Parents
When my parents arrived 2 hours later I had luckily recovered from Alcide's unexpected visit. Despite everything that I had gone through that day I was excited to see my parents. One thing that was certain was that they would never change. I was comforted by that fact and looked forward to their arrival and their normalcy. I could use a heavy dose of normal.
The knock on the door was quick and sharp and I knew immediately that it was my mother, Mary, who had knocked. She had always been a strict urgent woman, unlike my laxer father, Christopher, and I knew she'd be impatiently waiting on the other side. I unlocked the door quickly and found my parents standing side by side, three large suitcases behind them and a duffel bag slung over my father's shoulder. Their faces changed from anxiousness to relief once they laid eyes on me. I went into both of their arms without a word, my arms around them, pulling them into me. They tensed in surprise, but relaxed after a second, their arms coming around me to squeeze. I don't know how long we stood like that, but it felt like forever, and I didn't mind one second of it. I had missed them more than I cared to admit.
"Chase, it's so good to see you," Christopher sighed into my shoulder.
"You have no idea what this year has been like, Chase," Mary added, her voice on the edge of tears.
I felt my stomach tighten at their words and I felt bad. It wasn't my fault that I had been kidnapped, but even before then I hadn't kept in touch like I did before Cassandra had died. I pulled back from their embrace and tried to smile.
"Mom, Dad, I think it's time I told you the truth," I said.
My parents shared a worried glance, but my father nodded, and my mother offered a tight-lipped smile before uttering, "Okay, honey."
I sat at the small table in the dining area of my apartment, across from my parents who were both sipping on the warm tea I had just made. It seemed whenever there was a serious discussion in my family we did it over tea and I had unconsciously started to boil water shortly after shutting the door in Alcide's face in preparation. I turned my own cup in my hand, suddenly feeling less bold about telling my parents the truth. I still wanted to, I just didn't know where to start.
My mother must have sensed my hesitation, she sipped her tea once more before clearing her throat and setting her cup down. "Isaac sends his love," she started smiling. "He was so glad to hear that you were back and would like to come visit, but he couldn't get away from work."
"Or his pretty little girlfriend," my dad added with a smirk.
"Isaac is working? And has a girlfriend?" I laughed.
"Yes, his leg got better and he started working with a buddy down in Austin and they decided to move in together as roommates and I guess shortly after he met a girl. She's sweet. You'd like her," my mother added.
I was happy to hear that my little brother was doing well. The last I heard he was still recovering from his broken leg and living with my parents. Apparently in my absence he had grown up a little. "I am glad to hear it," I said smiling. "Isaac is all grown up now."
My parents nodded, smiling, silence falling on us once more. "So…" I started. "There is…there's something that I have been wanting to talk to you both about. I know I have a lot to explain, especially after disappearing for a year, but none of it will make sense unless I start at the beginning. And I am going to be brutally honest here okay?"
My parents shared a wary glance, but both nodded. My dad's grip on his mug tightened and my mother shifted nervously in her seat again. "Okay, Chase," my dad urged. "We're ready."
I was hesitant still, but I started none the less. I began on the night that Cassandra took me to Fangtasia, the night that I had met Eric, the night that my life suddenly took a drastic turn. Before I knew it, I was explaining my relationship with Eric, my battle with Renee, my trip to Dallas, meeting my biological mother and father, meeting Dominic, tangling with the maenad, killing Annabelle, meeting Alcide, what transpired in Jackson, my encounter with Debbie that resulted in my biological father's death, Russell Edgington, and finished with being taken to the fae realm. I glossed over the intimate parts of my relationship with Eric and Alcide, I was not going to go into depth about sex with a vampire or werewolf, but it was vital they knew about these two men that could potentially be the father of my unborn child.
By the time I was done talking, nearly an hour had passed and my parents sat in their seats gaping at me. My mother wore a mask of shock while my father's expression held a mixture of shock and sadness. Neither had said much during my talk about what was going on, save for an encouraging 'mm hmm' or nod. I was thankful that they hadn't interrupted, it made it easier to get it all out and in order.
"So…here I am…back from the fae realm after having only been gone for less than an hour, but an entire year passed here," I finished. "And I'm pregnant."
My dad turned pale and my mother's face fell. They shared another glance, this time lingering for a moment, both probably thinking of what they should say. I was thankful when my father spoke first, he had always bene the softer parent.
"Chase, honey, that's…" he trailed off shaking his head. "You've been through so much."
"And a pregnancy to boot," my mom spoke finally. "The werewolf…Alcide…he's the father?"
I hesitated. "Well there is a chance that Eric is the father."
Another shared glance. "The vampire? How?" my father asked.
"Well remember we found out my blood can turn a vampire human for a 24-hour period if they ingest enough and during that time that Eric was human we…" I didn't continue to elaborate. They didn't need me to.
"Oh," my mother said touching her chest and leaning back in her chair. "I see."
Christopher was still pale. "And you…you're a fairy and a witch?"
"Yes, I am half fae and half witch," I explained. "Connor, my dad, was full blood witch, and my mother Charlotte, she was a full fae. A queen apparently."
"So, you are a-." Mary hesitated. "A fairy princess?"
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Yes. I am apparently."
Christopher sighed and ran a hand over his face, clearly trying to process it all. "Chase, this is insane. Like something out of the movies. And I can't believe you're pregnant," he huffed. "You are going to be a mom. My little girl is going to be someone's mommy."
I smiled weakly. "Yeah, it's been a lot."
"Why didn't you tell us honey?" Mary asked. She was taking it well; better than I expected.
I shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't want to worry you. I know you worry."
