exit. “If you think they’ll be okay with it, you can tell them the truth.”
“I don’t know the truth.”
He glanced at her briefly, his black sunglasses shielding his eyes. “You know I’m related to Fae royalty. That’s usually enough to make people happy.”
“Maybe as one of your lame pick-up lines,” she grumbled. “My mom isn’t so easy to fool. She hates anything that’s different. She certainly hated me.”
“
“What else would you call it?”
“Fear? Worry? Love? Some people find it difficult to express their true feelings for those they love.”
She glared at him. “Is that a dig at me?”
“I thought we were talking about your mother.”
“So did I.”
“Well, let’s see how it goes. Maybe she’ll be so pleased to hear you’re going to survive that she won’t give a damn about me.”
“Humph. I hate it when you’re being nice.” She subsided into her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn’t sure what worried her most, telling her mom about her escape from madness or about her relationship with Vadim. If only they could avoid the party entirely...
“Ella!”
Her mom opened the door, and Ella submitted meekly to an awkward perfumed embrace. Her mom’s blond hair was short and spiky, her makeup perfect, and her velvet pantsuit emphasized her lean, well-exercised body. She always made Ella feel like such a frump. The house smelled of her mom’s overpowering floral scent. It always had. Apart from the addition of a pool, the sprawling ranch house in the neat subdivision of Walnut Creek her parents had bought in the eighties to house their growing family remained exactly the same.
“Happy birthday tomorrow, darling.”
“I brought Vadim. Is that okay?”
“Of course it is.” She hesitated and whispered loudly. “Did the people at your work not want you to be alone at this crucial time?”
“Something like that.” She left Vadim shaking hands with Darlene and headed down the hallway. “Where’s Dad?”
She opened the door into the kitchen and family room and surveyed the glum faces. Apart from the removal of the horrendous purple flowery wallpaper and the addition of a flat-screen TV, nothing had changed much in there, either.
“This must be the party place. What’s up?”
Her dad rose from the couch and hugged her hard. “Hey, princess, how are you doing?”
“I’m good.” She buried her face against his shoulder and inhaled the familiar smell of beer and spicy aftershave. Both of her brothers came over to hug her, as did her pregnant sister-in-law, Julie. No one looked happy. There was also no sign of her younger sister, which was never good. Madison had a fondness for drama that rivaled their mother’s.
Vadim came into the room with Darlene at his side and was soon busy shaking hands with everyone and being reintroduced. By the time they were all seated again, Ella noticed the pile of presents under the table.
“Hey, are they for me?”
Her dad patted her knee and passed her the first present. “Yes, love. Happy birthday. We weren’t quite sure what to get you, but—”
“Considering I might be dead soon?” Ella grinned at her dad. “It’s okay, there’s no need for anyone to get all morbid and stuff. Hand it over.”
She unwrapped the present and studied the pink furry slippers. “Wow. Thanks Dad, these are awesome! They’ll look really good when I’m shuffling around the empath mental health facility out in Santa Rosa.”
“
She ignored Vadim and smiled brightly at Julie, whose lower lip was already trembling. Julie handed her a gift bag. Pregnancy hormones were obviously an emotional minefield. Ella could pick up her distress far too easily.
“Is this from you and Scott?”
“Yes. If you don’t like that brand, you can change it to something else. The gift receipt is inside.”
Ella unwrapped the tablet. “Cool! I’ve been meaning to get one of these to read on for ages! Is this the new mini?” Julie nodded. “Thank you. I can load up on books and games and keep myself busy.”
“I’m so glad you like it.”
She held Julie’s gaze and sent her soothing mental images. Her sister-in-law relaxed back in her seat and leaned into Scott. “I really do. Thank you.”
Her mother laid a big parcel across her knees. “This is from me.”
Everyone watched as Ella carefully ripped open the wrapping paper.
“It’s a quilt.” She looked up at Darlene.
“Yes.” She perched on the edge of the couch next to Ella. “Do you recognize any of the fabrics?”
Ella spotted a piece of neon orange cotton. “Didn’t I have a pair of shorts made out of something like this?”
“You did.”
“You
Darlene traced another chevron of fabric. “Every year when the school sent back your outgrown clothes, I hung on to a few pieces. It was stupid, I know, but I found it hard to let go of them. Eventually your aunt suggested I make them into something useful, so I made this quilt.”
“That’s...” Ella stared down at the myriad of colors until they began to blur and dance before her eyes. Vadim took her hand and squeezed it.
“It’s beautiful, Darlene.”
“It really is. Mom, I—”
“I just wanted you to have something from home when you—” She moved away from Ella and returned to her seat. “—when you leave again.”
“
She glared at Vadim. “
“This is all very nice of you, but I do have some news of my own to share—”
Before she could continue, Dave cleared his throat. “I didn’t get you anything.”
“That’s okay. Seeing you is all the present I need.”
He stood up suddenly and glared at her parents. Beside her Vadim tensed. “I thought you’d like to know that I got into that Otherworld class down at UCLA. I’m going to be a licensed medic in both realms by the end of the year.”
Ella rose too, then hugged him hard. “And that’s the best present ever. I’m so proud of you.”
He shrugged out of her embrace. “It’s the least I can do to make up for the rest of this family’s neglect.”
“Excuse me?” Darlene’s voice rose on each syllable. “We’ve done nothing wrong. We’re members of a close and loving family!”
“Ella could hardly be described as being close, Mom. She was stuck in Otherworld.” Dave turned his full attention on their mother. “You sent her away and never even let her come back for vacations.”
Darlene squared up to him. “I did what was best for us all!”
“No, you did what was best for yourself. You always do.” Dave shook his head. “And it’s too late to argue about it now, isn’t it, when she’s going to disappear on us again, this time forever. Do you really think a homemade quilt is going to make it up to her? “
“Well, that’s just it, Dave, I’m—”
The door flew open and Madison sauntered in, her gaze drawn immediately to Vadim. She wore kitty pajama pants slung low on her hips and a bikini top. Her long blond hair hung straight down her back, and her makeup was perfect—if you liked teenagers looking forty.
