Nox Inferno

Chapter 52: Cake

I didn’t want to go and face them. I didn’t want to tell them, I managed to mess up this mission single handedly before it even began. But if I was embracing this whole screw your courage to it’s sticking place thing, then I had to.

Hesitantly I opened the door. They were all waiting for me but the news I bring will no doubt be disappointing. But I know they would never turn away from me. Right?

“So, I just got of the phone with my dad.” I whispered. I didn’t want to disappoint them.

“We heard.” Kai smiled and pulled me into a hug, again. He keeps hugging me and honestly, I don’t hate it.

Zephyr joined in and eventually it became a group hug. I felt like a giant weight was lifted from my shoulders and I haven’t even said anything yet.

I shrugged them off. I had to tell them. I want to have more courage, like they say fake it until you make it.

“I need to tell you something.” I said loudly. They backed up a little.

“My dad doesn’t want me to come home.” Kai growled and Clementine cracked her neck.

“He did what?” Kai voice was low. He was on the verge of losing his mind.

“It’s okay.” Alvina said, “We didn’t expect your family to allow us all the stay. So we booked a motel right outside of town. You won’t have to see him if you don’t want to.” How was she always so calm in unnerving situations?

“So I didn’t mess things up?” I wanted to cry or laugh. Maybe a little bit of both.

“No way.” Zephyr assured.

“But we still get to meet that cute best friend of yours, right?” Clementine asked innocently. I barked out a laugh.

“Sure. But just a heads up. I think he might be dating someone.” I winked at the now pouting Clementine.

“Shame.” Alvina shook her head, “He was really cute.”

“No he wasn’t” Zephyr and Kai commented at the same time.

“Can we talk about what Twyla said.” Alvina changed the topic as she arched an eyebrow at me.

“What do you mean?” I asked but I couldn’t suppress a grin.

“The walls aren’t very thick. We heard your end of the conversation.” Zephyr pinched his lips together in a half smile.

Kai picked me up like I was a doll and swung me around. I laughed and begged him to put me down. They really did know how to cheer me up, I can’t imagine going through life without meeting them.

“I’m so proud of you.” He stated as he sat me down. We where barely inches apart. Suddenly, I really wanted to remember what it felt like to kiss Kai.

“Is that so?” Nyra said suggestively ruining the moment. I broke away from Kai and turned to the others.

“Oh yeah and we are the ones who have a problem.” Zephyr winked. I need to throw something at him.

Suddenly a door cracked open. A door that hasn’t opened in a month and a half. Every head in the room turned to the creaking door. Out staggered a hollowed version of Mama Fra. Despite being locked in her room, her eye had dark circles. For the first time since I’ve known her, her hair hung loosely down rather than its usual bun.

“I heard you where going on a mission.” She croaked out as she sat down on the sofa.

I looked over at Clementine. I sometimes forget while Mama Fra lost her mate, Clementine lost her father. Though she is better at hiding her hurt, she was still hurting. In one glance, I could tell the way Mam Fra looked was exactly how Clementine felt.

Clementine staggered over to her mother and sat down by her feet. She rested her head on Mama’s Fra lap, while Mama Fra played with Clementine’s hair.

“I’m sorry.” Clementine sobbed out.

“No, I shouldn’t have isolated myself like that. It wasn’t fair to you.” Mama Fra fell to the ground and hugged the crying Clementine.

I had been so wrapped up in myself, again. Am I really this self-absorbed? I should have been there for her. I don’t know what to do to comfort crying people.

Alvina walked out of the room and into the kitchen. I followed her, maybe she knew how to comfort the crying duo. But instead Alvina slammed an open cupboard.

“Are you okay?” I asked timidly. She whirled around, her eyes where blazing with rage.

“I don’t know how to help them.” She shouted at me.

“Me neither.” I confessed, “I guess we are a pair.” She cracked a smile.

“My whole life I was told to never to cry. I don’t know how to be around people who cry.” She said, her eyes looking at something in the distance.

“My parents got mad when I cried. So I couldn’t cry. But they are so emotional. I don’t know how to handle that.” I shared with her. Maybe we weren’t as different as I thought.

