Ch.38 Family Rules

Chapter 38

Birdie knew she needed to speak. She knew the longer she stayed silent, the more worried her parents would grow. She could feel their eyes on her as she sat in the living room chair staring at the teenager before her.

The dark curls that hung on the boy's forehead were painfully familiar. His green eyes were filled with discomfort and worry. He shifted around in his seat as the eerie silence of the room made every little sound boom like thunder.

"Sooo..." the boy wiped his hands on his dark jeans. "Can I go now?"

"Noor," Nora frowned with disapproval.

"What?" Noor said defensively. "She's not saying anything."

"I'm in shock," Birdie spoke up.

"See," Heyder let out a breath. "She's fine."

"She's not fine, baba," Hayden shook his head. "She's obviously overwhelme-"

"You guys are overwhelming her!" Maya spoke up.

"I don't even want to be here!" Noor complained.

"This is all too much," Nora shook her head.

"I'll say," Noor snorted. "It's been six years."

"Stop saying that," Birdie winched, feeling the empty hole in her heart ache.

"It's been 72 months," Noor corrected himself.

"That's even worse," Maya frowned.

"We should have introduced her to them one by one," Hayden shook his head. "She just got home and you guys are throwing her into the mosh pit like it's noth-"

"Rip it off like a bandaid," Heyder shrugged.

"That's not the healthiest way to deal with this," Hayden frowned.

"There is no healthy way to do this," Nora jumped in.

Birdie wanted to throw her hands over her ears as everyone in her family began to speak at once. Their voice were like warm honey running down her wounded heart, soothing her, comforting her.

But she didn't want the pain to go away. She needed the pain to remind her she wasn't dreaming. She needed to remember time had move on while she was trapped away...time she would never get back...

Suddenly, as everyone spoke, trying to be heard over one another, Zuri put down the bowl of strawberries she was eating and let out a shrilling scream from where she sat beside Heyder.

Everyone stilled as they turned to look at the eight year old living doll with her thick dark hair, big round eyes and rosy cheeks. Heyder arched his brow and turned towards his granddaughter slowly.

"Ow?" He said.

Zuri shut her mouth and smiled proudly. She held her head up high as if she had just accomplished something astronomical.

"What was that?" Heyder asked.

"You were all being very loud," Zuri said, turning back to her strawberries. "My ears were hurting."

"So you screamed?" Heyder asked in disbelief.

"It's the most effective way to get someone's attention," Zuri scowled.

"By screaming?" Heyder asked in disbelief again.

"It's a bit much, I agree. But it works every time," the little girl looked up at the jinn through her dark lashes. "You told me to scream if someone does something I don't like and you would come and save me."

"Zuri," Nora's voice hardened. "We spoke about this."

"This was an emergency, mama," Zuri said as if she could not understand why everyone was so stunned.

"You still can't scream for no reason, you psycho," Noor reached over and flicked his sister on the forehead. "You were not in danger. You were not hurt."

"My ears were in danger," Zuri glared. "And my head hurts. I'm overwhelmed."

"Zuri's right," Maya sighed. "We're being very loud and we're overwhelming Birdie."

"I was really just talking about myself," the little girl shrugged. "But I guess Aunty Birdie too."

Birdie stared at the little girl, knowing all too well the signs of jealousy on her innocent face. She watched the way Zuri leaned closer to Heyder and laid her head against his arm to gain his attention. She needed to make sure Paba still loved her. Birdie's heart swelled to see Zuri and baba together.

"Are you okay?" Hayden asked gently as he placed a hand on Birdie's shoulder.

Startled, Birdie jumped to her feet, dropping the pillow she had be holding in her arms.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm fine."

"No more questions for tonight," Maya declared. "We're just going to have dinner and that will be all. We can watch a movie and have a glass of wine and relax."

Noor turned towards Hayden, "Do I have to be here for this? I got a game I wanted to join."

"Noor, you aunt just got back after so long and you don't want to stay for dinner?" Nora furrowed her brows. "I remember you crying your eyes out when she left."

"No, I didn't," Noor snorted as his cheeks blushed heavily and the tips of his ears began to turn red.

Birdie caught sight of the little fey's pointy ears and her heart contracted. She instantly thought of navy blue ears and mischievous smiles. Their memories were like knives twisting in her heart. She shut her eyes and bit down on the inside of her cheeks to keep herself from curling up into a ball in the middle of her parent's living room.

What's wrong? Maya asked instantly through her mind-link.

Birdie opened her eyes, hating the way they watered at the edges. She watched her mother rise from her seat and take a step towards her.

"Baby," Maya said gently, reaching out.

