Sean's Angel II Part 2
Sean's Angel ll
Know Thy Enemy
By: Hal(Copyright 2006 - 2007 by the Author)
Editors: Radio Rancher & Str8mayb
The following is a complete work of fiction. Any resemblance to
characters and real life persons is completely coincidental.
The following story contains violence and erotic homosexual situations
and content. If it is illegal for you to read this, please leave now. Please do
not copy or distribute this story without the author's permission.
Author reserves all rights to this story.
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Chapter 2
Author's note: Well now, where were we? (That's an author's note?){He thinks so}
From the previous chapter....
"How did you know my name? What is your name?" Sean fidgeted as he started to stand. The hardness of the ground made him feel uncomfortable.
"My name isn't important. Promise me, that you'll find Tom for me?" The teen kept his gaze on the horizon.
"If there is anything I can do, it will be done." Sean made it to his feet, and brushed the dirt and grass off his pants.
"That's all I can ask.... thank you Sean." The boy turned to walk further into the field.
"Hey! How bout your name? So when I find Tom, he knows who to thank." Sean resisted the urge to walk after the boy.
"When you find him, and he is safe and sound.... tell him Ian misses him." As he mentioned his name, the boy faded into nothingness as the first rays of sunshine made their way across the grassy field.
Author's note continued: How can this kid disappear? Well, if I tell you, it would ruin this chapter, and your chances at reading Close to the Heart.
Hmm, as the voices of all the characters argue over who gets to go first, I am wondering where this chapter will lead. There is no telling....
Now, on to
(Well that's more like it){I'll say.}
Chapter 02
Sean stumbled backwards into the tree. He stared at the spot where Ian had disappeared. He tried to blink the tears away, but lost as the trickles of sadness ran down his face.
`Do you know your goal now, Sean?' The ominous voice whispered into Sean's ears.
"Why? Why couldn't I tell he was a ghost?" Sean mumbled out as the torrents of sorrow burst forth, causing his chest to convulse.
`You are not that powerful yet. Given time, and training, you might be. Now, you know what you must do.' The morning sunlight caressed Sean's cheek as the words faded.
Sean slid down the tree till he sat on the ground. He covered his face as the tears flowed freely. The rising sun's warmth took the chill off the dawn. He brought his legs up, and wrapped his arms around them as he rested his forehead on his knees.
Cecelia woke up at her normal time. Her body automatically knew what time it was. Preparing breakfast for the boys was a challenge which took time. She rolled out of bed and headed for her bathroom to get ready.
When she stepped out of the shower and started to dry herself off, she felt like something was missing. Wiping the steam from the mirror, she looked at her reflection and pondered. `What on earth is this feeling? What could be wrong so early in the morning?'
She finished dressing and was prepared to head down to the kitchen, but a tugging at her soul made her stop at the top of the stairs. She looked at the boys' bedrooms, when the memory of the previous night's sleeping arrangements came back. The boys just had to sleep in Sean's room. A smile brightened her face as she started her descent downstairs.
Something pulled at her as she hit the bottom step. She looked towards the master bedroom, and shrugged her shoulders as she wandered to the kitchen. Her mind was set on the coffee maker, and the caffeine that her body craved. She rinsed out the carafe and poured in fresh water. Something taunted her instincts as she leaned up against the counter and waited for the brewer to finish. An empty coffee cup sitting on the table drew her attention away from the perking liquid.
Cecelia walked over to the table and picked up the mug. It was unusual for anyone to leave dishes around the kitchen, especially since it was cleaned last night. She and Sean were the only ones that drank coffee. A chill ran down her spine as her hands wrapped around the ceramic vessel. A vision came to her as she looked at the ripples that formed in the cold liquid.
She slammed down the mug and hurried to the window that faced the garage. The car was missing, and the immense door was still open.
In a panic, she ran to Sean's bedroom and swung the door open. It bounced off the wall with a loud thud. The boys didn't stir, but Sean wasn't with them. Not wanting to panic, she walked over to the master bath, and looked inside. She had to make sure.
