24: Family Issues

DRAKE POV

“I still can’t believe that you haven’t kissed her yet,” Xander fumes. He’s barely talked about anything else since we left Sherwood Forest a couple hours ago, and I’m getting real sick of it.

“Not all of us feel the need to shove our tongues down a babe’s throat at the first meeting, all right? Leave it,” I growl, trying and failing to focus on my game of Skyrim.

“What makes you think he got any interest in havin’ their first kiss in front o’ you?” Callum adds, raising a very valid point.

“That’s exactly it. I want it to be…more private.”

Xander rolls his eyes. “Oh, please. Cut it with all the romantic crap, will you? Fucks’ sake, man, it’s bad enough we all had to watch and listen to your cutesy bullshit with her all afternoon—”

“Not everyone wantin’ the same stuff in relationships,” Callum interjects. “You still enjoyin’ her company, Drake? ’Cuz to me, that’s the most important thing, even if she do seem to have a habit of needin’ to leave kinda suddenly.”

“What are you talking about? That morning in the metro park, it was her alarm for stats, and no one can help when a family emergency comes up,” I defend her.

“That wasn’t the main point, Drake. You enjoyin’ her company?”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like you actually have to ask,” Xander scorns while I fumble for words, remembering how perfectly her body fit against mine while I was correcting her shooting form. My nerves are still flashing fire, hours later, from all the times we touched this afternoon.

“I…I’ve never reacted to anyone like this before. She’s….” I shake my head. The right words don’t exist. “This afternoon was the best time I’ve had since before we left Maine.”

“Bro, if just hanging out with her is that good for you, can you even imagine how good it’ll be once you start getting some action? How is it possible that you haven’t—”

“Xander, can it,” Callum snaps.

“I’m just trying to get him to speed things along—”

“Drake, you play any mo’ of yo’ guessin’ game with her today, before she left?”

“Yeah. I asked about the serpent shifter thing,” I answer, grateful for the change of subject.

“And?”

“That’s not her, either. Which is good. Might’ve been a deal breaker for me, honestly.”

“Didn’t think you were that squeamish about snakes,” Xander jibes. He still hasn’t learned his lesson. Xander’s like a brother to me, but a brother I won’t hesitate to beat the living daylights out of if he keeps saying stupid shit.

“That’s helpful, though,” Callum muses. “Snake shifter and her family situation don’t go together, far as I know.”

“Would make most sense for her to be a lycan, to have family issues like hers.”

“We’re not the only species with close families,” I mutter sourly.

“Right, but that do narrow things down a bit,” Callum points out. “She given you any details on what’s going on?”

“Not really. She hasn’t wanted to talk about it. All I’ve really got to go on is that finances are tight and there’s some issue with her brother. I think there’s a great-aunt involved, somehow.”

“You ain’t texted about it or nothin’, since they left? I got these pictures from Effie a little bit ago, from our time in Sherwood Forest. Says Angel took ’em. Do you want me to forward them to you?”

“Yes, please.” He taps his phone, and then mine buzzes. Four pictures, all high quality, but one of them is me and Nikki, her back to my chest, my hands on hers, guiding her through the motions of a perfect spot. She looks so focused, but her lips are turned up, like she was enjoying the moment as much as I was. Saving that.

“To answer your question,” I continue, “she’s only sent one text since they left, saying they’d made it home and that she was gonna try to figure out what was going on with her mom. That was….” I check my phone. “About an hour ago.”

“Must be quite a crisis, if they still ain’t got things resolved.”

“You sure you wanna get yourself mixed up in that?” Xander asks me.

“Would family issues stop you, if you wanted to bone someone?” I retort irritably.

“Not a chance, but we’ve pretty well established you and me ain’t the same when it comes to relationships.”

My phone buzzes, and any thought I had of responding to him vanishes at the sound.

You have a few minutes for a phone call?—Nikki

“She wants to talk on the phone,” I tell the guys, pausing my game and taking the stairs to my bedroom two at a time. They might be saying something behind me, but all of my focus is on the phone in my hand. Is she all right? Does she want to meet up tonight? Why am I shaking?

My door closes behind me. The phone rings in my ear as I wait for her to pick up.

“Hello?”

Her voice gets me every time. “Hey, Nikki. You said you wanted a call? Are you all right?”

She sighs shakily into the phone. I wish I could hold her. “Yeah. I think so. I just…. I thought it’d be easier to talk, rather than text. I feel like I owe you an explanation—”

“You don’t, though. Really. Family stuff can be messy. I get it.”

“Drake…. That’s really sweet of you, but I feel bad, for leaving so quickly this afternoon when we were having so much fun. Or at least, I was—”

“I was, too. I think that’s the best date I’ve ever been on.”

“I’m glad.” There’s a hint of a smile in her voice. Maybe she’s actually okay? “But…that’s all the more reason I should tell you what’s going on, why I had to leave so suddenly.”

“Only if you want to. You don’t owe me anything.”

A deep, shuddery sigh comes from her end of the phone. She’s not okay. Shit. I wish I could see her. “No, I do…. I have to tell you, because…. I have to go away for a few days. To deal with the… ‘messy family stuff,’ as you put it.”