"I..." Birdie took a small step back. "I just want to go to my room. Can we please skip dinner?"

"Ah...a sensible woman," Noor muttered, earning a light smack on the back of his head from his mother.

"Yeah," Maya nodded, her eyes filled with concern and worry. "Of course. Whatever you want. Your room is upstairs."

"I guess she can have my room back," Zuri sighed.

Birdie looked back at the little girl cuddled beside Heyder.

"It's not your room," Nora corrected her daughter. "It was and it will always be Birdie's room."

"You just got to play there," Noor joined in.

"Paba said I could have the room!" Zuri would have stomped her feet if she had been standing. "Right, Paba?"

"My diamond, it's my baby bird's room," Heyder ran a hand through Zuri's hair. "And didn't baba and mama set up that nice little room for you back at your house?"

"But I want to stay here with you Paba," Zuri whined.

"I'll take the guest room," Birdie stepped towards the door. "It's really fine."

"No," Heyder stopped her. "Go up to your room. It's yours."

Birdie's eyes flickered to the little girl beside the jinn. She held no ill will against Zuri. She understood her wholeheartedly. But Birdie did not have the strength to convince the girl that her return would not lessen Heyder's attention towards her. She would still remain the diamond of the family.

"Zuri, we need to talk about your behavior today when we get home," Hayden said with a look of disapproval in his green eyes. "And Noor. You will be sitting with everyone during dinner."

"Why am I getting punished?" Noor shirked. "You guys are so unfair."

"Yes, yes," Hayden rolled his eyes. "I know. We're miserable."

Birdie wanted to drown in the comfort of her family. She stood beside the living room chairs watching them and wishing her heart would slow down just enough to allow her a second of solace. She wanted to cry into her mother's arms and curl up beside her father. But she couldn't bring the words to her lips that they would be asking to know. She couldn't speak about him...

Suddenly, as Birdie stood staring at her family, the back of her neck prickled like needles. She looked over her shoulder, her soul almost crawling out of her body as she spotted Ira standing in their yard.

"Baba..." Birdie called to Heyder.

Maya was the first to turn. The smile slipped from her lips as her eyes landed on the jinn making her way towards the back door.

"Noor," Heyder slowly rose from his seat, a grim look on his face. "Go stand behind your father."

The fifteen year old did not argue as he grabbed his sister's hand and moved to stand behind his parents.

"Hayden, stand behind your mother," Heyder spoke, without taking his eyes off of his mother.

"What?" Hayden looked at the old jinn in confusion. "What for? You think she's going to attack us?"

"Just do as I say," Heyder stepped around Maya and went to stand beside Birdie.

"This is ridiculous," Hayden muttered. "She's outnumbered. She's not going to walk in here and openly attack us."

"Maybe we should leave," Nora felt her skin warm as she tapped into Hayden's magic. She held onto Zuri and Noor's hands tightly as she peeked around from behind Hayden.

"No," Heyder said sternly. "No one is leaving. Not now."

"Heyder," Maya took in a deep breath. "If she comes in here and starts anything, I will not take it lying down. My children and my grandchildren are in here."

"Nothing will happen to them," Heyder assured her. "You trust me, right?"

"Just stay clear of her right hand," Birdie muttered. "She hits with that hand."

"What?" Heyder's head snapped towards Birdie. "How do you know that?"

Before Birdie could answer, the backdoors slide open and Ira walked in, ushering in gust of late autumn air with her.

"Well," she let out a breath that seemed almost disappointed. "Here I am."

"Here you are," Heyder observed. "Why?"

"I wanted to meet my family," Ira's lips pressed into a thin line. "And since they won't come to meet me, I made the trip on my own."

"Now really isn't a good time," Heyder took a step forward. "We were just about to let Birdie have some rest."

"It's just six in the evening," Ira checked her wrist watch. "It's dinner time."

"Yes, but we're not having dinner," Heyder tried to walk his mother to the door.

"Nonsense," Ira waved him off. "Let me make dinner for you all."

"No," Heyder frowned. "Thank you, but no."

"It's very rude to kick your mother out of your house, Heyder," Ira said. "Remember what I taught you. Elder blessings are the tickets to eternal life in heaven."

"I already have a first class ticket to hell so..." Heyder shrugged.

Just then, Noor snorted behind Nora. Heyder's jaw clenched as Ira's eyes turned towards Maya and then Hayden.

The room feel silent. Everyone stared at Ira as her dark eyes slowly took in the sight before her. They watched her mouth twitch with anger and her eyes flicker with rage.

