Akira

I slowly opened my eyes, grogginess clinging to me like a damp heavy blanket.

I blinked and tried to focus. Most pressing question was what did the pack patrol do to me?

As my gaze adjusted to the dim light, I took in my surroundings.

I was in a room that looked like it belonged in a luxurious underground bunker. The walls were made of rough-hewn stone, but the space was oddly warm.

It didn't look like a typical prison.

The room was spacious, with a sleek, modern kitchenette in one corner, complete with gleaming stainless steel appliances and a small, round dining table.

A plush, cream-colored sofa dominated the center of the room, facing a large, flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.

What in hell's name is this place?!

The air was thick with the scent of freshly brewed coffee, and my stomach growled in response.

I guess being rejected by a husband and freeing oneself from slavery only to be caught by patrols on the way home to the mother that sold you in the first place doesn't discourage hunger.

I was famished but it was the figure standing by the kitchen counter, watching me with a warm, gentle smile, that made my heart skip a beat.

My mother - Akira

She stood there, her long, curly brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail, her piercing blue eyes shining with what I assumed was shock and hopefully a pinch of motherly concern.

For a moment, I forgot to breathe.

Nineteen years. It had been nineteen years since I'd last seen my mother.

Nineteen years since she'd sold me to Ryder's family. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my mind reeling with shock and confusion.

Mom - I almost called out but words didn't come out of my mouth.

As I gazed at her, I felt a jolt of surprise. I had expected her to age considerably, to look worn and weathered from the hardships she had faced because she must have faced considerable hardship…at least one that drove her to sell her only child.

But instead, she looked...unchanged. The same Akira I remembered from my childhood, with the same bright eyes and the same warm smile.

Except, of course, for the desperation. The desperation that had driven her to make the impossible choice, to sell me to Ryder's family. That was gone, replaced by a sense of calm and serenity that I had never seen in her before.

And then there was the wealth. The impoverished look that had haunted her for so long was gone, replaced by the trappings of luxury and comfort.

The expensive-looking jewelry that adorned her neck and wrists, the designer clothes that draped elegantly across her body...it was all so different from the Akira I remembered.

So different from the woman who handed over Mrs Whistle to me and told me she wouldn't bother with an apology.

I felt like I was staring at a stranger, someone who looked like my mother but seemed to be a completely different person. My mind was racing with questions, with emotions, with memories. I didn't know where to start, or how to process everything that was happening.

"Akira?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Is that...is that really you?"

My mother's smile faltered for a moment, and she took a step closer to me. "Kaida, sweetie, it's me," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "Hello, darling. Welcome home"

I stared at her, my heart pounding in my chest. Home? What did she mean by that? This wasn't my home. I didn't know this place, or this woman who looked like my mother but seemed to be a stranger.

But as I looked into her eyes, I saw something there that made my heart skip a beat. Something that looked like love, like regret, like a deep and abiding sorrow.

And in that moment, I knew that I had to know more. I had to know what had happened to my mother, why she had sold me to Ryder's family, and what she meant by "home".

I took a deep breath, and asked the question that had been burning in my mind for nineteen years.

"Can I hug you?"

It was a different question than the one I had in mind but I opened my mouth and instead of asking 'why?'I said, "Can I hug you?"

As Akira took another step closer, her eyes brimming with tears, I felt a lump form in my throat. I hadn't expected this reunion to be so emotional, but the moment she opened her arms, I knew I was going to break down.

I took a tentative step forward, and then another, until I was enveloped in my mother's warm, loving arms. The hug was like a dam breaking, releasing all the emotions I'd pent up over the years. I felt a sob rise up in my chest, and then I was crying.

Great! I was heaving sobs that shook my entire body.

I simply broke into tiny pieces.

Akira held me tightly, her own tears mingling with mine as we stood there, wrapped in each other's arms. It was like no time had passed at all, like I was a little girl again, seeking comfort in my mother's loving embrace.

Akira's arms were warm and strong, holding me close as I cried out all the pain and hurt of the past. She stroked my hair and then she whispered "do you still like pancakes?"

I pulled away and nodded with a big smile.

Akira smiled warmly and gestured to the kitchenette. "Sit. I will make you breakfast and you can catch me up on everything I missed"

I nodded, feeling a pang of nostalgia. It had been years since I'd had a home-cooked meal, and the smell of freshly cooked eggs and pancakes was heavenly.

Akira handed me a plate, and we sat down at the small dining table. As we ate, Akira asked me gentle questions about my life, wanting to be caught up on everything that had happened since we'd last seen each other.

"You know, Mom," I said, taking a bite of my pancake, "I used to love playing with Ryder when we were kids. He was obsessed with monster trucks, and I would play along with him for hours."

Akira chuckled. "That sounds like so much fun. I'm glad you had some happy times with him."

I nodded, smiling. "Yeah, Ryder was always a sweet kid. But his parents...Ainsley was nice to me at first, but Greg was a monster from the very beginning."

Akira's expression turned serious, and she reached out to take my hand. "Did he-"

"Oh no" I tried to spare her from the guilt "It sounds worse than it really was. I'm just really glad I'm home"

I felt a lump form in my throat as I looked at her. For a moment, I forgot about all the pain and hurt of the past, and I just felt grateful to have my mother back in my life.

As we finished our meal, Akira asked me more questions about my life with Ryder's family. I told her about the ways in which they'd hurt and manipulated me, and she listened attentively, her eyes filled with compassion and concern.

But then Akira's expression turned serious, and she asked the question that would shatter my heart all over again. "Kaida, when are you going back to Ravenwood?"

"What?" I sounded surprised.

"Sweetheart, I have a life here that prevents me from making this reunion permanent. But I could call you every now and then to check in. Would you like that?" She asked like it was the offer of the century.

And just like that, all hell broke loose.