A Nightmare's Fate

Warmth of an Embrace

Chapter Twenty-six: Warmth of an Embrace

Stirring the pan of peppers, Johnavine turns his head to Errik who is right next to him. "Raven, can ya please come here and taste this? Tell me if they are good," Johnavine solicits. But before I get up from the kitchen table, Errik puts his hand up to stop me.

            "No. Ray, stay right there."

            "Why?" his father demands, his eyebrows furrowing.

I don't say anything, I just observe their fight.

            "Because if she sucks at cooking, then she can't taste the wonderful food,” he says, sneering while putting his hands on his hips like he's so powerful and mighty.

            Shaking my head, I stick out my tongue. "That doesn't make sense; besides it doesn't matter because I'm going to taste it anyways for dinner." At first, his reaction is the kind when he realizes what stupid comment he made; but then he snickers.

            "Not if I can help it, ye're going to starve." He narrows his eyes down at me.

            I shrug. "Okay. I'll––"

            "Hey! Stop it ya two," Johnavine barks out, and then chuckles quickly afterward. "It's like ye're best of friends or at least siblings; jeeze."

            "Fine; you can have a taste and see what you think, but I swear to God, Raven, ye're not going to help us cook––"

            "Whoa, hold up. You had already taught me how to cook," I snap, feeling like that one day where he taught me was all a waste.

            "I did, but ye're still learning." Rolling my eyes, I get up and make my way to the stove of the sweet aroma of peppers and onions. Getting a small taste of it; it's delicious. I chew it slowly, savoring the flavor. "I take that as thumbs up, right?"

            With a nod, I compliment, "Magnificent swirl of taste and style; it's absolutely wonderful." Moving away, I notice a smile creeping up on his lips.

            "Good to know," Johnavine says with a thumbs up himself.

*~*~*~*~*

The rest of the night is full of happiness and laughs, until I go to bed crying; yearning to be with Kenton once more in these cold sheets that don't belong to me. They don't belong to us, I think. If only everything was as simple as can be, but it isn't. It never will be.

            With a tear trickling down my cheek, I scream into the pillow but only softly; for if it was loud, it would wake everyone up and I don't want that to happen again, especially with Errik bursting into the room with a bat and telling me a story again. But this time, I don't have an excuse since it's not raining today.

            Crawling up into a ball on the bed while sitting up, I bend my head down into my lap and cry like a mere child lost her friend, her favorite toy. To me, I lost my friend, my love and my life; he was everything to me. And now, Kenton is gone like in a blink of an eye he suddenly vanished out of thin air. But how can I get him back? I can't because it's impossible.

            Getting out of bed, I sneak over to the door and open it, hoping the squeaky sound doesn't disturb the sleep. Tip-toeing to the kitchen, I look in all cabinets in hopes to find alcohol. But surprisingly, I don't. This is freaking Ireland! Who doesn't have bottles of rum or liquor lying around in their house? "Shit," I mutter.