MagicAnimalClub: Happenings

49: Assemble

Joes POV

I was walking over to collect my sixteen year ago old daughter from school, just as I was going there I noticed a man, I recognised him. He looked mid-fifties, I reckoned I knew him from when he was about thirty.
Who are you who are you....
At last I remembered:
He was Finnballs spy.
This time i went up and surprised him.
"Wh- who are you?"
"My name is Joseph Garret and I need you now." I grabbed his collar and snuck him behind a building.
"Finn ball is dead if your wondering, it's over Joe, it was over 16 years ago."
"I just need to know if Davids dad is actually dead." I begged.
"And what will I get in return?" He asked,
"..you can have my house, furnished." I said, feeling slightly sick at the thought of giving it away.
The man nodded then took out his phone, searching.
His eyes widened.
"He's alive."
My heart pumped faster, maybe I'm not a murderer.. maybe I can fix this! After sixteen years!
"Tell me more.."

Davids POV

I walked up to the high school car park for the last day at school, I saw Emily, Joes daughter, walking around, resting against a tree, my son, Ash, then walked up beside her, I saw Emily smile as Ash kissed her lips.
"This is awkward isn't it?" It was Joes voice, I gasped and faced him.
Emily came running towards Joe and Ash shortly after.

JOES POV

"Hey Emma, Ash, David, wanna come over for a bit today?" I looked into Davids confused eyes, they met my panicked eyes as I mimed we need to talk.
"Alright." David said uneasily, Ash looked up at David in confusion but walked on, holding my daughters hand.
"So, any big last day of school plans?"I asked them,
"Well I mean there's a thing going on in Martins house but-"
"Guys, you can go if you want, just come back semi-sober." David said, I laughed.
"They're only sixteen." I laughed,
"You only happen once, gotta en-" he stopped himself mid-sentence, realising that was our quote.
"No getting in cars, but apart from that, yeh you're alright." I assured.

When we got back to my house, Emily spent her time making her eyeshadow perfectly pigmented, her hair as curly as possible and her eyeliner as symmetrical as mirrors.
I sat down beside Beth and David.

"So.." David said, awkwardly.
"Remember that guy who used to stalk us in restaurants?"
He nodded.
"Your dad's alive."
"Joe.. stop this... please it's over.. we're over."David sighed, standing up.
"We don't have to be."
"Yes.. we do."
"Your dad is alive. He is in Normandy, France. Most likely in captivity. Now if you won't come with me to save your own dad then it's you who is in the wrong."
"You cut his throat." David stated,
"Yes. But I didn't kill him." I assured him.
"After 18 years..." David sighed, his breathing because quicker,
"I'm telling the truth Dave.. I wouldn't lie about this."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure." I promised him.
He broke a smile, his eyes went slightly red.
"Beth.. He asked for something in return.. I gave him my house.. Would I.. Would i-" I turned to her nervously.
Beth smiled at me, "of course you can stay, but you gotta go to France first."
David and I looked at each other and nodded.
"Joe- before you go.." Beth began as I unlocked the door.
I walked over to her, I'd always been tense around her,
"I knew you weren't a murderer." She whispered in my ear,
I looked into her blue eyes, smiling, but nothing could have prepared me for when she pushed her lips against mine, rubbing her hands down by back..

I suddenly felt empowered.
Like this was how it was supposed to be.
Like this was how I was supposed to end.
We ran to my car, I screwed in the keys and drove straight for the airport.
"You're certainly looking happy." David laughed,
"That's the first kiss I've had in sixteen years." I admitted,
"You and Beth not living together?" David asked,
"No." I sighed,
"What happened?"
".. I.. I ended it."
"You did?" David looked so shocked,
"Well, yeah, I wanted to tell the truth."
"You still love her though." David said,
"What?"
"Admit it, you love her and she loves you!"
"We.. We are over.. No I.."
"Come on.. You obviously still love her- look at you!" He raised an eyebrow and gave me that look.
"Well.. Yeh.. I guess.. I guessed I never stopped did I?"
He put an arm around my shoulder then patted my back in a friendly way, we were both trying to hide the awkward fact that we hadn't spoken and hated each other for seventeen years.
"How's the kids?" I asked,
"Great, they just went off to their universities yesterday."
"Wow... They've all grown up." I sighed, remembering the little twins as toddlers meeting their father for the first time.

We caught up with each other for the next couple hours before we reached the airport. We bought tickets, we skipped all the queues apart from security before we boarded a plane to France.

"Still not like flying?" I asked David, re-embedding all these little facts about him.
"I hate flying." He muttered.
"Well it's worth it for your dad is it not?"
"Oh yes." He told me, his eyes looking straight ahead with pride.

I saw him look out the window, he looked quite tearful and emotional about it, which you would be. I put my arm round his shoulder.
"Now we don't know what condition he will be in, if he will be with anyone and he will have changed, it's been a long time."
He nodded, "I don't care what I have to go through."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for just blocking you out for sixteen years, I was wrong." He said,
"You were right to, besides, never look back." I took out my phone and scrolled down till I found Finnballs number, I deleted it. He looked up at me and smiled,
"Sorry phones off during the flight!" A lady said, leaving us looking at each other in that told-off-by-a-teacher way, before we silently laughed with each other.

When we landed David let out a huge exhale of relief. We left the airport before hiring a car, we said for three days however we may give it back before.
We were given a large Toyota, which, fortunately had a map and working programmed directions to exactly where we wanted to go.
"Alright... Let's go save your dad,"
"We only happen once.. I guess." He sighed,
"I'm glad you happened to me again."he smiled at me. He was driving this time. He much preferred driving to being a passenger so I gladly let him.

EMILYS POV

I was just putting on my makeup when Ash called me,
"Emily- Emily I need to tell you something." I turned around, is he going to break up with me?
"Emily, I'm only telling this to you because.. Because I think you need to know." He is totally breaking up with me.
"Our dads used to be best friends." Oh!
"Huh?"
"Listen to this." He handed out his phone which he had a recording of his dad.
I put in an earphone and immediately stopped what I was doing when I heard my dads name mentioned.
Ash let me listen to a recording that he recorded in a car journey, his dad has explained everything.. everything..

"What? I can't believe he would do that!"
"Where is he now? Maybe we could get something out of it, our parents haven't spoken in sixteen years, there must have been something going on if they are seeing each other now."
We ran downstairs, not caring if we were going to be late for the party.
"Mum?!" I saw my mum sitting drinking a cup of tea.
"Hey."
"Where's dad and David?" I asked,
"They.. They've gone out."
"Mum, tell me the truth. I know the whole story now, I want to know."
"How.. How did you find out?"
"Who cares! Where are they?!"
"They.. They've gone to France, Joe has located Davids father.. He's not dead."
Mine and Ash's eyes widened.  A whole new relationship between us had begun.