Extra Credit | Complete

15

"Which one is your house?" I asked, hoping the little girl could guide me.

The quicker I could get her home, the faster I could get out of this neighbourhood.

Sadie pointed to the only house with the light still on by the front door. Checking both ways, I lead her across the road and up the flight of porch steps. The house itself looked like it had seen better days. The concrete slab steps were cracked and chipped. The black wrought iron railings were peeling and beginning to rust. Once upon a time this building would have been beautiful. The red brick and the black embellishments were a nice contrast.

Not wanting to ring the doorbell, I rapped on the door. A few long moments passed before I considered knocking again. It was nearing 11:00pm and most sane people would have been settled in bed by now (or at least I would be). I raised my hand again when the lock on the door clicked open.

It creaked open a sliver, just enough for the person inside to see Sadie and I standing on the dark stoop. It shut again and then I heard a chain rattle.

A woman, who I assumed to be Lincoln's mother, appeared once the door flung open. She had a fuzzy blue robe wrapped around her body and her blonde hair piled high in a messy bun. Her face appeared sunken in and there were dark circles under her eyes.

I had definitely woken her up.

"Hi," I said, giving my free hand an awkward wave. I hoped that Lincoln had told her I was coming. "I'm Calista, a friend of Lincoln's. I'm here to drop off Sadie."

The woman stood in the doorway, towering over me as she regarded me with her cool blue eyes. I assumed she was Lincoln's mom. However, she was the spitting image of Sadie—golden tresses, large aquamarine eyes, delicate porcelain skin—but where Sadie still clung to the warmth of childhood, this woman did not.

"And where is Lincoln?" She had a sharp edge to her tone that cut through my already frayed nerves.

The question caught me off guard. "Uh—" I sputtered. "I don't really know. I think his match might have been postponed or something... he didn't say."

Lincoln's mom continued to pin me with her gaze. The hard stare insinuated she was not pleased—not pleased with her college-aged son being out all hours of the night, or a complete stranger showing up at her door, I was unsure.

Sadie unravelled her hand from mine and stepped into the house. She wrapped her willowy arms around the woman's leg while peering up at her.

That sweet look from Sadie's beautiful big eyes was all that was needed to melt the woman standing in front of me. Her expression softened, her shoulders sagging with exhaustion.

"Thank you for bringing her home," she said after a long moment. "Can I offer you tea or coffee?"

"No, it's okay, really." I offered her a kind smile.

"Please, come in and allow me to get you something warm. It's the least I can do to thank you for coming all the way out here."

When she stepped aside to allow me space to enter, I hesitated. All I cared to do was get back to my dorm room and into a pair of pyjamas, but I didn't want to be rude.

Without a word I stepped inside. The foyer was a short hallway that led to a flight of stairs. It was cramped and definitely didn't have enough space for the two and a half people standing there at that moment. I shuffled around on the welcome mat, trying to avoid stepping on stray shoes, as Lincoln's mom closed the door.

"I'm just going to put her to bed," she said with Sadie on her hip. "Make yourself at home." Lincoln's mom gestured to the kitchen before disappearing up the stairs.