Amentia

Chapter 69 - Open-mindedness

Anna came out of the portal with a graceful step and was blinded by the sun at the same time that the cold air sent a chill up and down her spine. These clothes were not made for Icelandic weather, and she got mad at herself for forgetting to change into the clothes she'd arrived in before crossing the portal. At least it didn't seem to be winter, because her body adjusted to the temperature in just a moment. She turned around to look at the wall she'd just come out of, and smiled at the graffiti door, mentally thanking it for taking her to Meiko and the rest of the girls. Then she closed her eyes to listen to the wind, feeling its familiarity and the differences with the wind from Amentia. The Earth wind was sadly a lot more aggressive and louder in its opinions; Caeli had done a great job simmering that down in the creation of his planet.

When she turned to go home, she looked up and saw the sun quite high in the sky, meaning lunch rush was probably still going on and the restaurant was probably running it without a manager. She changed course to head to the restaurant, hoping her dad was there in her absence and that she hadn't been gone for too long.

It was strange walking on these streets again. It surprised her how much she'd gotten used to walking on dirt roads. Concrete felt weird below her feet now, too hard and cold. But the muscle memory was still there, and she walked her way to the restaurant without having to consciously think about which turns to take. But she looked around with her mouth open like any regular tourist, taking in the sights because she hadn't seen them in so long. As she drew closer to her destination, Anna found herself feeling nervous and emotional. She had really missed this place.

Camera flashes surprised her when she walked into the restaurant; the dining tourists seemed to be fascinated by her medieval attire, and honestly, who wouldn't be? She did a curtsy she'd learned from her Amentian troupers and crossed the room towards the kitchen feeling anticipation in her chest. She pushed the kitchen swing door and almost bumped into one of the waitresses carrying a full tray. The waitress dodged her with a smooth swing of the waist that came from years of experience. Two steps out of the kitchen, she turned around to give Anna a second look, surprised by both her presence and her outfit. Anna apologized quickly and walked into the kitchen.

Her dad was running around with a clipboard in hand, checking a million things at the same time. He hadn't done this job in quite a few years, and it was easy to tell he was out of practice and stressed out. Anna couldn't help but be a little amused that this was the state she found him in after so long without seeing him. In a rush between two cook's stations, he turned his head, saw Anna, and froze immediately in place. He dropped his clipboard onto a table without looking and ran to his daughter with open arms and glassy eyes. When Anna heard her dad's melody flowing nicely next to her own, even the stale air of the kitchen ran through her lungs as if it were the purest breeze up on a mountain. She was home.

"Where in the world have you been?!" her dad asked in her ear, unwilling to let go of her. "Are you alright? I've been so worried. The police have been useless. I thought I'd lost you."

Oh, no, thought Anna. "How long have I been missing?"

"Almost forty days," he said, holding her even more closely to his chest.

"God. I'm so sorry, papa. Something happened and I didn't have time to leave you a message or a note to let you know. But I'm here now, and I'm okay. I promise."

"My sweet angel. I don't know what I would've done if..."

"You will never have to worry about that again, I swear."

They hugged for a few more minutes, the kitchen in chaos around them, the cooks stopping their work to watch the tearful reunion and shedding a few tears themselves, as they had been worried sick about Anna too.