Magic [Alex Russo]

36 - Return

"Dad, where were you?" Matt asked his father.

"Are you okay?" Harrison asked placing his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Matt said. "Dad, where -"

Harrison quickly went to the stairs.

"Dad, what's going on?" Matt asked, following his father upstairs.

"Where's Rose?" Harrison asked.

"She's in her room," Matt said. "Dad, what the hell is going on?"

"I'll explain in a sec," Harrison said, quickly opening Rose's bedroom door.

Rose looked up from her book.

"Dad?" she said. "Dad, where were you?"

"Rosie, are you okay?" Harrison asked, walking over to Rose and sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Yeah, Dad," Rose said. "I'm fine."

"Dad," Matt said. "Where were you?"

"I had to close the store early," Harrison said. "It was your mother."

"What?" Rose and Matt exclaimed. 

"I saw her today," Harrison said. "It wasn't planned. We just ran into each other when I was getting a few things for the store and - and -"

"What happened?" Matt demanded.

"She said some things, I said some things," Harrison said. "And - and she said -"

Harrison took a deep breath.

"What did she say?" Rose said.

"She said some - some terrible things, not about any of us," Harrison said, "but - but there's this man who heard her and - and he must've overheard that, you know, we have you two and - and -"

"And you thought that he might come after us?" Matt said.

Harrison nodded. 

"How - how did you know he might come?" Rose said.

"Because he's been following us," Harrison said.

"What?" Rose and Matt said in unison.

"And you didn't tell us?" Matt said.

"I didn't want to freak you guys out," Harrison said. "But thankfully, you've been around people and there are mortals everywhere."

Matt took a deep breath.

"And..."

"And?" Rose raised her eyebrow.

"I might've said some things too... and..."

Matt sighed.

"At least you two are okay," Harrison said, relieved.

Matt leaned against the doorframe.

He looked at his sister and father.

"Alright, go to bed," Harrison said. "And leave your bedroom doors open."

Matt nodded.

Matt walked out of Rose's bedroom and went to his bedroom and got ready for bed.

He laid in his bed.

Jack had sent him a few texts.

Matt smiled at the sight of his best friends name. At this point, Jack's name on his phone is the only thing that's been able to put a smile on his face. He turned onto his side and leaned on his elbow to respond to Jack's texts.

Matt struggled to go to sleep. He couldn't help but have this gut feeling that something is going to happen. What will happen, he has no idea. He couldn't stop thinking of what his father had said earlier today.

His father ran into his mother. The woman who ran out on them almost six years ago. She left them, leaving Harrison to raise Matt and Rose on his own. 

Matt can never forgive her for what she did. 

For the longest time, Matt wondered. He wondered what was so wrong with him that lead to his mother leaving them. 

What was so wrong with him that led to his mother leaving them? That question often came into mind whenever he thought of his mother or someone mentioned her. He couldn't help but wonder if he did something or if there was something that was so wrong with him that she left them.

Jack was the only person who knew what happened to his mother. Jack was the only person he trusted enough with this.

Thoughts of his mother and why she left kept him awake at night, unable to sleep at night. 

The following morning, Matt woke up, feeling terrible. He got little to no sleep at night. 

His father was already up, making breakfast for the family.

Matt sat at the dining table, rubbing his forehead. 

"Are you okay, Matty?" Harrison asked his son.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Matt said. "I'm just... tired," he yawned. "Hey, I'm gonna go get coffee," Matt stood up.

"Okay, make it quick, Matt," Harrison said.

"Okay," Matt said as he walked towards the door. 

He grabbed his hoodie and walked out.

He came back fifteen minutes later with two cups of coffee and a hot chocolate for Rose.

Harrison quickly closed and locked the door when Matt entered.

Matt and Rose glanced at each other, both noticing how unusual their father was acting.

"Dad, are you okay?" Matt raised an eyebrow.

"Hm?" Harrison said, looking up from his coffee. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Rose bit her lip and looked up at her big brother.

Matt didn't say anything.

He really wished his father would talk to them.