A tear ran down her cheek as she noticed it was empty. Cecelia looked at the sleeping boys and covered her mouth to hinder the whimper that was fighting to escape her lips.
"My poor boys... what will they think when they wake up?" Cecelia whispered as she crossed the room. She had to do something, and quick.
She closed the door behind her trying not to make any more sounds. She had enough to deal with already, and hated to have the boys stressed out as well. She didn't want to find out what those boys were fully capable of if they woke up in a bad way.
Cecelia ran back to the kitchen, and in a momentary lapse of memory, forgot where the phone was. She looked around till her brain kicked into gear. The wall seemed to be so far from where she stood. She crossed the kitchen in record time and yanked the phone from its cradle. The receiver kept slipping out of her grip as she tried to hold it.
The third time it fell, it took all her strength not to scream. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The loud exhale snapped her back into reality. Cecelia felt determined not to allow this to rule her.
She bent down, and picked up the phone again. Her fingers, as if on instinct, knew what numbers to dial. Her mind was in chaos as to who to call at this time of day.
"Hello?" Marty answered the phone on the fourth ring. It was too early for him, as he stifled a yawn.
"Hello? Marty?" Cecelia's eyes opened wide when she realized who it was.
"Yes. Who is this?" Marty sat up in his bed. This was a situation he needed to be alert for. A call this time of day was never good news.
"Marty! This is Cecelia..." Cecelia tried to catch her breath and organize her thoughts.
"Cecelia? What's going on? Is there something wrong?" Marty was now standing. He thought he recognized her voice.
"Sean's gone... and so is the car!" Cecelia failed at restraining her emotions. They burst forth and tears began to run down her face.
"What!? What time did he leave? Was he alone? Is this another one of his episodes?" Marty was doing the pants dance, trying to get dressed while he was on the phone. His mind raced as the thought of Sean's disappearance sank to his core.
"I... I... I don't know? I ... we... we were all asleep, and when I woke up this morning..." Cecelia couldn't hold the bad feelings at bay. She cried as her body fell against the wall, and she slid down to the floor.
"Cecelia! You still there?" Marty balanced himself on one leg, as the sounds hit his ear.
"Yes... barely." Cecelia whimpered out as she tried to regain her breath.
"Thank God. Are the boys awake? Do they know?" Marty finished pulling up his pants, and began to put on a shirt.
"No. They're still sleeping. What should I do?" Cecelia was curled up into a ball. Her voice cracked when the thought of having to tell the boys Sean was missing again.
"Don't worry. Just go about your morning as if nothing happened. Just leave it to me. If there is anyway of finding him fast, I'll do it." Marty tried to sound sincere, but the doubts of finding Sean alive crept into his subconscious.
"Just how am I supposed to act like nothing is wrong? As soon as the boys wake up they will know..." Cecelia's voice trembled as the words came out. She didn't want to be the one to tell them anything was wrong.
"Have a cup of coffee or whatever, I'm already dressed. I need to get off the phone now, and make a couple of calls. I'll let you know the second I find anything out, okay?" Marty finished the last couple of buttons on his shirt, as he held the phone in the crook of his neck.
"Yeah, okay. Uh, the second you find anything, right?" Cecelia picked herself up off the floor. She wiped away the tears when the reality hit her. If the boys came in and found her crying on the floor, they would automatically know.
"The second after. I need to go now." Marty hated to do it, but had to hang up on her.
"Thanks Marty." Cecelia let out the captured air in her lungs in a loud sigh.
"Don't worry, we'll find him." Marty closed the connection. He stared at his cell phone at how quick it was before another situation arose.
Cecelia's hands trembled as she placed the phone back. The hiss of the brewer let her know that the pot was done. She wandered across the kitchen to get her morning fix. She mixed her coffee until it splashed over the sides of the mug. Surprised at her own clumsiness, she grabbed a towel and cleaned up the mess.
Cecelia picked up her cup like it was made of eggshells, and made her way to the table. She placed her coffee down, like it was the last one on the planet. Her moves were delicate and meticulous as she sat down. Her fingers wrapped around the ceramic container, like it was a treasure. She stared at the liquid inside, till the steam stopped rising.
