Calliope

"So, that was really your mother?" Roy asked, driving.

I nod. "Yes, of course."

"You just haven't seen her in awhi–"

"I know."

We arrived at my mother's house. Roy parked in the driveway and I stepped out of the car, feeling queasy. We strode up to the front door and Roy took an extra step in front of me and knocked on it. My heart was beating very fast, not much of a change from twenty minutes ago, and my breathing was uneven. That phone call was replaying in my head over and over again.

The door cracked opened slightly and I went, "Mom?"

Suddenly, it burst open and my mother grabbed us and pulled us inside before slamming the door shut and locking it.

"Mom, what is happening?"

She looked through the peephole and after a moment, she sighed and turned around to face me. I was taken slightly aback. She didn't look much different from the last time I had seen her, except her hair was longer and she definitely did look older. I was just shocked to see that my mother was here, inside my childhood home, after so many years.

"Calliope, you look beautiful," she said, looking me up and down. "I see you brought Roy."

"Wonderful to see you too, Elizabeth," Roy muttered.

She started walking towards the living room and we followed. Everything looked the same as I remembered it, not a single decoration out of place. I could see our dusty family portrait handing in the hallway towards mine and Evan's bedroom. It felt like I was warped back into my childhood.

"Do you either of you want any water?" My mother asked, her voice shaking.

I didn't say anything so Roy answered, "We're alright."

She sat down on the couch, patting the spot next to her so I followed suit. Roy sat down in an armchair. I had so many thoughts running through my mind, but I decided to address the most pressing issue first.

"Mom, what's going on? What was that phone call about?"

"Oh, right, I'm sorry about that," she replied, chuckling.

"What did you mean by you were scared for your life?" I asked.

My mother stared at a button on the couch for a couple minutes before she finally said, "A man is trying to kill me."

"What? Who?"

"The Count. He knows where I am."

"The Count? As in that huge drug lord that's been all over the news?"

"Yes."

"How the hell do you know The Count?"

My mother looked at me and said, "We've been friends for years. Since you were born actually, Calliope."

"By friends, you mean..." Roy said, trailing off. She slowly nodded her head.

I stopped. Things were starting to piece together. Why she was never really there our whole lives was because she worked for The Count? She didn't come to our graduations or our weddings or anything remotely important because she was dealing drugs or something, while our dad tried did his best to make up for what she lacked? Even after their divorce?

"Calliope, I'm so sorry..." My mother tried to reach out to me but I jerked away, unable to fully think straight after what I just heard. I always wondered why my mother was such a flake but now I wish I didn't know.

"Why is he trying to kill you?" I asked, moving on. Roy placed a comforting hand on my thigh and I took it in my hands. At least he was here to ease my frustrations.

"I did something..." she said. "It was a mistake, pure human error..."

"What was it?"

But before she could say anything, the doorbell rang. We all stopped suddenly and stared at it. After a moment, it rang again and my mother sharply inhaled.

"Oh, my God," she whispered. "It's him. He's here."