"Where to?" The cab driver asked us.
I just looked at Adam. Did he have any information because I surely didn't.
"Main Street." Adam said.
Main street had many different hotels and apartment complexes. In fact, most of them were on Main street.
"So, since you seem to know more information than me, why don't you tell me." I said.
Adam and I were speaking softly and only our ears could pick it up.
Adam dug through his briefcase that he had been carrying and he pulled out a manila folder. It was almost identical to the one I had to carry a long time ago when I was plane hopping to different countries.
Chloe, stop thinking about those things!
Everything is better now. I am home. I need to stop reliving my bad memories.
"Well, our apartment is made under a safe name." He said.
"Okay that's reasonable." I agreed.
"Nobody knew we were coming so we could prevent safety issues while we get settled in." He added.
"Yeah totally, that makes sense. When are we supposed to inform Valentina that we are here?" I asked him.
"My dad didn't say. So I guess that is up to us." Adam said. "But I don't care."
"If I see her I'll tell her. And she won't get mad that we arrived unannounced. She normally does, but it is me. Right? I'm like family." I said trying to convince myself.
What if this put me on her bad side? I just had to stop thinking about this.
"I'll tell her by tomorrow." I promised.
Pyper was playing with a toy I had packed in my purse. She was really entertained by it.
"Poor baby, this is the first crazy thing in your life. Moving across the world. But you'll get use to it. You have no idea what's in store for you." I said gently as a rubbed her hair into place.
"Amy seemed pretty curious about her." Adam said.
"Don't even deny that she was checking you out either." I laughed.
Adam smiled. He wasn't going to try to deny it.
"I do need to tell her my story. She is worried sick about me. But it can wait a few days until we get settled in. Are we going to have furniture?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, my dad had the entire thing painted and furnished. Actually my mom did most of it. So you'll probably find it close to your style." He laughed slightly.
I smiled.
"So you don't get to paint again?" I asked recalling one of the memories from when I first moved to Ukraine.
"Guess not." He said. "But who do you think was on the roof, back at Amy's house?"
"You'll learn to tell the difference between human and Mai. In this city Mai are constantly on the roof. It is so they can run without causing a scene. And I'm guessing that what we heard was just a young Mai being trained or just going for a run. It didn't sound threatening. But we did have to go." I said.
"Everything is so different from our home." Adam said.
"This is our home." I said gesturing out the cab window.
I understood, now. At first, I refused to acknowledge Ukraine as my home. It just didn't feel like home to me. Adam is going through the same thing. The difference is he knows he gets to go back in a month. I had to wait two years, and it almost didn't even happen.
"Oh yeah. I forgot already." He said as he sighed and looked out the window.
"It won't be prison here. You can call your family and use Skype." I tried to cheer him up.
"But they can't. IT is blocked." He said.
"I forgot already." I mimicked his words. "But I'm sure Valentina can figure out something. The Pride leaders have to have some way of communicating."
"Yeah." He said plainly.
"This month will go fast. You'll see them soon." I said.
"Chloe, you keep talking about me going back. What about you?" He asked.
"I hope I don't have to. This is my home." I said.
"You like it here better." He nodded.
"Adam, I like it in both places. Well, I'll kind of miss you guys, not so much the no communication thing. But as these next four weeks go by, you'll realize that you can never be one hundred percent happy in a place you don't belong in." I said.
He nodded, guessing that he would find it to be true. This is never going to be where he wants to stay. Just like Ukraine will never be my first choice.
"Honestly, if everything goes right and you're aloud to stay, I am going to miss-" He started but I cut him off.
"We aren't having any goodbyes yet. I don't like goodbyes. If I am aloud to stay, we'll finish this in four weeks. And it won't be goodbye. It'll be a see you soon." I said.
He smiled looked in the folder.
"Which apartment building are we staying in?" I asked him.
"The Grande Penthouses of San Francisco." He said.
I froze. Not only was I going to be back in my city, I was going to be living in a place I had once called home. We were going to be living in the same building as some of the most important people to me.
"Which floor!" I shouted.
Adam was a little curious as to my sudden excitement.
"Sixteen." He answered. "Why?"
"That's two floors below Valentina, Jasmine, and" I started.
"Alek." He finished. He smirked. "Are we going to need to give you a curfew so you don't sneak off and make more babies?" he teased.
I smacked his arm lightly.
"Adam!" I squealed.
He just laughed.
Pyper heard him laughing and she started laughing too. She had no idea why she was laughing, but she did. This made Adam laugh even harder.
"We're here. Thirty two dollars." The cab driver said.
Adam handed him the money while I climbed out of the car and grabbed Pyper.
We went into the familiar building. Adam went to get our key while I went to see about our luggage.
Our luggage had been delivered to the building, and they were going to have a bellhop bring it up soon.
I turned around to find Adam walking over towards me.
"Ready?" he asked while dangling some keys from his hand.
We walked over to the elevator and got in.
I set Pyper down and showed her the floor buttons.
"You should get use to this. This one, Pyper." I said as I helped her push the sixteenth button.
She giggled and then she tottered over to Adam and clung onto his leg. He picked her up and put her on his back for a piggy back ride. The doors opened and we all stepped off to find our room. I took a set of keys from Adam and I opened the door. I followed them inside as I turned to shut and lock the door behind me.
Adam set Pyper down so she could explore.
Adam checked out the kitchen while I chased after Pyper down the hall.
"Chloe, do you know how to cook?" He called.
I laughed.
"Yes, I'll teach you!" I yelled back.
I opened the bedroom door. My bedroom was next to the nursery and the bathroom. Adam's must be the one closer to the living room, down and across the hall.
The nursery was a light pink and it had an oak crib and dresser. There were butterflies on the walls. One of the walls had Pyper's name on it with wooden letters. There was also a toy chest in the corner.
"Look, Pyper." I said as I pointed to it. She ran over to it and opened it to find a letter and a new toy.
I opened the letter.
Dear Chloe,
We miss you already. Behave. Here is a toy for the baby from us.
Love,
Sandra
It was a stuffed kitten. I ripped the tag off and handed it to the impatient toddler with her hands out.
"Tank yew." She said.
I scooped her up and headed into the kitchen.
I opened the fridge to find it stocked with food.
"Your mom has though of everything." I said.
"She probably went overboard because she'll never get to do this for Chiles and I." Adam sighed.
That was right. They were never going to go to college or move out. Sandra wouldn't ever get that experience.
I went over and sat on the coach after I sat Pyper down.
"This is so much different from the palace." Adam said.
"You are going to love the freedom." I said.
"I just feel like I'm violating the rules. I know they aren't rules here, but I just feel like I shouldn't be outside." He admitted.
"You'll get use to it. In the next month I need to teach you how to cook, rent a boat and take you on the water, and show you around the city. Don't let me forget." I ordered.
"You don't have to do that." He said.
"I want to. Besides, Pyper will like it, too." I said.
"So, what do you plan on doing next?" he asked.
I sighed.
"I plan on taking the elevator two floors up and revisiting a place I once called home." I said.
The phone rang and I almost jumped out of my skin.
"I almost forgot what a phone sounds like!" I admitted.
"I've never used one before." Adam said.
He got up and answered it.
"It was the front desk. They need some verification papers or something signed." He said.
"I'll do it." I said as I got up.
I could tell that Adam was worried.
"Don't worry. I lived here all too long. I know exactly what to do and where to go in case of an emergency. If by chance an Order member runs into the front desk, I know where the emergency shoot is that will send me to the basement. But that isn't going to happen. I'll be fine." I said.
Adam nodded, still a little hesitant.
Author Note: I made two new short stories. Check them out :)