"What'll I ever tell the boys?" The realization that her drink had gone cold didn't register until it hit her lips. Cecelia almost spit it out in disgust.
"Now I need to get out of this stupor... and get some hot coffee." Cecelia took another gulp. She stood up and went back to the counter. She was going to dump her cold drink, but instead lifted the mug to her lips for another drink.
"Hmm, I wonder... how this would taste chilled?" Cecelia thought out loud. The taste of the cold sweetened caffeine excited her taste buds. Without further thinking, she turned towards the fridge. A couple of dispensed ice cubes were added to her cup.
"I think I've found my morning drink..." She snickered to herself, and then went to figure out what to do for breakfast.
Marty stared at his phone. He knew what he had to do, but hesitated. He pushed the numbers as if he was getting shocked from the buttons.
"Come on, answer, damn it!" The frustration was more than evident in Marty's voice.
"*Yawn*, McCabe Enterprises, Security Division." Gordon hated his cell phone, especially when it was just after sunrise.
"Well... it's about time." The icy tone of Marty's voice oozed with contempt.
"Good morning to you too Marty." Gordon took a moment and looked at his caller id.
"You better be ready, on a moments notice, remember?" Marty had his business tone, and made sure that Gordon would not miss it.
"Yes sir. How may I be of service?" Gordon jumped out of bed. This had to be a serious situation for Marty to call directly.
"It's Sean... again." Marty's voice failed him. He was worried, and it came out in his silence.
"What?! What happened, give me the details." Gordon attempted to dress himself with one hand.
"Sometime, in the middle of the night, I can only guess. He took the car out of the garage. At least that's what we can guess so far. He hasn't called or shown back at home yet." Marty sat on his bed, and put his shoes on.
"Is that all? So, he hasn't gone off the deep end again? Err, sorry, had an episode?" Gordon fell back on his bed. If this wasn't an emergency, why bother?
"You do know who this is right? And the boys? You have to realize what they are capable of..." The forced tone came back into Marty's voice. To him, this was a serious matter.
"Sorry sir. Won't happen again. I will have the tracking device activated within the minute." Gordon walked over to his computer and sat down.
"Well?" Marty was impatient. The tone of his voice changed, to that of an ice queen.
"I said with in the minute. It's early, give me a break." Gordon had always hated Marty and his pushiness.
"If something happens to him, because you didn't act fast enough... I'll be sure to let the boys know it was your fault!" The door can be heard as it slammed. Marty was in his car, and his temper had begun to flare.
"He is, or rather the car is, located on Highway 17, on the outskirts of town. I think it's that area Dale abandoned working on." Gordon spat out the details as fast as he could.
"Meet me there, in 15 minutes. I'm already on my way." Marty didn't want to waste any more precious time.
"No problem. As soon as I get my shoes on, I'm out the door." Gordon's words never made it through. The dial tone was all the response he got back.
Marty kept a close eye on the road. The last thing he wanted was to get into an accident on the way there. He glanced at his watch, still too early for much traffic. In that minor distraction, he almost hit a pedestrian who had just entered the crosswalk.
"Damn kid. What the hell was he thinking?" Marty slammed his hands against the steering wheel after he almost ran over the boy.
The young boy dropped his backpack as Marty swerved to avoid hitting him. The young man was in a hurry as well, but to where?
Marty realized that was too close a call. He had to pay more attention. His mind raced at all the possibilities of the outcome. `What if he was kidnapped, and being held for ransom? Or maybe, he had another episode, and hurt himself? Maybe, he just decided to go out for a drive, and got carjacked.' The visuals of those thoughts made Marty grip the steering wheel tighter as his foot pressed down more.
Marty made the last turn, before entering the long stretch that led up to the field. He loosened his grip when the thought `what if he just went out for a drive, to get out of the house?' assaulted his brain. Marty pressed his foot to the floor, hitting 95 mph before he saw Gordon's car.
"Well, where is he?" Marty was talking and halfway out of his car before the engine stopped turning.
