Chapter 19: Adiantum
"There are some things we should talk about dad," I replied as I stiffened my back straight.
"What do we need to talk about?," He replied.
I couldn't help but acknowledge that this was not going to end well. If Elias taught me right at situations like this it should go fine. But I had the feeling it wouldn't all that well. Elias came in as he stared at me in the face. He was still pissed off for me leaving him.
"Where the hell were you Elias?. You were gone for hours," I explained.
"I know. I needed a break. Also I do have work," He jolted back.
"Okay but you dad I'm not finished. And I'm going to say it like it is. You cannot keep arguing at me and mom. I'm sick and tired of it and you can't keep arguing over little situations. I want you to be settle with me and mom. Can you please show just a little more respect around the house. And stop going after the drugs down in Marblemount. I already caught you twice. You promised me." I explained at him.
He got up off the couch to stand up.
"I'm sorry hun.. I'll try better," He gazes towards mom. Then Elias.
Thankfully Elias was here or he may have stormed up a mess. I whispered my way over to Elias and walked over by him to give him a hug. He let go to look at me in the eyes.
"Are you okay?," He asked.
"I guess so." I replied back.
"I'm going with mom down to Marblemount. Do you want to come Eli?," I asked hesitantly.
"No I'll be fine. You get some time with your mom. I have to work on a few things." He replied.
I smiled and kissed his cheek.
"And I have to speak to you later. So don't go anywhere for awhile. Or be back by tonight," I explained.
He gazed his long stare at me and so did I back. He stared back as if he was in trouble or something. Or as if he was preparing for the worse. I turned around to walk out with my mother. The rain started to stop and it was just starting to clear up.
"Did you want to talk to me Kaylen?" My mother asked.
"Haha nah your good. Just been a stressful past couple of weeks," I explained as we got into the car.
My mother laughed as she tripped he way over to the her side of the car.
"You know. If there is anything and I mean anything. I'm always here if you need me sweetheart." She grinned as we got in the car.
I thought about that on the drive down. If there was something I need and I knew there was. But it was just something I wasn't able to talk about. I knew that I had to finish up college next semester I was eighteen and needed a job. Then I had to move out. But I wasn't sure where I would. Maybe I would move in with Elias. No I can't move in with him?. It wouldn't work out besides he's like six years older than me.
"Okay. well I do need to talk about college." I laughed out.
"Yes we do," My mother laughed back.
"I'm just not sure about where I will go after it. I could go back to Arizona or live here. I don't want to leave you with dad alone if it's not what you want." I explained.
"Sweetheart me and your dad are just fine. Josh is thinking about heading over to Montana with Mackenzie."
"Who's Mackenzie?. I didn't realize he was leaving. When is he planning?" I asked.
"I'm not sure. In the next year or two. He's been talking about for a while. You don't know Mackenzie?. I thought Josh would have told you." She explained as we drove down the road.
"Mother... No one tells me anything in this family." I laughed.
She smiled back as we made our way to town. The sun finally cleared up for a sunny day. I was so happy I was able to spend quality time with my mother. It has been what I needed for awhile now.
We finally made it to Marblemount. The day was humid and wet. I wasn't one hundred percent positive about tonight. I knew I had to talk about things with Elias. But I had mixed feelings doing so. We walked in a small store to pick up some things.
"I could use a coffee mom. Do you want to go and get some with me after this?," I explained.
"Sure but I prefer chocolate." She laughed.
"Haha. Yeah I figured lol" I explained.
"Did you really just say LOL out loud?," She laughed again.
"Yeah I did!," I smiled and laughed back.
She gazed over toward the pharmacy.
"I need some things. We don't have pain killers at home," She explained.
"What's hurting?," I asked.
"Oh. My back and all," My mother jolted.
"Is that all?," I explained.
"What do you mean?," She replied back.
"Well the doctor said your problems were increasing. But you seem better and fine. There's nothing else going on. I mean if it's just your back that's good right?. Or is there something else?," I explained.
"No. for the most part I'm fine. It's just the rain here that's making me a bit dreary." She explained.
"If you need to take a break. I could help around. I want to help you mama," I hugged her softly.
"It's not that. It's just. I need to just get up and walk a bit more haha. It's important for me to move around and exercise." She replied.
"Mom.. you just got back from North Carolina?. You've been up doing a lot," I explained.
"I'll be fine Kaylen,"
I took in a deep breath and walked over to get a drink. Coffee sounded great. But maybe I shouldn't take it. No I need the caffeine. I thought.
"You a new face?," a guy asked as he walked over to me.
"Oh shit I guess so. Is that bad?," I replied as I gazed up at the talk man ahead of me.
"Oh no?. I just haven't seen you around," He replied.
"Oh. Yeah I'm new. I'm from Arizona," I replied.
"That's cool. Hot days down there. What made up come up here?,"
"I moved... to visit with my mother," I replied.
