Bloom (ARBAON #2)

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Song: Chosen Family by Rina Sawayama
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The days turned over, blending and blurring into one another in a mess of paintings, tattoos, and appointments with Ky. My magic levels were jumping more in the past few weeks than they had in the past several months. It was beginning to worry me and it was definitely worrying Ky. I felt like I was losing control of my body.

The only new thing that had come into my life recently was my relationship with Ira and the sudden memories and snippets of my childhood. But, I didn't see how those two things could make me start to lose more control over my body. It made me feel pathetic that I couldn't just keep it together somehow. Every session Ky tried to assure me that things should go back to normal, but they weren't. Not even a little bit. It wasn't as bad as it had been back when I needed my magic plasma to be drained and my magic fevers would cripple me but I was starting to feel unstable.

Ky seemed to be able to tell I was a little down about it all and he ended up inviting me to thanksgiving with his family. At first I thought he was joking, but he'd texted me his address and when to show up at their house and I realized I wouldn't have to spend the holiday  alone, waiting for Ira to call me and playing catch the laser with Sol. And thinking about things I shouldn't be thinking about...

The day of the dinner I got out of the Uber and had to triple check the address before realizing it really was their house. It was the part of town that made me feel poor even though I was now fairly comfortable. There were only two houses in the cul de sac and the Nguyen-Song-Diaz household was on the western portion. To say it was big would be an understatement. I knew for a fact there were only five people in their household and it seemed like a gross misuse of space. The house was three storeys tall and was all dark brick, mortar and sleek chrome lines. It looked new in that just built look new houses had going for them.  There was a double garage  and I saw a few bicycles laying haphazardly on the driveway not too far from the manicured lawn and fruitful garden that sprawled across the greenery.

I looked down at my outfit: some dressy slacks and a button-down long sleeve shirt that felt a little baggy. I'd lost almost ten pounds from my recent magic fevers and it was starting to show. Fuck, I should've shined my shoes, I thought, before walking towards the doorway. Last minute I had decided to buy a watermelon as some kind of housewarming gift, but I wasn't even sure if that would be appropriate. I just felt like I had to show my thanks for being included in something as big of a deal as thanksgiving.

I walked down the neatly cobbled walkway that lead to their door and took a big breath before pressing the doorbell. Several seconds passed before I heard the door unlock and Ky materialized in the doorway.

"Oh, you dressed up," Ky said after opening the door to his house. He was dressed in joggers and a thin t-shirt, his hair up in the world's smallest pony-tail. He had the usual stubble lining his jaw and his tone was somehow even more casual at home.

I hovered awkwardly on Ky's doorstep, feeling awkward and shy. He was my therapist and coming over would solidify this budding relationship between us. I still hadn't told him about the memory I'd had about myself as a child meeting a man that looked an awful lot like him. Not about how it made me feel, and I definitely hadn't asked if he remembered me or someone like me from his past.

Presently, I thrusted out the watermelon towards Ky. "Uh," I started, "thanks for having me over. It means a lot."

Ky gave me a rare, broad smile. It was kind of blinding. "Mi casa e su casa. It's really not a big deal, Derrick. I'm glad you came. We haven't had a guest over for thanksgiving in who knows how long."

A small girl came into the doorway and wrapped herself around Ky's leg. "Ba, Minh and me want you to come back and play with us." She was jostling with energy, looking inquisitively at me before looking back at her father.