The Ties of Family (RotG Fanfic)

Chapter 14

When Jamie woke, it was nearing eleven in the morning. As he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, he realised how quiet the house seemed to be. The Bennett household wasn't usually that quiet especially at eleven in the morning. Then he remembered about his parents' situation and turned over onto his side, trying to get the thought out of his mind.

That was when his eyes fell on the puzzle box by his bedside table. He sat up at once, the events of the previous night flooding back to him. He grabbed hold of the box and held it tightly for a few moments, praying it would work. It had to work.

Jamie hurriedly got dressed and clutching the box, he exited his room and entered Sophie's. it was empty. He went down to the dining room where he found her, having breakfast. Mrs. Bennett was nowhere in sight.

"Hey, Sophie," he greeted, casting quick glances around. "Where's mom?"

"She went out to shop for groceries," Sophie replied, finishing the last of her cornflakes. "I see you're up late."

"Yeah," Jamie said, smiling sheepishly. "Anyway, I have a present for you."

Sophie looked up in surprise. Jamie was surprised himself. Often when a present or a gift was mentioned, Sophie's expression would light up several watts and she would be bounding with delight and joy. Seemed like a lot had changed when it had been barely two years since she last acted like that.

"It isn't Christmas, Jamie," she remarked.

"Come on! Aren't brothers allowed to give their sisters presents on any day of the week?" Jamie responded, flashing a smile. He held out the box. "I think you'll love it."

"Pretty!" Sophie said, eyes lighting up this time, as she saw the box.

Well, some things don't change.

Sophie took the box and turned it over and over in her hands. She noticed the picture of her younger self on the front. "Nice packaging, Jamie," she stated, smiling slightly. Jamie, however, had stopped pretending to act all nonchalant and was staring at the box and Sophie with wide, hopeful eyes, and his fingers crossed tightly behind his back.

"How do you open this?" Sophie asked.

Jamie was about to answer, when Sophie slid her fingers against the lid of the box, opening it. It glowed before opening up and propelling Sophie back to her childhood.

...

Jamie paced up and down in his bedroom, feeling heavily disappointed. The part of his head which had been smacked when Sophie flung the box at him still hurt and he kept rubbing it every few minutes.

Sophie had seen memories of her childhood and when they faded, all she saw in the box was a set of teeth. "Teeth? Is this a prank, Jamie Bennett?" she had snapped. "And those visions... you made me see visions! You are evil!" And thwack went the box on Jamie's forehead.

Why was Sophie so stubborn? Jamie kept peering out of the window, with the hope that Jack may come along so he could heard about how the plan failed and perhaps they could come up with a plan B. While he was ruminating, there came a sound downstairs and loud, urgent footsteps coming up the stairs and next, an even more urgent knock on the door of his bedroom.

"Sophie?" Jamie called.

"No, it's me, Jamie," came his mother's voice. There was something odd about it. The 16- year old hurriedly got up and let her in. Her eyes were red and she had obviously been crying.

"What happened, mom?" he asked.

At his question, Mrs. Bennett broke down in tears. Jamie held his mother and comforted her. "What happened, mom? Tell me."

Mrs. Bennett tried to pull herself together. "Your father and I are no more, Jamie. I couldn't tell Sophie, I was afraid she wouldn't understand. Everything has been settled, and he's gone off to that other woman. Oh, thank God, Jamie, he didn't take you and Sophie away from me!"

Jamie couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How could dad do such a thing?" he practically yelled. "Are you sure, mom? Or did you have a nightmare or something?" Jamie knew there was no such thing as his mom overreacting over a nightmare, but he couldn't help but hope that was the case at the moment. He hugged his mom tightly.

"He left me the two of you because he left me nothing," Mrs. Bennett said, tears streaming down her face like two rivers. "We're officially broke, Jamie. Please, take care of Sophie. I won't see much of her now. I have to get at least two jobs if I want to support us. Or else, I'll have to sell this house and we move somewhere cheaper."

"No!" Jamie protested. The house held a lot of memories and Jamie would not leave it for the world. "Please, mom, don't ever sell this place."

"If I can manage, we won't have to," Mrs. Bennett said, just as Jamie heard a sound at his window. He turned briefly and spotted Jack, hovering outside, looking in with a surprised look on his face.

Jamie turned back to his mother. "Listen, mom. I'll do what I can do to help. I'll get myself a summer job, alright? At least there'll be a little cash flow. And I'll try something else when school reopens."

Mrs. Bennett smiled up at her teenage son. "Jamie, thank you. But please, don't do anything stupid, will you?" Jamie knew what she was referring to.

"Oh come on, mom, it's only high-risk trading," he said, an attempt at a joke. Mrs. Bennett fixed him with a stern look but she was smiling slightly.

"Jamie Bennett..."

"I was kidding."

Mrs. Bennett got up and kissed her son on the forehead before leaving the bedroom. Jamie turned and hurried to the window where Jack was still hovering and let the spirit of winter in.

"What happened?" Jack asked.

"A lot of things," Jamie said. "First of all, the plan didn't work. Sophie refuses to believe. And she accused me of making her see things. Seriously, she's been watching too many of those psychology and horror films."

Jack looked rather crestfallen as well. "Bunny is not going to like that, but he says he has a plan himself. So I guess there's still hope. But what's with your mom?"

Jamie glanced over his shoulder at the door for a moment before turning back to Jack. "My parents are officially divorced and we are currently in a financial crisis because my father left my mother nothing, except Sophie and I, and the house."

Jack took Jamie's hand, but the boy jerked it away after a short pause as it became too cold.

"I'm sorry, Jamie. I wish there was something I could do."

Jamie looked up and his eyes fell on the drawing of him sledding, which he still had on the wall. That was when an idea struck him. "I think I know what to do, Jack," he said, his eyes lighting up.

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