He turns back towards Mother and chuckles. "I'll let you get back to your child. I know you're anxious to talk to him."
“Oh-oh, yeah. Of course.” Mother grins nervously. She pulls him into a hug. “Thank you!”
“You're welcome,” he says as she pulls away. "I'll check back in a week to make sure it's all healed alright. Make sure not to wash those stitches for the next twenty four hours, and don't go swimming, scratch it or play any rough sports. It can tear the stitches open."
“Got it.” I nod. I'm just relieved that the stitching is over. “Thank you.”
“You're welcome." He picks up his briefcase from the desk beside the examination table and walks out the door.
Mother rushes to sit next to me on the examination table. “Little dove," her voice quivers as she cups my cheeks. "You always manage to keep scaring me."
“It's okay,” I put a hand on her shoulder. “I'm fine. Now my biggest problem is that my shirt got bloody.” I laugh to assure her further.
“I'm sorry Mother.” Erasmus bows his head, his eyes big and shiny like he had been scolded. “I should've been more aware of his bullets. I would've gotten him out of there”
“Oh little swan, you don't need to apologize.” Mother offers him a soft smile.
I slump my shoulders. He's always felt a need to watch over me because of Mother's anxiety. It's like he wants to be my secondary father.
Father reaches up to grab Erasmus' shoulder, raising his heels a little. “It's not always your responsibility to take care of him. He's a man now. He can handle himself.”
“Yeah. I'm not five anymore.” I scoff. Erasmus narrows his eyes and I roll mine.
Father puts a hand to his golden beard laced with gray, matching the slicked-back hair on his head. “I mean, you might think it's nothing, but as an average human, Amias has more than enough to take care of himself. He's six foot five, and has magic from Cosmo's bloodline. That's more than I can say for myself!”
“Thank you!”I throw my hands up.
“And on top of that, he's been working on this body. He's built! Anyone would be afraid of him.” Father reaches over, raising his heels to be eye level with me, and rubs my head.
I chuckle and pull his hand away from my hair. “Father! Stop it!”
He laughs, his eyes shining with pride. “He's stronger than you guys give him credit for. Besides, you both did the right thing by going after those dreamscreechers.” He looks back to Erasmus. “Now I know I didn't raise two cowards. I raised twogrown men!” He flexes an arm through his long navy suit, embroidered with golden swirls on the edges. He balls his fist and shakes it.
“That's right!” I mimic his movements and stand up.
“He could've died out there.” Erasmus mutters. “What would you say then?”
Father sighs, a soft frown tugging at his lips. “I would be devastated but it’s better than running away.” But then he smiles back at me. “But he's smart and strong enough to come out on top.”
“Like I've been saying!” I smirk, scrunching my nose in my brother's direction. He groans.
“It would be more than devastating!” Mother glares at Father. “I couldn't stand it if Amias or Erasmus died in a dreamscreecher attack!”
He shrugs. “It would be tragic, but I think you both need to have some more faith in Amias.”
“Idohave faith in him!” Mother snaps. “I just worry like any parent should. We've already almost lost him multiple times! What if this was the time we actually did?”
Everyone gets silent. I bow my head as we stare at Mother. Is she okay?
She breathes heavily, glancing at everyone before slouching. “I'm sorry…”
“It's okay Mother,” I murmur. “You don't need to apologize.”
“I'm sorry, my love.” Father walks over to her, lifting to the tip of his feet. He grabs her by the chin and kisses her forehead. My gaze is drawn to the symbol of their marriage and soulmate bond on his ring finger -a silhouette of a bird in a dark brown in honor of their shared love of bird watching. It's what brought them together. “I just don't want you to keep stressing over our son.”
“I know.” Mother sighs. “I know, I just …" She turns to me. I sit back down next to her. "I just worry that one day everything is going to catch up to you, and I don't want to lose you." She rests a hand on my shoulder, tears glistening in her eyes. "I mean, if it weren't for the technology we have today, I'm not sure you would've made it."
“But I'm okay now Mother. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.”
