You Can't Spell Believe Without Lie

Epilogue

Heather stared out the window to her boyfriend's apartment. Jonathon was sitting on the couch, flipping through TV channels, looking bored. They'd spent the entire weekend together, like they usually did, but Heather just wasn't in the mood to stay there any longer. Her night was interrupted by thoughts about her father. And Ryan. She hadn't stopped thinking about him since Rachel left her in the parking lot of her work. She suddenly wished she was sitting in her bedroom, wrapped up in his arms...

"Want to go see a movie?" Jonathon sighed, shutting the T.V. off. "I'm bored as shit."

"Not really. Actually, I think I'm going to head home. I've got a lot to do around the house..."

"You're making excuses," Jonathon said softly, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her close. His bare chest pressed against her back, and she closed her eyes. She instantly felt guilty. She'd been imagining Ryan again. 

"I just really need some alone time right now, okay?"

"You're thinking about that asshole again, aren't you?" Jonathon snapped. 

"No! I told you, I'm way over my ex," she lied. "He's gone, and he's never coming back again. I'm just stressing out lately, thinking about school this fall, and my mom..."

"You're mom's fine, baby, I promise. She's got that doctor's appointment today, and they'll tell her that her symptoms are nothing-"

"You don't know that. I need to go to that appointment. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Come on, you've got a few hours."

"No, I still need to shower and everything," Heather insisted, untangling herself from him. She slipped her clothes on and then her shoes, then reached for her purse that was hanging on the doorknob. "I'll call you, okay?"

"If you say so."

Heather was shocked, when she walked into the garage, to find a shiny black car parked next to hers. Ryan, she thought, and her heart accelerated. 

No, just Rachel, she corrected herself. When Ryan left, and Rachel stepped in, Heather learned that he'd gotten his shiny nice car from her. She had the same car, just like the rest of her little pets. Rachel stepped out of the car, in her favorite red pumps, a look of pure fear on her face. 

"I saw him," she whispered. "Dad, he's in town! I know where he'll be."

"Then go get him."

"I spoke to him earlier, and he wants to meet you."

Heather froze. He wanted to meet her? Why? Why would he wait this long to suddenly come back and decide to meet her?

"I don't want to. You have what you wanted now. Go get what you need."

"I'm not going without you. He said he's not leaving this town until he sees you." She looked down at her feet. "I said you'd meet him at my place at seven. Please don't make me drag you there."

"Fine," Heather huffed, shrugging her shoulders as if she couldn't care less. "I'll go, but I won't like it."

"You don't have to."

Come six-thirty, Heather was back from her mother's doctor's appointment. She drove to Rachel's apartment, which was a good twenty-five minutes away. When she pulled up, she noticed a white mustang parked beside Rachel's car. Does everyone around here drive an awesome car but me? 

"Good, you're here," Rachel said, popping up next to her. Heather jumped backwards in surprise, her hand landing on her heart. 

"You scared me!"

"Yeah? Just wait until you meet Dear Ole Dad. Come on in."

Heather followed Rachel up to her room, which she'd only been inside two other times, to practice, and even that was weeks ago. Every other time they'd met was somewhere completely secluded. 

"Hey, Dad," Rachel said, walking right in the doorway. Heather paused outside, trying to catch her breath. She couldn't fathom that she was finally going to meet the father she'd thought to be dead for so long. 

What she saw on the other side of the door was not what she'd expected. He looked extremely young, maybe late twenties to early thirties, with dark hair and deep brown eyes. His skin was wrinkle-free, which might explain why he seemed so young. The man was at least six feet tall, about the same height as heel-clad-Rachel. He was muscular but had a very calm aura about himself. 

"Heather," he breathed, staring at his eighteen-year-old daughter for the first time in years. "You look beautiful."

"You probably didn't recognize me," Heather stated, shrugging. "Last time you saw me I was crying and pooping my pants."

"I'm sorry I left you and your mother. I sent both of your mother's checks every month to make up for my absence-"

"What did you give me to make up for your absence?" Heather screamed suddenly. "A fake headstone and a doll? Fuck you!"

"I didn't come here to argue with you, Heather. I wanted to get to know my daughters."

"How many of us are there, Dad?" Rachel whispered. "Go on, tell her the truth."

He hesitated. "Thirteen. All only a few months apart. Rachel was the third. There are some younger than both of you."

"You have thirteen kids? Are you nuts?" Heather squeaked. "What were you thinking? Didn't you learn the first couple times?"

"I didn't have these children without reason."

"Than what the hell is your reasoning? I'd just love to know why you had thirteen kids!"

"Every day, there's a force in our world that's growing stronger. I was young when I became a part of an organization that wanted to enslave the human race. They would create halflings, like myself, by keeping women as slaves, only used to have babies. Human men were to be completely wiped out. They started this with a few people only two years before Rachel was born. I decided, after I realized how crazy the idea was, that they needed to be stopped. 

"I began having the children young, so that, when they were ready, I could build an army ready to fight back. A couple other people like me have done the same. We hope to make an army large enough to finally end this, to save the human race. Rachel has already agreed to fight, like four other siblings of yours. What do you say, Heather?"

"Why now?" Heather asked shakily. "Why are you just now saying something? Why should I fight for a father I barely know?"

"Because I'm your father, and that's what matters," he whispered. "I wanted to wait until each child was at least sixteen, old enough to unlock their powers. Do you not want to save the human race? Save your mother and friends?"

Heather thought about it, taking it all in. Me? Fighting? She couldn't see it. She shared a long glance with her older sister, Rachel, before nodding slowly. 

"I can try, but I don't guarantee I'll be much help."

Her father smiled, rubbing his hands together. 

"Excellent."