"I just got here. No sign of Sean, but the car hood is still warm." Gordon walked up to Marty with his hand extended.
Marty stopped in his tracks and put his hand up to shield his eyes from the rising sun. He looked around the vast flat lands in search of a person.
Gordon knew a handshake was out of the question. He rested his arm, and began to look as well.
"Oh my God! Is that him?" Gordon raised his arm in the general direction of the large tree.
"Oh shit! Stay here, and get ready to call for an ambulance." Marty was unsure and didn't want to find out. The prospect was so-so, being that the figure they saw, was sitting up... barely.
Gordon got his cell out, and was ready to act in the blink of an eye. He watched as Marty crept out onto the field towards the tree.
"Sean. Sean! You alright?" Marty decided that being stealthy wasn't worth the risk of surprising him. He knew what Sean was capable of, and if he was unstable it posed a high risk.
Gordon's sweaty palms lost their grip on the phone. He almost dropped it, and fumbled with it while Marty called to Sean.
Sean lifted his head, his blood shot eyes looked like burning coal. He blinked his eyes as he tried to focus on who was talking to him.
"Sean? It's Marty... Are you okay?" Marty stopped a couple of yards away, still unsure if this was the right thing to do.
"Marty?" Sean tilted his head, and continued to blink.
"Do you know where you're at? You disappeared last night." Marty took another step forward.
"Hmm." Sean noticed his surroundings. He felt the hard tree behind him, and relished in the breeze as it caressed his skin.
"Do you remember?" Marty's nerves were getting the best of him. He wanted to know if this was Sean, or someone else.
"After a long sleepless night, what should I remember?" Sean tried to straighten his legs out, but sitting in his position for so long, made it difficult.
"Do you need some help?" Marty fidgeted. He still had this unnatural fear of Sean.
"It would be nice." Sean struggled to stand, but his legs had gotten numb over time.
"Is he okay?" Gordon hollered out. He noticed movement, but didn't know if it was natural or not.
"Yes, he is. Stay where you're at, I might need some help." Marty motioned with his arm to remain there.
"You guys were worried about me? That's nice." Sean smiled from ear to ear, like the child that ate the last cookie.
"Cecelia called me a bit ago. She was frantic..." Marty closed the distance between them, and reached for Sean's hand. He wasn't able to finish his sentence as the electrical discharge from Sean crawled up his arm.
"Marty?" Sean gripped onto the offered hand, unaware of what was happening.
"Wha.. what a..what are you.. doing to .. me?" Marty's body went rigid as he tried to communicate through clenched teeth.
"Holy sh..." Sean released his grip and looked at his hand. There was the sound of static, and steam rose from his fingers.
Marty's legs gave out from under him. He fell to the grass as his eyes closed.
"Gordon! Get your ass up here now!" Sean's voice cracked as he tried to yell. His parched throat wasn't ready for such an audible assault.
"What the..." Gordon sprinted for his life. He watched from the side of the road, but wasn't aware of anything unusual.
"Marty... Marty?" Sean moved his body away from him the best he could. His legs were starting to tingle as the sensation returned.
"What the fuck? Marty comes up here to help you, and now I have to help him?" Gordon couldn't believe his eyes.
"Something... happened when he touched me. I'm not sure, but I think he's okay." Sean looked away as he mumbled.
"I think this is more than just `something'." Gordon knelt down to check for a pulse.
"He's alive, at least." Gordon kept an eye on Sean as he stood back up.
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Marty sat up and looked around.
"You okay? You were just..." Gordon watched as Marty stood up.
"I was just what? Why are you staring at me?" Marty's voice sounded full of disgust.
"Marty?" Sean looked at the man, who seconds ago, was unconscious.
"Yeah? Oh, sorry, here let me help you up." Marty reached his hand out.
Sean was reluctant to touch him again. He stared at the figure in front of him.
"Something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." Marty had a slight smile plastered on his face.
"Matter of fact, I have." Sean gave in, and grabbed the outstretched hand.
"I know you have, I was just kidding." Marty helped Sean stand up, and kept his hand firmly in his.
