Chương 18: Chapter 18- Rika - A Dinner at Home (VOLUME 1)

*~*Rika's POV*~*

I didn't know what it was, but I knew that my parents had called us here for a reason. They were doing well to hide it though. They were making sure that Reagan and I didn't suspect a thing, or much, since I was naturally suspicious of this invite. And they were even getting the littler kids to help rope us into this false sense of security.

I mean, I love my family. I love them all dearly. That wasn't the problem here. And I didn't mind letting Talia and Zaley come over for a girls' night. Honestly, we sisters could definitely use a night that we were away from the house together. We could talk, eat junk food, and do whatever we wanted without them having to worry about the rules of the house. Not that there were very strict rules aside from curfews and things.

Still, I just knew that Mom and Dad had planted the kids here in the living room to wait for us. They were lying in wait to ambush us and butter us up for what was about to come. I didn't know how I knew that, but I just did.

After the welcome home and other greetings were out of the way, we all headed into the dining room. We were here for dinner after all.

"Oh Rika, and Reagan too." Abigail squealed when she saw us coming into the room. The others were setting the table while she supervised them. She was young, beautiful, and very elegant looking.

Abigail was the head chef of the castle, and had been here since before my dad had been born. So she wasn't exactly young, but she looked like it. She had apparently reverse aged with a lot of other people over the years that followed the Fae battle. That was the battle that my mom saved Uncle Vincent and took the souls of three celestial beings into her body.

Yeah, I can see the fact that there were a lot of changes after that time. And seeing Abigail's beautiful blonde hair, hazel eyes, and loving smile was just one of them. When Mom met her, she had white hair and was getting on in years. I loved that she had a new lease on life and that she was there for me growing up.

"I made all of your favorite foods because I knew that you were coming. I am so happy to see you two. It feels like it has been way more than just two weeks." She hurried over and pulled us both into a hug at the same time. Damn, they were good. They were using her as well as the kids. They definitely had something up their sleeves.

"It is nice to see you as well, Abigail." I spoke calmly as I hugged her back. "I have definitely missed your cooking, that is for sure." I laughed as I said it, even though it was true.

"Then sit down, sweetheart, I have a treat in store for you."

"Thanks." Reagan and I said at the same time as we took our seats side by side at the table. Everyone else settled in around us, even Reeselynn was being put into a highchair so that she could eat some of Abigail's homemade baby food. We had all eaten that food when we were little, so there was no reason to doubt that she would as well.

The food was set before us, plates piled high with chicken, steak, fish, pork, potatoes, pasta, and so much more all cooked in different styles. It was clear that she had spent a lot of time on the meals. And sitting off to the side were all the desserts that we had come to love while we were growing up. What were they trying to do, fatten us up so that we would survive between each visit home?

The thoughts in my mind had me smiling to myself as I tucked into the meal. Taking the first bite I almost moaned in satisfaction. It was so much better than the meals I made for myself, but at least I was improving. I might never be as good as Abigail, but I would make food that I could stomach, and eventually even like.

"You two look so hungry." Mom said worriedly. "I don't like that you haven't been eating home cooked meals."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her. "I have been cooking every day."

"You have?" Dad looked shocked.

"It was a disaster in the beginning. I made charcoal, literally, but now I can make actual food. It's not as good as this, but it's not bad." I even showed them the picture I had taken of my breakfast that morning. "See, it's not too bad, once you practice."

"That's good." Mom smiled at me then glared at Reagan. "But you've been eating pizza almost every day."

"H..h..how did you know?" He stuttered as he asked her. "I..I..I didn't tell you that."

"Shawn told us. And that was because Luka told him. He didn't mean it as a complaint or anything. Luka just happened to say that he was liking the way that you could eat whatever you wanted, and that you had a lot of pizza, burgers, and other pre prepared foods." She had narrowed her eyes at him as her voice turned stern. "You have a lovely kitchen with plenty of cookware, why have you not used them?"

