Alberta's Ghost (Every House Has it's Secrets!)

Chapter 22- Someone's at the Door!

    "Hey give that back, it's mine! That's my doll!" The little girl cried.

"No it's mine! I want to play with it!" Isabella refused. "It was never yours Susie!"

Hmph!

They began to drag the doll from both ends.

"Daddy!" Susie decided to scream.

William came running down to meet the kids in the living room, "What's the fuss about this time?" He asked with his hands on his waist; panting mildly.

"The doll's mine, hmph!"

"Alright, alright calm down kids, you girls have so many other dolls, why can't you play with them?" He grabbed their arms and pulled the girls away from each other.

"I want this one!"

"No, I want it!" She emphasized. They shook their heads with the intention of not settling the issue.

William fixed his fingers on his temple, closed his eyes and sighed. Just then, the door bell rang!

"Hey! I'm taking this doll away from both of you! Go play with your other toys this instant!" He scolded them.

Ding dong, Ding dong.

The door bell strum again, "Oh now what?!" William began to walk to the large hall.

"Will, someone's at the door!" Olivia announced.

"Someone get the door!" Uncle Millie added.

"Why don't you come get the door? Huh?!" William threw back at them. "Get the door, get the door", he mumbled angrily.

Ding dong!

Finally William reached the door and flung it open, "Stop ringing! I'm here al– ", he was shocked to Dr Joe at the door.

"Hey Mr Johnson!" Joe greeted him nervously. "Uh– can I come in?".

"Sure sure come on in!"

Once again Joe entered the Wrong Dark house; only that this time, it was deliberate.

"Um– sorry about that back there, I– I wasn't expecting to see you".

Joe extended a hand to him and William shook it gentlemanly. "That's fine Sir, I know you're not expecting me. I– I uh– came to apologize".

"Oh but what for?" William chuckled, "Why don't we discuss this in the living room, eh?" He gestured Joe towards the living room.

"Have a seat Doc, I'll be right back!" Joe quickly tiptoed out of the room like a girl ready with a new gossip story.

He ran up the stairs up to the children's room.

Knock knock. Will flung the door open, "Hey kids! Guess who's downstairs!"

"Who who?" They all became excitedly interested.

"Is it the ice cream man?!" Bradley asked with craving eyes.

"Tell us Dad!"

"Yes tell us, tell us!" The kids giggled and hopped eagerly around their dad.

"Doctor Joe's back!" Will whispered excitedly with bulging eyes. "He's in the seating room right now".

"Really?!"

"Joe's back! Joe's back!" The kids ran past their father and sprinted down the stairs like a stampede! They continued to scream excitedly till they reached the living room.

Joe stood up immediately he knew there was a herd of joyful kids coming his way— ready to pounce on him.

"Heyyy kids!" He smiled broadly at them with open arms as they hugged him impatiently.

The grownups rushed to the scene and assembled behind the kids.

"Hey Joe, you're back!" Uncle Junior welcomed him with loud laughter, he hugged Joe tightly with his chubby tummy and continued to laugh behind Joe's ear.

"Hey Junior!" Joe replied while tapping him friendly on his back.

"Doctor Joe!" Uncle Millie walked up to him and shook his hand, "I knew you'd be back, I knew you'd miss me!"

Joe laughed.

"You're welcome Joe!" Others chorused genuinely.

Viola stood there, hands folded on her chest without a word.

"Doctor Joe?", Karen requested an audience with Joe while tugging at his trouser.

"Yes Karen?" Joe bent down to her and listened.

"Are you gonna leave again?" She was so cute with her faint voice.

Joe hesitated.

He glanced up at Viola and returned his attention to the little girl, "No! I won't leave this time, dear Karen", he slightly brushed her cheeks and the little girl's eyes beamed with joy!

"Not this time!"