“I know you and Elysian have always had a bit of a rough relationship,” she said gently.
“You have a gift for understating things,” I told her, pushing the wet wingdings out of my eyes. “But I’d rather talk about your other gifts right now.”
She shot me a confused, suspicious look. “I’m not going to kiss you right now,” she said, “even if you’re pretending you were dashing and charming tonight.”
“Not that gift,” I said. “I meant your coffee-making skills.”
“I thought you had school tomorrow?”
“But I get to be with you tonight,” I said. “Throw some coffee in, and I’ll be more than fine.”
She pursed her lips together in thoughtful consideration.
It is time to give in, I thought. “Please, Raiya? Don’t make me go home to Cheryl and Elysian. Not without proper sustenance.”
Raiya grinned. “I suppose Rachel’s is open for a bit longer.”
“Exactly.”
*☼*
It turned out to be the best thing ever, to go and hang out with Raiya for a bit after searching for Mikey.
True, we could’ve continued the search, but I was cold and wet, courtesy of Elysian, and I considered Rachel’s a place for healing as well as comfort.
He was lucky I didn’t get pneumonia.
But those weren’t the only reasons it was the best thing ever to be with Raiya. I mean on top of the normal reasons, too, like how I loved her and I loved being with her and how I loved the smell of the special espresso beans Rachel ordered.
It was the best thing ever hanging out with her, because I woke up to approximately the worse thing ever.
My mother had me woken up at the crack of dawn the next day so I could head down to City Hall and help her with her new press conference talking points.
As I ran around the small auditorium at City Hall, taking orders for coffee, getting supplies, and helping with the lighting, I almost wondered if Cheryl was doing this in order to punish me. I wondered if she was going to rat me out anyway.
After a few moments and a few sips of Rachel’s coffee Mayor Mills had the brilliance to stock, I figured that was as crazy as it was unlikely.
Why would she reveal my identity now, when she could hold it over my head for several years to come?
That was the Cheryl I knew.
As the news media shuffled in, minus a few of its more familiar faces, Cheryl came up beside me.
“Are you ready?” I asked her.
“No.”
My eyes widened briefly at her admission. “Are you afraid?”
“It’s not a matter of fear,” she said, “but rather what you are afraid of, Hamilton.”
“So, yes?” I guessed.
She frowned at me. “We’re here because of you and your girlfriend, remember?”
“You leave her out of this,” I warned. “She hasn’t done anything wrong. Or illegal,” I added, as Cheryl planted her hands on her hips.
“Fine,” Cheryl remarked. She sighed. “I have tried to be a good mother, you know.”
“You are a good mother,” I told her. When she looked at me, surprised, I shrugged. “You’re a good mother,” I said, “but I think you’re a better lawyer.”
I was expecting her to frown again, but she smiled. “Well, that’s good to hear, at least.”
Why would that be a good thing to hear? I shook my head as my mother’s name was called, and she went out to her adoring public.
I watched as the people began clapping and cheering when she walked out to the news podium. As much as I knew she was angry at me, and likely sad at her circumstances, I was proud of her. No one likes to lose, but there were a lot of people who wouldn’t have been one-tenth as graceful as my mother over it.
My mother was a favorite among the crowds. As fearsome as she was in court, she was a compelling figure, and, for her age, even attractive. I could see why the public loved her and painted her out to be a true heroine among the many city prosecutors. Her ambition only endeared her more to the public.
Because, of course, the public didn’t see her as I did, though in truth, they probably saw her more often than I did.
“Thank you, thank you very much,” Cheryl began, smiling to the crowd.
I sighed as she talked for a bit about her many accomplishments, under the guise of thanking her public fans for all their support and votes since Stefano had taken office and used his influence to get her promoted.
Realization hit me hard and fast. No wonder Cheryl’s been so focused on this case. She’s trying to run for re-election.
I knew before her initial appointment was special, because the last mayor of Apollo City had been forced to resign, and several workers with the city, unwilling or unable to handle the supernatural crises, had stepped down as well, citing irreconcilable differences with the change in leadership.
Cheryl had followed Stefano’s lead in prosecuting the superheroes because it translated into votes. She wanted to run for the office on her own terms.
I was cynical enough to wonder how she was going to present this case to the public, so they would see she had no choice but to call it off.
“So, let’s get down to business,” Cheryl said, and the crowd went wild, interrupting the last of my thoughts. “We are unable to continue any further with the Flying Angels case. Assistant Mayor Dunbrooke, who has stepped up to fill in the gaping hole left by the estimable Mayor Mills while he is recovering from his heart attack—”
It was hard not to gag or laugh while she managed to compliment and insult both leaders simultaneously.
Only my mother. I shook my head, even as I admired her for her skill.
There were some questions that followed, but Cheryl never faltered.
“Mrs. Thomas-Dinger,” one called out. “What will you be focused on now that the case has been called off?”
“Thank you for your question,” Cheryl said. “I have decided to step down from my position as District Attorney.”
A collective gasp went through everyone, including me.
“What? Why?” I stammered.
