A small house was situated two blocks away from the city park owned by the Davis. It, painted soft white like an egg shell, was Caleb’s paradise on earth. On the lawn at the front building, the small wood workshop stood timidly, in which Caleb would build small toys and some crafts that helped him earn small sum. It was Alexis’ idea. She took his crafts, uploaded the photos of his works online, and printed the small brochure to promote his works for sales. She did not do it for money but to make her father proud of himself. Of course, he was proud and satisfied with his little angel’s cleverness.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7EMIImanB
He parked the vehicle inside the garage. This old gray mini-van served them faithfully for about twelve years. Caleb helped Bianna got down in an act of the true gentleman as he kept doing since their first date. Her big dark-brown eyes had seen through his heart, which were powerful enough to warm it. Her dark bronze skin was the same shade as his but more beautiful, thanks to the smoother and healthier skin. Bianna was a chubby woman with narrow shoulders, however, she had the brightest smile that anybody could compare with. They dated for two years and Caleb asked her to marry him. After the effort to have their own child had failed, they adopted Jesse. Seeing the boy playing alone made them dissatisfied so they adopted Bryce two years later. Another three years later, Alexis came to their family. They thought the family was big enough but as their children grew up, the couples were afraid to be left alone so eleven years later, Charlie became their fourth and the last adopted child.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrlBWbYO7T
No, they were not rich; the Davis’ belonged to the middle class. The house, in fact, was available for four members to stay comfortably but with six members under the same roof, it was no different to a rabbit hole. Still, they did not get obstructed but unable to be prodigal.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2oRPXFAHq
Caleb and Bianna walked into the living room where Charlie was sitting in front of the television watching his favorite cartoon. The boy was only six. When he heard his parents’ arrival, he turned his face to show the red cheeks like the tomatoes in Bianna’s backyard. He was the only blond in the family and had the ivory-white skin. Everyone called him ‘Little Charlie or Monkey (or Shorty Charlie by Jesse when he was moody)’.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmyd8gWuqj
They were lucky that Bryce stayed home for a few weeks during the summer vacation so she could take care of her little brother while Caleb and Bianna went to work. Without Bryce, they had to leave Charlie with the old lady who was their long-time neighbor. Sadly, the boy hated going to her house because she would not allow him to watch his favorite TV show because she was addicted to a melodrama series and could not miss any episode. Without Bryce, Alexis would do the job but she had gone from home this week due to the part-time job as a young amateur model Caleb disapproved of.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KLrlHCkwK
“Be a good boy today?” The doctor carried his son just when Charlie bumped his forehead at his legs.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbNC3CAJdh
“Yeah, I’m always a good boy.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MEI0NYXho
Caleb giggled and snuggled the boy into the father’s warmth.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡgo92PuJsOg
“Had a serious case?” the girl in the oldy orange t-shirt and white track pants asked. Her skin was golden tan but the most eye-catching parts were the straight black-raven hair, high cheekbones, and angular jawlines. Her height was not that high. Bryce was studying medicine at the University of Delphi where Alexis would continue her study too unless she could win the scholarship.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2s0EvDffR
“Yes,” Caleb told the daughter releasing his son to the floor. Bianna rushed to the kitchen without greeting her daughter. Amused at how straving she was, Caleb laughed through his nose. “I left the chicken stew in the fridge. Did you see it?”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpDb7EY5Bg
“We already cleaned the pot, dad,” the girl said and laughed with her bell-like voice. Her father was very good at cooking and his stew was the best in the town. Due to the job at the hospital, he rarely performed this marvelous skill.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSEDUu8EWX
“Alex is already home. Just so you know.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡU90n9FSNU8
Caleb raised his brows. “She came early. I thought that it will take a week.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡErxiCEWBKy
“Yep, but the star boy is missing. I can’t remember his name but my friends…everyone is talking about his news. Ask her the details, dad. I have to do my assignments now so…gotta go.” Bryce gave him a short hug and walked into her room that she shared with her younger sister.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡSerwSl100Y
In the third year, the study was tougher than ever. Bryce could not allow herself spending more time for a little chit-chat even in the vacation, that was why Charlie kept himself addicted to the television when his sister would appear during meal times only. Bryce was close to Alexis but they shared no similar traits. His oldest daughter was not the kind of talkative but strict to her schedule so if she meant no time, she really meant it.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡYV8YiiDb5x
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, young lady,” he shouted and shook his head when the girl collected her voice to focus on her study desk only.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJZQ1BvYdf
“Darling, they left your stew for the two of us.” Bianna placed the pot on the table. Both of them smiled at each other, Bryce just told him they cleaned it all but she lied. The kids knew that their parents had no time even to buy the instant meal outside. The daughter kindly warmed it for them. Caleb and Bianna were the parents that would never leave home if they had no work to do because they preferred the family time more than anything else. copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5uXCnjDoj
When his parents were messing with the meal, Charlie went back to his seat to continue watching. Caleb sighed, thinking that he should spend more time with the youngest son and wondered why Jesse and Alexis hid in the upstairs instead of playing with the little boy. copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmeJlx1YI7
“They’re talking. Maybe something serious,” he initiated the suspicious thought to Bianna. Caleb always interested in his kids’ business. A little bit bossy dad he was. Still, he had an excuse, because unlike Bryce, Jesse and Alexis were the kinds of entertainers and they normally did not leave Charlie stayed alone like this if they were at home. Teenagers loved to keep the secret from parents and Caleb was not the cool one. He died to know what they were hiding.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1QvSR7nPk
His wife seemed not to be interested. Contrast to the husbad, she was the kind of a mommy who understands how teens are. “Why? I mean why you have to be so curious? They’s kids. It’s their business. They will go down soon, don’t worry. Come on. Sit!”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmq8j2vCGT
