Robotic Secrets

Chapter Eight: Memories - Part I

We pulled into the driveway of the house, the relief of being in the safety of home washing over me. I turned off the ignition and stepped out of the truck. I heard Roxanne do the same. We began to head over to the front door. I looked to see that the wolf looking a little better than she did earlier.

For the rest of the drive, none of us said anything. To be honest, I was happy for the silence. I felt like it gave Roxanne time to fully take in everything I said and gather herself, along with her thoughts. Sometimes, a little peace and quiet is all you need to get a hold of yourself.

We approached the front door and I tested the doorknob. The door was unlocked. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. Usually, my mother was the kind to lock the door whenever she left or one of us had gone. For her to leave it unlocked was something.

I opened the door and we stepped inside. I took off my shoes and I stretched to get my blood flowing. Roxanne stepped inside behind me and closed the door. I looked to see her holding the bags that held the games we played during game night. I looked away.

"Mom, we're here!" I called out. After a moment, my mother stepped out of the dining room and entered the living room. A smile formed on her face as soon as she saw us.

"Welcome home," she said happily. "How was game night and having tea at Peter and Bella's house?"

"It was great," I said with a smile. "They all really enjoyed the games you bought. We even played games like 'Truth or Dare'. Let me tell you, we did some very funny dares.

"As for Peter and Bella's house, we were talking about things from the past and whatnot. Just the usual talk between good friends."

My mother nodded at that. She knew what I meant as she sometimes went over to Peter and Bella's house to hang out. It's safe to say that we were close friends with the Brown family in a matter of 5 months. It was a blessing in disguise, to be honest.

"So, any plans for today, mother?" I asked curiously. On the times when I was off, my mother would always have something planned for all of us to do as a family. It was something she loved doing.

"Just the usual stuff, Mihael," my mother replied. "However, while you and Roxy were at Peter's house, I got a reservation for a table at Robin's Fine Dinery for tomorrow at 6 PM."

My eyes widened at that. Robin's Fine Dinery was one of the finest diners in Utah and was owned by a man named Robin Fester. The man himself was an old friend of my mother and we would sometimes go there to get a bite to eat. The last time we saw him was 2 months before my sister went missing.

The fact we were going to have dinner there as a family brought me back to the good old days, bringing a smile to my face. I wondered how he had been doing since we last went there. It would be nice to see an old face for the first time in over 10 years.

"What's Robin's Fine Dinery?" we heard Roxanne. We looked to see her looking at us with curiosity on her face.

I smiled as I turned to face her properly.

"It's a family diner and one of the finest in Utah," I began. "It is owned by Robin Fester, a friend of my mother. My family and I used to go there from time-to-time to have some quality family time and all. The last time we went was 2 months prior to my sister's disappearance."

I did my best to keep the smile on my face, despite the pain I felt upon remembering my sister's disappearance. Even after Roxanne and I started dating, I still haven't been able to move on from my sister's disappearance and my father's suicide. However, our lovely relationship has helped null the pain significantly.

"And sometime after Mihael moved out, I started going back there whenever I could," my mother added. I turned to her. "He asks about you sometimes, wondering how you've been. I tell you how you've been and all. I even told him about your relationship with Roxy. He is very happy for you two."