Branded (21 page)

Yeah, but that didn’t make me feel any better about it.

Chapter Thirty

At least a dozen shirts lay in a heap on my bed. Half as many pairs of slacks had slipped off the edge of the mattress to the floor. I stood in front of the full-length mirror inside my closet door, checking out yet another outfit. For some reason, nothing seemed to hang right on my frame. Every combination of shirt and pants looked positively dorky.

I had never had this problem before.

I always looked good.

But tonight,
good
was not good enough.

Tonight I finally had my second date with Fiona, and I wanted everything to be perfect.

“Forget perfect,” I told my reflection as I turned one way, then the other, my stomach full of flits and flutters. “You can’t even get yourself dressed, for gods’ sake.”

This latest ensemble wasn’t cutting it. I stripped clear down to my boxers to start from scratch.

Before I could yank another shirt off its hanger, I heard the muffled sound of “Strangers in the Night” playing from under the pile of shirts on the bed. My ring tone (on my warranty replaced phone) I had programmed specially for Fiona.

Aw, crap. Something had come up at the nursing home and she would have to cancel. Of course, maybe that wouldn’t be a bad thing, seeing as I was about to run out of viable outfits any moment now.

I dug through the shirts, found my phone, and answered, hoping I didn’t sound too eager or disappointed.

“Sebastian, you have to come to the home.”

My heartbeat quickened. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s your mom. She’s awake.”

I was confused. Mom had been conscious for a while now, two weeks after I had nearly killed her with that potion. This wasn’t news. I made a hesitant sound, unsure what to say.

“Sorry. Of course she’s awake. I mean she’s
lucid
.”

“Lucid?”

“Yes. Lucid. Aware. Coherent.”

Finally my brain made it over the speed bump of denial and I caught on. “She’s awake?”

Fiona laughed. A beautiful sound. “Yes. And she’s asking for you.”

Suddenly, my outfit didn’t mean a thing. I would have thrown on a toga if it were the closest thing. Fortunately, I had a pile of pants and shirts right in front of me instead. I grabbed a random shirt and a random pair of pants, threw them on, and headed out to see Mom.

I was damn lucky I didn’t get a speeding ticket on the way over. I almost tripped over my own feet rushing from the nursing home’s parking lot to the front door.

I went straight to her room. Mom sat in a chair by the window. Fiona stood beside her. They both smiled at me when I hurried in.

That’s right. Mom
smiled
at me. Made direct eye contact with me.

Reached her arms out to me.

“Aw, Mom.” I dashed across the room and into her arms. I squeezed her thin frame as hard as I could without breaking her. She pressed her cheek against mine and I felt her tears. Or were they mine?

Yeah, they were mine.

“I’ve missed you so much.”

She stroked my hair and hushed me. I guess my sobs were getting a little out of control.

I hugged her for a long time before I got my fill. I drew back and looked into her smiling eyes. “You’re here.”

“I didn’t know I was gone,” she said. “The doctor had to explain it to me.”

I touched her cheek. I thought maybe I was dreaming, wanted to make sure she was real. She was.

I gasped as the next obvious thought struck me.

“Mom, do you remember what happened to you?”

Her brow furled. Her mouth turned down. I hated seeing it. I wanted her smiling again. But the question had to be asked. I finally had a chance to set things right, to get justice for whoever had wrecked my family.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I…” She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing tears loose down her cheeks. “I don’t know.” Then she opened her eyes and looked around frantically. “Where’s your father? Why isn’t he here?”

I knelt before her and took her hand. “Mom, Dad’s gone. Something happened to both of you. An accident of some kind. Nobody knows what. But Dad didn’t make it.”

She covered her mouth with a hand.

“You’re sure you don’t remember anything?” I asked.

She slowly shook her head.

“It’s okay,” I said. I kissed the back of her hand. “You’re here. That’s all that matters.”

Fiona rested a hand on my shoulder.

I took a deep and shaky breath. I tried not to let my disappointment blacken an otherwise wonderful moment. Just because she couldn’t remember anything now, didn’t mean it couldn’t come back over time. And even if it didn’t, Sly’s potion had worked after all.

I wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me back. Despite all I’d been through, I had never felt better than right now.

I had my mom back.

~~~~

Make sure to sign up for Rob Cornell’s mailing list to stay up to date on his new releases, and have a chance to get them at special new release prices. Just go here:
http://eepurl.com/viKDf

Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Readers are the lifeblood of an author’s career, and nothing helps an author gain new readers more than word of mouth. If you enjoyed this novel, please let others know by posting a review at your book retailer of choice. Thanks!

Books by Rob Cornell

The Lockman Chronicles

Darker Things (The Lockman Chronicles #1)

Dark Legion (The Lockman Chronicles #2)

Darkest Hour (The Lockman Chronicles #3)

Darkness Returns (The Lockman Chronicles #4)

Darkening Dawn (The Lockman Chronicles #5)

Unturned

Branded (Unturned #1)

Visit Rob Cornell’s website at
robcornellbooks.com

About the Author

Rob Cornell is the author of The Lockman Chronicles, a five-book urban fantasy series featuring ex-government agent and monster hunter, Craig Lockman. He is also the author of
Branded
, the first book in a new series about Detroit sorcerer, Sebastian Light. Raised on a steady diet of Star Wars, He-Man, G.I. Joe, and Transformers, Rob has always spent much of his time wandering the halls of his imagination, conjuring stories. Nowadays, he writes them down like a responsible adult. He lives in rural Southeast Michigan with his family.

Published by Paradox Publications

Copyright © 2016 by Rob Cornell

All rights reserved.

Cover Design by Beth Flumignan

Branded
is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.