Stolen Voices ✓

January 21st

"Had I'd known the place wasn't empty, I would have robbed it last night," she snickers, Elias's face shifting from horror to realization. And then they are laughing, an audible pitch the echoes through the low ceiling of this place. One that twists the muscles in your stomach until you gasp for breath, when eye contact sends you rolling to the floor, almost quite literally.

"You never failed to surprise me, that's for sure," Elias beams, his laughter dying down as his eyes catch the infant boy who stands next to Mara, gripping onto her leg. He can't be much older than two, his big green eyes staring up at Elias, his hair curling over his ears. He is smiling, his eyes not holding any ounce of fear towards the stranger.

"And who are you?" Elias crouches down to his level, the little boy moving forwards proudly. He is his mother's personality, with no fear and a wide vocabulary before stepping foot into preschool. Considering his aunts and uncles consisted of Ryn, Cairo, Will, it was no surprise that he was both a genius and a smartass before he could walk.

Mara always worries her kids will have bipolar like her. Or she won't be a fit enough mother, too lost in her own mind. During her entire pregnancy, it never felt real, she'd been very disconnected to her growing stomach. It wasn't until she held him, felt his head against her heartbeat that she realized she wanted it, the everlasting love. His emerald green eyes always look at her with stars in his irises as she kisses his button nose. Feeling his arms wrap around her neck protectively.

"My name, Bo," he cheeks out, the soft honey skin of his cheeks tinted pink. He smells of baby powder. He has a cheeky grin that shows off his crooked teeth, just a step away from Elias.

"Bo?" Elias says, glancing up at Mara, who shakes her head.

"Uh-huh. Like Bodhi," Bo says proudly, his name sounding more like body with his slurred speech. He stumbles back to Mara, his little legs moving fast, tapping her legs so she will lean over. More level with him as he attempts to whisper into her ear, "who that?"

"That's Eli," Mara smiles, glancing up at Elias, who is staring at her oddly, his eyes narrowed as his lips curled up on the sides. He hasn't heard that nickname in a while, she is the only one who ever called him anything other than his name. Even his past girlfriend called him Elias all the time, he hadn't realized he missed the name Eli so much. And the name Bodhi, which he hadn't heard in years when they created the snowman in his yard.

"You make a book?" Bo says, gazing up at him.

"I did write a book, buddy," Elias responds, standing up his knees go weak. Mara does the same, picking Bodhi up, so he is on her hips. His head rests on her shoulder, his soft brown locks tickling her neck as his wide eyes watch. She will never get used to the soft hugs of babies, turning into mush.

"Mama cried," Bo says, "and Auntie Ryn even didn't get mad." His eyes go wide as if that is a marvelous thing. 

Mara had bought the book seeing his name, not realizing it. Halfway through, the words had become so blurred, the pages stained with her tears, that she shoved it away in her desk drawer. Not reading past the day they went bridesmaid dress shopping.

"You're supposed to keep secrets, remember?" Mara squeezes his leg as he recoils away from her, giggling in high pitch. She smiles, glancing over at Elias bashfully, who smirks; crossing his arms over his chest. His biceps bulge as he flexes his muscles, a bit too proud, he has to remind himself.

"You read my book?" Elias says, his smile growing.

"Yes," she seethes, "of course I read your book."

"And his father, did he read it?" Elias asks, pointing towards Bodhi, whose attention is fixated on the books stuffed in the shelf behind him. Reaching out towards it, as Mara keeps a far enough distance, as if he could reach them. He will try though, the kid has no sense of bounds when it comes to giving up.

Mara just shakes her head no, her blonde hair cascading down her back in waves. She doesn't know who Bodhi's dad is, and frankly, doesn't want to know. He isn't in her life, and she is  satisfied with that. Getting a degree, she can support herself and Bodhi, she has enough people around as a family. He is loved by her entire friend group, with Will and Cairo as surrogate dads.

"What about your..." she drawls, cocking her head to the side.

"Nope," he shakes his head, sighing. Most girls don't last long upon realizing Elias has more issues than seen on the surface of his good looks. He still has nightmares every so often and is so guarded that only a few make it past his walls. The longest relationship Elias had ended because she said he was too distant, which in a sense, he was. He'd found out he was coming home, and he would admit that Mara found her way into his mind more than once.

"Are you in town for a while?" She asks, bruising her hands through Bodhi's hair, who falls asleep in her embrace. He is a big kid for his age, his baby weight making her arms go weak, shifting him up on her hip.

"I can work from anywhere, so," he shrugs, "I'm not sure how long I plan on staying here. I know Mom likes having me back around."

"Maybe I'll call you then, see if you want a coffee or something?" She puts it out there, letting him decide, walking back towards the door as Elias follows. The knit backpack hung over her shoulders, stuffed with chapter books for her and children's books for the boy asleep in her arms.

"I'd like that," he smiles, "I'd like that a lot."

"It's a date," she beams, and then she's gone. Only the lingering fragrance of pine as her imprint and the permanent smile etched on his lips. Elias never once realized that she didn't check the book out.

---

Authors Note:

And that's the end. Make sure to read my author's note on the next page for more. 

Thank you all for reading, it means a lot to me.

Once again, thoughts?

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- Nia

Edited 4/14/22