Chapter 392: Toilet Talk
Sammy wasn’t talking to Mom. Excuse me, what?
Why? When? How?
This was the first I was hearing of any of this. Sammy certainly didn’t give anything away that implied this was all happening. I even asked her this morning if she texted Mom yet that she’s arrived safe and sound, she told me she did, but now I’m wondering... did she?
Mom heard my sudden silence from the other end of the line, and knowing me all too well, heard every one of my unspoken questions as well, and addressed them all with a single answer, “Listen, I know you’re a sweet, considerate, caring boy... but dear, really, you shouldn’t worry too much about it, okay?”
But the sweet, considerate, caring boy I was, I promptly ignored her words, and asked, “What happened, Mom?”
“My, my, my,” She gave a quiet chuckle. “Just can’t resist, can you?”
Every other concern I had at the moment, I left stuffed and stowed in the back of my head. I was entirely prepared to sit out in this dingy little stall for as long as it took for the whole story to unfold, and most likely Mom knew that too, that’s why she didn’t try again to throw me off, and instead, simply explained.
.....
“Okay, but I’ll say it just once more first, it really isn’t that big of a concern,” She said, speaking a word of warning before beginning. “It started probably a week or so ago, things were its usual normal routine... and then one day in the morning, your sister abruptly stopped speaking to me.”
She stopped there, and I started. “Is that seriously it?”
“Well, she never did explain why. I even asked, and all she did was walk away from me,” Mom elaborated, her tone a slightly somber one. “It was a little sad to see, honestly. My darling daughter giving me the cold shoulder... well, if it’s any consolation, at least your Dad was spared the same treatment.”
So she’s okay with talking with our father but not with our mother? Okay, my theory that this was just some late phase of teenage rebellion acting up was out the window now.
It had to be something to do with Mom in particular, something about her, that was making Sammy act like this towards her, and really I couldn’t think of any other reason besides the one... the most obvious, likely one... the same reason why I was so reluctant to answer my phone.
“I think she’s been having dreams,” Mom said. “Strange dreams, unusual ones... has she told you anything about it?”
I slowly nodded my head on impulse. “She’s said she’s been having visions about me turning to, um, well... to how you were before you had us.”
“Visions?” She repeated, and I heard in the background that things have gone quiet. “Just visions? Nothing else?”
Was there supposed to be something else?
“Not that she’s told me,” I answered.
“And what’s this about you turning into me?” She said, her tone suddenly growing sharp.
“I don’t know, It’s what she said,” I threw a hand in the air. “Why? You don’t think it’s a possibility?”
“I never once considered the thought,” She immediately said, speaking in a firm tone of finality that didn’t allow for any doubts to manifest. “You’re the sweetest boy I know... just because you share in my nature, doesn’t mean you share in my legacy. There’s no vile thing festering within you trying to sway you to do things you won’t... there’s just you, and what you choose to do. That’s all there is to it. So if you’re worried, don’t be, okay? You’re the way you are because of the way you are... not because of who I was, or who anyone was, alright?”
The thing was, I already knew there was no way I’d ever end up being bad, but for some reason, hearing it from Mom, especially from Mom, it opened up the floodgates within me allowing a sense of relief to come coursing through.
A mother’s soothing comfort really was a force to be reckoned with.
“And as for your sister,” I heard her give a sigh. “I believe she’s also been having visions of me... and the things I’ve done in the past. It’s normal, it’s okay, I foresaw this happening the moment your father and I decided to let the secret finally slip.”
“You knew this was coming?”
“Not for a few more years, at least,” An even bigger sigh sounded. “But your sister surpasses expectations. You see, the more adept you are with your magic, the more receptive you become to external influences... and living with someone like me for all her life, it really comes as no surprise.”
Was Sammy’s potential really that vast? Was there even a peak to it, a limit? Because from the sound of it, it sounded as if there wasn’t. Putting that aside... was that also the real reason, then? Why Sammy was here with me now and not at home with her? Perhaps she just couldn’t bear being under the same roof as her for a second longer. Maybe she just needed to get away for a bit, make some distance.
