Time Is A Messy Thing

Chapter 1

As I knock on the door I stand nervously. What was I going to say? I started to planning very elaborate things to greet whomever answered the door, but when I saw Griffin's figure in the doorway looking at me I couldn't manage anything. It had been so long since I had seen him, he's changed a lot. Behind him I saw a smaller figure looking at me through the small crack by Griffin's head. It was Emily. Before I could look back at Griffin he had engulfed me in a huge hug. I could tell by the fact that he wasn't saying anything at all that he was almost in tears. I never thought that Gif would grow to be a hugger when we were kids but then again it's been so long since I've seen him.

After seeing my face Emily realized why Griffin was hugging this stranger in the doorway, and she soon followed suite. We were all in tears. With the shakiest voice I've ever heard her use, she was the first to speak. "Where... Have you... Been... All these... Years?". I wanted to tell them. But I didn't know if I could. I decided to use the overwhelming reunion as an excuse not to say anything while I thought of something.

After about 5 minutes, I heard a familiar old voice say "Sir, Ma'am, dinner is-". I looked past Griffin's arm and saw Frederick, or Fred for short; My old butler and dear friend. After taking a moment to recognize me, he quickly walked to the door. He looked at me with disbelief in his eyes. I smiled a teary smile. His eyes switched from disbelief, to acceptance, to a mixture of sadness and happiness.

After the emotional reunion was over, Fred said "I'll set the table for four" (I guess Em and Gif still like it when Fred eats with them).

I was starved. I hadn't eaten since I got here because I kept forgetting to stop by the baker to pick up the cheap (stale) bread. Luckily for me dinner tonight was roasted lamb with a side of salad and red wine. I ate more than anybody there. After dinner, Gif and Em lead me through the familiar hallways. The only things that had changed were that the walls were duller, the floor creakier, and a painting of Gif's dad- What? They only put up paintings of people who were... Oh no.... I really had missed a lot.

After being lead up to the guest room I was bombarded with questions. "Where have you been?" "What happened all those years ago?" "Why didn't you ever come back?". I tried to think of answers for all of them but there were too many. In a state of panic I yelled "I'M SORRY. Okay? It's not like I went on purpose." Griffin retorted "Really? Why didn't you ever come back than?"

"I wanted to but I didn't know how."

"Why didn't you say anything before you left?"

"Because I didn't know that I was going."

"What do you mean? Where did you go even?"

At this point I stopped. I didn't know how to reply. Should I just tell them the whole story? Could I? What would happen. I had none of the answers to any of the questions so I just told them it's complicated. I don't know how much I still trust them. Sure, I've knew them when I was 4 but still. A lot can change in that much time. They look about my age right now. That's good. I just hope I still trust them as much as I thought I would.