Page 47 of This Blood that Bonds Us

“No reason,” Presley said. Then he mouthed behind Mom’s back,I could hear you.

Shit.I explicitly told Kimberly not to be quiet, but god, I loved hearing her say my name over and over.

“Good thing I had headphones.”

“What, honey?” Mom said, lifting her head to greet me.

“Nothing,” we said together.

“Will you boys help Margret, my neighbor, put up her Christmas lights later today?”

“Mom, we spent all week doing that.” Presley groaned. “And we can’t even eat the cookies she tries to pay us in.”

For the last two weeks, we’d settled into Mom’s world. She finally had a reason to use her paid vacation days. We’d met her friends and gone to the weekly town meetings. Most nights, we’d been roped into helping Mom’s friends cut wood and put up their Christmas decorations. I knew why it bothered Presley, because it was the same reason it bothered me. We weren’t celebrating Christmas this year, and even being around the sounds and sights of the holiday hurt. Physically and mentally.

“I know, but she’s elderly and she loves them. I can come by after work and help.” She rubbed his hand, and his shoulders dropped from his ears.

“Fine, but don’t ask me to do anything more than that. You guys can celebrate the holiday if you want. But leave me out of it.”

Christmas was the biggest celebration of the year in the Calem house, and it was never about money or buying gifts. It was about tradition and food. We’d never spent Christmas apart.

A sputtering vibration on the wood of the kitchen table stopped my thoughts.

“Oh, I have to take this. Hold on,” Mom said.

“We don’t have to celebrate,” Kimberly said to my brother. “Maybe we could do something you like on the actual day. That’s what I used to do if I wanted to forget about the holiday completely. I’d lock myself in my room, shut the blinds, and watch the same movie over and over again. That way I didn’t have to deal with any of it.”

I pulled her closer at her admission and kissed the top of her head. I didn’t think she realized how sad it sounded. Though it was an experience many people dealt with and could probablyrelate to, I hated thinking of her alone in her room with no one to call.

My brother seemed to have the same sentiment, as his aggressive tone shifted. “I don’t know what I’d want to do though. I hate being in my room.”

“Maybe we could go visit the dogs at the shelter? I still haven’t been.”

That was the only thing Presley liked to talk about, and he’d only been twice. He said it was the only exciting thing in town, and he wasn’t exaggerating. There wasn’t much to look at or do here other than brave the elements and follow Mom to her community and church meetings and eat. Which was a huge bummer when you couldn’t, because the potlucks smelled amazing.

Presley’s smile returned at her idea.

Mom set the phone down on the counter and sucked in a breath.

“There’s someone at the hospital looking for information on three young adults claiming to be bitten. They obviously weren’t allowed to give out any medical information, but I told her to call me if anyone came looking for you all.”

“It’s them!” Everything in me leaped with joy. Weird, confusing joy that we’d finally been found.

“Did they say what they looked like?” Kimberly asked.

“Just that he’s quite tall. An older man, very adamant, but wouldn’t give a name.”

“That’s him, alright,” Presley grumbled, and popped down in a chair.

“Can we take the car?” I said, searching for the keys on the kitchen counter.

“Wait a minute. Shouldn’t we talk about it?”

“Mom, this is what we’ve been waiting for. I don’t want to risk him leaving.”

“Will you be careful?” The fear in her voice stopped my search.

“Yes, I promise. This is a good thing.”