Chapter 5

Over the next week, I dressed for school and left the house nearly an hour early each day, hoping to avoid running into either Madara or Masumi. Hanabi's bike was gone each time, so I assumed she was doing the same thing.

Over the past few days, I'd overheard illogical conversations between the two adults in the house. They talked about my father, of course, and my sister and me, but they also talked about some kind of Summer camp.

They referred to it as "The Program" and discussed it daily. I couldn't catch every word they said because I didn't want to get closer and potentially be spotted, but what I heard confused me.

Madara spoke of aliens, which wasn't unusual for him given his line of work, but he spoke of them like their existence was a fact and not a hypothesis. He must be crazier than I thought, which is quite a bit. You must be at least a little messed up in the head to immediately move in on a widow just days after her husband's death.

The fact that both acted so nonchalantly about their relationship made me suspicious that they somehow had something to do with the lab accident. How would I ever be able to prove it, though?

On Friday evening, just before bed, Masumi called Hanabi and me downstairs. We hadn't sat down for dinner since the funeral, and everyone's been sort of fending for themselves for food, so it was the first time since the big fight with her and Madara that we were all together.

To my utter disdain, the man was waiting beside her. She gestured for us to sit at the dining table, and we both did without argument. It seems she'd realized that I wouldn't argue much when her new boyfriend was around after he grabbed me and used it to take control of the situation.

My stepmother spoke once my sister and I were seated, "I want to talk to you both about what happened."

I felt Hanabi's hand slip into mine under the table and gave her a small, supportive squeeze as the older woman continued.

"Madara and I were having an affair before your father's death, I admit, and I am deeply regretful that we didn't get the chance to come clean about it before…."

She pretended to get choked up, but her acting was subpar. When both my sister nor I refused to console her, she pulled herself together and continued, "We were planning on telling him, and I was going to file for divorce. I don't want you two to see me in the terrible light you do now. Yes, I made a huge mistake, but I'm human. I'm sorry!"

Masumi was speaking as though she cared what we both thought of her, but she was just pleading with Hanabi and only included me to try to make her case more believable in her daughter's eyes.

My sister spoke up for the first time, her voice wavering as she tried to keep control of her emotions, "How could you do this to Dad? I thought you loved him!"

Madara was simply watching the scene unfold in silence. It was probably the best thing he could do because if he tried to join the conversation as of now, both Hanabi and I would most likely lose our tempers.

"I did love your father, baby, and I still do, but when you're older, you'll realize that sometimes that's not enough. Relationships are hard; sometimes it's best to let someone go rather than let your love turn into hate."

Tears fell down my sister's cheeks, and her voice cracked when she replied. "Why couldn't you wait until…until we've had a chance to mourn before…." Her voice trailed off as she started to sob.

The hand I held slid out of my grasp, and she covered her face. I grit my teeth to keep myself from chiming in with a disrespectful comment toward her mother, knowing well that it wouldn't be helpful to her right now.

"Like I told your sister, everyone mourns differently, and Madara being around has helped me cope. I know it's selfish, but I needed him around to keep me sane this past week."

Hanabi peered through a few of her fingers to look up at her mom, and my heart sank as I realized she was actually falling for this bullshit excuse of an apology.

I rose from my seat, intent on returning to my room rather than watching this unfold, but Masumi put a hand out from her side to stop me, "Please sit back down, Hinata. I also have news concerning you."

Hesitantly, I sank back down to my seat, looking between her and her new beau. It was silent momentarily, the only sound being Hanabi's sniffles as she tried to stop her tears.

"I'm pregnant."

Tears rose to my eyes, and I could feel the blood leave my face in disbelief, but Hanabi nearly yelled at her mother, "What! Who's baby is it!?"

My self-control went out the window as I struggled to keep myself from jumping across the table to strangle the apparently pregnant woman. She looked at Madara before returning her gaze to my sister and me, "I…I don't know for sure if it's your father's or Madara's. I can't get a paternity test until I'm at least three months along, and I'm only a few weeks in right now."

