The Darkness We Hide

“You look like hell dear,” a female voice said from her left.

Squinting her eyes against the blazing sun, Michelle looked up and saw, of all people, Gareth’s mother.

“Oh God! What the fuck do you want?” Michelle asked.

“Well dear,” Louise said, settling down next to her on the step. “I am what you might call your new mother-in-law, and as such I reserve the right to interfere in my son’s relationship if the need arrives.”

“Wha…” Michelle tried to say, but was cut off.

“And I do believe the need has arrived,” the woman continued prying the now empty bottle out of Michelle’s hands. “I am here to help you.

“My name is Louise by the way, in case you didn’t remember,” the woman said, exchanging the liquor bottle for one full of water. “In our world, when a human is turned, he or she becomes a member of the pack. Now, Nancy and I talked about it and we decided one of us should be here to help you through the change.”

Seeing Michelle about to speak she quickly cut her off. “I heard you tell my son you didn’t want to see him again, and after what Nancy told me you’ve been through, I don’t blame you. But what’s done is done and now we must deal with it.”

Michelle, feeling sick, had only time to lurch to the curb before being violently ill.

“There, there,” Louise said at her side, pulling Michelle’s hair back. “Just get it all out of your system.”

After a few more minutes, Michelle felt empty and spent, Louise led her back to the step. Once seated, Louise returned with the dropped water bottle in her hand.

“Drink,” she ordered, holding out the water to Michelle, the look on her face brooking no refusal. “You need to rehydrate, then we’ll get you some food.”

She watched until Michelle had emptied the bottle, then stood and offered her a hand up. Too tired and sad to resist Michelle took it and Louise led her to a large four-door pickup truck parked just up the street. She half dozed while the older woman drove through the streets, not paying any attention to the direction they were headed, just glad that the liquor seemed to have done its work.

When Louise turned off the engine, Michelle finally opened her eyes and saw they were at the downtown Sheraton.

“What are we doing here?” she asked, confused.

“I rented a suite for a few days, so you’ll have a room of your own,” Louise explained, handing her car keys to the valet. “Come along, you need to get cleaned up.”

Michelle barely registered the ride up the elevator, or what room they were in. Louise managed everything, even stripping her out of her borrowed clothes and running a steaming bath in the large soaking tub.

She gave herself over to the ministrations of the older woman, allowing her to wash her hair and body, then sat still and silent wrapped in a towel as the knots were brushed out of her hair.

The whole time Louise hummed a soft soulful tune that somehow eased the pain Michelle’s body was feeling.

After braiding the young woman’s hair, she dressed her in one of her own nightgowns before ordering soup and bread for her to eat.

“Eat,” she ordered, handing Michelle a spoon.

“I’m not hungry,” the younger woman sighed, turning away.

Taking her roughly by the shoulders, Louise forced her to look her in the eye.

“I’ve had enough,” the older woman said flatly, her eyes flashing yellow. “I know you have been through a lot, and I have sympathy for that, but I am not going to stand by and let you kill yourself.

“You are a member on my pack and while you might not know it, you are bound to do as I say,” she explained, releasing one of Michelle’s shoulders and forcing the spoon into her hand.

“Now eat,” Louise said, using her other hand to turn Michelle back to the table.

Unable to resist the order, the younger woman was soon eating the soup, if not with gusto, then with a resigned appetite.

After Michelle had swallowed as much as she could, Louise gave her two pills telling her they would help her sleep before tucking her securely into bed.

“Rest,” Louise purred, using all of her maternal strength to push her new daughter to a peaceful, restful sleep.

“It hurts,” Michelle sobbed, meaning more than just her body. Her heart and soul ached for Gareth, for his arms, his strength, for the child now lost to them.

Louise continued to hum, rubbing the young woman’s temples until she fell to an agitated sleep.