Escaping Christian

16: Plan

Only The Poets - Marc E. Bassy

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God, I haven't worn a coat in months.

It felt like switching from an entirely different earth back to reality. A week had gone by and there was no word from Christian. Not to me nor to Jackie. Settling back in was easier said than done. I hadn't been in my apartment for well over six months, it looked bare. There were hardly any pictures, hardly any memorabilia. I made it so I wasn't attached; so it was easy for me to bounce from one country to the next for work.

I'd walked in last week and almost wished we were back in my little apartment in Cairo, at least that place had character.

Cal had taken permanent residence in my small room since we came back. Kate went back to her house to sleep but was practically with me every other day. If not her then Micah and now Joe. And then there was Nathaniel and Jackie hanging around Burnaby for a while to make sure everything was okay.

It was getting a bit out of hand, they had lives to get on with; I didn't want them putting everything on hold just because a few vampires were after me. Plus, by now I'm sure they would have caught up.

I leaned against my two year old Lexus hatchback and watched as the school kids ran to their parents or made their way to the school bus at the end of the street. Then two very beautiful girls I was proud to call my nieces came out the doors. They were chattering away, Anna's red hair tied into a messy bun atop her head. I smiled knowing full well Evie probably wouldn't have sent her out the house with that messy head of hair.

Amelia's little face frowned before she was nudged in the arm by a boy. Our friend Celia's boy, Jonas. The three Dhampir's stood out among the rest of the school kids, their vibrant eyes, and their stunning smiles.

Eight year old Jonas noticed me first. He pointed me out and the girls audibly gasped.

"Aunt Chelsea!"

"When did you get here?"

"Mommy didn't say you were coming back yet."

"Same, neither did mine."

As the two seven year olds threw question after question at me before tackling me with kisses and hugs, Jonas rolled his eyes and waved his goodbye as he met his mother parked on the other side of the road.

"I got back a few days ago, I wanted to surprise you both. In the car, we'll meet your moms and we'll go for something to eat together."

The girls hopped with excitement and bundled into the car. I drove the half an hour up to Belcarra and parked up beside Evie's car. Mia popped out faster than Anna and embraced her mother tiptoeing a kiss to her cheek.

Amy's honey eyes lifted to meet mine and she smiled. "Picking them up okay?"

Meaning, did anyone follow me? Anyone try to snatch the kids? "It went fine."

Evie and Anna walked hand in hand together into the woods before she kissed the top of her head and watched Mia pull her away.

"Don't ruin that t-shirt please!" She yelled just before they disappeared together. "Took me two days to get the stains out of her favourite dress."

I smiled. "Are they messy?"

"No, no... sometimes." She rolled her eyes. "They're learning, they're young."

Amy strolled beside me with a sigh. "So, any news on Chris?"

I looked back and forth at my two best friends and shrugged. "Nah."