Destined

Three

Evelyn

"He promised me he wouldnt do it again," I tell Lia, whose expression reads disbelief.
"And you believed him?" She asks.
"I'm giving him a shot here."
"A shot in the dark maybe. He's a guy, he lies and I, personally, wouldnt have given him another chance. I don't think he deserves it." She tells me. I understand where she's coming from because even I wasn't sure but this is the type of person I am. "I just hope that down the line, you make the right decision."
"Me too."
"Hey Pumpkin, dad says, poking his head through the door. Has anyone come to the door while we've been out?"
"Nope. Are you expecting someone?" I ask, knowing full well that he is and he's about to bullshit me.
He hesitates, "No, no, pumpkin. I was just wondering is all. You two girls have fun now." He exits the room but my focus is where he once stood.
"What's up with your dad?" Lia asks me, eyebrows hitched.
"Can you keep a secret?" She gave me a knowing look almost as if asking if I was joking. "Right. The other night I overheard him and mom talking about someone and he thinks this guy is just going to show up but mom doesn't believe him. Either way, dad wants to keep it from me until the moment comes when this guy appears out of thin air. There was something about it, and now both of them are on edge and it's almost as if they're trying to tiptoe around me."
"That's really-"
"Yeah, I know." I finish for her.
"What are you going to do about it?" She asks me, genuinely curious.
"There's nothing I can do about it. They can't know that I know, so I just have to wait it out and hope that things will go back to normal."
"And if it doesn't?"
"I don't know."
A little later on dad had mentioned wanting to go pick some stuff up from the mall. I wanted him to take me with but he insisted I stay home while he and mom went. It really makes no sense why he's trying to keep me home all the time. All I'll do is sit around being bored unless I decide to blast music through the house and pretend like I'm at a dance party or a concert. Which, I'll be honest, I do a lot more often than not; it's just too funny.
I've been staring at the clock in my room since they left. The numbers changing is torturing me. Why did I have to be the one to stay here? I'm not supposed to have friends over without a parent and I can't just go hang out with one since they wanted me here. This isn't any fair. I can't stand the way they've been acting towards me. I haven't done anything to deserve the weird tension, so why can't they both just knock it off already and come to terms that this dude is not going to show up. If he was going to, he would be here already but he's not so that just shows everyone right there.
"Sweetheart were home!" My mother calls from downstairs. I don't move or answer in any way, I frankly don't care if they're here or not with the way they felt as if they aren't. A knock at my bedroom door causes me to groan before I remove myself from the desk chair to open the wooden door.
"We've been home for a good five minutes and you haven't come to see what's for dinner yet." Dad made the obvious observation.
"So?"
"Is something wrong?" He asks me, head tilting slightly.
"Why don't you ask yourself that," I tell him. He didn't like that at all by the way his expression changed.
"You want to try that again?"
"Daddy, all you and mom have been doing is acting strangely towards me. Of course, there's something wrong when you aren't the same you were a few days ago. So if there's something wrong, its got to be on your end because it's definitely not mine." I listened closely to the sigh that found its way from his lungs. His eyes fell to the floor but looked at me a moment later.
"Pumpkin, I'm sorry. I'm just stressed."
"Daddy, why can't you tell me the truth?"
"I should know better than to even try being anything but honest with you; you know me too well," I said nothing, just stared at him waiting for an answer. "I don't know how to tell you but I have a feeling that you'll find out soon enough. While we wait for that, I'll make sure to push off whatever strange behavior, okay?"
"I just really want to spend time with you but you keep telling me I can't join you."
"I won't do it again." He sticks out his pinky waiting for mine to wrap around his, securing his promise which I gladly granted him.
"Okay."
"Now, come help your mother with dinner." He throws his arm around my shoulders and walks me down the steps into the kitchen.
My mothers face read thrilled to see me although her body language screamed the opposite. One can only hope the man of the house will talk to his wife about the last conversation we had. She said nothing, instead, she watched how he was so calm beside me. I wouldnt be surprised if the picture in front of her was confusing when taking into consideration the past few days. Yet, she smiled in our direction and opened her arms to me. I nuzzled into her body, the vibrations from her hum had me holding on her tighter.
