Happy Days and Happy Friends (Welcome Home)

Chapter Seven: Apple Soup

Angel's POV

We don't really talk about what happened a few days ago. Nobody told me what happened. Eddie, Frank, and Wally seems stressed, though, as if an episode happened while I was asleep. 

Howdy and Sally seem to be calm. Sally has started coming out at dawn and dusk to talk to me. Howdy is inside today because it's raining, and he doesn't like to get wet. He does like to watch it, though. 

"Is Wally okay?" Sally asks me. "He's been acting weirder than usual." 

"So has Eddie and Frank," Howdy adds. "They were panicking about you sleeping a few nights ago." 

"I don't know," I reply. "They're always really close and it gets a bit... much." 

Howdy glances at the corridor to the hallway. Nobody is there, but his smile still falters. "If they start upsetting you, just ask me to tell them off." 

"Okay!" 

Sally stares at the floor, nodding her head. She seems scared, as if the house has started talking to her. I leave her be. She sometimes gets jumpy when someone touches her. 

I wave the two bye and walk out of the kitchen. Wally is sitting on the living room sofa, staring out into space. I'm about to ask him what's wrong until I see Dad. He's watching the television, probably dissecting the show in his head. I try not to get in his way when I pick up Wally and walk out of the room. 

"Don't leave your toys lying around, Angel," Dad says, still watching the characters move on the screen. "And don't mess up the place. We're having a visitor in a couple hours." 

"Yes, sir." 

I walk up the stairs. The smell of alcohol lingers in my nose. Wally just stares quietly, not risking being heard until we're in my room. My hands are shaking a little as I put Wally down on my bed. 

"I didn't realize he wasn't going to work today," Wally says. 

"He hasn't gone to work at all," I reply. "He was mad when we came home yesterday. Maybe he's angry at Mr. Edward?" 

"Mr. Edward?" 

"His boss. Dad works for a TV show." 

Wally nods, understanding what I'm saying. Probably. Dad really likes to draw. A lot of episodes on the show were drawn by him. I forgot what it's called, but he makes the pictures move. 

I walk over to the middle of the room, reminding myself of the nightmare I had weeks ago. My room is not pink, it's gray. The walls were painted a light gray to match my bed and carpet. There's an old brown toy chest at the end of my bed full of toys I don't play with anymore. My two bookshelves are black and stuffed full of books I've read over and over. The armoire, my closet, is a dark gray and holds all of my clothes, which are neatly hung up or folded. I've lived in this room for years and know every spot a monster can hide in. I've shown Wally those hiding spots, even the stealthiest of them. He told me that he'd check those spots when I go to sleep, and he'd tell if there were or weren't any monsters in them. He always tells there were none. 

"Can I tell you a secret?" Wally asks. 

"Yeah." 

"It's a really big secret." 

"Of course." 

"I don't like things that are apple flavored." 

I turn to look him in the eyes. "Not even apple soup?" 

"Apple soup? No." 

"Apple pies?" 

"No." 

"Apple fritters?" 

"No." 

The list goes on. He doesn't give a reason why he doesn't like them, he just doesn't. I do run out of apple-flavored food to ask about, which brings an end to the conversation. 

A loud knock on the front door takes us by surprise. I pick up Wally and run down to greet the guest, as a woman in the 1960's is supposed to do (1960's!). I open the front door, a really old man waiting for me. I allow him inside when he tells me he's here for Dad. I don't ask any questions. 

"And put that doll away, young lady, you need to learn the chores of a proper woman." 

I don't respond. I can tell Wally is mad ("WHO'RE YOU CALLING A DOLL?!") even if he's not moving anything. 

"She's eight, Mr. Patt. Her mother isn't here to teach her, so cut her some slack." 

I smile at Dad. Mr. Patt just seems offended. 

"You will learn your place, Donald, and I will relish the day you do." 

Mr. Patt investigates the house. I can see Howdy follow him around. Frank glances at him, unworried, while Julie and Eddie frown at the man. Barnaby doesn't do anything; he's just bothered that a stranger is wondering around his home. Poppy and Sally have disappeared for the day. 

In each room, Mr. Patt tells me to follow him in. He asks me what Dad and I do and then moves to the next one. Howdy is right behind me, studying him. I notice Howdy leaning down next to Mr. Patt. He's telling me to say something. 

"MY dad wouldn't hurt me, sir," I say. 

"He has been interrogated for beating your mother, the school just wants to know if he's been doing the same to you." 

"The school?" 

"Hasn't he told you yet? You're going to school." 

Howdy clenches one of his hands into a fist. It looks like he wants to knock one of Mr. Patt's teeth out. When the man turns do I shake my head at Howdy and mouth "stop". 

"Say, has anything unusual happened lately? Perhaps the paranormal?" 

I shake my head and tense up. 

"Do you know what 'the paranormal' is?" 

"There are no ghosts here, sir." 

"You can't usually see them, but you can feel when they're in the room with you." 

I shudder. Wally warned me of these kinds of people. They've hurt my friends before. 

"There are plenty of other phenomena that'd mess you up too. Demons being one of them. They love children like you." 

Howdy stares at the floor. 

"I... I want you to leave, please," I say. Mr. Patt shrugs and walks out the room. Wally shivers and Howdy just keeps staring at the floor. 

This is the last time I see Mr. Patt. I don't like him at all. He's creepy. 

"Thank you," Wally whispers. "Howdy, are you okay?" 

"Yeah. Give me a minute." 

"Okay," I reply. 

Dad makes sure Mr. Patt is gone before he walks to his bedroom and starts drinking. Frank asks me why Mr. Patt was here, and Julie asks me if I want to play. Wally closely follows me around. He must've felt that something is wrong with Mr. Patt. Wally has always been a bit protective of me, and I don't mind that until it gets concerning. 

For the rest of the day, Howdy sits at the kitchen counter. His head is buried in two of his arms. I don't bother him. He needs some time to himself. 

"He'll be okay by tomorrow," Wally says. "Howdy doesn't like to worry about things for too long." 

"Okay." 

I walk to the living room with Wally. Barnaby is a little quiet, but still talks to us. Everyone is acting a little weird. 

Did Mr. Patt see them? Did he hurt them? 

Wally looks up at me for a moment. I see his face darken until only his eyes are visible. Only for a second, but it makes my heart stop for a minute. I don't try to think about it and focus on the conversation. 

I hope the strangeness ends. 

*****

Word Count: 1282