Syl approached me first, her hands carrying two gigantic shopping bags from who knew where. I didn't think that Seattle had any fine department stores. I mean, from what I had seen, the pulse had basically wiped everything out.
"What are you doing here?" she asked me. "I thought you were on a date."
"I was," I countered. "But, Mom decided to escape from her place and now I'm on a 'mom-hunt'."
Krit stepped forward, having overheard my conversation with Syl. "Sorry, Alanza. We haven't seen her."
"Well, it's not Syl I'm worried about. It'd be you guys."
Krit looked confused for a moment, then it registered. He nodded curtly, understanding what I was getting at, but didn't say anything more.
That's when Dad came up to me. He looked slightly angry, but like I've said before, he didn't intimidate me in the least.
"'Lanza, what are you doing here?"
"Looking for the nearest female in heat. Seen any lately?" I asked him wryly.
"I haven't seen Max, if that's what you mean."
"'If that's what I mean'," I laughed. "You know what I mean, Dad. So, don't try to weasel around it."
"I wasn't," he bit.
"We haven't seen her," Syl said to me. "Do you think she could've gone home?"
"Possibly, but I'm not putting too much faith into that." I sighed heavily and ran my right hand through my hair because it was most likely mussed and frizzy from being inside my helmet. "As long as she's not with these two," I told her, nodding my head in Dad's and Krit's direction, "we should be ok."
"Why these two?"
"Two X5s together equals something like me. And, I'm not looking forward to having any little half siblings any time soon."
"I see," Syl replied, chewing on the corner of her lip where the fire hadn't scarred it. She paused, then handed one of the bags to me. "Look, we all went shopping and there's some new clothes for you and Max 'cause I heard that you two just arrived in Seattle. I know it's not a lot, but hopefully, it'll help make up for the stuff you had to leave behind in California."
Before answering her, I glanced back over to Dad, knowing that he had told them what Mom and I had been up to. Like always, he didn't make eye contact with me, and I just hoped that he didn't tell too much.
"Thanks," I smiled. "I'll be sure to get these home right away."
"Well, if you can't get them on your bike, then I can come over later."
"I should be ok." Seeing that she held another bag, I asked, "What's in the other one?"
"Clothes for Zack," Krit replied with a mischievous grin.
"How did you…?" I began.
"Long story," Dad grumbled.
I smiled approvingly. "I'm glad to see you finally will ditch the leather jacket ruffian look," I told Dad.
"Did I say that? They may have gotten the clothes, but who said that I was going to wear them?"
"You're way too stubborn."
"I try."
For the first time, I saw Dad laugh slightly, along with Krit and Syl. It was weird, actually to know what they really were and what they had been through, and watching them laugh. They had lived a life that I could only visit in my nightmares. A life of containment cells and guns in their faces. A life without questions, but full of fears. A life where the weak fall and the strong survive.
"Look," Syl told me, slowing the giggles, "Let me ride home with you. I don't want you getting into any accidents with that bag."
"I won't."
"No," she protested, acting like a typical mother. "I'll get on the back and hang onto the bag."
"You ever ridden a motorcycle?" I asked her.
"'Lanza," Dad began. "Just because she's ridden a motorcycle doesn't mean that she can handle your driving."
"Thanks," I replied sarcastically.
Syl patted Dad's shoulder reassuringly before swinging a leg over the motorcycle as I inched my way forward on the seat so that she could have some more room. "I'll be ok, Zack. I'm pretty sure your daughter can drive better than you."
"Ooohhh!" Krit exclaimed and elbowed Dad, laughing as he did so. "What an insult!"
Dad just rolled his eyes and crossed him arms, a wry smile planted on his face.
"Let's get going, girl," Syl said to me as I handed her my helmet. Better for me to smash my head open than her.
I pulled away from the curb, waving curtly to Dad and Krit. "You think they'll be ok by themselves?"
Syl laughed as the wind whipped through her golden curls. "Is that a rhetorical question?"