Fortunately, someone else with a mic asked the same question (different tone.)
“I have been practicing law for over a decade now,” Cheryl said. “I’ve had several victories, and some losses.”
There were cheers and one collective “Aw” from the crowd.
“While I work hard at what I do,” Cheryl continued, “I feel I have reached my potential in serving the city. I wish to redirect my efforts into other areas of my life, not the least of which is being a mother to my two sons.”
She could’ve gotten in her car, run me over, backed up and run me over three more times, and I would’ve been less shocked than I was at her admission.
More questions came, and minutes passed. Cheryl thanked the crowd, told them she would continue to work hard and lead a good life, and then she exited the stage. More reporters tried to follow her, asking her other questions, but she simply waved them off.
She came back up and stood beside me. “Well?” she asked. “How was that?”
“Astonishing,” I said. It was the only word I could think of. “I think I’m dreaming.”
“You’re not,” Cheryl snapped.
“Have you talked about this with Dad?” I asked.
“Since when do you care about what your father thinks?” Cheryl shook her head. “I have worked in law for a long time, Hamilton. No vacations unless they were mandated, no time off for being sick, and no rest taken unless pills were involved. I have made enemies of different people, people who have been put away, and others who are awaiting probation.”
“So?” I asked. “You’ve done well.”
“Thank you,” she said. “But you said it yourself. I’m a good mother, but a better lawyer. I’ve perfected my lawyering. Now I can work on the mothering.”
That was heartfelt and disconcerting all at the same time.
“With Adam, I hope,” I sa
id. “You might as well consider me a lost cause.”
“I don’t think so, not quite yet,” she said. “But you’ll get there, don’t worry.”
I’m pretty sure she was teasing me, but after all the shock I’d received from her already, I was done. “I’m leaving,” I said, turning away. “I got to go to school.”
“Don’t forget to stop for coffee on the way,” Cheryl called.
I stopped in my tracks. Glancing back, I eyed her carefully. “Does this mean you’re okay with Raiya now?”
“If I am, are you more likely to dump her?”
I grinned, despite myself. “No.”
“Then it doesn’t matter, does it?” She waved. “Now, I’ve got to go home and settle into a week-long vacation before I set up my own law firm.”
I laughed as I headed out.
Of course, Cheryl will never be down for long.
But seeing her give up her dreams humbled me. As much as I didn’t want to care about it, I knew she was giving up something precious for me. That took more than love and unselfishness—that took a special kind of courage.
*☼*
Raiya met me as I walked down the street toward Rachel’s.
“How did you know I was coming?” I asked her as she handed me a large cup of my favorite mocha.
“I saw the press conference,” she explained. “You know Rachel has the news on all the time. It’s been exploding across the front page, about your mother.”
“She’s always been flashy about headlines,” I murmured, taking a drink.
“You look nice in your dress clothes,” Raiya said.
“I don’t have time to change before going to school.”
“Then don’t go.”
“Huh?” I glanced at her, surprised. Usually it was Elysian who was trying to convince me that school didn’t matter so long as I had demons to destroy, and even then, I was already doing so well that a day off wouldn’t hurt me at all.
“I said, don’t go,” she repeated.
“Why would I do that?”
“I found Mikey,” she said. “He’s back at the hospital. Just for a bit,” she said, noting my concerned look.
“How do you know that’s where he’s at?”
“Your dad called and told me.”
I frowned. “Okay, I feel like I am asking a lot of questions here, but why would my dad call and tell you that?”
“The day you were captured, I had to go to one of my doctor’s appointments.” She pointed to her heart, as if I were in second grade and didn’t know where it was. “Dr. Dinger was scheduled to see me. So I went and I talked with him, and then I left.”
“You didn’t see Mikey there then,” I said. “I was following him to the Time Tower.”
“Your dad was calling me to see if I would reconsider,” she said.
“Reconsider what?”
“I’ve decided to stop giving blood for now,” she admitted. “When Grandpa—I mean, Draco—started taking me to the hospital, I don’t think anyone was fully aware of my power. When your dad recognized it, he made sure I found out soon enough.”
“So you did know, from pretty early on.”
“Sure,” she said. “It wasn’t a hard guess, especially after I came into my powers. Your dad allowed me to help his research in a lot of ways.”
“So I guess Adam’s not the only one who’s been helped by you.”
Raiya nodded. “Anyway, I told him the other day I didn’t want to come in and give blood anymore. There are too many confusing things between what Draco told me and what I think about it. I can always change my mind,” she added quickly, “especially if there is a need for a special treatment or something.”
“I’m glad you decided to stop,” I said, reaching out and pulling her against me as we walked.
Tension broke around her and through her. It was strong enough I could sense it; I didn’t even have to focus my power to see it. Her hands gripped me around my waist. “Me, too,” she admitted quietly.
“How did my dad respond to that?” I asked. “Hopefully, it was better than how my mom took the news she wasn’t going to be able to charge us.”
