After school, Charlotte takes me for ice cream and we go to my house, laughing and crying. We pull into the driveway and get out. We walk up to the door and I peek through the window. I knock and ring the doorbell. The door opens and mom looks at me.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpYqtYEOaJ
"Charlotte, it's so nice to see you." She gasps. "My baby!" She pulls me into a hug and kisses my head. She lets go and gently pushes me inside. She does the same with Charlotte and shuts the door. "Oh. Um. There's someone in the living room who wants to meet you girls. You mostly Nikki."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJurKfrUT0
"Alright. I'm going to go put my things up first."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYtHj3o2jX
"Okay. That's fine."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzOO6D9fyi
I put my things in my bedroom and head downstairs. I head into the living room and find mom talking to someone.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYK8mZ42dx
"Hey, mom?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ggDuIQHSf
She turns around. "What, sweetie?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡculiH7gHFv
"Do we have any snacks?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiy1BoZ3U7
"I think we do." She smiles at the stranger and walks to the kitchen. I look at her and follow mom. "Here. I bought this bag of mini donuts today. For you."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pnhCtmdFU
"Thanks, mom."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB37oTq20dp
"Anytime, dear."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFJUSWiPVJ
I follow her back in the living room and find Charlotte talking to the stranger. I lie down on the loveseat and open the bag of donuts. I take one out and set the bag on the coffee table.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZKsEMw9eh
"Oh, yes. Um, Nikki?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU0J3LGdze
I look up. "Hm?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQbWi0fl0T
"I'd like to introduce you to someone who you wouldn't believe is even alive. Real, for that matter. I myself reacted in shock and didn’t believe her at first, but Nikki, this is, um … This is Sister Agatha Van Helsing."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBW3WpjLnd
I jump up. "Uh-uh. That's not possible."
She smiles. "Well, dear, as you get to know me, I'm sure you'll believe that it's possible."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9awLTYCR6
Suddenly, I remember. "Oh. Mom?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dau9qT1XN
"What, dear?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMwtEj6Wbm
"C-can I talk to you? Please?" I sigh. "I-it's very important."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXmUu1tbwG
"Of course. You can talk to me anytime. Where do you want to go?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEXh5Y7OO4
"Is my bedroom okay? And can Charlotte come with?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6Fsd6Az8g
"Um, yes."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQvy5pFabm
"Okay."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Yd8r87uru
Charlotte joins us and we head upstairs. We get to my bedroom and mom shuts the door behind us. She leans against it and crosses her arms.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5chXxIUyc
"Okay, first of all, young lady, I have a question for you. Where were you when the funeral director and I got back? And why was Dracula gone, also?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfH2MWbrYnI
"I'm about to tell you that. Um, you might not believe this or not, but he, um, woke up and drank my blood at the funeral home and I went unconscious. Then, when I woke up, I was in Castle Dracula with him. He took me upstairs and, um, he f-f-f—" I burst into tears.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVF8ASRe95M
Mom looks sympathetically at Charlotte. 347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOb1WuDTDC2
Charlotte sighs. "She told me about the whole weekend at school during lunch and she said that Dracula had 'you know what' with her. Then we went into the bathroom and, um, she … She's pregnant."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KGlLEdtop
"With Dracula's child?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGdP7nFFnS
"Apparently."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbd6aNHCTF
"I'll be right back." Mom opens the door and goes downstairs, shutting the door behind her.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTNSju54Qe
Fifteen minutes pass and mom comes back up with Agatha right behind her. Mom shuts the door and I look up.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJegajSxe4
"W-wait? Y-you believe me?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmc76OQ5x87
"Yes." She smiles half-heartedly and looks away.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfFy4LrvAw
Agatha walks over to me and I fall to the floor.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIACZK17Qw
"I-I didn't w-want to," I sob. "I s-swear. I couldn't st-stop him. Please!"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3epePxBjW
Agatha kneels down and gently squeezes my arm. "Shh. It's alright. I can help you. Really, I can."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvY908C0Bq
I look up at her and sniff. "Can you really?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqMWc8RU9o
"Yes, I can. And I will." She smiles reassuringly. "And Mr. someone will pay for what he did. I'll make sure he does." She pats my arm. "I've got to pay him a visit anyway. And you, your mom, and miss Charlotte are going to come with."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCBRVplR1H
"Oh, yeah." I turn my head sideways and pull my hair back. Agatha must see it because she gasps.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6v9A7Vx80
"He did not."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYL88l6jwP
I pull my hand away and nod. "Yes, he did."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKODJ4yjVtA
"How many times?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlauli2A29p
"Twice that I know of."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWWBAyDMGT
Mom comes over. "What's going on?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcXyIc9BKo
Agatha stands up. "Dracula drank her—"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TuNHzYwlL
"Blood."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvLepn9PqY
"Yes. She has a scar on her neck."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7u5ZSkIGj
Mom sighs slowly. "That mother-effing—"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwYxzgvcaH
"Mom!"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0g5yBUTCM4
She looks down at me. "What, sweetie?"347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONV3kBTYVY
"Please don't curse. I don't like it when you do that."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrjIioTIhI
"Okay. I'll try my best." She smiles. "For you."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEDN400d4A
I smile back. "I love you, mom."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1psB2XOIq
"I love you too, dear."347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVYI2wD63R
I stand up and hug her. She hugs me back. I smile. Best mom ever.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUidrCxPAw0
