Fighting My Orc

Osiris and I collapsed into our bed when the clock had just barely turned to midnight. He had invited his family over after we made our decision.

Momma Gena was especially relieved to find out I hadn't lost a baby and instead was making future plans to have one. Hunter and Odera were happy for us and had even suggested baby names. But the proudest member of Osiris's family was his dad.

Osiris had kept his hands on me in one way or another the entire time, and even as he settles in bed he keeps one hand in mine.

My thoughts kept drifting to my parents. They weren't exactly happy that I was staying here with Osiris, but maybe they would want to know about their future grandchild.

I snuggled into Osiris and pulled my phone from the side table so I could text my mother. I scrolled for a minute before giving up and searching her number in my phone. Only to find that her name was spelled out in red, and a block had been put on her number.

My heart began to pound heavily when I unblocked the number and found a flood of text messages waiting for me.

You're hair appointment is at noon.

Since you have stood up your appointment, I will be removing your membership with the spa.

You sold your house? Is that because of that orc?

Answer my calls when I ring.

I am removing you from our insurance, let's hope that orc can support you.

Our offer for you to live with us has expired. Don't visit us Olivia.

I began to feel queasy and sat up in the bed. Osiris grumbled and rubbed his eyes. He noticed my phone in hand and scanned the screen.

I took off running for the bathroom when the queasiness finally made me feel like I was going to vomit. So I did, hurling the contents of dinner straight into the toilet.

Osiris came in a moment later with my phone, "This is exactly why I blocked her number in the first place."

He knelt beside me and handed my phone back; my mother's number once again blocked. "You did that?

At my accusing tone he stalls, "Well, yes. Your parents were so mean to you when we went to visit-"

"They're my parents! They mean well." At my shouting he becomes defensive.

He scoffs, "Yeah? Is that why they've abandoned you?"

"They didn't-"

"Yes. They did," he stands up and paces the bathroom, "I know what love is towards a family, because my family loves me. Your family doesn't love you and they never will. You will just get hurt in the end!"

Tears brim my eyes, "I should never have taken that dare to hook up with you." My voice came out deadly low, but he heard me. I know he did, because the second he understood me his eyes widened and a pit grew at the bottom of my stomach.

When the weight of my words finally hit I stuttered, "Wait. No! I didn't mean that."

Osiris looks at me with hurt written all over his face and walks out of the bathroom. A moment later I hear the front door slam shut.

My heart squeezes and I try to stand from the bathroom floor, only to feel a dizzy spell cloud my vision. I feel sick and lay my head on the cool tiled floor.

I fell asleep with the lights on. I only woke in the morning because of Odera's voice shouting to find me.

"In here," I tried to shout but my voice came out raspy. With her hearing, she found me in seconds and knelt down besides me.

"Oh my. Olivia what happened? Osiris is going berserk down at the fighting ring, he won't stop fighting." She takes a wet towel and daps my forehead.

"Something happened."

She gives me a look, "I can gather that. But everyone thinks Osiris is upset because you two lost a baby."

My eyes widen at her tone, "We didn't lose a baby. It has nothing to do with that. It's my mother. I wanted to connect and tell her the news and," my voice begins to break, "Osiris blocked her number from me because he thinks she has just abandoned me!"

I break out into sobs as I let Odera read the messages my mother had left me over the weeks.

She begins to look angry, "These texts are awful."

"I think she means well though," Odera stares at me, "she's my mom." My voice begins to lose conviction when Odera's eyes flicker from my face to my phone screen.

She sighs, "Is that all that happened with Osiris?"

I shake my head, "I got mad and... I told him something I shouldn't have. I didn't mean to say it, and I know he must still hate me for saying it."

Odera crinkles her brow, "What did you say?"

"It's... complicated."

Odera hunches down and sits with me on the tiled floor, "Well, I think we have time."

With a supportive smile, she urges me to confess. And I do, telling her the nice version of the what I had said during the party and how I had originally started to date Osiris. Odera listens with a passive face even though my words sounded wrong and mean, no matter how much light I tried to shed on them.

Odera grabs my hand, "Do you want to hear how Hunter and I met?"

I nod, surprised she took the whole story in stride. "Well," she sighs, "let me think, it was during the battles with the other sectors. I originally was from the north sector and was in the battle competition to prove our sectors abilities," she waits for me to nod, "it had been a long day and I was so sick of fighting and losing, to the point I was in the ring with the newest fighter orc from this sector."

"Hunter?"

"Oh yeah," she groans and squeezes me hand, "so, I had a knife concealed under my battle attire-"

"You were disqualified!"

"No! Well... yes," she looks away from me, "I planted the knife on Hunter so he would get disqualified."

"But... aren't there-"

"Cameras? Yes. So, after Hunter was initially shamed, the announcer went back through the footage and saw me planting the knife."

"Oh..."

"Yeah," she chuckles, "we both lost our reputations, even though Hunter lost his wrongfully. And, long story short, we found each other nice to be around. Soon enough I started to fall in love with him, and over time, Hunter began to warm up to me until we decided to become true mates."

I sniffle and Odera lightly punches me in the arm, "Sorry! Sorry! That's just so... beautiful. I never knew that."

She exhales, "I'm not proud of what I did when I was younger. But sometimes, we have to move forward in order to live the rest of our lives without grief."

I nod my head and look at the bathroom tile, "Thank you. For telling me."

"You can thank me when you actually do something about your situation," she stands up and offers her hand.

"What do you mean?"

She pulls me up from the floor, "You can hear my story all day long and reminisce about what you said, but unless you learn from it and take action you won't move forward."

I take a deep breath, "I'm scared to go to him."

"Trust me, Osiris is scared too."

I laugh a little and begin to walk out of the bathroom with Odera in tow. Here goes nothing.