“He was nice about it, even if he was disappointed.” Raiya shrugged. “He said my heart does have some irregularities, and it would be good to still come in to get it checked. But I told him no.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t do it without feeling terrible now. Even if I am helping him with his research or finding cures, I wouldn’t feel right about it. You start to feel more like a test subject than a human after a while.”
I considered this, and eventually agreed with her.
“I was thinking,” Raiya said, “that rather than be a test subject, maybe it would be a good thing for me to still work with it. Become a doctor or nurse or something, you know?”
My head snapped around to face her.
“After all,” she said with a grin, “we’re going to need jobs once all this superhero business is over, right?”
At her words, I couldn’t stop myself from kissing her.
“Hamilton.” She gasped as I pulled her close to me again. “Hamilton, people are looking at us.”
“We live in a cynical world,” I said. “Let them look. It’s not every day they get to see what true love really looks like.”
Raiya laughed, and finally sidestepped me enough she was able to slip free. “No offense to your kisses,” she said, “but I still prefer romance to be less of a public spectacle.”
“I suppose Mikey’s blog ruined it for you?”
“You could say that,” Raiya agreed. There was a playful twinkle in her eye. “Maybe I’ll remind him of that while we go see him.”
“Maybe I’ll remind him of that when we see him.” I chuckled. “Why did my dad tell you he was here?”
“I heard him say to another nurse that Mikey was coming in this morning to pick up one of his school books he’d left behind.”
She grinned. “He’s not like you that much. He forgot he was on speaker phone with me when he said it.”
“I’ve been saying the same thing for years,” I assured her.
The time I spent with Raiya always seemed to make the rest of my life shimmer over with a haze of sorts, unless I was paying close attention.
I didn’t pay attention a whole lot, I guess.
It seemed that I only had to blink, and we were already at the floor where Mikey had been staying as an outpatient for the past six months.
Raiya managed to get us through the barrage of nurses and assistants to his room, and I managed to put up a blockade on the door when I saw Mikey stuffing a book into his backpack on the bed.
“Mikey.”
He glanced up at me, his brown eyes troubled. “Dinger.”
“I’m guessing you weren’t expecting me?” I asked.
“No,” he said bitterly. “I wasn’t. But then, you stopped visiting me months ago, so you really only have yourself to blame.”
“I suppose that’s why you thought it would be okay to tell your dad about me?”
“Grandpa told me that you weren’t helping Gwen and the other victims, even though Dad and his company had found a way to cure them,” Mikey insisted. “If I ‘betrayed’ you, it’s only because you deserved it.”
He turned toward Raiya. “You’re no better either, if you didn’t want to help,” he said. “But I didn’t give you up.”
That was one question that was answered, at least, and it was a comforting answer.
“Grandpa Odd wasn’t who he said he was,” Raiya told Mikey, stepping forward. “I’m here to tell you that. I should’ve known, and when I did, I should’ve said something.”
“He was always nice to me,” Mikey said. “He was always looking out for me.”
“He’s always looked out for himself, like everyone else on the planet,” I huffed.
“Like you are right now, I’m guessing?”
Ouch.
“I’m not lying,” I
said. “He’s not a real person. He’s a dragon, a changeling dragon like Elysian, who can change into human forms. He’s been playing this town for decades, or possibly even longer.”
“His real name is Draco,” Raiya added. “And he has the power of immortality.”
“Well, that’s great,” Mikey said. “Next you’ll be telling me that Rachel’s actually a sun goddess and Letty is the daughter that sprang out of her head or something.”
“We’re not lying.”
“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Mikey shot back. “Dad got what he wanted.”
“Did you?” Raiya asked quietly.
He frowned at her, obviously displaced. “No,” he finally said. “They captured him, and they captured me, and they set me free. It’s over.”
“Why did they want Hamilton?”
“I don’t know,” he scoffed. “Why don’t you ask them?”
“Probably just for Cheryl,” I told Raiya, thinking of what Dante had told me before while we were in the room together. “But Draco didn’t see Cheryl stepping down from the case, or from her position as the D. A.”
Frankly, I wouldn’t have seen it, either.
“Martha said before they might want cooperation,” I said. I looked at Mikey. Was it possible they would use him against me again, especially if I needed, as Martha had warned me, to be “convinced” to cooperate?
“I don’t know why you’re worried about me.” Mikey scowled. “You’re not worried about Gwen or anyone else.”
“Draco—Grandpa to you, I guess—was lying about that,” Raiya told him. “There’s only one way to get Gwen back to normal, and that’s to get her Soulfire from Draco.”
“He has it?”
“Technically.” She frowned. “We told you this before.”
Mikey frowned. “Why should I believe you?”
“We wouldn’t lie to you,” Raiya insisted. “We didn’t lie to you before.”
I stepped forward. “There’s no use in trying to convince someone who’s already made up their mind,” I said. “Mikey, you’ve been my best friend for years, and maybe—”
“Maybe I’ve outgrown you.”
“Maybe,” I admitted. “But this isn’t something I would lie to you about, and you know it. If you want proof there is nothing we can do to bring Gwen back, there are only two ways to get it. And I’m not doing the one.”