Genie-Us

Chapter 23

I scrambled out of the bed and searched the dresser where I used to keep my jewellery. It wasn't there. I rushed about the room searching in a frantic flap for my pendant. Nothing, it wasn't here.

Realising I might have left it at home had me now searching for my purse. I found it, scrambled through its contents, and finally found my keys. If only I had a traveling cube like Jene.

Jene, I froze the moment I thought his name. Jene was the man I loved, who just happened to be a genie. My heart ached with knowing he'd gone back to the Realm. He was not only out of reach, but also out of any form of contact. Jene now existed in the Realm, in another universe unreachable to me.

"Isla." My father's voice boomed from the doorway.

"Hey, Dad." I tried to smile up at him but it took effort.

"Your mother said you were having a bit of a funny turn. She wanted to ring the doctor, but I said I'd talk to you first."

Dad looked the same as he always did, greying hair, keen smile, but somehow he appeared more relaxed. I wasn't used to him being around home a lot because he spent so much time at work.

"I don't want you to worry that I'm going to leave you behind. I'm managed to push the expedition back for a few days so you can still join us. You've been telling me all year how much you wanted to start exploring again. I've missed having you come along. You always did have the best insight." He beamed at me, but that only baffled me more.

"What expedition, Dad?" I asked and his eyes went wide.

"I think I might have to agree with your mother. Perhaps we should call the doctor." Dad's instant worry left me frowning.

Something shivered through me in an icy uncomfortable manner. Nothing added up. Everything my family told me ended up opposite to what I knew as the truth.

"Okay, we're going to suspend reality for a very long moment. Tell me about our life." I said in the calmest voice I could manage.

Dad opened his mouth to answer me, closed his mouth, thought a moment and then spoke, "you tell me your reality first." He insisted.

"Fine, my mum apparently died when I was born. You married Bev over seven years ago, and she had two horrible children named Harrison and Candy. Harrison now stars in a hideous reality show that you direct, and Candy can't think of anything beyond her next new car. You bought me a cute little cottage out by the beach, so I moved out of home about four years ago." I decided to avoid any genie reference. If dad thought I already had a screw loose, any genie talk would definitely bring the doctor back. I dared a glance at dad to find him watching me with cautious eyes.

"About the only truth in all of that is you living in the cottage." He ran a hand through his hair.

"Then tell me what you think is a part of your reality." I waved a hand towards him.

"Where to start? Bev is your mother, your biological mother. Harrison and Candice are not step siblings to you, they are your brother and sister. Bev and I have been married going on twenty six years now. Harrison works with a law firm as an intern. When he's not doing that, he's busy studying to get his degree. Candice finished high school as valedictorian, and she starts medical school when you head back this year.

"You've only ever shown enthusiasm for the effort they both put into their studies. Harrison has never had an interest in acting, let alone on reality television. He doesn't even like working on my documentaries. You're the only one who's ever shown an interest there, it's why you're studying archeology." Dad's explanation had my mouth flopping open and a weird gurgling noise escaped.

"You do documentaries again!" I squeaked with happiness at that news.

"Isla, I never stopped working on documentaries," Dad peered at me as if I had something seriously wrong with me. "This alternate reality you've made up has me quite worried." Dad kept talking, but a voice whispered in my mind and I chose to focus on it.

"When you awaken to a new world, do not forget me." Jene's last words flooded my ears in a defined crash.

This surely was a new, and quite insane world to me. There was an eerie sense of familiarity, but that created friction against what I knew to be the truth. Both Harrison and  Candy were studious people. That was almost impossible to believe with how superficial they were in my world.

I had to accept that this was my new reality. The lamp had changed Harrison's life to something he would utterly despise, work. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or to slump back in my misery of missing Jene.

"This reality is definitely different to my old one." I laughed wryly and ran a hand through my hair.

"I'm not exactly sure what I should say in response to that." Dad chuckled.

I gave myself a minute to think by getting off the bed and giving dad a hug. His warm, fatherly manner made me choke up a little bit. I'd missed the closeness I used to have with him.

"When's the expedition due to leave?" I asked while wondering if I'd find Jene's lamp on one of dad's expeditions.

"Three days. We couldn't put it off too long or we'd miss our window." He told me and I thought quickly.

"Why don't we leave tomorrow? I'm feeling fine and I'd love to head out adventuring." I couldn't hide my enthusiasm, mostly because I kept thinking of Jene's lamp.

It would make sense to find his lamp while out exploring the lands of the world. There was no way it would be close at hand. The expedition was the perfect excuse to find a magical artefact.

"Are you sure, Isla? You had a bump on your head, and you've been mostly unconscious for the last few days. You've also acted quite peculiar this morning." Dad's consternation showed on his face.

"I'm sure, Dad. I've been looking forward to the adventure, and even you told me that." I pointed out.

"You've had your bag packed for weeks." He said as he reached over and touched my hair fondly.

"I sure have! That stuff I said before... it must have been from the accident. I can't wait to go with you."

"Okay, I'll make a few phone calls and get everyone back onboard. It's good to have you back with us, Isla. You had me worried for a while." His tender expression realised that he spoke the truth.

"You can't get rid of my that easily, Dad." I grinned at him.

"Good. Why don't you go down and ease your mother's mind. Your words left her a little stressed. Also tell her that it was your idea that we leave tomorrow. She's sure to try and argue that with you." Dad placed his hand on my back and gave me a gentle push.

"Are Harrison or Candy here?" I asked, not wanting to see either of them, especially Harrison. Last time I'd seen him he'd thrown a childish tantrum because he couldn't have Jene's lamp.

"No, but we do expect them home once we're back from the expedition. If you have any other odd things, uncertainty or questions that might seem a bit unreal, could you only bring them to me?" Dad's caution in how to ask me came across in his shaky words, but I nodded my agreement.

"I'll only ask you." I promised.

"Good! Let's go and get organised," Dad clapped his hands and went to leave, but paused on his way out. "I love you, daughter of mine. I know I don't say it enough, but don't forget that I do."

"Love you too, Dad." I said as he left my room.

I sat on my bed and stared around my childhood room. How had I gone from Jene leaving to this bizarre reality? I missed Jene. More than I can ever explain, I missed his presence with me.

Gritting my teeth, I forced my tears away and tried to focus. Finding Jene's lamp was the most important thing in my life now. The moment I found his lamp was the very second that I had him back in my life.