Sean's eyes went from his hand, to Marty's face. There was a sense of awareness about Marty, that wasn't there before.
Marty's icy cold exterior had melted. There was a genuine smile on his face, and warmth that he projected.
"Sorry, I just didn't understand before. I do now though." Marty pulled Sean into a hug.
Sean's body was rigid. The thought of Marty embracing him, was odd. There was more to that discharge than he thought.
Gordon stood and watched them. He shook his head as he turned to walk back to the cars.
"Where do you think you're going?" Marty released his grip on Sean, and directed his attention to Gordon.
"I thought that everything was alright, and that I'd head back home." Gordon's gaze went between the two men.
"I see. I guess it'd be okay." Marty held his hand out to shake.
Gordon was reluctant. He could only guess what happened to Marty when he touched Sean. He didn't want to be rude, so he took the handshake. No sooner than when full skin contact happened, Gordon felt a tingling run up his arm.
"What the hell?" Gordon yanked his hand away as his skin felt like it was crawling. He stood back and stared at his fingers.
"Umm, you okay?" Sean couldn't believe his eyes, or other senses. This was more than the usual weirdness he was getting accustomed to.
"I think so... Sorry, guess I shouldn't just run off like that." Gordon looked at Sean.
"It's no problem. If you need to go, then go." Sean examined Gordon's face. There was a difference in his eyes, like small electrical discharges going off.
"No, I guess we need to make sure you're good to go first." Gordon tried to smile, but the sensations that ran through his body made it difficult.
"Well, I ..." Sean turned away from the men. He pondered his thoughts as he looked across the barren field.
"Sean?" Marty waited for his instructions. He knew his day started early, but it was going to be filled with many new things.
Gordon didn't want to find out what happened to Marty, or when he was touched by him. He could feel it in his soul that things were going to be different from now on.
Sean put his hands behind his back as he stared at some minuscule thing in the distance.
"Gentlemen, this is what is going to happen..." Sean turned and faced the two. His calm demeanor disappeared as a serious look came over him.
Cecelia was on her third iced coffee. She knew as soon as the phone rang, or the boys woke up, her quiet time was over. It had been some time since she called Marty, and had to trust her gut that things would turn out.
The smell of bacon wafted through the house, as she mixed the final ingredients for pancakes. She remembered how her mother used to make them like this, all by hand.
She was busy mixing away, not paying attention to her surroundings. She was oblivious to the eyes that watched her every movement.
Cecelia turned towards the stove, the bacon was in need of being turned. As she used the tongs to flip the cooking meat, something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned, and saw nothing.
Cecelia turned back to counter where the mixing bowl sat. She dropped the utensil and screamed.
"Sorry Granma. Didn't mean to scare ya." Brandon's innocent look was being overworked. The smile on his face was a dead giveaway.
"How did you..." Cecelia clutched her chest like it would help her heart from bursting from inside her.
"How did I do what?" Brandon shrugged his shoulders like he didn't have a clue.
"How did you get in here? And where are your brothers?" Cecelia looked around the kitchen expecting the twins to jump out and finish the job of giving her a heart attack.
"They're still sleeping." Brandon tried to peer around her, to see what was being cooked.
"Okay, but how did you get all the way in here, and not make a sound?" Cecelia rested her hands on her hips, and gave him a stern look.
"What? Don't you think I can move on my own... sometimes?" Brandon crossed his arms in defiance of the accusation.
"Sorry hon. I just thought that you'd like some help while you are kinda stuck to that chair is all." Cecelia went to Brandon and gave him a hug.
Brandon accepted the show of affection, and took the opportunity to see what was for breakfast. The smile that was plastered on his face was a sure sign he didn't answer with the whole truth.
"Are you feeling okay sweetie?" Cecelia knelt in front of Brandon and looked him in the eye.
"Yup. Why?" The smell and the sight of the plate of cooked bacon, made Brandon lick his lips.
"Just asking... is all." Cecelia tried to keep a smile, but her nerves were at their limits.
