Chapter 241

#Chapter 241 – A Second Adventure When I wake, the other side of the bed is disappointingly empty. I reach my hand out, brushing the sheets where Victor’s body left an impression behind, tracing the phantom shape of him.

“Oh well,” I murmur, sitting up and stretching my arms over my head. I’d catch him next time. I look around the room, scratching my head and running my fingers through my hair, trying to wake up. I’m suddenly struck by how wonderfully ordinary it is to wake up in my own room in my own bed in my own little cottage. After our rather mystical journey out in the forest, what was once mundane seems a bit magical.

I smile, hopping out of bed and pulling on my robe. Ten minutes later, I’m downstairs in the kitchen looking around at an apparently empty house. What?

Where was my family?

I turn when I hear a little padding of feet on the stairs.

“Mama?” Alvin’s head peeks into view on the staircase and I give him a big smile.

“There you are!” I say and he hurries down the steps. “I was wondering if I was all alone. Maybe the ghosts came and kidnapped you all.”

“They wouldn’t do that,” he says, wrapping his arms around my hips in a sweet hug. I bend down to give him a little kiss. “Ian wasn’t in bed though,” he says, looking up at me with a little frown. “Maybe something else kidnapped him?”

I press my lips together, interested. “Your dad’s not here either,” I murmur, looking around. “I’d bet they woke up early and went on some adventure before I bet they both got kidnapped. Though, in this family…”

As I look around, I spy a little note propped against the coffee machine and grin, moving over to it. Of course Victor would leave me a note with the coffee, where he knew I’d find it. There’s coffee in it too –

he made me a pot before he went wherever he went. I smile, pouring myself a cup as I flip the note open. Alvin heads to the fridge, pulling the door open and using a stool to lift out the milk, which he runs to place on the table.

“What’s it say, mama?” he asks, dragging his stool over to the cabinet so he can reach the cereal.

“As I suspected,” I report, “they dashed off on a little adventure.” I flip the note over, looking at the back.

“Doesn’t say where, though.”

I reach into the cabinet above the coffee maker to take down a bowl and spoon for Alvin, but when I turn I see him looking down at his feet, clearly disappointed.

“What’s wrong, kid?” I ask softly, putting the bowl on the table and crouching down by my son.

“They went on an adventure,” he murmurs. “And they left me behind.”

“Aww sugar,” I fret, pulling him in for a little hug, crushing the cereal box a little between us. “That’s all right! We’ll have our own adventure today – a better one.”

He perks up a little at this, peering up at me. “Really?” he asks.

I give him a bright smile. “Yes,” I promise. “So eat up – you’ll need your energy!” His mood boosted, Alvin hurries off to the table, climbing onto the chair and pouring his breakfast into a bowl.

I smile as I watch him, pleased that the promise of a little adventure fixed his mood so quickly.

Now the only thing I had to do was…plan an adventure.

Alvin dashes out the front door eagerly about half an hour later, heading for the black SUV that Victor has set aside for my personal use. In his hurry, Alvin doesn’t even notice the figure seated on the porch swing, wrapped in a blanket.

But I do.

“Rafe?” I ask, shocked, glancing between him and the Beta guard who is standing awkwardly by the door, trying not to get involved.

Rafe looks up at me with sad eyes. He still looks terrible; I wonder if he’s been drinking again.

“Were you out here all night?” I ask, folding my arms as I stare at him.

“Yeah,” he mumbles, running a hand through his hair. “Just…didn’t feel like going inside.”

“And you weren’t freezing?”

“It wasn’t so bad,” he sighs. “I didn’t notice.”

“Rafe,” I huff, rolling my eyes. “Obviously you know you’re welcome to sleep in the house, right? You don’t have to stay out here like some bad dog being punished?”

“I know that, Evelyn,” he says, raising his eyes to glare at me a little. I have to admit that the gesture makes me smirk a little. I’d rather see him angry than depressed and despondent on my front porch. “I just…didn’t feel like coming in.”

“Okay,” I say, giving a little shrug and trying to block out any feelings of worry or pity for him. “We’re going out for a little, we’ll be back soon.”

“Are you going to see her?” he asks in a rush as I start towards the stairs.

I pause, looking back over my shoulder at him. “Is it any of your business if I am?”

He begins to stand up, eager. “Evelyn,” he starts.

I hold up a hand, though, cutting him off. “I’m not on your side here, Rafe. Even if I am going to see her, I won’t be doing you any favors or passing along any messages.”

He shuts his mouth, but can’t stop the little growl that I hear building in him. I just give a little laugh and hurry on my way.

“Take a shower, Rafe!” I call over my shoulder. “Clean yourself up!”

How growl deepens as I climb into my car, Alvin already there.

“Was he right?” Alvin asks eagerly. “Are we going to see auntie Bridgette?”

“Well, it was supposed to be a surprise,” I murmur, looking over my shoulder as I pull out of our driveway. Alvin gives a little shout of joy, putting his hands in the air like he’s on a roller coaster.

As we pull out of the driveway, though, I catch a glimpse of Rafe standing on the porch, watching us go. Alvin looks back as well.

“Is he okay, mama?” he asks softly. “I don’t want uncle Rafe to be sick. Or sad.”

“He’s okay, baby,” I say, smoothing a hand over my son’s little head and starting down the road. “He’s just…uncle Rafe made some stupid choices, and now they’re all coming back to bite him.”

“Like a piranha,” Alvin whispers, turning back to the front of the car and holding his hands up like two little fish and making them snap at each other. “What kinds of choices?”

“Adult choices,” I reply, giving him a significant look and deciding that my kid doesn’t need to know all the gory details. “But he really hurt Bridgette’s feelings and was cruel to her. So he has a lot to make up for in his life.”

“Hmm,” Alvin considers, thinking hard. “Maybe we should send him to the forest.”

I laugh, nodding. “Honestly, maybe that would do him some good.”

We pull onto the highway shortly after, and then head down the road. I bite my lip as we do, knowing that this adventure is less cheerful and lighthearted than Alvin thinks it is, because actually I still haven’t heard from Bridgette at all. We’re headed to the little rented cabin, but I have no idea what we’ll find when we get there.