Bluebirds Without Wings | Julie and the Phantoms

Promise

Julie's dad knew as soon as he woke up. She walked into the kitchen, expecting a regular family breakfast, but it was her dad sitting there alone with his arms crossed and serious parenting face on. He confirmed with her the story the newly installed security cameras had showed him, and they headed straight to the direction of the dining room.

"You can't get them in trouble," Julie told her dad, almost pleading him as he marched ahead of her.

"They put you in danger," he said to her.

"I made them take me," Julie said. He turned to look at her, somehow looking more disappointed than before. "They didn't want to. But I made them." He took a deep breath and then kept walking, with less purpose somehow. He wasn't one to get mad so easily or take his anger out on people. When they walked in, she saw Reggie and Luke scramble to get on one knee, Luke spilling some orange juice on the table and on his white button up.

"I am not happy with what happened last night," her dad told them. He started pacing back and forth, as he usually did when her or Carlos did something stupid. Julie knew her dad had nothing after she told him he made them take her.

Then he got a phone call, a saving grace, and he held up his finger to the boys to tell them to wait. Julie and Luke made eye contact, and she mouthed, "It's okay," to him. He nodded slightly to signal that he understood her when her dad looked away.

"Are you sure?" her dad asked. Julie tried to listen to the other voice, but she couldn't make out who it was. "Okay. I'll be there," he said, hanging up. He looked at Reggie and Luke, motioning them to stand up. "Come with me please."

"What?" Julie felt her heart drop in her chest. Was he going to fire them?

"It's fine," he assured her. She relaxed, believing him. "Go to your room." He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Stay in there, okay?"

She put her hand on stop of his. "What's going on, dad?"

"I'll tell you later. I promise." She knew to believe him and although she wanted to follow behind them, she went upstairs.

Julie paced back and forth in her room. Her breakfast was brought up to her, but she let it sit cold. She wasn't hungry, and she could feel the anxiety chewing away at her bone by bone. Any little piece of happiness she felt the day before was dead.

There was a small knock on her door, and she ran over, hoping it was Luke. It was Carlos, two chocolate bars in hand. "I know I'm supposed to stay in my room but," he said holding out one of the bars, "can I hang with you?" Julie smiled and brought him in. They both sat down on her couch in silence, the noise of the wrappers filling the room.

"Do you ever miss mom?" Carlos asked her. The question took her by surprise. It had been a while since they talked about her.

"Every second of every day," she said to him.

"What do you think she'd be doing right now?" Julie imagined her by her dad's side, getting ready for whatever was coming. She imagined her next to them, telling them that they would be safe and that nothing was going to happen to them. Her dad couldn't do that. He couldn't tell them a single lie, even if their peace was on the line. He knew what it was like to be lied to.

"Playing the piano," Julie answered.

Carlos stayed quiet for a moment before saying, "Are you playing again?"

"Yeah."

"You should play for me sometime."

"I will," Julie said. She put her arm around him. "And I'll go to more of your games."