"W..w..well, I don't know how to cook. A..a..and neither do the others. W..w..we ordered out because w..w..we didn't want to ruin the kitchen or the f..f..food." I could tell that my brother was buckling under the pressure that was Mom. If it was just Dad, he wouldn't be like that. It was funny, really, but Mom was scary as hell.

"You need to practice and get better, understood?" Mom snapped at him. "Now, until you do get better, we can have some meals prepared and sent over on a weekly basis. Abigail volunteered for this, so there is no reason to feel like we are babying you. She wants to help you out, so just allow her to do this."

"Oh my Goddess, yes, please." Reagan jumped onto the opportunity at once.

"I have been doing well, and I want to learn even more. I am not opposed to a couple meals a week, just as backups or something, but I don't need it for every night."

"That is fine, dear." Abigail smiled at me. "And I am happy that you are taking such an interest in learning." All I could do was smile in agreement.

For the rest of the meal, we talked about school, life in our new homes, and how things were going in general. The meals that we would be getting would be delivered on Sundays, and they would be packed so that they would last until we used them. We could even freeze them as well. And there would be reheating instructions on each dish to make it easier.

Thankfully, the food issue was the only thing that Mom and Dad wanted to talk about. They didn't want us to come back at all. I was happy with the night when it was time to go. That is, until Reagan decided to open his damned mouth.

We had just stepped outside, having not parked in the underground garage because we weren't staying long. The moon was shining above, lighting the darkness around us. It was a little after ten, and the stars were twinkling like Christmas lighting in the sky. It was all pretty.

"Rika?" He said my name solemnly as we walked toward his car.

"Yeah?" I turned to face him, not expecting the topic that he was about to bring up.

"I..I know that you have been upset lately. And I want you to know that I am here for you."

"I know." I hoped that would be the end of it. I didn't want to go into detail. I even put on a fake smile for him.

"You're doing it again. You're hurting right now, aching deep inside, and you're pretending to be fine."

"I am fine." I snapped at him unintentionally. "I am fine." I said it again, this time with a softer tone.

"No, you're not. Something is wrong, Rika. Something is hurting you."

"Nothing is hurting me." I could hear the growl in my own voice.

"It's about your wolf, isn't it? It's about how you feel like you're losing touch with her, isn't it?" I hated that he knew that. I hated that he could read me so easily right now.

"No!" I snapped at him, not wanting to talk about it.

"Rika, please, don't shut me out."

"I don't want to talk about it, Reagan. It's none of your business."

"You need to talk about this. You can't keep letting this go on. You need to get some help." His calm tone was getting angry as he responded to my attitude.

"No one can help me, Reagan. There is no need to talk about it to anyone else. It is my business and no one else's."

"Rika, you need to tell someone about this. You need to tell them what is going on." Reagan was glaring at me as I fought that empty feeling inside of me.

"I can't, Reagan. You don't get it. You don't know what it's like to lose that part of you." I could feel the stinging in my eyes, the burning that signified that tears were coming.

"You're right, I don't, but it will never get better if you don't try to do something about it." His anger made his eyes flash bright blue in the darkness of the night. The way that they were shining, I could tell that it wasn't just the reflection of the moon, this was his power, this was the essence that was my brother.

"Leave me alone." I snapped as I ran away from him. I was fighting against my tears, holding them back so that he wouldn't see how much this was hurting me. Not only that, but I couldn't let him see that it was too late, that my wolf was already gone.

I ran away from him, into the woods. I ran fast and I heard him following me. I didn't know where I was going to go, but I didn't want to see him, not right now. Eventually, he stopped following me, but he yelled after me in a voice that sounded so sad.

"I wish you would let me in, Rika. I wish you would let me help. I love you, and I don't want to see you hurting. I won't force you to talk though. Just remember, that I am here for you. If you need me, I am right here. Don't think that you are alone, sis. Please. I am here." His words made the tears start to flow, I couldn't push them back anymore.

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