When Bianna gave him the disapproving glare, Caleb sat down and focused on his meal quietly. He was the one who had never agreed on Alexis’s decision to work as the part-time model. Thinking it was risky to let the child involving in the business that regards on the appearance more than the brain; on the other hand, Bianna thought it was another big opportunity for Alexis to have one more choice for her life. Caleb knew wholeheartedly that the main reason the girl joined the modeling agency because of money and some privilege discount or free clothes from the brands, but he could not find himself in peace due to underlying reason that caused him worrying. Comparing to Bianna, he was more conservative and overthinking.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡWigb2BI4Aq
“They grow up. They have lovers. They have to leave us someday. It’s their lives. It’s okay for them to have some secrets that we have no idea about it.” She grabbed his hands and looked at him like a mother teaching her little son. His heart melted, surrendered to those eyes and her reasoning as always.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6r1CjTJHI
“It’s okay to be worried as a parent but we know well how they are. They’re wonderful kids. You know that.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4k4vtoxY1e
“Yes, you're right. You’re always right.” He tried to be agreemable with his wife. “I don’t know why I always concern about her more than the others. Maybe because…”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXw99yKRDl
Bianna understood what he was going to talk about so she stopped it. “Oh, come on! Don’t start it.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOsJP43JOK
The husband did not listen. “You know I always dream that she leaves us. I always fear that dream.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡrT5wozVWxW
“Oh, I know,” she replied, uninterested.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqUHz3gkVT
In the nightmare, Caleb saw Alexis stood on the cliff. He told her to come back to him but the dark wave swaps the girl away. He could saw her face, hearing her voice against the furious wind, saying goodbye and waving a hand. “I’ll be alright”, she said.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcH7Wxc0g0
But the father is not.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡKITQehp9dX
It was weird when he kept dreaming of it. Sometimes, the scene changed and she was dragged away by mysterious hands. Caleb told Bianna just one of the nightmares.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oo05X3liZ
“It’s just a dream, honey,” her voice was not stable as before when Caleb switched to the serious mode. The dream was only a dream but the same dream he kept dreaming…was dangerous to the heart.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYcW68ui8L
Sometimes Caleb believed in predestination but he tried not to believe in these bad dreams. All of their children were good and smart but Alexis had something more than that. The secret that the parents had never talked to each other and anyone else, they tried to forget it and let the girl lived her life. Even Alexis had not been aware of the danger from her talent.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTtcKIu9SI
However, while Caleb worried and Bianna denied her instinct, in their deepest consciousness, both perceived the strong signal from the premonition telling that Caleb’s dream would become true someday. Bianna tried so hard to be rational but she was spiritual more than she attempted not to believe she was.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Y6vZct3yM
“When I was young, I saw the oldest son of my neighbor beaten by the cops. He was arrested and disappeared. Those who protested the laws and those who requested to amend it, they disappear. No more sound, no traces, no witness, they’re gone.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NKeKQmf9v
“It’s long ago. This is the new age, love.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sptF9b9j4
New freedom meant the new method to terrify us, Caleb opposed but did not speak it out. copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡSq2ZW1bq4K
It was the act 2966 that turned the society into the age of terror until the Revolution by the law enforcers themselves. Later, as President Lawrence declared in her propaganda, “New Hope, New Freedom.” It seemed like the situation had been ameliorated. In fact, the terror kept hiding out of the light. People knew the terror of this law still existed. copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7xXliOHxX
Bianna turned her face away from him. Caleb knew she did not want to hear the truth. “This is why I want her to keep the low profile. Be a good student is the pride of us. Be bigger than this…”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxqC16Ldf5
“She told us—confirmed us that it’s just part-time. Honey, it’s just small work. No one talks about our girl. No one recognizes her except her friends. She chose her path already, to be like you. She’s gonna be fine.” Bianna insisted her thought.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8wk7smjSr
Then Caleb thought of Mary, a nurse and colleague in the hospital, the one that tried to seduce an unattractive married man like him. She was not born here but moved from the other city with her sister’s family ten years ago. Apart from her heartbreaking behavior, she was nice and clever. Until one day, when he took little Alexis to the hospital just to survey his workplace, Mary insisted on playing doctor with the girl. After he came to take his daughter back, Mary had registered the girl’s medical history into the database that connected the hospital networks all over the nation. Moreover, Alexis profile indicated that she was allergic to dust.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35yB3TURBr
“But you’re not!”, he said to the two. “What’re you doing, Mary? You put the fake profile in the data. If they find out…”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOZfr0lddB
“She didn’t, Daddy. I do have an allergy. I always feel sick—I think I get a rash every time I clean the room,” the girl opposed and started to fear the symptom the woman had planted inside her head. copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡivKOPRhbba
“Oh for god’s sake!” He eyed on the nurse fiercely. “Let me edit her profile.”copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡCffbQi4KaF
The nurse shut the computer down and smiled at him. “We have done some tests, Doctor. Don’t be serious. Think about your daughter carefully. I save her.” copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZubfVcB8q
The message inside those green eyes implied everything. She had discovered the girl’s secret. Caleb found out that Mary did not do it to Alexis only but with few kids too. He had mixed feelings every time he saw his daughter covered her nose and mouth and feared to be sick when she had to do the cleaning and asked for mask every time. Ten years later, Celeb still wondered why he had not edit the girl’s profile and why he had agreed with this woman.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqVXfLPwW0
“Are you alright?” asked Bianna, concerning his silence.copyright protection87ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzgVK6ePRo
He shook his head, “I’m alright. Let’s finish it.” He pointed his finger at the bowl.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrsNpHyedv
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