140 Mother And Son (2/2)

”Yeah.” Hope glanced at me for a moment. ”This might sound weird, but I'm sure you were not there during the car crash, Mom.”

”I was working in Kazakhstan back then. I was a victim of overworking at work, and before I knew it, my body was there lying on the streets. After I felt unconscious, it turned out that I was taken into a lab, and experimented there by the scientists. That was how I got this Aegis.”

”How dare they!”

Hope clenched his fists, and I knew he was sort of imagining what exactly happened to his mother. Hope's face made me shudder.

Jessie comforted him and he calmed down after that. He breathed a sigh. ”If I have known you are in the main group, I . . .”

”Hope.” Jessie hugged him and cried by his side. Her wail was enough to tell me that she really wanted to let it all out from the moment he appeared back in her life. Slowly, Hope returned her hug. He let her mother took solace in the fact that he was there for her.

”I-I was trying so hard to not cry back then,” said Jessie as she continued to spill out her bottled emotions. ”When I first saw you, I was afraid, Hope. Afraid of having to get you involved in all this mess.”

”Mom.”

He kissed Jessie in the forehead. ”I'm here of my own volition. You helped me, remember? The Aegis you delivered to me was the spark I needed.”

Jessie wiped her tears and looked at Hope in the eyes. ”My son. I stole a few Aegis containers when I escaped from the lab. The scientists mentioned something about inherited compatibility. You have my blood, and therefore, I chose the ones who had a high compatibility rate for myself and took it.”

Hope nodded. He comforted his mother and talked with her for a couple of hours. I sat there on the couch the whole time.

Of course, I felt a bit annoyed by the simple fact that Hope was not giving me his attention when I was just there. Though, I calmed myself down; pus.h.i.+ng the slumbering hatred back to the deepest part of my heart.

I watched them laughed, shed tears for each other, and engaged in a conversation that I couldn't get myself into. Honestly, I was happy for Hope.

He got his mother back by his side, and his smile eased me far more than I had expected. Still, that smile was not for me, but for Jessie.

'Ava, what are you thinking?' I thought.

I shook my head and continued to watch both mother and son.

”Hope,” called Jessie, ”it's quite late right now.”

He blinked. ”I didn't realize how much time had pa.s.sed. Haha.”

”Is there anything you want before you sleep?” asked Jessie. ”I've been meaning to say those words for a long time.”

”Um.” Hope pointed at me. ”If it's not too much, I want a winter jacket for Ava. The size doesn't have to match.”

”Huh?” I stood up. ”Hope, stop treating me like a kid.”

”But you said before that you are cold.” He looked back at Jessie. ”Maybe a spare blanket would suffice. It can be quite cold and I don't want her to get sick when sleeping here.”

I crossed my arms. ”Ugh.”

Jessie laughed at the both of us. ”You two are indeed close . . . Hope, I will send a few spare blankets for Ava in her own room.”

”Thank you, Mom.”

”Ohhh. Come here my little gucchi goo.”

Jessie hugged him again and I couldn't help but laugh at them. Hope's struggle to get away from her made it harder for me to contain my laughter. It was comical. Hope was indeed surrounded by a lot of people that took advantage of him one way or another.

Both of us waved our goodbyes to Jessie after that and we went back to our own separate rooms. I threw myself on the bed when a guy handed me plenty of blankets. I used all of it to cover my whole body when I lied down on my bed.

”Thanks, Hope,” I muttered.

Thinking back on Jessie, I was reminded of a mother that was never present in my life. Alicia didn't count. I closed my eyes and wished that whoever my biological mother was, I just hoped she was safe.

'I wonder if I have a little brother,' I thought.

I slept, with all the possibilities of what my real family actually was, lingering in my mind.

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The next morning, a rebel from The People's Light knocked on my door. It was Freya. Her long, purple hair and scar on her nose were the first things I noticed when I opened the door.

”Ava,” she said. ”There's a feast right now. A celebration for The People's Light and Lutalo newly formed relations.h.i.+p.”

”Alright. I'll be there,” I said.

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