"We're your parents, Chase. It's our job to do that. It's also our job to make sure you are safe and help you when you're in need," Christopher said leaning forward to take my hand.
My mother nodded in agreement. "Yes, Chase, we love you. You never should have had to go through this alone."
"I wasn't completely alone," I countered. "I had Sookie."
Mary frowned. "Well to be honest, Chase, she doesn't sound like that good of a friend. She seems to bring nothing, but trouble into your life. Perhaps you should distance yourself from her, Chase, especially if you are going to have a baby."
I felt myself frown. "Mom, Sookie is always there for me. She's the only friend I have."
"She wouldn't have to be there for you if she didn't bring so much trouble to your door. It's really quite selfish, Chase."
I hesitated, my mind suddenly going back over everything that Sookie and I had gone through together and all the times she had upset me. I knew that Sookie was just a swell intentioned southern girl, but my mother was right. She had brought me a lot of trouble, but I had willingly joined in, hadn't I? Hadn't I invited in the trouble myself by doing so? Sookie had helped me more than she had hurt me. And she was the only one that could truly understand me. But was it safe to be her friend? Would my baby be safe? And just how many times had she done something to upset me by not completely keeping my secrets? Or the moments she shared with Eric….
"Chase?"
I jumped, my attention reverting to my parents who were staying at me confused. "Yes?"
"I asked how far along you are?" my mother repeated.
"What?"
"The baby?" she elaborated.
My hand went to my stomach immediately. "Oh. I'm…well I don't know. I was 8 weeks last I checked, but…it's complicated."
"Complicated?"
"Because of what I am the baby may grow faster than an actual human would," I explained. "But I don't know how fast. I haven't seen a doctor since I returned from the fae realm."
"Chase," my mother scolded. "You need medical care. It is quite important especially if your baby is…special."
"I know mom. I know. I promise I am going to make an appointment tomorrow. I just have been dealing with a lot."
My mother looked as though she wanted to say more, but for the first time in my whole life she held her tongue. I was thankful for that. Her expression changed from mild irritation to sadness and I was surprised once more when she reached over and took my hand as my father had done. She squeezed it lightly.
"I am sorry, Chase," she said softly. "Sorry that you have been through this all alone. Sorry that your own mother wanted to kill you. Sorry that I couldn't protect you from all of this," she looked at me guiltily. "I wish we had known somehow, to prepare you for… all of this."
I blinked at her. "Mom, there is no way you could have known any of this was going to happen and even if you had I doubt there was much you could have done. I was lucky that you found me and took me in."
My mom nodded. "And what is your plan now?"
"Well as you can see I got a job and a place big enough for me and the baby," I said slowly motioning around the room. "And I am staying out of trouble with supernatural creatures and preparing to be a mom…"
"Well who will take care of your baby when you have to work?" Mary questioned.
I hesitated. I hadn't thought that far ahead. "Well…"
"And do you know how expensive children are?"
"Yes-."
"And what about school?"
"I-."
"Chase, I don't think you have really thought becoming a parent through. You will have to make sacrifices, its costly, and a baby will be depending on you," Mary finished.
I blinked at the sudden change in tone and the harsh reality check that my mother was laying on me. She was right. I hadn't really thought ahead, who would take care of my baby while I was working? Could I survive on a minimum wage waitress job and be a single mother? I did want to go back to school one day. I had been so close to finishing and getting my degree would help me get a better job to raise my child. I didn't want to be a waitress at Merlotte's forever.
"I think what your mother is trying to say Chase is that you must have a plan and you have some big decisions to make about your and your baby's future," Christopher said gently, leaning forward. "Becoming a parent is a big responsibility and it's not exactly something that you can just…'wing'."
"You are absolutely right, dad," I agreed. "I have some things to think about and I will. I am taking this very seriously."
I helped my parents get settled into the guest bedroom and said goodnight to them. It had been an eventful day and I was ready for it to be over. I noticed a missed call and voicemail from Sookie when I checked my phone, but I was in no mood to deal with her tonight. I assumed she was just returning my phone call and while I briefly worried if Eric had returned home, I figured that Sookie could deal with it. It was her responsibility to watch him even if it was just until my parents left, so she was supposed to make sure there wasn't an amnesiac vampire running around. I had had enough of everyone today.
I made sure that everything was locked and turned off all lights before trudging to my bedroom and collapsing onto my bed. I allowed the softness to envelop me, looking up into the darkness of my room. I couldn't help, but think about the words that Christopher had said, about my needing to make decisions regarding what I would do about my life and child. He was right about it all as usual, he tended to be right about everything. Everything was in turmoil since I had returned and while I was trying to piece it all together, it didn't change the fact that there was still a large lingering issue about who the father of my child was and what life would be like once that child came. How we would survive and how I would manage. Not long ago I was a twenty-two-year-old college student who spent too much time with her head in her books to even have a life, and now here I was, pregnant and caught in a love triangle between a vampire and a werewolf.
"Well you aren't going to be figuring out all these problems in one night, Chase," I said aloud to myself reaching down to rest my hands on my growing stomach. "We're just gonna have to take it one day at a time baby."
I froze as I felt a flutter within, like butterflies in my stomach, but stronger. I felt startled, sitting up in the darkness as a shocked gasp escaped me. It had moved. The baby had moved. A smile touched my lips, but was quickly followed by a frown. While I didn't know much about babies I knew basics, and at eight weeks there was no way that I should have been able to feel movement. The baby would be the size of a strawberry or something. I felt a hint of panic at the thought. The baby must have grown more and since I hadn't had any vampire blood since my return from the fae realm, it must have something to do with my being fae. This baby was growing and growing fast.
