Chapter Forty Two

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Mute

       When I slip through my front door, I’m surprised to see my dad sitting on the couch waiting for me. “Hi Dad.” I greet him. “Murphy! Where’ve ya been?” he asks excitedly. It’s nice hearing my real name. “I had to work late again.” I explain to him. This is somewhat true. I was at Le Café but I wasn’t working. I was listening to B.B lecture us about April 20th. My dad sighs. “Wow. It feels like just yesterday you were at home all day playing video games and doing nothing and look at my little man now! Working extra hours at his job.” My dad marvels. “I miss ya boy. You’re never really at home anymore. Take a seat.” He instructs, patting the couch cushion next to him. I believe that there may be a scientific law between parents and their teenagers. I think kids are instinctively repelled by their parents so when I sit down I’m careful to leave a cushion between us. “C’mon Murphy!” My dad chuckles and pulls me across the couch closer to him. I laugh and move closer to him. He leaves his arm around me. I believe my dad and I defy this law.

            The thing about my family is that unlike a lot of families, my mom left us. I was really little when she left but I haven’t seen her or talked to her since she did. Luckily she sends us money so we can afford a middle class house and a middle class life. “Did I remind you of how proud I am of what you did?” My dad whispers in my ear. I feel his stubble on my cheek. His voice catches and he swallows. He might start crying again. I nod. After the shooting I’m treated like a hero. News crews interview me about saving my entire class. I tell them the facts but for the sake of Super Six, I don’t tell them I know who the shooters were. And now every day, my dad reminds me how proud he is that I risked my life to save my classmates. What he doesn’t know is I risk my life all the time now. “I think tomorrow would be a nice day for me to see what your new life is like.” My dad announces. “What?” I ask confusedly. “I’m going to visit Le Café.” He decides. My face burns. I don’t know why, but I can’t imagine my dad buying a meal at our overly bright and loud little café. “Oh wow . . . are you sure?” I ask flustered. “I wanna visit my son at work and have him make me waffles. I feel like I’m slipping out of your life.” He explains. “Le Café doesn’t sell waffles.” I reply grinning. He chuckles. “Well perfect! Now I know my 16 year old boy works at a café that doesn’t serve waffles. I know everything there is to know about you, kiddo.” He rubs my head. I relax a bit. My dad knows how to make me feel at home.

            “Geronimo!” I hear Hunter scream as he flies across the kitchen. He crashes into the wall and I hear pots and pans clatter. I whirl around to see Krys and Jenny in hysterics on the other side of the kitchen. I groan. “Hey guys,” I begin addressing the children. “What?” Hunter asks disoriented from the other side of the room. “Uh . . . my dad is visiting here today so do you think you could refrain from killing each other? Just for today?” I plead. “Killing is wrong.” Jenny says still giggling. “What does refrain mean?” Hunter asks in an unnecessarily loud voice. “Yeah Mute. We’ll behave.” Krys agrees. I smile at her maturity and try to relax a little.

            “Do you guys want to die?” Rob thunders at Nick, Joe and Matt in the warehouse. “I don’t really care anymore.” Nick mutters defeated. Rob quickly turns to Nick and looks him dead in the eye. “Well you might want to die but I doubt that little girl of yours does.” He growls referring to Lilly. Nick shakes his head. “Please don’t.” He pleads as Rob turns to Joe and Matt. “And I doubt you boys want to see your families slaughtered.” He says laughing maniacally. Joe and Matt shake their heads. “Good,” Scotch begins. “Now if you three are going to be killers, you’d better act like killers.” He commands. “Now you’re going to walk your sorry-asses down to Le Café and kill the shit out of those little freaks!” Rob screams, his face glowing red. Joe shudders. “Do you hear me? I want no goddamn mercy!” Scotch yells. The three boys nod and scurry off.