“Okay?” I don’t love the idea, sure, but that shouldn’t be a problem at this stage in our relationship, if it can even be called that.

Unless…she likes me as much as I like her?

“Um…I don’t know how to…. Fuck it. My brother’s in jail. Again. We don’t even know what he’s been accused of this time, or if he had anything to do with whatever crime they’re investigating, but much as you care about justice, you have to have an idea how scary this is, for my family and me, given that he…looks like me. The so-called justice system is not on our side. And my parents can’t post bail without help. I don’t have that kind of cash—grad school is expensive—but my great aunt has a fair bit of money. She sent them enough to post bail the other night, the last time Timur was arrested, but now he’s back in jail and my mom’s freaking out and my dad’s away on business. I guess Mom tried calling Aunt Talia again and she said her wallet’s run out of ‘pity cash,’ that we’ll have to find another way to help ‘that delinquent brat.’ Mom’s convinced that Aunt Talia likes me best of anyone in our family and that our only hope is for me to go see her in person, even though I can’t afford to miss any classes, so that I can try to sweet-talk her….”

Is she…crying? The idea seems unfathomable. I’d do anything to be able to see her, to try to comfort her in some way.

“Nikki….”

“I just…. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to drag you into my mess. But we’ve seen each other almost every day, since that night at the bar, and I won’t be able to meet up with you while I’m dealing with this….”

“Hey, it’s all right. Really. I mean, I definitely want to see you again. But I can wait a few days. You’ll still be able to text, yeah?”

“…I think so. I hope so.”

“…Can I ask where your aunt lives, that you’re not sure about cell reception?”

“Out west, in the Rockies. I need to check the address again before I head out, but I’m pretty sure she lives in Montana. She’s always liked rugged, remote places. Grew up in Siberia. But that’s not….”

“Wait. How are you getting there?”

“I don’t have a choice but to drive. Last minute airfare is expensive, and it’s not like she has a landing strip in her front yard. I’d have to rent a car, too, and it’s just cheaper, on a grad student budget, to pay the gas and mileage and sleep in my car—”

“You’re driving from Columbus to Montana?!” Is she out of her mind?!

“I don’t have a better option. If Aunt Talia is feeling generous, maybe the return trip will be more pleasant.”

“If you tell me you’re making this trip alone—”

“Not a chance. Angel and Effie wouldn’t hear a word of that. They’re going with me. Please don’t worry about me.”

“The three of you are close.” It’s the only thing I can think of to say that won’t make me seem crazy overprotective.

“Like sisters,” she confirms, sniffing a bit. She was crying. Or maybe still is. Fuck, I wish I could fix it. Maybe I can distract her…?

“Um…. If you don’t want to answer this now, I get it. It might not be the best time for me to ask, but…they’re not…the same as you are.”

“I don’t mind. I’d rather talk about them than my family mess. They’re not the same as me, no, but some bonds are thicker than blood.” A hint of a giggle; I wonder what she’s thinking about, what she’s remembering. “We were sorority sisters in undergrad, which I’m sure sounds trivial, but…they’ve been here for me no matter what since then. More than my real family. Which I know must be strange for you.”

“Not so strange, really. Families are…complicated. Sometimes tricky to navigate. I’ve found life works more smoothly with…chosen companions, rather than the ones you’re born to, at least…in my experience.”

“Did you…choose Xander and Callum?”

“In a manner of speaking. But I’d rather not go into it, right now, when you’ve got so much to deal with.”

“Another time, then. Once I get back.”

“Do you know how long…?”

“Not exactly. A few days. I’ll try to send you updates when I can.”

I hate the uncertainty of that. “Would you want to meet up tonight, before—”

“I can’t. We’re leaving in a few minutes. Just waiting for Angel to finish packing.”

“You’re leaving tonight? It’s already 9 pm—”

“Late night is the best time to drive. There’s less traffic. We’ll make better time this way, and the sooner we leave, the sooner we’ll get back. The fewer classes I miss, the better.”

“I wish I could help with the classes. But I don’t think I could convince anyone I was you, and I barely passed my stats classes in undergrad.”

She laughs a little. “No, don’t try to go to class for me. I appreciate the thought, though. You’re a great guy, Drake.”

She likes me. Somehow, against all odds, she likes me. I feel like I could fly.

“Well. Uh. You’re pretty great yourself, Nikki.” Why can’t I come up with something better to say than that?! “Is there anything I can do, to help with your…situation?”

“I don’t think so. But thank you. I—”

Her voice is cut off by a clattering and some rustling. My heart is in my throat. “Nikki? Nikki, are you there?” Indistinct voices. More rustling. “Nikki?”

The noise abruptly stops, and then there’s a bit more clattering. What the fuck is— “Hi. I’m so sorry. I dropped the phone.”

Instant wave of relief. “Oh. Good. Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Effie just startled me. But I have to go now. It’s time.”

“All right. Um…drive safe. And…text me, if you can. Please.”

“I will.”

Click.

With that, even her voice is gone and I’m left sitting alone, staring blankly at the phone in my hand with more questions and worries about her than I had before I called her. I have a desperate, crazy urge to try to find her and go with her to Montana, but I don’t know where she lives or what her car looks like or anything.

I guess I’m stuck, waiting, until she gets back.