"Did Dad come back yet?" Brandon looked around the kitchen, as he changed the subject.
"No... he hasn't. How did you?" Cecelia's jaw dropped at the realization that he already knew.
"Jacob and Amanda told me." Brandon turned his chair to face her.
"Oh? What did they tell you?" Cecelia's face started to lose its color.
"They said, that Dad was busy, and not to worry about him. He'll be back soon." The drool from Brandon's mouth ran down the side of his cheek.
"Oh honey. He was gone when I woke up, and I didn't know what to do..." Cecelia clutched her hands to her chest.
"Don't worry Granma. Dad can take care of himself. And if he can't, he has Jacob and Amanda to watch over him." Brandon wiped the slobber off his face with his sleeve.
"Oh. Okay, if you say so... I bet you're hungry, aren't you?" Cecelia felt relief wash over her, the worst was out of the way.
Brandon nodded his head while he licked his lips.
Cecelia couldn't resist the angelic look on his face. She turned around and grabbed a couple of pieces of cooked bacon, and gave it to him.
"Now, that's it till everything's done. Got it?" Cecelia watched as he stuffed the crunchy delicacy in his mouth.
"Mmm hmm." Brandon was chewing his food, and could only grunt sounds.
"Do you think you can help set the table?" Cecelia looked around the kitchen, noticing how high up most of the dishes were.
"Yes Granma. Member? Most of the dishes are still in the washer." Brandon spun his wheelchair around and rolled over to the machine.
"Okay then. Try to do what you can, while I finish up breakfast. Your brothers should be out here soon enough." Cecelia turned to take the last batch out of the pan, before they burned. After she placed some more back in to cook, she grabbed the bowl of batter to make sure it was mixed enough.
While Cecelia stood at the stove and tended to the bacon, and started the first batch of pancakes on the griddle, Brandon busied himself with setting the table.
Brandon was almost all set. The dishes had been left in the washer, and the silverware drawer was low enough he could access it. All he needed was a couple more juice glasses.
"Morning Granma. Morning... Brandon!" Justin rounded the corner into the kitchen, and witnessed glasses floating out of the cupboard.
Cecelia, hearing Brandon's name, turned at the moment the glasses started to careen to the floor.
Justin glared at his brother as the shattering of glass was louder than the crackle of cooking bacon.
The sound of bare feet moving across the floor preceded Jared as he appeared in the kitchen.
"Is everyone alright?" Jared stood there in nothing but his boxers, as his breath caught up to him.
"Yes hon, I think everyone is okay." Cecelia did a double take, to make sure no glass landed on Brandon. She noticed that Jared was standing there, with no clothes on.
"Oh, okay." Jared's face turned bright red, he felt uncomfortable with Cecelia looking at him.
"Bro, go get some clothes on, would ya?" Justin couldn't help but point and snicker.
Jared watched the faces as the smiles appeared.
"I... I just wanted to make sure everyone was alright..." Jared lowered his hands over his groin.
"We're all fine hon. Go get dressed, breakfast is almost done." Cecelia headed for the closet to get the broom and dustpan.
Justin walked over to Brandon, to help move his chair out of the way, and to double check on glass splinters.
"You weren't supposed to see that." Brandon whispered as Justin wiped away a few fragments.
"It's cool. Just be more careful, k?" Justin winked at his little brother and pulled the chair back away from the mess on the floor.
Cecelia had the broom and dustpan in her hands as she approached the fragmented glass on the floor. She started sweeping before arriving at the center of the mess, knowing that the shattered glass went everywhere. Careful movements were taken to make sure the slivers wouldn't get spread across the floor.
"Justin, could you go put more pancakes on? It sure would help out." Cecelia squinted at the floor as the bristles passed over the lip of the dustpan.
"Sure Granma. Anything to help out." Justin gave the sight of impact a wide berth to make sure he wouldn't step on any glass.
Cecelia gave the area one more go through. She didn't want the boys to find any missed fragments the hard way. She stood there and inspected the area, paying more attention to anything that glistened. Her attention finally went to the cupboard where the glass had fallen from. She looked from the glasses to Brandon, and back again. The distance between his reach and the shelf was almost two feet.
