Chapter 4

In the morning, dad helped me by himself. He didn’t mention why my mother wasn’t there like she usually was, and one look into his eyes told me not to ask. Red-rimmed and narrow, they were tired. And that conflicted expression was still there, even as he smiled while moving me into my chair. Across the room, Shayna sat; her tail wagged slowly as she observed dad’s movements. Every single motion he made. If he blocked her view, she moved so she could sit and watch once more.

“Why don’t you run her outside and let her do her business, Kyle.” Dad straightened and looked towards his bedroom before adding. “I’ll, uh...” He swallowed before flashing me a tight grin. “I’ll check on your mother.”

“Okay, dad.”

Before my electronic chariot’s wheels had a chance to turn, Shayna rushed for the doorway. Without any direction from me, she looped her way to the back door as I rolled along behind her. Had she already memorized the house? How did she know where we were going? With a shrug, I pulled the sliding glass door aside, and she dashed out onto the deck, sniffing and wagging between swift darts from place to place. Only once satisfied did she glance up to me, her tail—still.

All I did was nod, and she shot from the concrete and raced out into the thick grass, where she squatted and hurriedly peed. The whole time she watered the yard, she kept her eyes fixed on me. Now, as I said, I’d never owned a dog, and certainly never a mobility assistance dog, but the way her emerald eyes locked on mine ... A shiver rippled along my spine.

My stomach rumbled. Hopefully, breakfast was out already.

“Come on, Shay...”

She was running for the door before I finished. With a shrug, I spun and rolled to her. When we slipped inside, dad stood behind the kitchen counter, eyes squeezed shut, coffee mug shaking in one hand while his other clawed the counter top. About to call out, I caught a sudden motion. When I glanced down, my chest tightened and my jaw slipped downward. The soles of my mother’s stockinged feet twitched on the kitchen tile. My gaze flicked upwards; now I noticed the top of her dark hair swaying back and forth and twisting before my dad.

As a low groan left him, dad swayed forward.

“Oh God, dear. That’s amazing. I’m gonna...” Was all he could say before hissing through gritted teeth.

At that moment, my wheel squeaked over the threshold. Wild, his eyes flew open, and he stared at me, then past me, before raising his face to the ceiling as his neck tensed. It was far too late for him to stop and his whole body shook as grunt after grunt sailed from his upturned lips.

With each of his thrusts, my mother’s loud slurping became long gulps. Tipped with glinting red-gold nails, her clawed hands dragged his shirt upwards so she could caress dad’s shaking ribcage. When I realized my mouth hung open, I slammed it shut and pulled the door quietly closed behind us. Any other motion and I would disturb them, but he was once more looking at me.

At first I thought he would be angry, but he lowered his mug to the counter and settled his hand down on my mother’s bobbing, twisting hair. His other came up, and he placed his finger over his lips. As my heart hammered, I rolled slowly from the room, my stomach still rumbling. Breakfast would be late today. Except for my mother; she’d apparently had hers.

Very talented.

“Yeah, I noticed,” I muttered to myself. Stupid insane voice being stupid. Then, with a sigh, I guided the chariot into my room and turned up my music. Who knew what else they would do? The new normal? As I pushed the door shut, Shayna spun in circles, then settled onto her blanket. Ears perked, her shiny eyes flicked between me and the closed door.

“Hungry too, I bet.”

Her tail wagged and then I joined her to stare at the closed door of my bedroom, wondering when it would be safe to leave. The electronica tunes weren’t helping the gnawing emptiness in my belly.

Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long. A tight expression on his face; dad pushed open the door and gestured us out. As Shayna padded and I rolled to the kitchen, there was no longer any sign of my mother, but their bedroom door was now closed.

As he finished his coffee and helped me eat, dad was silent. Once more, Shayna was laser-focused on everything he did. At the sound of click-clacking, all of us looked over to see my mother strut out onto the kitchen tile. Strut? She never strutted.

The sharp, rhythmic click-clacking drew all our eyes; dad’s widened as much as mine. She hardly ever wore heels at all. And the shiny black stilettos now on her stockinged feet were only ever taken on those mountain trips with dad. Also stockings? My mother usually wore panty-hose. And though she wore the same conservative gray dress, it seemed somehow less effective at covering her curves. Her eyes gleamed and her hair was perfectly brushed to sweep across her shoulders.

And she strutted now.

After beaming a smile at me, she walked up to grind against dad, her leg sliding between his. His mouth opened as she nuzzled into his neck; a low growl issued from her ruby red lips. As I gulped, I peeked down at Shayna and her laser-focused eyes ... Yeah, they were with mine, locked on my parents right as dad swept her into his arms.

“You gonna miss me, dear?” she murmured into his pulsing throat before nipping him with her sharp teeth.

When his hands slid down, I should’ve averted my gaze and rolled away. But I didn’t and watched his outstretched fingers sink into my mother’s firm butt. The sound of her clawed nails dragging along his shirt back added to both their moans.

“Yes,” he hissed, before she swallowed his mouth with hers.

As I looked down at Shayna, she gazed up at me.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” my mother muttered after pulling her lips from him; dad gulped as his fingers caressed her shapely behind. “Will you meet me for lunch?” Before he could respond, she dragged her shiny tongue under his trembling jaw. “I’m already so hungry for you.”

Not normal. Nope. Also, lunch? Dad wasn’t taking me anywhere today. As I watched my entangled parents, I wracked my brain. We were still on spring break. So, school was out until next Monday, and I couldn’t remember any medical appointments.