Splinters: Part One

Part One | 47

I ran upstairs to my bedroom, not wanting to wait to hear the conversation. I called Collie when I entered my room, hoping she'd answer quicker than usual. Of course, she didn't, but she answered around the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hey. What's up?"

"What if I asked you if you wanted to meet my mom?"

I could imagine the two small creases appear on her forehead as her face fell in confusion. "Your mom?"

"My real mom."

"Meet her? As in, the one who... left?"

I could tell she tried to be careful with her words. I smiled. "The one and only."

"Wow, um... Yeah. Where?"

"She's at the Bedford Facility in New York a couple hours away."

"Um, yeah! Yeah, definitely! Should I dress nice?"

"My mom's in a jumpsuit, Col," I laughed. "The last thing you need to do is dress nice."

"I want to make a good impression."

I laughed. "I'll be over in ten."

Just as I hung up the phone, Ursa passed my bedroom door. I glanced at her and did a double take when I realized she, too, was leaving.

"Ursa!" I called, jogging out of my room to meet her at the stairs.

She turned, pulling out her phone and looking at it for a short moment. "Where are you going?"

She gave me a weird look. "I can ask you the same thing."

I smirked. "I asked you first."

She sighed. "Andrew's going to pick me up in a bit."

Even though I gave them my blessing or whatever, a small pang of jealousy still went through me at her words.

"Oh."

"Where are you going?"

"Collie's gonna meet my mom."

Ursa's eyes widened as she put her hand on the rail. "Your mom? Like, your actual mom?"

I nodded.

"Wow. She's not even family and she gets to meet your mom first," she pouted, and then shook her head. "Are you allowed to take people with you? And without my mom?"

I shrugged. "I guess so. Melissa said she'll call the facility to let them know she isn't coming with us, but that I'm bringing her instead."

"Her as in Collie."

"Yeah."

We fell into silence for a short minute. Ursanne glanced at her feet. "Brayden," she began. "Thank you."

I jerked my head toward her. "For what?"

"You know," she kicked the floor, swaying slightly. "Accepting me and Andrew."

"Ursa-"

"I was being hypocritical, but it was because you didn't let me explain. When I realized Andrew told Zech about you-"

"I know," I nodded. "He told me that you tried to stay away from him."

"Y-yeah." She looked away for a second. "But anyways, yeah. Thank you. I know I was really harsh on you and Collie, but... We talked when you and Andrew took out the trash and I guess she really has changed."