Page 128 of Lured By Shadows

“So,” I said, keeping my tone casual, “what’s going on at work?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she replied way too quickly, tying her hair into a ponytail with one sharp, decisive tug. “I just thought this would be fun.”

I raised a brow but didn’t push it.

“I mean… it does look fun,” I muttered, already surrendering to the chaotic appeal of the whole thing.

Once we were suited up, she didn’t hesitate.

She charged an old mirror like it had personally offended her, swinging with enough force to send glass exploding outward in a glittering storm. For a second, I just stared at her, stunned. Then laughter burst out of me, wild and uncontrollable. We laughed until we were wheezing, the sound ricocheting off the padded walls while shards settled around our shoes.

When it was my turn, I grabbed an aluminum bat and went after a dead television like it owed me money. Every swing landed with a brutal crunch, my arms aching as glass and plastic shattered beneath the force of the hits. A raw, twisted relief built inside me the harder I swung, the violent crack of everything breaking drowning out every nagging thought lodged in my head until there was nothing left but noise, impact, and release.

And when I finally stopped, breathing hard with my hands trembling from the effort, it felt like stepping back from the edge of something overwhelming, leaving me exhausted but strangely clearer.

“Looks like you needed that more than I did,” my mother said from the corner, relaxed against the wall.

I yanked off my mask and reached for a water bottle like my life depended on it.

“Maybe,” I muttered between breaths. “That felt… really good.”

Her tone softened then, curiosity replacing the humor. “Something bothering you?”

I hesitated. My body still hummed with adrenaline, skin flushed hot, defenses worn thin from the release of it all.

“Wiggle’s been getting a little stressful,” I admitted, dropping into a chair. “But it’s also… I’m still trynna settle down. Culv’s great, but it feels like things aren’t set in stone yet.”

Her brows lifted, familiar maternal knowing settling across her face.

“What exactly is going on with you two?”

“It’s complicated,” I huffed, dragging my fingers through my damp hair. “I guess we’re dating. Or trying to.”

She watched me quietly, the silence inviting more, but instead of responding right away, she turned and resumed beating the hell out of an old radio.

“Good workout?” she asked after a moment, giving me room to breathe.

“Very,” I groaned dramatically, leaning back in the chair. “But fun, surprisingly.”

“I told you it wouldn’t kill you,” she teased as she moved to open the door.

I scoffed. “Is this really what a mother-daughter bonding sesh should look like?”

She shrugged without missing a beat. “Probably. Who decides that anyway?”

As we stepped into the hallway, the overhead lights catching in her eyes, it reminded me that this was her way of reaching out. Not through long emotional talks or heavy questions that made everything feel too exposed, but by letting us smash things apart and exist together in the wreckage without having to explain a damn thing.

“I mean, true,” I giggled as I peeled off the rest of the protective gear and tossed it into the bin, my muscles throbbing with the good kind of ache. “By the way, Anna wants to go shopping with Eunice and me. Would you wanna come along?”

“That sounds like a wonderful day out,” she mused, her voice slipping into a thoughtful cadence she always used when mentally sorting through schedules and responsibilities. “I’d have to check if it aligns with my calendar.” She paused mid-thought, catching herself before laughing softly. “Well, that’s what the old me would say. But if it involves the Scarbroughs, Julius wouldn’t mind one bit.”

I grinned and nudged her shoulder as we stepped outside, sunlight spilling across my face and making me squint. “Your new boss sounds super lax.”

“He’s a good man,” she said simply, though there was something almost fond in her tone. “And Eunice is a sweetheart. I end up dealing with Liam and Anna quite a bit too. Their family’s… complicated, but they’ve been kind to me.”

Complicated didn’t even begin to cover it. The word felt like a polite little bow tied around something else entirely.

Still, I didn’t say that.