I was escorted back to my room for privacy. Yearning for a voice of familiarity, my stomach twisted in excitement. Once in my bedroom, Niklaus slammed the air-tight door shut. The landline blinked red, indicating a waiting call. I picked up the receiver and placed it against my ear.
"Mama?" I called into the silence.
"Violet." She audibly gasped into the phone, relief flooding her voice. "I'm just calling to check in, did you make it to Chicago alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. And you?" I savored the sound of her soft voice, her every word lulling my anxieties, even for just a moment.
"I'm okay, considering." There was a pause and I knew what such pause meant. She missed my father and worried for his safety, and the safety of her sons. "I'm just so happy you're okay. How are the Hale's treati