"Is breakfast done? I'm starving." Brandon began to whine and rub his stomach.
"Yes dear. It should be." Cecelia tilted her head as the facts didn't add up. Brandon was about three feet sitting in his chair, his arms gave him a reach of less than four and a half feet. The cupboard was almost 5 feet from the floor, not including the distance the counter kept you back...
"Ouch!" Brandon found a missed piece of glass. It was embedded into the wheel on his chair.
"Oh dear." Cecelia turned her head and noticed that Brandon was clutching his hand. An inch long cut on his palm changed her attention.
"Now what?" Jared walked back into the kitchen, dressed this time.
"Jared, go to bathroom and get the first aid kit please." Cecelia knelt in front of Brandon and examined the cut.
Jared turned around and raced to the bathroom. He was back in less time that it took for Cecelia to grab a towel to cover up the wound.
Justin stayed by the stove, and watched the activities across the table from him. He shook his head as he realized what Brandon had done.
"The only place, we didn't look." Justin turned around to hide the grin that was plastered on his face.
"Here Granma. What do you need?" Jared looked at the back of Justin's head, and tried to figure out what he missed.
Cecelia hurried to patch up the wound. She washed, sterilized, and finally covered it with gauze.
Brandon shook his head at Jared. He didn't want his brothers to say anything.
"How many should I make Granma?" Justin noticed the exchanges between his brothers, and like Brandon, didn't want Cecelia to catch on.
"I think that might be enough to start off with. Can one of you finish setting the table please?" Cecelia finished giving the bandage the final approval, the cure all, grandmother kiss.
"When is Dad coming back?" Jared asked between setting plates down.
"I... am not sure hon. He was gone when I woke up this morning." Cecelia felt the room temperature rise a couple of degrees. She hadn't thought about that question, since Brandon came into the room. Now with all three boys, the pressure was on and she was felt trapped.
"Bro, he'll be back, when he gets back. You need to wake up." Justin grinned as he placed the silverware down as he followed him around the table.
"Yeah, Jacob and Amanda said he had some place to go." Brandon felt relieved for all the distractions.
"Marty is working on finding out where he went, and promises the second that he finds out, he will call." Cecelia wasn't as blind as the boys were hoping for. She caught the glances that they exchanged.
"Marty?" Justin whipped his head around to look at Cecelia.
"I didn't know what to do, so I called him. Woke the poor bastard up early too." Cecelia let her smile grow.
"Yeah, but Marty?" Justin looked at his brothers, and shook his head.
"And what is wrong with Marty?" Sean opened the door and popped his head in.
"DAD!" All three boys let their enthusiasm show, or at least heard.
"It's about time, Mister." Cecelia glared at Sean, but the relief shown on her face.
"Marty apologizes for not calling. But he had some `matters' to take care of for me." Sean was surrounded by the boys, and they were all hugging him.
"And what are these matters? And how did you sneak into the garage, without us hearing you?" Cecelia placed her hands on her hips. This was unusual for the boys not to be able to sense his presence.
"Matters that will keep him busy, for some time. And as far as sneaking, there was no need. You were all busy chatting away. I could tell there was tension in here before I even drove into the garage." Sean looked at her in defiance.
"I see how it's going to be." Cecelia rolled her eyes and turned to get the last of the cooking done.
"Now go wash your hands." She busied herself with getting the platters ready to set on the table.
"Dad, where were you?" Brandon asked as he scooted his chair across the floor.
"Yeah Dad. Jacob and Amanda said you had `things to do', but wouldn't say about what?" Justin looked at Sean and tried to judge his reaction.
"Lets eat first, then we'll talk." Sean let the boys lead the way to the bathroom.
Jared walked up beside Sean and wrapped his arms around him.
"Did you miss me?" Sean wrapped an arm around him.
"It's scary to wake up, and you not be here." Jared looked into his eyes.
"I'm sorry son. It was very important that I go somewhere early this morning." Sean noticed the moisture building in the corners of Jared's eyes.
