Chapter 9: A Reluctant Homecoming
Marshall stopped in front of his house and proceeded to have a staring contest with it. Naomi looked over the small house as well. It was a one-story, brick house standing in the middle of a yard covered in dandelions. All of the visible windows were closed with the blinds drawn. They hadn’t even entered the house, and already Naomi felt unwelcome.
Fumbling with his keys, Marshall hopped up the two front steps and unlocked the door. He and Naomi were greeted with a burning sort of smell that Naomi couldn’t quite identify. She coughed a bit as she removed her shoes. Marshall simply stomped into the house and turned left into the kitchen.
“Man, I’m starving,” he said as he opened the freezer.
Naomi timidly followed him, noting how empty and unkempt the house was.
“Want one?” Marshall asked Naomi as he offered her a frozen TV dinner.
Naomi studied the cardboard box displaying a tray of what resembled the food that was supposedly stored within it.
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful,” said Naomi, “but do you have anything else?”
“Feel free to take a look in the fridge if you want,” Marshall said as he stuffed his frozen dinner in the microwave.
Naomi decided to do just that. As she peered into the refrigerator, she noticed that most everything seemed foreign to her. Naomi noted two bottles—one red and one yellow—and a plastic, sealed bowl filled with sausage-like meats that were an unusual shade of red. She was also unnerved by a number of white, paper boxes that looked like they had been folded together. Naomi decided to settle on some carrot sticks wrapped in a plastic bag and an oddly-shaped bottle of orange juice.
The microwave beeped loudly, startling Naomi, as Marshall opened the door and took out the TV dinner. He carefully removed the plastic film covering the tray, set the tray on the table, and sat himself down as well. Naomi joined Marshall as he helped himself to a chicken nugget. As Marshall sunk his teeth into the small, flat, breaded lump of meat, Naomi couldn’t help but wonder how Marshall could enjoy such a thing.
After much fiddling, Naomi removed the cap from the orange juice bottle. She took a sip only to discover that the drink tasted nothing like orange juice. Naomi swallowed anyway. At least it wasn’t carbonated.
Marshall poked at a compartment of creamed corn with a fork and sighed.
“Is something the matter?” asked Naomi.
“I’m not looking forward to my mom coming home,” Marshall muttered.
“Why not?” asked Naomi.
“Simple,” said Marshall. “She’s a psycho.”
“That’s a horrible thing to say about your mother!” Naomi exclaimed.
“Well, it’s true,” said Marshall.
“What about your father?” asked Naomi.
“My dad’s not around,” said Marshall. “I don’t even remember what he was like. Mom said he split shortly after I was born. I don’t completely believe her, though.”
Naomi sighed as her mind wandered off to her family. She missed her father and brother, but was afraid to face them again. She knew that she couldn’t stay with Marshall forever.
Naomi’s thoughts were interrupted with the rattling of a door unlocking. Marshall tensed up. He exchanged a look of fright with Naomi.
“Freddy?” they heard a woman’s voice yell.
“Who’s Freddy?” Naomi whispered to Marshall.
“My first name,” Marshall sighed.
The woman stomped angrily into the kitchen where she stared down her son. She was a bony lady with ginger hair and tired eyes. From her painted fingers, a cigarette dangled. At least now Naomi knew what was responsible for the burning smell.
“Where the hell have you been?” she raged.
“None of your business,” Marshall said coldly.
“You’d better believe it’s my business,” the woman yelled. “I’m your mother!”
“You were the one who said you never wanted to see my face again,” Marshall yelled back, “so I left.”
Ignoring her son, the woman’s eyes drifted to Naomi.
“Who’s the girl?” she said suspiciously.
“She’s my friend,” Marshall muttered, averting eye contact.
“P-pleased to meet you, Mrs. Marshall,” Naomi stuttered nervously.
Naomi could almost feel the woman’s glare as it shifted between her and Marshall.
“She’s not your type,” was all that the woman said. “Take her home.”
Naomi gave Marshall a fearful look.
“Mom, she’s been through a lot,” Marshall tried to explain.
“Oh?” said the woman sarcastically. “Did you get married or something?”
Upon hearing the comment, Naomi’s face turned the color of a beet. Marshall glared at his mother.
“Whatever, Freddy,” said the woman. “I’ve been working hard all day and I gotta crash. I’ve got an early shift tomorrow.”
With that, she turned around and trudged to her bedroom.
“Do I have to leave now?” Naomi quietly asked Marshall.
“Nah,” he replied. “I don’t think she really cares.”
“I don’t want to be a burden to either of you,” said Naomi as her gaze shifted to the floor.
“Don’t be crazy,” Marshall said with a nervous laugh.
“That’s very kind of you,” Naomi said, giving a weak smile.
Marshall wanted to say that Naomi was rubbing off on him a little bit. What came out was, “Do you mind sleeping on the couch?”
***
It felt odd for Marshall to be in his own bed. He was tired, but sleep simply wouldn’t come to him. He turned on his side, facing the door to his room. That was when he noticed a blue light occasionally flashing through the crack of the door. Knowing exactly what was producing the light, Marshall decided to see what Naomi was up to.
Naomi was wide awake on the couch, glowing in short spurts. Hearing footsteps, Naomi tensed up and her light faded.
“You all right?” Marshall asked in a whisper.
“My head is hurting again,” Naomi answered.
“I mean, why are you glowing?” Marshall continued to ask.
“I was hoping that if I did, Dice would come back,” Naomi admitted.
“Don’t torture yourself, Naomi,” said Marshall.
“It’s nothing,” said Naomi. “I’ve felt worse pain.”
Marshall remembered when he first found Naomi. She was a crying mess then.
“You never did tell me what you were doing in the city,” he said.
“I’m a transgressor because I practiced magic,” Naomi said quietly.
“But you said you couldn’t control that,” said Marshall.
“It was still magic,” said Naomi. “It’s forbidden in my religion.”
“What does that have to do with you being alone in the city?” asked Marshall.
“I thought it would be best to leave my family,” Naomi admitted. “My brother saw me glowing and floating, and he was upset with me. I can only imagine how my father would react.”
“What about your mother?” asked Marshall.
Naomi was silent for a bit.
“She passed away,” said Naomi, “when I was very young,”
“Oh. Sorry,” was all Marshall could manage.
An awkward silence filled the room.
“Hey, I think I’m gonna go back to bed,” said Marshall. “G’night.”
“Good night,” Naomi replied as Marshall left.
Naomi wiped her teary eyes, knowing very well that it would be a long time before she could get herself to fall asleep.
