Not Your Villain (Sidekick Squad #2)(39)
Bells is relieved to hear things are going well, but it doesn’t change how much he worries about his parents.
From: Emma 5:22 pm
hey!!! new episode of GD, wanna come over and watch it with me?
To: Emma 5:23 pm
NO POWER, REMEMBER?
IT WONT COME ON UNTIL 8 AND THE STORM IS ALREADY GETTING HERE AT SIX
From: Emma 5:25pm
i know, it’s your fave show tho. i can come over and pick you up? plenty of charge before the storm gets here, and i’ve got the screener and you can stay the night. you know my moms don’t care
“Hey, I’m gonna go to Emma’s house and sit out the storm with her,” Bells tells his brother.
Simon tilts his head. “I suppose, in the parental role here, I should be asking if it’s all right with her parents and do the thing where…”
Bells rolls his eyes. “I go to Emma’s all the time. Her moms love me.”
Simon clucks his tongue. “I know, huh? So, what is this, do you want the talk or what?”
Bells gapes at him and then elbows his brother in the stomach. “Ew! Gross! I don’t wanna have a talk with you! It was embarrassing enough with Ma; you don’t—”
Simon laughs. “All right, little bro, just playing with you.”
“She’s my friend.” Bells glares.
“Mmmhmm.” Simon gives him a knowing smile. “Okay. I can’t give you a ride, though. I have to take the car to the farm, and the buses aren’t running. And before you say you’re gonna take your super-sexy-secret-superhero motorcycle, I’m gonna warn you that—”
“Storm. I know, Simon. I’m not dumb. Besides, Emma’s gonna pick me up.” He’s already messaging her YES. It doesn’t take long before Bells spots Emma’s little red car coming down the street, but the way his brother is teasing him, it feels like forever.
The rain falls steadily on the dark street. Emma waves as he picks his way down the driveway. Without streetlamps, everything seems precarious.
Bells throws his backpack into the back of Emma’s car and gets in the front seat. “Jess coming?” he asks, out of habit.
“She’s at Abby’s house,” Emma says.
Bells chuckles. “Why did I even ask?”
The drive is eerily silent aside from occasional thunder in the distance. Saving their batteries, most of the town has gone to sleep already.
Emma leads Bells inside. The house is brightly lit. “Oh, we’ve got plenty of energy tonight,” she says. “Tulsa had a super windy day today, and, if they didn’t sell their energy, it’d just go to waste. Come on!”
“Bells! Did you eat dinner?”
“Yes, Mrs. Robledo,” Bells says, giving her a hug. He loves Emma’s moms. “Thanks! Hi, Dr. Gutierrez!”
“How many times have I told you, you can just call us Samantha and Josephine,” Samantha says gently.
Bells rubs the back of his beck. “Ah, okay.” He agrees, one more time, but it’s weird to call adults by their first names, especially people as important as they are. Mrs. Robledo is their regional representative to the Collective government, and Dr. Gutierrez works at Andover Memorial Hospital. Bells really, really can’t use their first names. “How was, uh, New Bright City? Did you go anywhere else?”
“Yeah,” Emma says, perking up. “How are things going with, you know—” She glances around. “The business?”
Samantha rolls her eyes. “For the last time, this house isn’t bugged. My security team made sure of it.”
Josephine laughs. “It’s good to question,” she says, ruffling Emma’s hair. “She gets that from me.” She smacks a noisy kiss on Emma’s cheek.
“Hey!” Emma blushes. “Don’t you have the night shift?”
“I do,” Josephine says, and she kisses her wife goodbye. “Have fun, kids. Don’t stay up too late.”
“Where’s Jess tonight?” Samantha asks.
“At her girlfriend’s house,” Emma says.
Bells laughs as both moms awww and are interrupted by the chime of a DED message. They all look at their own wrists, but it’s Samantha who frowns.
“What, Kingston hounding you again about that damn produce bill?” Josephine sighs and tucks in a stray curl from Samantha’s otherwise-neat bun.
“He’s such a butthead,” Emma says. “You already said no and it’s gonna stay a no. Why is he still bothering you about it?” She shakes her head. “Did you even open that giant present he sent you last week?”
Bells chuckles as both moms give their daughter a stern look.
“No, I just put it in the basement,” Samantha says. “We don’t need any more fancy tech.”
Emma snorts. “Remember when he sent us that new projector console three months before it was released to the public? I mean, cool idea, but totally just trying to butter you up so you’d vote his way on the energy bill.”
“It did not work,” Samantha says, laughing. “And you can’t call the president a butthead.”
Emma lifts her eyebrows.
“He’s a very smart and capable leader who—” Samantha scrolls through the message and scowls. “—doesn’t understand a thing about what the Nevada region needs! Or the Collective! Ugh, this bill is going to be the end of me.” She sighs as Josephine laughs.