Caldera Madre by jublke
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I must have drifted off to sleep, because I awoke to a gentle shoulder massage.  Opening my eyes, I peered about cautiously.  Yes, the headache was still there, but the pain was almost manageable.  I stretched out beneath a set of skillful fingers, relaxing more with each tender stroke.

"Feeling better?" Princess whispered as she leaned into me, her willowy arms nearly resting on my shoulders. Her long black hair dusted my skin and I could feel my heat rising.

"I always feel better when you're around," I admitted with a slow smile.  I rolled over to face her, arms wide.  "How did you know that I needed you?"

She pulled back from me then, her expression stilted and awkward.  "Jason ... um ... asked me to check on you,"  Princess admitted.  She lifted her gaze, but she wouldn't quite meet my eyes.  What had transpired during that conversation?

I sighed.  "So, he told you."

She nodded, pulling absently at her hair.  "He ... uh ... actually, he held a team meeting." She fidgeted uneasily, staring down at her hands.

I mentally filled in the gaps in her story.  Princess was upset with me, but she was worried about me and had come here willingly.  The problem was with Jason.  He must have been furious.   I thought for a minute.  If Jason had been upset by my disclosure, he most likely would have kept the meeting brief and darted off somewhere to sulk.  Then what?

"So, where is Jason now?" I asked anxiously, wondering how much damage control was necessary.  Was Jason mad at me or the Chief?  Had he confronted our mentor while I was lying flat on my back or was he saving that to watch me squirm?

She twisted her lips.  "Last I checked, he was attacking every punching bag in the weight room."

My tension level rose a notch.  "So has he spoken to the Chief?" I tried to keep my voice level, but worry seeped in anyway.  Damn. Had Jason told the team that the Chief was my uncle?  Would they ever forgive me for keeping it a secret for so long?

Princess took in a deep breath.  "No, Mark, he hasn't," she said.  She exhaled more than a hint of frustration.  "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

About the Chief or about my mother? I wondered.  But it didn't matter, because the answer was the same.  "The Chief asked me not to say anything." Seeing her dubious expression, I took her hands in mine.  "I never meant to hurt you."

She shook her head and pulled away.  "I'm a big girl, Mark.  You don't need to protect me like you did when we were kids." She sounded so sad.

Seeing her dejected posture, I stiffened.  Blinking and shaking my head, I tried to sweep away the pain and focus only on her.  "I'm sorry, Princess.  I should have said something sooner but I just didn't ... "

My words trailed off and I realized that I had no idea how to get them started again.  I must have looked as miserable as I felt because she patted me awkwardly on the arm.  "It's okay, Mark.  I'm more worried about you."

As long as my mind focused on Princess, on Jason, on the Chief, I didn't have to think about me.  I shivered involuntarily as the spotlight shifted.  Dying or no, I had little desire to visit my mother.  Seeing her would just rip open old wounds, reduce healing scars back to fresh gashes.  I wanted to tell Princess that I'd be all right, but I knew that my voice would crack and betray me before I ever managed to deliver the words.  So I pushed down hard on the fear and reached out to the woman who had taught me to trust.

"Will you go with me to see her?" I couldn't look Princess in the eye.  What if she said no?

Her answer was brief and immediate.  "Of course."

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