"But... no note, or even a call!" Jared turned away to hide the tears.
"Look at me son. If it were up to just me, I would never have to leave you guys, ever. But there are things, that each one of us is going to be called on to do. I'm sorry I didn't call. There was something going on, that it couldn't be helped. Just remember, I will always love you guys, and try my hardest to always be here for you. Okay?" Sean tightened his arms around Jared.
"I know. Jacob and Amanda said so... but I still missed you." Jared was able to stop sniffling enough to speak.
"And what else were those two up to?" Sean felt a different energy around him as he looked at the boys.
"Not much, I guess." Justin tried to mask his thoughts as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Is that true? Brandon?" Sean looked at him as Justin helped wash his uninjured hand.
"Huh?" Brandon gave his best innocent look as he answered.
"You seem to be the closest to those two. What else are they up to?" Sean turned his body to face Brandon.
"I dunno. Not much I guess..." Brandon enjoyed watching the bubbles from the soap.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Sean pointed to the hand that wasn't being washed.
"No." Brandon pulled his hand away from the water, as he hid the other behind him.
"I see. We better hurry up, before breakfast gets cold." Sean stepped back and allowed Jared to go next.
Cecelia had the platters set on the table when they returned. The mountain of pancakes overshadowed the big plate of bacon and sausage. It was a simple breakfast, but was balanced out by the sliced fruit and juice.
"Are you guys hungry?" Cecelia noticed the boys eyes, as they nearly popped out their sockets.
The nodding of heads made her hard work worth it. Not to mention the ferocity with which they consumed the food. Once they were all seated, the table was a flurry of activity.
Not much was said, as all mouths were busy inhaling food. Even Sean had a healthy appetite today.
Cecelia grinned that the boys stomachs would never be empty, or at least for very long. They enjoyed eating, as much as she did cooking. It was a harmonious relationship.
Sean stuffed the last piece of bacon that was on his plate into his mouth. He was really hungry like his energy needed to be topped off. He sniffed at the air, and looked towards the counter.
"Yes, it's a fresh pot. If you wouldn't mind..." Cecelia pointed to her cup that was still by the stove.
"No problem. And my compliments to the chef." Sean gave her a wink as he stood up.
The boys watched Sean as he crossed the kitchen. He picked up Cecelia's cup, then went to the cupboard and grabbed one for himself. After he mixed his, he topped off Cecelia's. Without asking, he went to the fridge and dropped a couple of ice cubes into hers.
"How ... did you know?" Cecelia's jaw dropped when she watched him.
"I know lots of things." Sean grinned at her, and handed her the now cooled down coffee.
"Is there anything you don't know?" Cecelia lifted the mug to her lips, and sipped at it.
Sean reached into his pants pocket and produced the charm. He moved his plate to the side and set the chunk of metal in front of him.
"I don't know who this belongs to." Sean drank from his coffee as he thought about it.
The boys exchanged glances. Justin and Jared stood up together, and began to gather the dishes. Brandon had eaten more than normal, and sat back and rubbed his tummy as if it would make the discomfort go away.
"Where did you find it?" Cecelia craned her neck to get a better glimpse.
"Out in the field, where we found Jared. I almost stepped on it." Sean rested his chin on his hands as leaned forward and stared at the object.
A crash of dishes broke the awkward silence that followed. Jared's mouth opened and closed, waiting for the sounds to catch up.
"Oh my God. I know who that belongs to!" Jared reached for the pendant as his pulse began to race.
To be continued...
Authors note: Hmm, it's always interesting when I listen to the characters, and write what they want. This chapter was fun, but I have to ask myself, where this is going now. I guess only time will tell, and only the next chapter will tell.
Thank you to my editors for their help in making this story into what it is today. Comments and criticisms are always welcome. Please forward them to old.weird.hal@gmail.com For those of you wishing to read ahead in the story, you can find additional chapters at http://www.tickiestories.us or http://www.myspace.com/stories_by_hal or http://crackerwriter.us/Main_Site.htm Thank you all and hope to hear from you soon!