“Mom?”

“Hmmm?”

“I wanted to ask something to you.”

“Ask.”

“They were them right?”

“Who?”

“My parents. Jamie is my brother.”

The car veered off the road and stopped with a screech.

She turned to me, her eyes moist, “Yes, they were them.”

I looked straight into her eyes, “And you are the one that hid information from them. Didn’t you?”

“I did and I don’t regret it.”
My mother looked straight ahead at the windshield.

“Why did you do it?”

“Because I didn’t want them looking for you,” she turned to me. “Look, Phoebe, now that you’ve met them and you know everything, you’re free to tell them the truth and go back to them. You’re eighteen. I won’t hold you back on anything.”

“I don’t want to go back,” I said in a small voice.

My mother looked questioningly at me.

“They had a memorial for me while I’m still alive. They force Jamie to believe that I’m dead. I never want to go back to them. I find my family with you and dad, Sarah and the kids.”

She bit her lips and I was aware of the gaze. It bore down on me.
The reality of it all was too much to handle.

I broke down.

She gently pulled me to herself and kissed my cheeks again.
And we sat there for a long time, melting in that pure moment. I had found the purest bond in my life. My mother is the one that defines what a mother is.

“We need to get you back,” she broke away.

“Yah! Sure!”

“Did the police find them?”
We were back on the road and I was reminiscing the events of the previous day.

“They did and they arrested the mastermind. The kids are safe. I’m proud that my daughter is so brave.”

Pride shone in her eyes, mixed with a hint of sadness.

“I want to meet Daniel. Did you call him?”

“Here,” she threw my phone on my lap, “The police got this from where you were kidnapped.”

I turned on the screen. Forty missed calls from Daniel.

“I called him later to inform that you were found. So it’s okay.”

“Could you drop me at his place now? I think I need to talk to him.”

“Certainly not,” my mother chided, “we’re going home straight.”

“Fine,’ I made a face.

But I was determined to rush to Daniel as fast as I could. I had to let him know how sorry I was. I had to make up for all the quarrels. I had to assure him that I’d listen to him from hence.

The car came to a halt in front of our house.

Lo behold! There stood him on our front porch, a grim expression on his face.

Seeing me, his mood lightened up. I broke into a run.
He rushed down the wooden stairs, meeting me midway. Then without any warning, he put a hand on my back and another under my legs and swung me into his lap, holding me bridal style.

“Let me go,” I struggled, but he held me tighter and closer to his chest.

“Come inside kids, and yeah, I’m going out to buy stuff. Daniel, you stay with her. I’ll be back in two hours,” said my mother, dragging me in for the dressing and feeding.

Once she was gone, I closed the door and tiptoed to my room.
Daniel was sitting cross-legged on my bed, flipping through the pages of my diary where I kept my poetry collection.

“You boys never sit on chairs, do you?” I placed my hands on my hips.

“Nope, we like some cosy space,” he said, dragging me to the bed.
I too hopped up and sat beside him, putting my head on his shoulders.

“I guess you’ve something to tell me,” he whispered.

“How do you know it?”

“Your face says that. You have that distant look which you wear when you’re in a dilemma, contemplating about your life.”

“Okay, so I’m sorry…”

“Just cut it,” he interrupted, “I’m sorry too, so we’re on the same page. What next?”

“Umm, nothing else,’ I lied, looking away.

He caught my face and turned it towards himself.

The fierceness in that expression made me break down and I went on to tell everything about my parents and Jamie and the letter.

He didn’t utter a word till my ramblings were over, and just listened on, touching me, comforting me and putting an arm around me at times.

And I sobbed, burying my face in his chest. He didn’t attempt to stop that either.

When I had cried my heart out, I felt surprisingly strong and free of a burden.

“Is it over?” he asked.

I gave a small smile.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes.”

“Sometimes you need to let out your feelings without being judged. You care too much about others. What they’ll feel, how much you’ll make them sad. That dithers you from getting the release that’s necessary. I can understand the frustration you have with life. You needed that cry and so I didn’t stop you. Your mom will kill me for it, but you should know, it’s the best for you.”

“I know, I’ve been swallowing words, keeping my emotions locked and it was building a pressure inside of me. The burden seemed like a rock on my chest. Thank you for helping me with that.”

I smiled and planted a kiss on his forehead.

“I do everything and what I get is a kiss on the forehead. Whoa!”
He shook his head in an almost comical way.

“What do you want?” I was surprised.

He brought his face closer and planted a gentle kiss on my lips.

A/N Ohk.... I don't believe that's hot... But that's definitely cute... Tell me what happens next!

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