The Story of Scömìche Part 3 (Completed)

Chapter 17

As much as I know I am going to miss North Carolina, I know that I am even more excited to go back home. Too much happened while we were gone to enjoy it enough. Avi and Kirstie drop me and Mitch off at our house and I see tears line his eyes at the sight of it.

"Welcome home, babe." I say, reaching back to grab his hand. After we get all of our stuff into the house, we lay on the couch with him enfolded in my arms.

"I missed it so much. I thought I would never be here again. I thought I would never see Wyatt again." he says. "I mean, I haven't seen him yet, because he's not here, but still."

"When do you want to go see my family?"

"As soon as possible."

"Do you want me to call and see if we can go now?"

"Yes, please."

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Ten minutes later, Mitch and I are sitting in the car in my parents' driveway, surrounded by other cars.

"Ready?" I ask, mentally preparing myself to face the mass that is my family.

"Hang on." I turn to look at him and he takes the opportunity to kiss me. A second later, I hear a loud squeal and break away to see my sister running toward the car at full speed in five-inch heels. Mitch's eyes widen and he jumps out of the car to hug her. I smile at the sight and get out to join them.

"Hey, baby brother." Stephanie says once she releases Mitch. "Mom has been talking nonstop about how excited she was to see both of you, especially together." Mitch slips his hand into mine, earning us a grin from Stephanie as she leads us into the packed house. As soon as we receive the first set of joyous greetings from several of my aunts who are gathered near the door, Mitch breaks down in tears.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"I don't know if I've been this happy to see so many people at once as I am right now."

"Mitch?" I hear from the door. We both look over and see Mike. Mitch immediately runs over to his dad and hugs him so tightly I worry that Mike will break. They are both crying, and the sight nearly brings tears to my eyes, too. I am distracted from them, though, when Stephanie's husband, my brother-in-law, Jackson, walks over and starts talking to me.

"So, you two are together?" he asks.

"Yep."

"Good. I'm happy for you. You know, since the first time I saw you guys together, when you were twelve, I had a feeling. It was just a hunch, but I knew that this would happen."

"So, basically you're psycic?" I say jokingly.

"Yes, that's what you should take from that. Has Steph told you the big news yet?" I knit my eyebrows together in confusion.

"There's big news?" He grins.

"Just wait. I guess you'll find out when everyone else does."

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After being tackled and greeted by all of my cousins, Mitch and I proceed to the living room, where my parents are. My mom starts sobbing when she sees Mitch and runs over to him. They quickly get lost in conversation while my dad talks to me.

"What happened with him? He looks terrible." he says quietly, pulling me aside.

"It's a...long story that I'm not comfortable with sharing without his permission." I glance over and see him wince as my mom hugs him.

"Is he hurt?"

"Yeah."

"Can you at least tell me where he was?"

"He was kidnapped and taken to Miami." My dad's eyes widen and I say, "That's all I'm telling you right now." He nods.

"Okay, that's fine. Uh, are you two staying for a while?"

"Mitch wants to, so yes." Mitch walks over to us and puts his arms around my waist, which my dad takes as a cue to leave.

"Will you kiss me?" Mitch whispers, moving in front of me. I answer his question by pressing my lips against his. "I guess that was a yes." he giggles.

"Are you happy?" I ask, leaning my forehead against his while my arms wrap around his back.

"Extremely."

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After everyone but Stephanie, me, Mitch, and Jackson has cleared out, we decide to play cards. My parents leave to search the basement for a deck of cards and Stephanie says, "Before they come back, I have to tell you something."

"Okay...?" I say skeptically.

"I'm pregnant. Due in February. We think it's gonna be a girl, but we're not sure, and if it's a boy, we're naming him Scott after you, or Richard after Dad."

"You're pregnant?" I ask, wanting to shout it out. She nods excitedly. "That's great! I'm so happy for you."

"Don't tell Mom or Dad. I'm telling them next week." She leans back in her chair and sips some coffee.

"Scott, can you help us look?" my mom calls from the basement.

"Be right back." I come back twenty minutes later with my parents trailing behind me and several card games as well as a regular deck in my hands. I notice that Mitch is gone from the table.

"Where's Mitch?"

"I-I asked him where he disappeared to and he, like, had a panic attack. He's upstairs, I think in the bathroom. I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Stephanie starts rambling, but I cut her off by walking away. I go upstairs to find Mitch hunched over the toilet in the bathroom, holding his stomach tightly.

"Mitchie..." He looks up and I see that his eyes are bloodshot. "We'll get through this together, I promise." I sit next to him and hold him while he continues throwing up into the toilet. We continue like this for about ten more minutes before he finally wipes off his face and moves back.

"My back hurts." he says quietly, his voice scratchy as I fill a paper cup with water and hand it to him. He downs it quickly. "W-will you see if it got worse?" I nod and lift the back of his shirt tentatively. The bruises that I saw before are now darker and more discolored than before. "It's not just the skin. My spine hurts." he says, leaning against me when I sit down again.

"What did they do that would make your spine hurt?"

"They kinda threw me around a lot, and they had me against a pole, so, uh..." He nods. "Yeah. Probably that."

"Do you want to go home?"

"No. I'm fine. Let's go back downstairs."

"Sure?"

"Positive." With me help, he gets back to his feet and we go back down to where my parents and sister are waiting.

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