"Cute way? I am adorable, and last time I checked, you have a photo of me with Alice in bunny form in my lap when I fell asleep on the couch two days ago." He winked and my face grew red.
How did he?!
I elbowed him with my right arm and he coughed, holding his stomach like I kicked him.
"Jinn! Fuck...abuse. Call the Mage 911!" I sighed at his exaggerated outburst.
I looked one last time at the window which was still empty and moved to walk up the three steps to the house, a struggling Brax behind me.
Whoever that guy was, I hoped he was nothing but a hallucination.
***
“Oh my! Jewel. I didn’t think you’d bring five husbands home!” Mom greeted at the door.
I blushed as the guys snickered behind me.
"Mom! They're not my husbands. Not yet...I mean, we're here to visit," I exclaimed, walking in and gesturing for the guys to come in.
They each gave my mom a half bow, before entering and taking their shoes off.
"Well, it's not like you warned me you were coming. How are you?" Mom closed the door before she pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged her back, having missed her dearly.
She looked so much better than when I left her.
Today she was dressed up so nicely compared to her usual pajamas and messy bed hair.
I pulled back to look into her gold eyes which were bright and full of life compared to their previous dull appearance and her hair was brushed out and even in loose curls.
"Mom, you look so nice," I commented, my heart warming up at how healthy she looked that it brought tears to my eyes.
"Hey, why are you crying?" Her hand reached up and wiped away the tear that rolled down my cheek.
I didn't mean to cry, especially with the guys quietly standing in the hall, giving us space to have a moment.
"It's just...you look so different...way better than when I was here," I whispered, wondering if my presence was what was making her health worse.
"Oh sweetie, not at all." Mother hugged me, tightening her hold while I squeezed her back and cried into her shoulder. "Why would you think that? Just because I'm sick, doesn't mean I couldn't see all you do for me,” she soothed, stroking my hair.
I nodded, pulling back as I tried to calm my emotions.
I guess I hadn't realized how affected I was with being away from my mom. I went from seeing her every day and ensuring she was okay to attending an all-boy school, acting like a boy myself using magic, and had gotten so caught up with studying and magic spells I hadn't even called to check on her.
I'd been trying to ignore how horrible I felt for basically abandoning her, yet here she was, looking better than I'd seen her in years, not because of me being here but because I was gone.
Mother lifted her hands to press them on my tear-stained cheeks, moving my head so her forehead pressed against mine.
"Listen to me. You are my sweet daughter who has taken care of me for years when everyone else abandoned me like a mental case. When you went away, Antoinette mentioned she and her husband were working on a medication that would slow the progress. We're still testing it, but every day she's shown me a picture of you and asked me to tell her who it was. It's working slowly and maybe in time they'll find a way to cure me."
I was speechless, more tears rolling down my cheeks at the new information delivered to me.
She's going to get better? She’ll know who I am.
"Hoot?" Alice who'd been on Maximus’ shoulder today flew over to land on mine and lowered her head to Mom who laughed, blinking back her tears as she petted Alice.
"She's going to be better?"Alice's voice was filled with emotion.
Mother smiled.