The Gift

Chapter Thirteen, Moon cafe,

The basement door opened. The room filled with dim light. Adeline looked up relieved to see a figure just standing there.

Adeline's breathe caught until she heard a familiar voice, "Adeline? Is that you?" It was Gareth. She leapt forward and clung to him. "What happened?" He asked with concern, hugging her back. She couldn't speak. "Come on, let's get out of here," he gently pulled her out of the basement, closing and locking the door.

As they went into the living room, where Mom was talking with Aunt Amy, they both turned with concerned expressions. "Are you okay, Adeline?" Mom asked.

"Yeah, are you guys okay, you look a little pale, especially you, Adeline?" Aunt Amy said. Gareth helped Adeline sit down on the couch, then sat next to her. "I don't know, just found her in the basement, I think she got trapped. You know how she feels about darkness," Gareth said.

Adeline sighed, "I got scared, sorry, but I'm fine," She started to get up. "No," Gareth said, "you have no reason to be sorry, it's okay."

"Yeah, are you sure you're okay?" Mom asked, while putting a hand on Adeline's arm. Aunt Amy sent her a comforting smile. Adeline leaned her head back against the couch. "It was just that the door closed, unexpectedly plunging me in the dark. Then I felt something that felt like a bug on my hand, that really startled me." She sighed. Mom nodded, "well, I'm glad you're okay."

"Well, you seem alright," Gareth said, "I was actually going to go to a museum with everyone, well, the cousins at least," he stood up. "Grace and Skyler were trying to convince everyone to go to a space museum. Are you going?" Adeline sighed,

"I was going to go but I realize that I have something to do."

"Oh, just go with your cousins." Mom said.

"It's not everyday I bring them down here..." commmented Aunt Amy with a smile. "Don't decide, just come!" Jake shouted from the other room.

Adeline sighed, she did still have to get a diary from the basement. Plus she had yet to get a gift for her Aunt. And the party was tomorrow... but it would be fun to spend the rest of the day with her cousins.

"Alright, I'm coming." She said with a laugh. She got off the couch and went to her room.

"I thought you said you were coming?" Luke called.

"I am, but my shoes are in my room."

"Just go without them."

"Luke..." Mom yelled, having heard the last part. Adeline rolled her eyes as she entered her room. Her eyes scanned the room, she had put her tennis shoes somewhere. After a second she saw them poking out from under her bed. Grabbing them, she pulled them on. Leaving the room, she grabbed a sweater. As she headed down the stairs she saw her cousins by the door with her siblings. "Hey, she finally comes down," Luke said.

"Oh, be nice to her," Gareth said. They all had coats on, so she grabbed her coat too. "Be safe, kids," Dad said.

"Yes, yes of course, we'll be fine," Gareth said.

Ten minutes later, they were in the car driving past downtown stores. "Hey look," Lake looked at Skyler and then gestured to something out the window.

"They have a "Moon Cafe," Skyler smiled.

"For some reason I thought there were only Moon cafes in New York."

"Ha," Jake shook his head.

"Hey, why don't we stop there?" He asked, pointing to the moon cafe. Gareth, who was driving said, "I thought we were going to the space museum."

Grace, getting the idea said, "Well, Gareth, have we gone to the Moon Cafe?"

"Probably."

"Yeah, like years ago." Luke jumped in, "I'm convinced that we should go to the Moon Cafe, our parents probably won't mind that much anyway."

"Alright, I'm pulling in," Gareth said, doing a U-turn back towards the cafe. As soon as he turned the afternoon sun blazed in their eyes. "I'll get us out of this sun soon," Gareth muttered.

"My mouth is already drooling with the idea of eating something from Moon cafe," Skyler said dreamily, closing her eyes. Both Luke and Gareth rolled their eyes. "Well, Moon cafe IS pretty good," Jake drawled.

As Gareth pulled into the Moon Cafe's parking lot, Adeline observed the small cafe. It had a half moon above the main entrance, and the walls were painted a white-ish turquoise. Gareth pulled into a parking spot, and out of the sun, and turned off the engine. They got out and headed inside. "Let's see if this place is what they say it is," Gareth muttered as he looked around with interest. Adeline smiled to herself. As much as Gareth seemed to dislike this place, she knew he was about as interested as she was.