Spirit (Monsters Series #3)

Chapter 6: Princess Baby and Fathers

"J-Juliette!" I heard Dion yell, "Juliette, ta-talk to me!"

I was back to reality again. Dion held me so tight I could barely breathe.

"I...can't...breath, Dee." I protested.

He loosened his grip on me but not by much. I was practically in his lap, but he didn't seem to mind being so close to me. He took the hand that was wrapped around me and caressed my cheek. I now realized why my dads were so close to each other all the time; it felt like a hole was in your chest all your life, and that one person could fill it just by holding you, being present. I almost wondered when I was going to wake up in my room in Montreal.

"Wh-what hap-happened?" Dion asked, eyes filled with worry.

"You know how you can...feel what others are feeling?" I began.

Dion nodded, waiting for me to continue.

"I think I'm having visions of Dad's past." I admitted

He expressed a feeling of understanding in his glorious eyes.

"What have you seen so far?" he asked, curious.

"First, it was my dad in a letter jacket pushing a smaller boy into the row of lockers I accidentally brushed up against." I told him, "The next one, during our kiss, the smaller boy stood up to him. They had a big screaming match, and one thing led to another, and...my dad...he..."

I burst into tears before I could finish. I didn't want to finish.

"You...d-don't have t-to t-tell me if you d-don't want t-to, but, c-considering wh-what we were d-doing d-during th-the vision, I-I think I c-can guess th-that...the sma-smaller b-boy was my fa-father, and your fa-father...kissed him. Is th-that ac-accurate?" Dion speculated, slightly overwhelmed by my emotions.

Man, he's smart! Why does he have to be so smart?

I nodded, unable to choke out the evil words. Everything is in disorder once again. I wasn't supposed to cry. I was supposed to comfort Dion while he cried! It made more sense!

"I just..." I continued when the tears became less violent, "I couldn't imagine Dad kissing anyone other than Father. It makes no sense!"

"Ev-everyone has a p-past, J-Juliette." Dion explained, ever the wise man.

I shook my head in admiration and disbelief. It was a wonder how such a person could exist, let alone care for me like he did.

"How'd you get so wise, Dion?" I asked aloud admiringly.

"It-it's in my g-g-g-genes." he answered as he checked his watch, "Oh, n-no!"

"What's wrong, Dee?"

"I ha-have to g-get home! My d-dad must b-be worried si-sick!"

"I'll take you home. Don't you worry."

I led him back toward the trail, holding his hand. Though he had protested about the time, he took his time, never letting my hand go for even a second. For the first time in my life, I was truly happy. Dion changed me within the first day of knowing me.

I opened Baby's passenger-side door for him as he walked up. He was wary of her brushing up against his clothes, not that I blamed him. Baby was covered in so much dirt, you would think we raced her on a muddy country road. He even wiped down the seat with a handkerchief he kept in the pocket of his sharp jacket. Dion is definitely a wimp, but he's my wimp.

"Whenever you're ready, princess." I teased affectionately.

"F-force of h-habit. I-I'm s-sorry." He replied, dropping his chin down.

"It's a cute habit though, darling."

As Dion looked up at me with those big blue-green-grey eyes of his, my heart fluttered. I put my key into the ignition and turned it abruptly, making Baby purr. I turned Dad's favorite song on, "Hallelujah." I gently stroked the steering wheel before gripping it firmly as I put it in drive.

"Sho-should I be je-je-jealous?" Dion asked.

I let out a chuckle as I drove onto the road.

"Dee, I call this car Baby." I explained.

"A-and?" he beckoned me to continue.

"I call you Princess."

I took his hand in mine to squeeze it reassuringly.

"Princess beats Baby by a million." I finished.

With that, I continued to drive down the gravel road. You can't even imagine how bumpy that road was. It was like a moving massage chair. I didn't really mind too much, at least not until Dion was getting pale.

"Car sick?" I asked.

He nodded with a groan.

Let me out, Juliette! Let me out!

I put one hand on my head. I pushed the voice away and continued driving. The voice seemed...familiar. I pushed away the thought.

"Wh-what is it-it, lo-love?" Dion asked me, worried.

"Nothing." I replied, "It's nothing."

He shifted his head to see out the window, grumbling to himself in frustration. He said nothing further, but I knew he wanted to know more.

"T-turn right, and it-t sh-should be the f-fourth house on th-the right." Dion instructed as I passed a street lined with cookie-cutter suburban houses that are populated with Stepford wives and their ambitious husbands wearing monkey suits.

I came to the fourth house, and my jaw dropped. Standing before me was a large old Victorian among the small suburban homes. It was a diamond in the rough, just like Dion.

Someone opened the large mahogany door. It was Gatlin, only older. His flaming red hair was greying, but his eyes were the same beautiful blue-green-grey as Dion's. Tears were rolling down his porcelain face.

"Where were you?!" Gatlin yelled hysterically, sobbing.

"I-I le-left you a me-message, D-Dad." Dion tried to reassure him, "It's-it's on your cell pho-phone."

"Well, I..." he responded frantically, "I left it on my desk at work."

"And whos-whose f-fault was th-that?"

Gatlin sighed dramatically in response as he dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief and pulled himself together. He only acknowledged my presence when Dion held my hand as he brought me over to him.

"D-Dad, th-this is Ju-Juliette." Dion introduced me, a spark in his eye, "I cou-could j-just re-recite th-the entire pho-phone message, b-but th-that would ta-take too-too long."

Honestly, this was not I pictured meeting Dion's father. I thought we would meet a bit further down the line over dinner, where I would be wearing something more respectable than a black muscle tee, a pair of shorts I borrowed from Olly, and my favorite work boots. I would have kept the boots, but still.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Harris-Graves." I greeted politely, holding out my hand, hoping that my politeness would make up for my attire.

Gatlin shook my hand, examining me like he was trying to remember where he had seen me before. After he touched my hand, I knew a vision was coming. Everything was black before the vision flickered on like an old movie.

I was looking upon a large house in the middle of a dense forest of pines. A little boy that had Gatlin's recognizable red hair and china face was trying to squirm out of a blonde man's arms to chase after...Father.

"Emmy!" he trilled, squealing, "Why are you leaving me, Emmy?! Come back, Emmy! Don't leave me, Emmy! Come back! Don't leave me!"

The younger Gatlin continued his squealing pleas as Father walked into the woods, not once looking back.