I scoffed, pulling the room's attention, "Were you trying to get pregnant? It's odd that you already know if you are when you're just a few weeks. Don't most women find out around one or two months?"

Madara spoke up for the first time, "I suggest you watch how you speak to your mother."

My face burnt bright red as rage seeped through my veins, "She's not my mother."

Masumi suddenly burst into tears, burying her face in her hands and leaning into her boyfriend's comforting arms. I rolled my eyes at her terrible acting. The woman has never considered my opinion of her before, so why would she start now? Of course, I feel like an ass for talking down to a pregnant woman, but the guilt quickly takes a back-burner when I think about how terribly she's treated me and betrayed my dad.

I rose to my feet again, this time with an exasperated sigh, "Is that all? I want to go to bed."

Hanabi looked up at me in disbelief but didn't say anything as Madara spoke before she could, "The new house will be ready two weeks from today, and we'll all be moving in immediately, so start packing your belongings."

My eyes narrowed, "What do you mean we'll all be moving in?"

Masumi's sobs cleared up instantly, and she nodded, "Madara will be moving in with us."

Hanabi rose to her feet this time; her jaw dropped in surprise. We shared a look before wordlessly leaving the dining room and heading upstairs to our separate bedrooms.

Just like we were told, we were in the newly constructed house two weeks later, unpacking the boxes the moving company had delivered for us. My room was much smaller than before, for which I'm sure my stepmother was to blame.

Father had shown Hanabi and me the plans for the house when he was still alive, and they barely resembled the finished product. Masumi and Madara must be to blame for that, as well.

Days passed, and things were awkward the entire time. I tiptoed around the house to avoid run-ins with either of the adults living there. One night when I was getting a snack from the kitchen after skipping dinner, I noticed a tablet was left on the counter. I glanced around to ensure no one would see before clicking it on and searching through some of the files it held.

Surprise raised my eyebrows as I realized that the summer camp they had been discussing was to be held underneath this house. The updated house plans were on there, showing large rooms underneath the place and tunnels leading to who knows where.

Before I could find out how to access the basement, I heard someone clear their throat. The tablet slid through my fingers, but a hand caught it before it could slam onto the granite countertop.

Madara's eyes narrowed as he stared at me, "I didn't take you for the nosy type, Hinata."

I gestured to the tablet. I'm too confused about what I'd read to care about his opinion, "What is all this? What's "The Program"?"

He studied my face in silence for a moment before giving in and speaking as though he were giving a presentation, "The Program is a training camp, of sorts, for young adults to learn how to defend themselves mentally and physically from a variety of attacks."

My increased confusion must've been evident because he continued explaining, "I believe our government will soon be struggling to remain intact, and I want to prepare as many people as possible for that."

I temporarily forgot about my hate for the man before me and narrowed my eyes quizzically, mind reeling as I tried to make the puzzle pieces fit, "What makes you think that?"

To my surprise, he started speaking about a new technology that allowed divers to explore previously untouched parts of the ocean, continuing to explain that these inventions would lead to the fall of humanity if we don't properly prepare.

Everything he was saying proved to leave me more bewildered. When he realized I wasn't making sense of his words, he sighed, "Let me say this as clearly as I can so you'll understand: My studies began showing years ago that aliens don't just come from outer space. I believe they reside in the deepest ocean parts and maybe even the Earth's core."

My mouth opened slightly in disbelief.

Madara sounds like some sort of heretic! He really is crazy!

A humorless laugh slipped from my mouth, and his eyes narrowed, "I'm not surprised by your reaction. Almost everyone I've tried to convince of this theory has the same one, but you're going to see that I'm right, and you're going to wish you took me more seriously."

With that, he turned on his heel and headed toward his and Masumi's bedroom, leaving me shell-shocked in the dimly lit kitchen.

What the hell? How would he ever convince anyone to attend this camp of his when his ideals are so far-fetched? Indeed, he's likely to come up with a ruse to trick people into signing up.

Sighing, I returned to search the cabinet for a snack. Whatever that man does is not my concern. After I graduate next month, I'll be out of here.