Post by StoryGirl83 on Jun 27, 2011 0:15:37 GMT -5
Chapter Twenty-Eight – Returning Home
Chris had arrived at The Manor’s parking lot and found Wyatt and Seth waiting, leaning against his car.
“Took you long enough,” Wyatt commented.
Chris shrugged. “You didn’t have to wait.”
“Sure we did,” Seth informed him. “I’ve been doing so much shimmering lately I don’t even remember what it’s like to ride in a car. I don’t think I’ve been in one since last year.”
Chris gave him a look and climbed into his car. Eighteen years ago when it had been brand new, Aunt Phoebe had bought it for Uncle Coop. That hadn’t exactly gone so well, since Coop hadn’t needed a car, but it had worked out for Chris, getting an almost new fourteen-year-old car when he was eighteen.
They drove home in relative silence, Seth actually falling asleep in the back seat. Chris wondered what Seth had been up to that had exhausted him so much. When they reached the apartment and Chris parked his car he was surprised when Seth followed the inside and into the elevator.
It wasn’t until they stepped out of the elevator that Chris brought up the topic of the day they had just spent. “Well, that was pointless,” he commented.
“Not completely,” Wyatt countered. “We found some rather interesting allies and . . .”
“Are you sure they’re allies?” Seth queried.
“Aren’t you?” Wyatt returned.
“Not sure, so,” Seth shrugged. “Some of them have some bad tempers.”
“So does my mom,” Wyatt laughed.
“Still,” Chris agreed, looking at them, “they’re pretty strange.”
“And cryptic,” Seth added.
“Yeah,” Chris agreed. “What’s up with that girl? She talks in riddles.”
“If you mean, Aka,” Wyatt said stopping and looking at them both, “I think she has a naïve way about her, but she’s been told to keep certain things from people and she’s not really sure how to refer to those things without saying it out right, so she talks around them until someone figures out what she means.”
“They seemed to know what she meant,” Chris pointed out.
“They know her,” Wyatt reminded him with a shrug before he started walking again. “And they are probably frequent subjects when it’s just them.”
“However that worked out, it was an off experience,” Seth commented as they reached the apartment door. “Here’s where I stop. Dad’s girlfriend’s going to be over tomorrow night.”
“Drama queen Danielle?” Wyatt queried remembering the first time he met Derek Silberman’s girlfriend.
“That’s the one,” Seth confirmed.
“How’s Peter with that?” Wyatt asked.
Seth snorted. “Amazingly less interested than I am, which means I have to fake enthusiasm. She’s his mother,” Seth spat out in disgust, “but the woman can’t even fake interest in my little brother. Meanwhile, I’ve neglected him for months, so I’d better get home and assure him that I haven’t vanished, again. I probably won’t be around for a while. Call if you need me, but Peter’s going to need me tomorrow.”
“I guess that means we need to reschedule the movie,” Wyatt commented, unsurprised.
“Yeah,” Seth chuckled, “that didn’t go so well. Next time we’ll tell the bad guys to take the day off, ‘kay?”
“Sure, sure,” Wyatt laughed. “And if they listen, I’ll be worried.”
Chris rolled his eyes and unlocked the apartment door.
“I think my little brother is trying to give us a hint,” Wyatt commented, amused.
Chris ignored him and headed into the apartment.
Seth glanced around and grinned at Wyatt. “See you later.” With that he shimmed out.
Wyatt smiled and headed into the apartment, closing the door behind him. He could hear Chris in the kitchen.
You want anything to eat, Wy?” Chris called out as he rummaged through the fridge.
“Na,” Wyatt returned. “I have to get up early to help Nathan with something at the Museum. I’m going to head to bed. Good night, little brother.”
“Knock off the little brother stuff,” Chris yelled back.
Wyatt ignored him and headed into his room.
Chris went back to looking through the fridge. He pulled out his sandwich and put it on the counter. He grabbed a tumbler out of the cupboard and set it down next to the sandwich. He filled it with juice from the fridge and closed the fridge. He grabbed up his sandwich and the tumbler and put them both on the table.
He sat down and took a sip of the juice. A frown crossed his face and he put down the tumbler. He started for the living room, but stopped half way there and stuffed his hand into his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed. After a moment he was listening to an answering machine. When he heard the beep he heaved in a breath. “Hi, Mom,” he began. “Just called to let you know we’re fine. See you tomorrow at work. I love you.”
Chris closed his phone and stuffed it in his pocket before sitting back down. He picked up his sandwich and took a bite.
The End