Alvina laughed, “We are so insensitive.” She laughed again.

I smiled, “What should we do?” I asked.

“Let’s make a cake.” She said as she rummaged through the cupboards pulling out an assortment of items.

I began to fiddle with my fingers. I didn’t want to admit I never baked a cake before. When I was younger, I asked my mom, but she was worried I would ruin her precious kitchen, so she never taught me, and I felt bad asking anyone else to teach me. So I never learned.

“Don’t tell me.” Alvina looked at me curiously, “You have never made a cake from scratch before. I think we still have cake mix somewhere. Would you rather we make that instead?”

I forced a laugh, “Cake mix. Sure.” That should be easier. Alvina proceeded to put back half of the stuff and pull of a new variety of other stuff. Among them was a small chocolate cake mis box. I picked it up and read it. Sounds simple, in theory anyways.

“Okay you crack the eggs while I find the vegetable oil. She began rummaging through the cupboards. Cracking eggs, I can do this. I carefully hit the egg against the side of the pan.

My mother would never let me cook or do anything. I suppose it was her way of caring for me but that is now robbing me of experience. But it is also my fault. I should have been more persistent or gone somewhere else to learn. I shouldn’t have relied on her so much especially if I wanted to leave.

The egg cracked. I used my thumbs to pry it open. The egg yolk fell into the cake mix along with bits of eggshells. I instinctively dropped the eggshell and dived in for the shells.

“What are you doing?!” Alvina shouted and I took a step back. The eggshell poked into my foot so I quickly moved it away. But I accidentally landed on something gooey causing my foot to slide away from me. I slipped and brought down the dry cake mix with the single egg down with me. The bowl crashed into a million pieces and the cake mix went everywhere. The egg landed in a heap on my lap. Gross.

“Are you okay?” Alvina said shocked.

We heard the sounds of feet before we saw Kai. He stood in the doorway just as shock as Alvina.

I couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh my gosh!” I shouted and sent myself into a fit of laughter. I should have just asked for help. What was I thinking?

Alvina and Kai joined in. I was an absolute mess.

Mama Fra peered over Kai’s shoulder, “Dear, do you need help?” The tears where gone from her eyes but her eyes still held sadness.

“We wanted to make you cake because we didn’t know how to comfort you.” I laughed out, “Gosh, I’m terrible. I have never cooked in my life. But I wanted to bake you a cake.” I laughed again.

Kai stretched out his hand and I gladly took it. The egg slid down my leg into my sock causing me to gag.

“Oh dearies.” Mama Fra pulled Alvina and I into a hug, “I promise I won’t ever do that again.”

I shook my head, “It’s good you took the time to grieve. If you didn’t grieve, I’d be worried.” I shot a look to Clementine whose cheeks where still stained with her tears.

“Why didn’t you say something?” Alvina glared at me, “That was chocolate cake mis. Do you know how delicious that cake batter is?” She exclaimed.

“I didn’t want you to look down on me.” I whispered.

Suddenly I felt a pat on my head, “We would never look down at you.” I glanced up at Zephyr.

I smiled a little before I scowled, “Hey, I’m not short enough to be patted.” I pushed off his hands.

“Debatable.” He messed my already messy hair up.

“Zephyr I swear I’m going to buy a pair of high heels just to prove you wrong.” I glowered and swatted at him.

I felt something spray me. I turned to Alvina who was hold the hose part of the sink and grinning wickedly.

“Was that me? I just wanted cool you both down.” Alvina sprayed us again.

I looked at Zephyr and he nodded. I distracted Alvina as Zephyr got around her and begun to tickle her. Which resulted in her spraying the entire kitchen.

We paused for a moment before breaking out into laughter.

Mama Fra began to laugh at our antics. I stopped for a moment and smiled. I hope she gets the strength to continue on with life.

“Okay kids.” Mama Fra laughed, “I think we should either take this outside or go hit the showers. You need to get up early for your plane flight.”

We stopped for a moment, “I call dibs on the shower first.” I yelled and ran to my room as the egg sloshed in my sock.