Hunters

nine

“No- get him out. Why don’t you both just leave. Oh, and give me back the adoption papers.”

My supposed father’s eyes flashed dangerously and I felt Nick’s hand tighten on mine. His blue eyes darted down to my face, but I kept my eyes on my father’s- I mean David’s- face. He moved to the side of the bed, his hand resting on my good leg, squeezing it in warning. I glared at him and flinched when his hand tightened painfully on my leg.

“How have you been Willow?”

He wasn’t drunk and the fact that he was still hurting me in a sober state astonished me. The only time he got violent was when he was drinking. I clutched Nick’s hand and looked up at him. His piercing blue eyes were glaring daggers at David.

A woman came in, pulling a cart with her that had food on it. When she turned so that I could see her face, my heart stop beating momentarily. Even with the nurse outfit on, I recognized the woman from my dream. She looked up at met my gaze, dropping the chart in her hands in her shock. Everyone in the room jumped at the clatter of the clipboard on the floor; everyone except the nurse and I.

“Willow?” She breathed, her eyes filling with doubt. Danielle’s and David’s eyes swung over to her, narrowing in confusion.

I nodded, unable to use my voice. My mouth opened as I tried to speak, but my throat became dry and I swallowed. Before I knew it, she had pushed aside Nick and was standing at my bedside, her eyes welling with tears. Her hand shakily reached out towards my face, but then she retracted it.

“Mommy.” My voice cracked and her eyes widened, then she grinned as tears flowed down her cheeks. She perched on my bed and pulled me into her arms, clutching me tightly to her, just like I clutched her to me. My own tears spilled over and she pulled back, her hands framing my face gently, her thumbs brushing away the tears on my face.

“I can’t believe that it’s actually you. But how did you know?”

“My dream. You were just in my dream.” I gripped her hand with mine and looked into her eyes. “It was the day you gave me away. We were in a log cabin somewhere.”

She shook her head in wonder, then looked over her shoulder at my adopted parents. Clearing her throat, she stood and held out a hand to them, introducing herself. David gripped her hand too hard, sending her a warning and I saw her flinch before narrowing her eyes on him.

“Stop it!” I shouted at him and he raised his brows at me. “You can hit me all you want, but you will not hurt her.”

My birth mother gaped at him, her anger rising. I watched as she squeezed his hand back, tighter than he’d squeezed hers and he gasped in pain. David jerked his hand away from her and both he and Danielle glared at me. Nick stiffened and gently pulled Aevery back, his eyes on David the entire time.

“As the right I have of being her birth mother and a nurse of this hospital, I’m telling you to get out and stay away from my Willow.” Her back straightened, giving her a stronger presence in the room. Glaring at me, David took his wife by the arm and they both left.

“Thank you.” I sighed, relaxing into the pillows.

“I can't believe he hit you. I’d kill him if I was allowed to kill humans.” She muttered the last part under her breath, then froze, staring up at Nick. “You... you’re still around?”

“Indeed I am. It’s good to see you again Aevery.”

“Whoa, you know each other?”

“Willow, she’s always been your mother. She’s been around a little longer than I have and has always given birth to you in each new life.”