If so, why didn’t Sammy tell me just upfront?
Once again, Mom’s clairvoyant instinct went into effect, and knew already what I was thinking before I even thought of it.
“Do me a favor, dear,” She said, her voice going especially soft. “Don’t bring any of this up with your sister, alright? Let her sort her feelings out herself, let her deal with it. In time, I’m sure she’ll come around. After all, knowing who her mother really was has to be a bitter pill to swallow... not just for her, but for you too.”
When she asks me like that, how the hell could I possibly say no?
“Fine,” I said, reluctantly complying. “I won’t bug her about it.”
“That’s my boy,” She whispered, and I could practically hear the smile in her voice as she spoke. “Okay, I think I’ve taken enough of your time now. Any longer and your sister might start worrying. I should go.”
“Oh,” I said surprised, seeing the amount of time that had ticked by on my wristwatch. “Okay, alright, sure.”
“Keep an eye on your sister for me, alright?” She reminded me lightly. “I’ll stop bugging you. You have fun shopping now! Bye-bye.”
“No, wait – hold on!”
I shouted it before I could even think of the thought of stopping myself. Irrationality, impulsiveness, I heard it carried by my voice, echoing loudly across the cramped stall.
Momentarily, I was crossing my fingers, hoping dearly I’d hear the beep of the dial tone sound, that on the other end she didn’t have to hear that same echo resounding.
But then I heard a noise, a voice.
“Yes, what’s wrong?” Mom asked in a worried instant. “What is it?”
Damn it, didn’t I just tell myself I’ll forget? That I wouldn’t think about? How fucked was my resolve that I couldn’t go an hour without it faltering so easily? Why couldn’t I just help myself?
“I looked into Ria’s memories. I saw how you met her.”
Why couldn’t I just say it was nothing?
To that, Mom didn’t speak, didn’t utter a single word of acknowledgment. She just stayed quiet, just kept listening.
“When you were trying to convince her to destroy Astra, when you made her kill that man, Caim,” I continued to say, my mouth seemingly taking on a will of its own. “Did it... did it work? What happened afterward? Did she help you destroy Astra? Was she... was she a factor in you eventually destroying Kronocia in its entirety?”
The next few seconds of awaiting her reply felt tense for some reason... this wasn’t a question I was asking my mother, this was a question I was asking Terestra.
“If you’re asking me this,” She slowly said. “It means she hasn’t told you... which means... is Lady Enstar still keeping her under?”
“She’s still asleep, yes.”
“You’re trying to wake her?”
“Was,” I corrected. “Not anymore.”
She didn’t push any further, didn’t ask me to elaborate. I think she knew just how much discomfort I was in asking her this, and went straight to the heart of the matter.
“I sought her help only because Astra had a barrier erected that prevented me, or anybody aligned to me from taking a step into the kingdom.”
“Yeah, I know. I saw.”
“I invested a few good weeks trying to convince her to aid me in destroying that barrier from within... which culminated into, well... what you saw in that memory.”
I let her go on.
“But as to whether it succeeded,” She paused, and I heard her breathe lightly from beneath the static. “You know how I tend to get sick every other week of the month? My illness?”
“Mmm...”
“It stems from the consequence of crossing into the kingdom with the barrier still holding strong. I was severely weakened that day, the wrath of all the Seven Divines collectively striking upon my being relentlessly... it was the closest I’ve ever gotten to feeling close to death. I took the barrier down myself.”
Leaving with my own breath, I felt the relief, and from the other end, I think she heard it too.
“I didn’t manage to convince her,” Mom said lightly, reassuringly. “So don’t worry, you don’t have to think of Ria the same way you and your sister have to think of me.”
Once again, she’s just too self-aware.
I swallowed hard. “I don’t – ”
“Okay, I really have to go now, dearie,” She interrupted me, her voice still so cheery. “Have a nice day.”
There was more I wanted to say still, more I wanted to hear... but I never got the chance, my wish was granted.... and the beep of the dial tone was the only thing that answered me back.
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