We went home after eating dinner at the diner, but Mom's car wasn't there yet. It was a little past the time she normally comes home, which was odd for her. Dad and I looked at each other, but it seemed that we were both perplexed at the situation.
"I'll call Mom," Dad said as he went inside, leaving the door open. I grabbed everything and brought it inside, including my backpack that I forgot I brought into the truck with me when I left the museum.
I put the books on the shelf in the living room where my elementary school age books used to be, put the pictures that were in the envelope back into the old photo box that we got from grandma, and put the folder on my desk in my room. Then, I unpacked my backpack, put away the camping things, threw my dirty clothes in the dirty clothes basket, and put the uneaten food away. Dad walked into the living room, but something was off about his eyes, like he was told something that he never expected to hear ever in his life.81Please respect copyright.PENANAw4r6L42SCv
"What's wrong, Dad?" I asked.
"Your Mom is staying at a friend's house tonight," Dad said, "And she said she won't be back until she can find it in her heart to forgive us. As in, both you and I. She's mad at you for doing something stupid that could get her demoted or possibly fired and mad at me for not telling her that I knew about this before it happened or even preventing it.
"Even if I did promise Aunt Polly to not tell anyone about it, but I didn't know how to prevent it, because you lied to us about the entire camping trip. So, even if I knew what would happen, I wouldn't be able to stop you because you're a kid, therefore you think you're invincible and nothing will ever hurt you. It's a shame, but it doesn't work like that.
"Yes, saving your boyfriend's cousin is a good cause, but not at the expense of your boyfriend. What if you disappeared instead? There'd be chaos, because at least you can understand what that faerie is saying and have the ability and resources to fix this mess. Isaac may be related to the CEO of a big company, but at the end of the day he's just a human who wasn't born with the blood of the fae running through his veins." I waited until it was obvious that he said everything he wanted to say before I dare open my mouth.81Please respect copyright.PENANAiHOYSo69qw
"I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't think about the consequences enough beforehand and I shouldn't have lied to you and Mom. I was hoping that it'd be different because it was Isaac and I, but it seems that even if you're lovers, someone disappears if there's two going together." Dad pushed his bangs back with his left hand.
"I'll take that apology," Dad said, "But you have to call your Mom to apologize as well. I suggest you wait until after your shower to do it, because it gives her time to calm down. And to go back to the topic at hand, there was a case where two people went in and both of them left, but the explanation was that they never saw a door and it was a coincidence that they both went in at a similar time because they didn't know each other. Apparently if you go in alone, you don't see a door at all."
"What about more than two people?" I asked. Dad grimaced.
"Only one person would leave," Dad said, "It happened to one of my cousin's friend's original friend group. I think you remember cousin Denise." I hope she isn't the one I was thinking she was.
"Isn't she the one who died due to a heart attack six years ago?" I asked.
"No, that was her older sister Dorothy," Dad said, "Denise was the one who had the ability to hear the deceased, which is why said friend wanted to befriend her. They investigated around the building, but couldn't figure anything out, because the group wasn't dead. They all showed up several years later in the friend's basement with her during a power outage."
"I don't want to think about anyone, even Isaac just appearing like that when there's no light," I said.
"Well, because you did an idiotic thing," Dad said, "You have to deal with it if it happens, because there is a chance it might not happen, though don't depend too much on chance."
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