The Thought Keepers: Ability

Chapter 30: A Good Daughter

Forget time travel. This was what it felt like to be suspended in time. The sound of his voice was like a song I had once listened to; one whose lyrics I had forgotten.

I couldn't believe I forgot what his voice sounded like.

I turned around and the sight of him made my chest ache. His eyes crinkled just like Uncle Ethan's, but his smile was different- wider, brighter and more animated. The kind that sets your heart alight when you see it. 

My father was tall with wide shoulders and golden brown skin. He had always been fit, and even now his arms were toned from naval training. But age had softened him over the years and given him bits of gray curly hair. Even in death, his lineup was perfect, as if he had stopped by the barbershop the very same morning.

He walked up leisurely, hands in the pockets of his beach shorts, his oversized Hawaiian shirt swaying in the gentle breeze. He reminded me of one of the elderly fishermen that always sat near the pier and talked the day away. If life was fair, he would've been one of them.

I felt the prickle of incoming tears. By the time he reached me, I was already crying. His face changed, that bright smile quickly turning into a concerned frown.

"What's wrong Karabeth?" He asked, looking at me with pinched eyebrows. Then he eyed Jake and West with a curious glance. "Who are these two?"

I let go of Jake's hand momentarily, since I wasn't going far. Then I took a deep breath and smiled. I knew I was a sight with tears running down my cheeks, but I didn't care. I buried my nose in his shirt and wrapped my arms around his large frame.

He rubbed my back like he did when I was a baby. I breathed in his scent- a mix of salty ocean and Old Spice. I allowed myself to lose track of time.

"You gonna tell me who your friends are, Kara?" He prompted gently, smoothing out my back. "Why aren't you in school?"

School was the furthest thing from my mind. I hadn't thought about Normal things like projects and homework in what felt like months, but in reality had only been days. There was no way I could explain all of the things that happened in that short amount of time, the life-changing events and the revelations I made. All I wanted to do was soak in his presence, to never again forget what he was like. 

"Zekara," he called again, his hand stopping mid-rub. I sighed, and hummed in answer. 

"There's a lot going on," I mumbled into his chest. 

"Explain it to me," he urged, loosening his hold so I could slip out of his arms. I rubbed my nose, trying to calm my emotions enough to speak coherently. 

"Uncle Ethan is gone," I said, watching his eyes widen. "He was killed by Robert Calliwell."

He inhaled, his face a maelstrom of anger and despair. There was no longer any trace of the sunny smile that he normally wore.

"Robert," he said simply, and that one word was enough to sum up the depth of his rage. 

"He's been trying to kill me too," I admitted. "Sending Shades in his place to make it look like an accident. I've been training as an Unnormal ever since, and learning how to use my shadow powers." 

He nodded, seemingly unsurprised that I knew about everything. My father was just chill like that; nothing easily phased him. Nothing short of utter tragedy could shake him. 

"Where's your mother?" Dad asked, and I tried not to flinch. Of course he would ask about her, since I hadn't mentioned her at all. He had no idea about the trench-sized divide between us, or the fact that we could barely stand being in the same room with each other for five minutes.