiss this time? Maybe John. That would be weird, totally weird.
She picked up on the first ring as if she had been waiting for my call.
“Mia, I was just about to call you.” She grinned.
No wonder she had picked up so fast. “Good afternoon, mum.”
“Are you coming home this weekend? I made some changes to the decor of the house. I bet you would like it. The boys and Albert say it’s good. Come home and tell me what you think of it.”
“If they say it’s nice, mum, then I’m sure it’s nice.”
She caught on to my tone. “I take it you aren’t coming home this weekend, darling.”
“No, mum.” I replied. “I have a busy weekend. There is something I have to deal with at work.” I lied.
I wondered how it would be like if it wasn’t Albert she had gotten remarried to. How would it have been if I didn’t have to stay far away from my mum because of her step-sons who were giving me an emotional rollercoaster?
I bet it would have been good.
“No problem. Take care of yourself, honey. See you next weekend.” She said.
“Yes, mum.” I replied, not telling her that I wasn’t planning to be home next weekend as well.
I was going to wait till next week Friday before telling her that I had an appointment at work again and wouldn’t be able to make it home. Hopefully, with time she would get over not seeing me every weekend, the boys would get over their sick feelings for me and I would get over the strangeness that had gotten over me.
I couldn’t wait for everything to be normal and back in place.
“You are not going home this weekend?” Gerald asked as he walked towards me. He had obviously been listening to my call with mum.
“No.”
“Would you like to hang out with me this weekend then?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I want to be alone this weekend.” That wasn’t a lie.
He nodded though he had a sulk on his face. “You have been saying no to hanging out lately. I get it.” He said and walked away.
I sighed. Everything was a mess. I didn’t want to hurt him but it seemed like I had developed a penchant for hurting those close to me.
The next day, I decided to walk home instead of taking a taxi even though I had stayed late at the office. It had been a hectic day of work but it hadn’t been enough of a distraction for me.
I hoped that the walk would help me to lay my worries to rest and I would be worn out by the time I got home and sleep off immediately after dinner.
Thank God the next day was a Saturday. I didn’t have to rush to work. I could wake up anytime I wanted, maybe around twelve in the afternoon.
I held my bag in one hand and my dinner in the other hand, smiling to myself as I walked home, loving how the cool night breeze caressed my cheeks.
There was just one more thing to make this night epic and that was music. I plugged in my earphones and moved my head to the music, lost in the beats. I figured that was why I didn’t know until it was too late that I wasn’t alone. I had known the neighborhood to be a safe place and hadn’t been on the lookout for danger. After all, I had grown up here and nothing had happened. It was a quiet place which was why I liked it and wanted to live here.
It had been long I felt eyes watching me as well and assumed that the dark wizard had given up on me, realizing that she had nothing to gain by taunting a weak little human girl. I knew she would rather play the big game with the big wolves.
I stilled as I made the turn to my house and saw a figure rush past me and all the hairs on my skin stood up in fright. The unknown man walked towards me, dressed in black and holding a knife.
I pulled out the earphones from my ears and dropped the phone in the nylon where my dinner was. I looked around, checking if I could escape but I doubted that I could outrun the guy. He seemed to know what I was thinking and flashed his teeth at me.
His smile was creepy and I shook with fright as I stared at the psycho. I held my bag tightly in one hand, preparing to swing it at his head if he got closer but I wondered how I could beat a man with a knife.
With the way he seemed, he didn’t look like a novice. I squeaked and was frozen to the ground, watching helplessly as he moved closer.
“Drop all your valuables now or I will gut out your lungs faster than you can run.” He growled at me.
I couldn’t even shout for help. It was late and the street was deserted. Our house was far from the other houses around and I would be long dead before they got to my rescue if I screamed for help.
I gave up hope and was about to let go of my things when I saw someone move so fast that my vision got blurry. I heard the pop of bones and then the psycho screamed in pain. I looked at what was happening and realized that it was Quinn who had come to my rescue.
He had the arms of the psycho pulled backwards in a twist that was undoubtedly going to be painful. He released him, watching without emotions as the psycho staggered and struggled to get his balance.
Quinn was no doubt a ruthless enemy and I could imagine how he would be on the field when he was working. I believed that they were indeed the best officers in their division.
He growled at the psycho, baring his fangs at him. The man yelped, picked himself up from the ground and ran away.
“Come after her again and you will be dead meat.” Quinn shouted at the man already away. I had no doubt that the man had heard him.
I was shaken and filled with shock. I swayed and Quinn was by my side before I could fall.
“Let’s get you home.” He said, wrapping his hand around my waist and walked me home.
“Why are you out so late?” He rebuked me.
“I wanted to take a walk.”
He snorted. My hands were shaking as we got to the door. He took the keys from my useless hands and unlocked the door. He walked me inside and sat me down on the couch.
“Thank you.”
He nodded, looking around the house. I was expecting him to patronize me and tell me that the house was nice but he said something else.
“Where is your kitchen? Let me fix some hot tea so you can stop shaking.”
“That way.” I pointed out to him.
“I will be right back.” He said and left.
He was back soon with a mug of steaming hot tea which I gratefully accepted. I wrapped my fingers around the mug and let the heat from the cup warm me up. I took careful sips and breathed out as I felt my body getting back to normal slowly.
“How did you find me?”
“We take turns watching you every night secretly, afraid that the dark wizard might strike at you anytime. It is my turn tonight. Same as that night that you came home with that man. You wouldn’t have known that we were watching you if I hadn’t seen that criminal making a move on you with a knife. ”
I realized that John had lied to me that they hadn’t been stalking me but I was too grateful to be annoyed that they had been keeping tabs on me.