The Clearing: Origins

Epilogue

Dr. Mason placed the frozen lasagna in the oven. He set the timer on the electric stove and sighed. "It needs to heat about forty minutes." The anxious doctor brushed back a lock of hair and adjusted his glasses. "I'm sorry, dear boy. Dinner will be late."

It hurt watching his father pull together the shambles of his new life. The man had expected death. Sometimes Victor wondered if he'd been selfish to give him life instead.

"It's fine, Papa." He closed the front door to the one-bedroom apartment, placing his dance bag on the floor in the cramped hallway. After three months of residing with his father, neither felt the urge to do much organizing. Dr. Mason had offered to break his lease and find a bigger place, but Victor declined. "I have school, and I'm increasing my hours at the studio this summer. We don't need the space."

He knew they couldn't afford it anyway.

When Victor had refused her offer, Lovedae turned her back on him. "If that's your choice, pack your things, Victor. I want you out by nightfall."

 Lovedae had marched out of the clearing, ordering the Duo to follow her. Dr. Mason had run after her, giving Victor time to explain his reasoning to his distressed siblings.

He'd told them of the happenings in the genie realm and why Kristy was bound to him. He'd even explained why he saved their father. "Papa has nothing now, and I can't let Cataran get Kristy. Do you understand, loves?"

Rosetta had continued crying while Jason nodded, a somber expression on his face. "You're right. Dad shouldn't be alone. This ain't his fault." The boy gazed at his fellow Duo, who bobbed her sobbing head. "Me and Rosetta will talk to Mom after she calms down."

"All of this has been hard on Mum, and she's feeling betrayed." Victor had never known Lovedae to behave this way. He wasn't sure if talking would help. "Take care of her, okay?"

"Maybe Daddy can go to court and get some custody," cried Rosetta as Victor wiped at her tears. 

"Papa wouldn't do that. DNA would prove you're his biological children, but it'd ruin Mum's reputation. People know you as Craig Grant's children, not his distant cousin's." He'd pulled them both into a hug, pausing to kiss their foreheads. "I love you both. Hopefully, this is all temporary."

Three months later, nothing had changed.

A 'For Sale' sign decorated the lawn he'd once mowed on Fridays evenings. Lovedae had forbidden him contact with the Dueling Duo, removing his name from their school cards. She'd taken him off credit cards, the phone plan, and bank accounts, leaving him scrambling.

"It's ironic how Mum's erasing my existence," he'd said to Kristy during their practice session at the studio, "just as Roisin did to all those first-born sons Papa replaced."

"The cycle continues." Kristy had leaned toward him, her forehead touching his. "She's scared, Vic. First Arabella, then Roisin."

"When you put it that way, how can I blame her?" Victor stepped back and held out his hand. "Let's crack on with the routine, love."

She placed her hand in his. "It still doesn't justify her actions."

He felt gratitude toward his friends as none commented about his change of address. Only Nick knew the whole story and never blabbed a word. As he no longer had use of the second car, Victor relied on the city bus for school and work, or Nick when he'd borrow his family's car.

Nick had driven Victor home on the last day of school. "English, this can't go on. It's sucking the life out of you. I saw Lovedae at the carwash on Monday. She looks miserable."