Free Bloodline (The Forgotten Origins Trilogy) by Tara Ellis Page A

come inside?
    Standing in the open doorway, I wait for her to acknowledge me.  There are dirty dishes on the nightstand and empty bottles of water on the floor, so she obviously felt well enough to get up and find food.  That’s good, right?
    “Mom?” I say, when the silence draws out until it’s awkward.
    “Hmmmmm?”  Still absorbed in the puzzle, she doesn’t even look at me.
    “We’re home from school. Lots of people are sick though so they cancelled it for the rest of the week.”  When she doesn’t answer, I try again.  “You look like you’re feeling better.  Can I get you anything?”
    Finally, Mom lowers the pen and faces me.  Her eyes look sunken, the skin around her nose raw.  Her expression is so neutral that I can’t tell how she feels.  “I’m getting better.  I just ate so no, I don’t need anything.  Call your Grandma Fisher back though.  I didn’t feel like talking to her.”
    I see now that one of the home phones is on the bed next to her.  Didn’t feel like talking to her?  Slowly, I walk forward and pick it up.  I also grab the dirty dishes and empty water bottles.  I try and catch her eye again, to look for any sign of normalcy, but her nose is turned back to the puzzle.
    I make my way from the room and towards the kitchen, my arms full.  “Alex, close the door.”  I stop mid-stride at her voice.  Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and then go to the sink and dump everything in it. 
    Going back to her room, I quickly close the door before I have to look at her again, shutting it a bit more loudly than I meant to.  When she doesn’t comment on the slamming, I run to the end of the hall and into my own bedroom.  As an afterthought, I slam my door too; against this stupid flu, against Moms weird behavior and the note in my pocket that both excites and scares me at the same time.
    Throwing myself on the bed, trying to deal with my upwelling emotions, I realize that I still have the home phone in my right hand.  I stare it for several minutes and finally push the buttons to call my Grandma.  I’m not sure what I’ll say to her, but maybe they can come out and stay with us for a little while if I explain what’s going on. 
    When Grandma answe rs the phone on the fourth ring; my heart drops.  Her voice is barely recognizable and I know without a doubt that she is sick.  Really sick.  “Grandma!” I practically yell, tears springing to my eyes.
    “Oh Alex honey, how are you?  Are you and Jacob still okay?”  The effort to talk makes her cough and I wipe at the tears that have spilled over onto my cheeks.
    “We’re fine Grandma, really.  You sound sick though.”
    “Yes, both Grandpa and I have been hit pretty hard.  We got the antiviral meds today though.  I went in to the doctors this morning and he got us started at the first sign of this flu.  Dr. Carl is good at that kind of stuff, you know.  But your Aunt Tammy is very stubborn.  She insists that staying at home and washing her hands is going to keep her healthy.”
    I talk with her for awhile, until she is coughing so much that she has to go.  I don’t even mention Mom’s odd behavior or needing her to come out.  There’s no doubt that it’s not possible now.  Telling her I love both her and Grandpa, we say goodbye. 
    After hanging up I decide that my idea to wait until six to text Missy is stupid.  I pull out my cell phone and call, praying that she’ll answer.  It goes to voicemail before the first ring is finished, indicating that her phone is off.  Frustrated, I go to my desk and dig out my small address/phone book.  Looking up her home phone, I dial that one and close my eyes.
    I open them in surprise when it’s answered by her dad.  Relief flooding me, I ask to please speak with Missy.  There is an odd, muffled sound and I assume he is covering the mouthpiece.  I can hear muted, indistinct conversation and then my relief turns to dread as he tells me that Missy