"Ariana?," he asked.
"Yeah... that would be her," I choked out and laughed.
"What's so funny?," He asked smiling back.
"Nothing. It's just nothing," I laughed.
"Okay. Well if I was being a bit mysterious and awkward around new strangers. I would go for the coffee. Might wake you up a bit," he explained as he looked at the coffee.
"Oh well I'm actually... I'm getting coffee," I laughed.
"So do you wanna hang out some time. I know bad timing and I just met you. But you seem nice," He explained.
Shit!. I haven't even said my name yet. What's his?. No, no, no I can't. Elias would kill me.
"I'll go. I mean I won't go. I mean I can't go?" I laughed.
"Oh boyfriend?," He replied back.
"Yes." I said.
"That's okay. Maybe I'll see you around though new girl," he smiled as he walked over back to the front desk.
I rolled my eyes. That had to be the most awkward situation I have ever been in.
"I'm leaving mom." I explained.
"Hold up let me pay. Did you get your coffee?," she yelled back.
"Don't need one. Just need to get to the car," I said as I jogged my way out of the store.
Was he looking back at me?. I was so stupid. I don't even know his name and he's already hitting on me. I don't know if I should be creeped out at all. I thought as I walked over to the car.
My phone rang. It was Elias and I wasn't sure if I should answer it or not. I needed time with my mother. And I could almost guarantee he was calling because of earlier. Maybe keeping him waiting was a good thing. I was thinking about the stale room Elias had in Seattle. He never would let me in. It's the billion dollar room that had my mind boggling since I first met him. But it's what I needed to talk to Elias about. I wanted to know who's it was and what it was for. And if I was going to to keep this relationship I would need to see the inside and see for myself what it's capable of. I knew it was a pool room. He had of several of these but I had a feeling it wasn't intended for swimming. It must have been for his inhuman sadistic acts.
"Hey you!. You okay?," my mother asked as she forwarded her way in the car.
"Yeah I'm fine. Just a bit confused that's all. I mean I had been. I mean I saw a guy and just had to get outta there you know," I laughed.
"Oh! Haha I get it?. So?.. was he cute?," she asked back.
"You know I don't really know. He gave me a bit creepy vibe so.. I kind of just stormed out," I explained.
"Oh I see," she eyed at me.
We finally made it back home. Elias was sitting on the couch. He sat there just patiently waiting. He must have been super curious about what I've been wanting to talk about.
"Where's my dad?," I explained.
"He left up north," He replied.
Oh shit maybe I hurled him off?. I thought for a second.
"Do you know why?" I asked.
"No he never said," he replied as my mother made her way inside.
"I'll give you to some space," my mother explained as she walked up toward the stairs.
"What did you want to talk about?," he asked.
"These violent acts have gone wild on me Elias. I'm so confused and I don't understand them. I'm still young and I just started learning the world a bit more. I'm not setting back in this one. If you want to make this work. I need you to speak up," I explained forwarding him now.
"What do you want me to say Kaylen?." He asked.
"I want you to let me in. I want you to talk to me about these things. I've done my part. Ow you need to do yours. And you can start by explaining and showing me the pool room in Seattle," I asked.
He sat back heavily on the couch. He seemed confused as if he didn't know what to say or how to say it.
"The stale room?," he asked.
"Yes. That one," I replied back.
"First of Kaylen. I have several rooms in Seattle and Vancouver B.C. I even have rooms in Paris and they all are part of violent games," he replied.
There's one example how he could scare me off.
"How?. How do you have so much money. How many other people have been in your life. You've obviously had experience before," I explained.
"They weren't my rooms at first. They were my aunts. She is rich and it was given to me as a gift before she died. I haven't had much experience in most of the rooms. I have had six other girls cross my line before." He explained back.
"Where are those girls now?." I gulped.
"One of them is in Paris. And the other five are.. there in prison," He explained.
"Prison?. Why?" I was shocked to here.
"They weren't exactly like you. You think it's all about how people are. Those other five woman were either dark and sadistic. Or they have always been a player," he explained.
"You mean gang girls. Scanks?" I grinned.
He rolled his eyes.
"Were the always like that?. Or did you?.." I explained.
"I did turn some of them. They did turn out to be dark," he explained.
"You won't turn me into one of those. That's not your plan here is it?," I explained trying to keep my focus straight.
"It never is. That plays your part," he explained.
I finally understood what he meant. Those woman may have turned into sadists because they have gone through the acts. I knew what this meant. It mean it was my play. And I knew that I had lots of thinking to do. And lots to learn if I wanted to keep this relationship.
"Show me the Stale room. I want you to take me there and show me what it's like to experience your life."
I explained.
He took back as if he wasn't in for it. But he knew I wouldn't back out. He had no choice. If he wanted me he would do just that.
He took a deep breath and gave me a hug for the first time by himself. There was no going back now.