It's been two weeks since Fang's returned from the hellohole. He could walk around, extend his wings a little bit. I was surprised he wasn't in more pain. He explained to us what they'd done to him, electrocuted him, and I wasn't happy. My next goal was to destroy whoever did this to him. I was sure he was going to survive, but he still wanted me sleeping in his room with him. I was getting more and more worried about my mom's safety.
"Mom? I really think you should go. It's not safe for you here," I said sitting next to Fang as my mom slowly unbandaged Fang's back and wings.
"Yes, Max, I heard you the first fifteen times," she said, smiling at me. "That's why I rented an apartment downtown. I'll teall you where it is, but you are never, ever coming to it. You can't call us, we won't call you, and we'll be here during the day, but when we come, we'll take a secretive route." She put a finger to her mouth and smiled at me. I smiled back, relieved. She bandaged Fang's body up again.
We walked to the living room, where the kids were eating chocolate chip cookies, my favourite food in the whole wide world. Ella was smiling, watching Gazzy imitate her, holding Iggy's hand. She saw me walk into the room and sit down with Fang, and held up her hand to signal Gazzy to stop. "Hey, guys! I was wondering if you two would like to join Iggy and I at my prom. It's in a week, and I want you to join us. Fang would probably be healthy," she smiled at us, somewhat revealing Nudge's Bambi eyes. Was Nudge teaching people how to do that now? Oh, boy.
"Yeah, and, plus, if one of those black things-- Can we call them bullets? Okay, so if a Bullet Bot-- Yeah, Bullet Bot! Oooh, let's call them BBs. Okay. If BBs attack, then I can't fight him alone. I'd at least have to have one person to help. Fang could, like, hide under a table or something," Iggy added, seeming a little hyper.
I looked at Fang, trying to do Nudge's Bambi eyes. Nudge snickered behind me, seeing my failing attempt. "I think it'd be great! Ooooh! I could help Max pick out a dress! That'd be so fun! Can I get a dress, too?" Nudge asked, her eyes widening with every word. That was the most I'd heard her say in weeks. "Oh, and, Max, we could get shoes! I know how much you love shoes!"
My face lit up, and my mom looked at me, smiling. "I think it's a fabulous idea! I could take Iggy and Fang to buy tuxedos." I heard Gazzy snicker behind Mom. "And Ella and Max could just walk downtown. The younger kids can go with whoever they want." Nudge, Angel, and Total raced over to where Ella and I were standing, talking about what we wanted out dresses to look like. Gazzy stayed sitting.
"Gazzy, come with us," Angel said, smiling.
Gazzy face became blank and passive as he said, "Okay, I think I'll go with you."
All eight faces turned to Angel, and she smiled angelically. I sighed and looked Fang, and he didn't look amused. "Ange? Can Max and I talk to ya?" Fang asked, holding out his hand out for Angel to hold. She took it, not smiling anymore. I followed them into my mum's office. Fang closed the door behind us. Okay. All this Angel-doing-what-she-wants-yo-do-withouth-permission stuff was going to end. Right now.