Chapter 25: Deva’s Choice

My mother was silent on the ride home.

Once I was settled in my bed, she brought me a tray with soup and crackers. She laid the tray across my lap, then pulled my desk chair alongside my bed. In anticipation of a lecture, I placed my spoon to the side.

“I was terrified today,” she began. “The thought of losing you was more than I could bear.”

“But you didn’t lose me,” I interjected. “Thanks to Justin. I had planned on taking the pill alone, but he insisted on being here for me.”

“You are lucky he was here,” my mother agreed. “But that doesn’t negate the fact that you two acted rashly, so I’m going to insist that you and Justin don’t see each other without a chaperone.”

“I’m legally an adult!” I protested. “I know I made a mistake, but don’t you think I’ve learned my lesson?”

“The two of you think you are ready to engage in adult acts, without taking mature precautions,” my mother continued. “Besides, you just met this man. Don’t you think slowing down a little might be wise?”

Prior to meeting Justin, I would have agreed with her wholeheartedly, but I couldn’t describe the way he made me feel; it was unlike anything I had ever experienced.

“Mom, you don’t understand. It’s as if I were breathing before, but now I’m not just going through the motions, I’m actually~ alive~…” I trailed off, embarrassed by how dramatic I sounded.

I expected her to snicker at my silliness, but she surprised me by saying, “Oh, I understand too well. When I was young, I was smitten with a boy named Ryan. He was handsome, athletic, and charming. I was completely infatuated. He made me feel sexy and passionate…”

“I suspect my grandparents disapproved,” I interrupted her.

“Not at all,” my mother stated. “My parents had arranged the match. He came from a good family, and they were very fond of him.”

“Then why didn’t you marry him?” I posed, unable to hide my intrigue. “If you had married him, you would have had the man of your dreams and you would never have had to cut ties with your parents. No offense, but why did you throw it all away?”

“Because when I met your father, I had an epiphany about Ryan. The only reason I found Ryan so thrilling is because I knew I was risking my heart,” she explained, placing her palm over her chest protectively. “Your father made me feel secure, and I knew he would keep me safe.”

“Justin has come to my rescue twice now,” I put forth. “I don’t think I would be safer with anyone else.”

“Infatuation can put us in distress,” she countered. “Perhaps a little space will help you clear your head and prevent you from putting yourself in harm’s way so often.”

I was about to argue that I was never in any trouble until we moved here, but I resisted, because I was afraid she may decide that we need to move again.

Instead, I said, “I will keep what you said in mind.”

“I can’t expect more,” my mother said, looking pleased as she leaned over and kissed me on my cheek. “Finish your soup,” she ordered. “I’ll come back for the tray later.”

I nodded and obediently began eating. I waited until I heard her footsteps downstairs before I swapped the tray of food for my phone.

I called Justin and apologized for my mother’s behavior towards him at the hospital.

“It’s okay, Dharma. She got the fright of her life today,” he reasoned. “She needed someone to project onto.”

“It was my fault for being so careless,” I persisted. “She should have directed her anger towards me.”

Justin laughed. “It’s hard to be angry with someone who just got released from the hospital. Besides, my feelings weren’t hurt. I may have behaved the same way if I had been in her shoes.”

“But she was still rude, and she’s being unreasonable. She says we can’t see each other without a chaperone.”

Finally, his tone soured. “She can’t be serious!”

“At least she didn’t forbid me from seeing you,” I consoled him. “Besides, I think it will only be temporary. She’ll back off once I regain her trust.”

“I don’t like the idea of your mother hovering over us,” he said. “And what if she is only doing this in hopes of splitting us up?”

“She’s not spiteful…,” I said, coming to her defense, though I had to wonder if he was right. Perhaps her cautionary tale about Ryan had been meant to discourage me from pursuing a relationship with Justin.

“You don’t sound so certain,” he said.

I sighed. “I think everyone is just on edge tonight. Maybe the three of us can talk tomorrow after we all get some rest?”

“Call me as soon as you wake up,” he insisted.

“I will,” I promised. “Have a good night, Justin.”

After we hung up, I lay back in my bed and closed my eyes.

Though I was exhausted, my mind was reeling as it replayed the events of the day, so I quickly gave up on sleep and decided to read instead.

I must have dozed off while I was reading, because something startled me awake, and I found myself in the dark. I assumed my mother had returned after I had dozed off to retrieve my tray and turn off my light.

Feeling lethargic, I rolled over so I could resume resting, but a series of loud thumps made me spring from my bed. “Mom?”

I crept into the hallway, where the light from the pink room fizzled and blinked furiously. I prepared to cross the hall to flip the light switch when another sound erupted from the blue room, causing me to pivot. When I did this, I nearly collided with my mother.

I let out a gasp of surprise and nearly laughed when I saw that I had startled her as well, but something about her expression gave me pause.

“Mom, is everything all right?”

“Dharma, we have to get out of here,” she demanded in a shrill whisper as she grabbed my hand and began pulling me towards the stairs.

Everything felt surreal, and for a moment I was convinced I was dreaming, but as my mother yanked me down the stairs, I stubbed my pinky toe and realized I wasn’t asleep. I yelped in pain, but not even that slowed my mother down.

She paused for only a moment to grab her cell phone off the credenza, and before I could question her, she threw open the door and shoved me outside.

“What is happening?” I cried as we ran across the grass and out onto the street.

My mother only stopped when we had distanced ourselves from the house and stood under a streetlamp with a full view of the street. She finally released me and began tapping on her phone.

“Mom, what is happening?” I pleaded with her. “You are scaring me.”

She ignored my pleas as she spoke to whomever she had just called. “Hello, I am calling to report a home invasion.”