"What is that?" She asked, pointing a longer slender finger towards Noor, who peeked out from behind Nora.

"He's my son," Hayden cut in, his eyes daring Ira to utter another word.

"You," Ira shifted her attention to her grandson. "Ah yes...I've heard about you. The miracle child...wonder boy."

Maya looked at Heyder, her eyes filled with a thousand words she was holding back for his sake.

Heyder cleared his throat, "Now is really not a good time for all this. Birdie needs to rest, we've all had a long day."

"Now is a perfect time for this," Ira smiled, not taking her eyes off of Hayden or his family behind him. "Let's have dinner."

"We already ate," Maya lied, earning a chuckle from Ira.

"I do admire the way your kind can lie, darling," She said. "Heyder? Did you all have dinner yet?"

"This isn't fair," Heyder narrowed his eyes. "You can't use me against my wife."

"I'm just asking a question," Ira shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You not answering answered my question."

The jinn's eyes narrowed as he stared at the woman. He wanted her out of his house and far away from his family. Standing up to his whole court and kingdom was one thing, but having to stand in between his mother and his family made Heyder's bones ache with a restlessness.

"Let's go, children," Ira turned towards the dining room.

Zuri and Noor stared at their parents, waiting for their instructions. The air in the house crackled like burning wood as Ira's shoes click-clacked towards the large table, leaving the rest to stare after her.

They watched her raise her hand and clap twice as the empty table top filled with trays of hot dishes and colorful fruits. The golden pitchers poured red wine into cups as the flowers began to bloom and candles came to life.

"What are we all waiting for?" Ira smiled, turning around. "Let's eat."

No one moved. The eyed each other as the wine glasses settled down on the table and the food was served.

"Heyder," Ira called to the jinn. "Tell your family to come join us."

"All this is very unnecessary right now," Heyder said.

Ira let his words hang in the air for a few seconds before she let out a heavy sigh, "I'm just trying to meet my family. We are all family here."

Everyone still remained frozen. Ira's eyes watched them, her expression unreadable. Her gaze swept over everyone one by one before coming to rest upon Birdie.

"I'm happy you are home now, little bird," she said.

Birdie bit down on her jaw from the pain that shot through her chest from the words. She lifted her eyes to her grandmother and held her breath.

"When you're in Pangea, you never realize just how much things change out here," Ira said, almost to herself as she stared past Birdie.

Maya looked at Heyder who waited for his mother to step away from the table. His patience was running thin as the minutes dragged on.

"The food will get cold," Ira said after a long pause. "I hope you all like what I had prepared."

As Ira began to step away from the table, Birdie stepped forward, "Wait."

All eyes moved towards her as she tucked her long silver hair behind her ears and filled her broken lungs.

"We should have dinner," she announced.

Heyder placed a gentle hand on Birdie's back, "Baby bird....we don't have to do anything."

"No," Birdie shook her head. "We should. Ira...grandma has been in that hell for so many years and now she's finally home....it's the least we can do."

Hayden shifted uncomfortably as he took Nora's hand, "I understand...but I think we should take our leave now. The kids have an early morning tomorrow."

"Hayden," Birdie frowned. "Please...just for today."

A deep brown formed on Hayden's lips as he held Nora's hand. He looked over at Birdie as she opened their mind-link.

I know what it's like there...she said. Trust me, I feel it too. She makes me uncomfortable. But we're all that she has left.

She's going to say something about Noor or Zuri and I'm not going to take that politely, Hayden's jaw tensed.

I get that but we're all here, she's can't hurt them. Her words are nothing new, we've heard them all before from others.

You and I have, Hayden reminded her. But not my kids. I don't want them to think they're different or anything of that sort. They're a part of a world now where everything about them is normal and I am not taking that away from them.

No one is taking anything away from them! Birdie frowned.

You don't get it, Hayden glared. Ira is who Baba used to be...she's not going to hold back just because they are children or because we are family.

"Baba..." Zuri tugged at Hayden's hand, pulling his attention away from his sister.

"Yes, darling," Hayden looked back and placed a warm hand over her's.

"I want to go home," Zuri whispered into her father's ear as she pulled his down.

Her doe green eyes flickered towards Ira as she hid behind Hayden. Her round cheeks scarlett and her brown hair shielding her.

"Hello," Ira smiled catching the little girl's eyes.

Zuri quickly stepped back into her father's shadows.

"We're going to leave," Hayden announced.

Hayden, wait- Birdie tried.

It's okay, little bird, Ira intercepted her mind-link. Let him go.

Stop calling me that! Birdie whirled around and glared at the old jinn. Don't ever call me that!

Hope you like it :)