The night's sleep fell upon me so simply for once. Usually I have a hard time sleeping with no explanation, however, I never pay much mind to it. I just stay thankful for the nights it comes easily. When the darkness falls over me completely and I am in the perfect dream state.
The flowers in the backyard were always so beautiful this time of year, the trees hung over the freshly mowed grass. My mother and father walked out to me, giving me the biggest hug I've gotten from either of them in a while. My hands were held by my daddy, spinning me around whilst mom stepped back taking photos of the two of us and leaving us be. Daddy's hair flew in the breeze we were creating, our laughter becoming the only thing I could hear. He lifted me up and over his shoulder, running in circles around the yard.
"Andrew, be careful!" My mom warned.
"Don't worry, I've got her. Right Pumpkin, I've got you." He chuckles, my hands lay on his back trusting he's got me as he says.
When he finally sets me down, his hands fall to his hips and reveals he needs to catch a breath. "Please grab your father a glass of water." My mom requests.
I skip into the kitchen and am in the middle of reaching for a glass when I hear the doorbell ring. My head turns to the hallway to the front door before my body begins its walk to it. I make a short stop at the mirror but am shocked by what I see. My reflection wasn't me now, I was looking at myself from a few years ago. I was shorter, hair a deeper color, face a bit more babyish. I shake my head then return my gaze at the mirror, I've changed back to me in the present day. Lighter and longer hair, more maturity to my stance and presence. Spooky. I tell myself. When finally reaching the front door, my hand reaches for the knob but the second my fingers wrap around it and the door begins to open, everything goes black and I feel movement around me.
"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" I groan and throw my head under the blankets. "Evelyn, come on. Get up and get dressed, we have to get me all smoking hot." Lias too excited right now.
"Leave me be," I mumble. My sheets are grabbed and pulled off my bed, cold air rushing to my body.
"No, you told me you'd help me get ready for this date." I sit up, huffing the fallen pieces of hair out of my face.
"What date?"
"The one with Lucas."
"When did I say this?" I ask, rubbing my face in an attempt to wake myself up.
"Okay, you didn't, I just really need your help."
"All right." I get up and stretch. I head to my closet and start picking out clothes, I know she'll ask to borrow some so I'm beating her to the punch.
"I feel so cute!" Lia screams when she sees herself in my vanity. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll bring these back tomorrow."
"No worries, I'll pick them up next time I'm at yours". She hugs me then runs out telling me shell be late if she doesn't leave now.
"You're up." My mom says when I enter the kitchen fully dressed and ready for the day. I nod and sit in front of her. "How was your sleep?"
"It was great. I had a weird dream though." I tell, sitting down at the island.
"What was it about?" She asks. I watch as she slices the sandwich she's most likely made for dad straight down the middle.
"It was us three and we were outside but then dad needed some water so I was going to get some for him and then the doorbell rang. Nothing special just left me confused is all."
"Was that it?"
"Well there was more to it but right as my hand reached the door, everything went black and I woke up."
"Wonder what it means," mom says, pondering about it.
"Me too." Daddy walks into the kitchen and kisses the top of my head, rubbing my back lightly.
"Oh, ladies, you two should see the bright blue sky outside," daddy says, a grin plastered on his lips.
"What's so special about it, Andrew?" Mom asks him, filling a mug with coffee for him.
"Not a single cloud in the sky! That's always something to feel great about. Don't have to worry about anything, all our stresses need to be thrown out the window today."
"I'm glad to hear you're passionate about the sky's affection on your day." He flies around the counter to kiss mom and take his coffee from her hands. He sets the mug down, wrapping his arms around her waist, a simple smile holding his lips together.
"I love you, darling." He tells her lovingly. Her hands rest on his chest as she goes to speak.
"I love you, honey." She responds in the same tone.
"And, I love our gorgeous little creation over there. She fills our days with glory." I smiled and smiled for miles but I could feel it didn't reach my eyes. I know he loves mom and I know he loves me, but there's something pulling at me that maybe is making me feel like he's still keeping something from me. If you love someone, why have secrets? I mean they know all my big secrets now but I had no choice.