75. Aiyana

Chapter seventy-five

Aiyana

Saturday, February 3, 2024

M y eyes snap open, a familiar ringtone filtering through the room. Kas's weight presses me into the mattress as my heart starts to calm down, realizing it must be later than I thought if Mom is calling me.

"Kas, get off of me," I groan to him, trying to reach for my nightstand as the screen of my cellphone illuminates with the incoming call. I answer it just in time, Kas grumbling behind me.

"Good morning, Etsi ," I tell her, trying not to sound as exhausted as I am.

" Usdi ," baby . My heart stutters in my chest, alarm bells ringing all around me. A cold chill rushes through me at the sound of my mother's broken voice.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I ask frantically, begging for details that are bound to paint a perfect picture of the nightmare that I have unfolding in my mind.

Kas jolts up, worry painted across his face as his eyes bore holes into my skin. I look away, unable to hold myself together when he looks at me like that.

" Usdi ," her voice breaks as she tries again. "It's your father. Please hurry. Come now before it's too late." If my mind wasn't already reeling with the worst-case scenarios, she just filled in all the blanks, leaving me cold and frantic.

I feel Kas's warm fingertips graze my skin as he pries the phone from my hand, bringing it to his ear. "We'll be there shortly, Zuni." I hear my mother's muffled voice but can't make out what she says, but Kas responds quickly, his voice hushed. "Don't worry, Etsi . I'll bring our girl to you safely, I promise."

He ends the call, sliding out of the bed and taking my phone with him. "Get dressed," he states firmly, his voice the only sound that makes its way through the low buzz that's flooded my brain. "Aiyana," he says, trying to reach me, my eyes slowly making their way up to his face, a numbness settling within me. "Baby, you need to get up and get dressed. I'll be right back. I'm gonna get Kat."

I nod as best I can, climbing from the bed and letting my legs drag me to my dresser.