The Spark of an Angel

Chapter 24 - Comings and Goings

Welt stood outside the entrance of a house. A house he once knew well, the house was composed of two stories, the paint on the outside was peeling and when he reached for the door knocker, it felt rather loose as his hand grazed it. The foundation was cracked. Five cars sat outside on a long dirt driveway that led away from the house through the fields of corn that stretched onwards for at least a mile until it hit the main road.

He'd gathered enough courage to be here. To return to his childhood home to celebrate his achievements with his family. Everyone was here, he recognized all the cars parked along the path near the corn to be of his aunts, uncles and other family members, yet he was the one who was left outside, waiting. His nerves were getting the better of him.

He sighed, taking a deep breath, breathe. A small voice in his head told him, he took another deep breath before knocking on the door.

The door opened, "hello, Vesper." His father spoke in a monotone voice.

"Dad." He said, quietly addressing the man, his father was taller than he was, maybe he felt threatened and that's why he spoke so softly, "hello."

"Vesper!" A voice cried, he knew who it belonged to, Sean, his older brother, he ran to give him a hug.

Welt took a small step back as Sean's entire body weight was put onto him, "hello, Sean." He said, with a blank expression on his face, "I'm happy to see that everyone is okay." He glanced over Sean's shoulder to see the rest of his family standing there watching as Sean hugged his younger brother.

"Hello, mom," he said, as he walked into the house, he greeted each of his family members with either a handshake or a hug depending on which one it was, "where's Adeline?" He asked, looking around after not seeing her with the rest of the family.

"She went up to her room as soon as she realized you were coming." His mom informed him.

Dominik, the eldest brother of the Armstrong family, took his overcoat from his shoulders with a hard tug, leaving Welt in only a white button up shirt, "I'll go up and talk to her." He sighed, walking away.

"Vesper... she was crying when she heard you were coming, we all tried talking to her but she wouldn't budge," Sean said, with a sigh, "did something happen the last time you saw her?"

Welt shrugged, "I don't know." He locked eyes with his father, who was scowling in his direction, "the last time I was here was directly after Rose died, so... three years ago and I didn't even talk to her that day. I was too broken." He turned his shoulders to the rest of his family and walked towards the spiral staircase that led upstairs, "this will only take a second."

He walked up the stairs and walked down a thin hallway that was barely wide enough for him to fit through without turning his shoulders, he reached the door at the end of the hall, he knocked on the door, "Adeline, it's me. Vesper, listen... you should come out and have something to eat, perhaps." He sank to the floor, sitting on the ground, leaning his head against the door, "you know, when we were kids, we used to play hide and seek in the corn fields and you'd always win because you always had the best hiding spots. So you can come out now. You've won."

The door creaked open, Welt got to his feet, Adeline walked out, sweeping past him without saying a single word to him, she walked down the stairs, he walked after her, down the stairs and into the living area, "what did you say to her?" Sean asked, looking down at Welt, he held a wine glass out to him, the red liquid seemed so appealing to him.

Welt pushed his hand away, shaking his head, declining the offer, "no thanks... I have to drive home," he pursed his lips, "I don't know, I just gave her a trip down memory lane so to speak and now she won't even talk to me."