“Are you home?”
“No, I’m out with Rae. We’ll be home soon.”
“How soon?”
“What the fuck is going on, Xander? You sound weird.”
I’m sweating now. It’s like a sixth sense has come over me that something bad has happened or is going to happen, and I’m powerless to stop it.
“Thea called me when I was leaving practice and she said your dad was parked out front. I have a bad feeling about this.”
Cade grows silent on the other end. “Shit,” he breathes out after a moment. “I’ll be home as soon as I can, but I don’t think I’ll be there for at least thirty minutes.”
“Fuck,” I curse. “I’ll be there before you. Hopefully, I’m freaking out for no reason.”
But my gut says I’m not.
“Drive faster,?
? Cade says and hangs up.
His parting words are enough to tell me he doesn’t think I’m crazy.
I just have to hope I can get there in time.
“Sorry, Prue, but you’re going to have to wait until Daddy gets home to go for your walk. He might be tired, but I’m not going out there with that psycho sitting in his car.”
I peer out the window for the hundredth time and sure enough my dad’s car is still parked by the curb right by our mailbox. I called the cops, but they were extremely unhelpful and said that as long as he was parked there and not disturbing anything then they couldn’t help me. If that isn’t insane then I don’t know what is.
My mom’s footsteps sound on the steps behind me, and I immediately turn away from the window. Too late, though.
“What were you looking at?” she asks, trying to see behind me and out the window.
She looks better than she has in a long time. Her hair is fuller and bouncy, her face isn’t so sallow, and her eyes have a brightness in them now. She looks happy.
“Nothing,” I say quickly. She gives me a look, so I quickly lie. “The woman across the street is watering her plants.”
Apparently, this explanation still isn’t good enough, because she pushes around me and moves the curtain to peer out. She immediately hisses and rears back like she’s been burned.
“What’s he doing here?” she seethes. “Why can’t he leave me alone?”
I snort. “Probably because he likes control and he’s lost all of it, so he’s trying to gain it back.”
She lifts her chin defiantly. “I’m going to talk to him.”
“No, Mom, please don’t.” I grab her arm, but she shakes out of my hold. “He’s not worth it.”
“I want him to sign the damn papers so I can be done with this.” She makes a cutting motion through the air with her arms
“That’s probably why he’s here. I’m sure getting those didn’t go over well.”
“He needs to let this go.” She reaches for the door.
“Mom,” I plead again. “Don’t.”
She doesn’t listen, and I let out an exasperated breath.
I step out on the front steps and watch her head to his car. When he sees her, he steps out and stalks forward, looming above her. I always thought he used his height to his advantage in trying to make us feel afraid. It’s funny, because Xander’s tall, but he’s never made me feel anything but protected.