            My dad arrives at Le Café at about one. Everything goes smoothly at first. I make him a burger and serve it to him. Hunter, Krys and Jenny don’t wrestle while he’s here. I introduce him to Rose and John. Everything is calm and professional until I hear a crash in the kitchen. I quickly run back there to see if Hunter, Krys and Jenny are wrestling but what I see is even worse. The three of them are huddled and before them stand Nick, Joe and Matt. “Leave!” I shout at them frantically. “Fuck no! Not this time!” Nick yells pointing his dagger at me. “Where’d ya go Murphy?” my dad’s voice call from the front. “Murphy?” Hunter asks raising an eyebrow. “Go away!” Jenny yells stepping in front of Nick, Joe and Matt. Joe shoots his gun at her and misses. I quickly run to the front. “Dad we have to leave.” I say frantically pulling at his arm. “Awww I didn’t even get to order dessert.” He whines. “We have none,” I lie. “Just . . . come on.” I say yanking him out of his chair. “Alright. Calm down Murphy.” He says chuckling as I practically drag him out of Le Café.

            As I keep pulling my dad outside, he stops suddenly. “I forgot to pay!” he exclaims. “It’s on me.” I insist as we walk out the door. He stops again and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Now Murphy I can’t let you do that.” He argues. I smack my forehead. I need to get him as far away from Le Café as possible before he sees Nick, Joe and Matt. Hopefully Hunter, Krys and Jenny are holding them back. “No dad. I’ll pay for it.” I insist dragging him further away from the building. I think I may have finally won when Krys runs out the double doors of Le Café followed by a glowing, big-eared Joe. “Shit.” I whisper. “Whoa! What on earth?” my dad begins when he sees Joe. Krys looks at him wide-eyed. I have no words. Hunter and Jenny burst out the doors after Krys. “Who are you?” my dad asks staring at Joe. I quickly realize I can play dumb. “Yeah who the heck are you?” I ask Joe hoping to God he doesn’t say anything. “You know who he-” Hunter begins but Krys steps on his foot. “Listen, you seem like a friendly flower but I think right now maybe you should just leave.” Jenny says looking at my dad. Before we can, Joe pulls out his gun and shoots at us. I hear the bullets and I think he misses until I see my dad on the ground, bleeding heavily.

            “DAD!” I scream kneeling down next to him. “Oh shit sorry.” Joe mumbles. For a moment, he seems remorseful but he quickly recovers from that. He raises his gun and shoots again, this time missing everyone. My dad lets out a soft moan. “I’m still proud.” He whispers slipping out of consciousness. “No.” I whisper hugging him. Hunter runs back inside. I turn to Joe. “THAT’S THE LAST STRAW!” I scream. Why isn’t the earth shaking under me? Why aren’t trees falling and buildings crumbling? Why am I not flooding the world with the tears streaming down my face? Joe stands silent and pale. I punch him in the face. I notice my fist is covered by a red glove. I must have transformed without my gem. Hunter rushes out the double doors. Like the little ninja-child he is, he throws me a glass and lands on top of Joe. “It’s healing medicine.” he explains yanking the gun out Joe’s hands. I quickly open my dad’s mouth and pour the white liquid between his lips. He coughs and his eyes flutter open. Hunter rolls off Joe. “Leave!” Jenny snaps at Joe and he teleports away. I transform back to normal and look down at my dad.

            That night, I sit super close to my dad on our tiny couch. He laughs a little. “Maybe fate just doesn’t want me to become a bigger part of your life.” He mumbles to himself. I’ve convinced him that Joe was just a random burglar. He hadn’t seen me transform or anything like that so my secret is safe. I later learn that Rose and John fought off Nick and Matt for me. I’m forever grateful to Hunter for helping me save my old man. “Nah. We just got unlucky.” I insist. I bite my lip. I guess being close to my dad is  a sacrifice a must make to be part of Super Six. Emotion overcomes me and I embrace my father in a tight hug. “Whoa. That was unexpected.” He says hugging me back. My eyes fill with tears. “You can tell me anything you know.” My dad whispers detecting the secrecy I possess at the moment. “I know.” I lie letting the tears out. One of the worst things in life is lying to someone who wants nothing but the truth. Rejecting comfort from someone who lives to make people feel better. Pushing away a broken man whose only wish is to get closer.

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