Anita Morrison would describe herself as a patient woman. She was patient when customers would yell at her and demand the manager without realizing that she was the manager, she was patient with traffic and slow walkers, she was even patient with the goddamn broken burner on her stove.
But not this. No, something about this was very wrong, and it made her antsy. She didn’t want to keep waiting.
Gordon had called her hours ago, around 10 PM to tell her that he was going to be late. That there was something strange going on in the town he was in. That he wasn’t safe. Anita wanted nothing more than to grab her keys and go, but he insisted that she stay here. Keep everyone else safe.
They aren’t the ones in potential danger, she wanted to retort. But she had to trust him. Not to say she didn’t--Gordon just... had a track record of trying to downplay things. Especially now.
The anxiety is what has her up and awake now at 2 AM, standing in front of one of the windows and staring up at the sky. She wonders where out under the moon her brother is, if he’s okay, if he’s hurt and needs help and goddammit why is she still here she should have gone out to get him hours ago--
The sound of her daughter’s voice snaps her out of her thoughts. Deana, hair wild and eyes bleary with exhaustion stands in the doorway of the kitchen.
“Deana? What are you doing awake, mija?”
“The same reason you are, I assume, yes?” Deana shuffles next to Anita, who puts an arm around her and hugs her to her side. “Worried about Uncle Gordon.”
Anita sighs, and kisses the top of her daughter’s head. Of course, there was no hiding anything from Deana. She had been so sharp ever since she was a child, Anita stood no chance now that she was 17.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine, Deana.”
“... What time are you going to go get him?”
Blink. “Ah... did you overhear us talking?”
Deana shakes her head, a slight smile on her lips. “No. I just know you.”
A soft chuckle as Anita lightly shakes Deana. “Too smart for your own good.”
Deana giggles, before her eyes soften. “That, and... well, it’s what I would do. So what time?”
“If he’s not back by 4 tomorrow. Then I’m going to find wherever this ‘Liminal Point’ place is and get Gordon.”
“I hope you mean we are going to find it?”
“Now who said you were coming? If there’s something going on there, I don’t want you getting wrapped up in it.”
Deana starts to tap-tap-tap her fists together, something she did whenever she was stressed. “Mamá.”
Siiigh. “Yes, I know you’re coming long, Deana. You’d just sneak into the trunk if I said no, anyway.” And Anita was much, much too tired to fight with her on this.
The tapping of her fists slows. “I promise I’ll be safe. As long as you promise, too.”
Another kiss to Deana’s forehead. “But of course, mija.”
The two of them stare out at the night sky, that sense of discomfort settling on them once more.
“... Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”
