Set in Stone: The Rose Secret

Chapter 19: The Adults 🕴🏻

My parents stood in front of me. "How have you, Elton and Blue been?", my dad asked. My lower lip quivered. "Ummm, good good!", I said. Elton came from behind me and rested his arm on my shoulder. "Howdy mom, hey dad. How was your flight?", Elton asked.

"Great. We decided to come home for a wee visit. Check in on you.", Mom answered. "Where is your other half?", Dad asked me as he searched behind us. I paused not knowing what to say. I exchanged looks with Elton who was as uncertain as my parents. "She is on a road trip with her friends", I said. Mom squinted her eyes and cocked her eyebrow. "On a school night?", she questioned. "It's part of a field trip for history class", I responded. They hesitantly nodded.

I gestured for them to come in. They followed me into the kitchen. "Hungry"?, I asked. They shook their heads. "First class treated us well, we are stuffed"!, Mom said with a slight smile. Dad walked down the long hallway, his fingers trailing along the wall. "Looks the same as it did when I grew up. Exactly!", he exclaimed. "Did you and Eddie use to play in this hall together"?, I asked curiously. A look of pain went across dad's face. "White! You know that is a touchy subject for your father!", Mom yelled.

"It's quite fine Linda.", Dad said to Mom. "Yes we did. We'd play hide and seek, tag and in our older years, football. It was our favourite sport.", he told. "Why did he disappear?", I asked. "You are awfully interested in this Eddie character.", Elton remarked. "Well no one knows. We all have our ideas but they are just possibilities.", Dad said.

I nodded and headed up to my room. I had to hide Blue's whereabouts from my parents now too? Should I tell them? Should I tell Elton? I decided not to. I waited till quarter after 9 when the turkey finally hit the parents. I crept downstairs to find a sleeping heap of relatives in the living room. It tiptoed past them, reaching the door.

Outside it was dark. The stars lined the sky and music blared a few blocks down. A car pulled into the driveway next to ours. It stopped halfway in the lane. The window rolled down. A familiar face popped out. It was Iren. He waved his hand out his window.

"Hey White!", he smiled. "Like my new wheels", he said. "It's a nice upgrade from the bike!", I laughed. "Wanna take it for a spin with me?", he smiled. I nodded eagerly hopping in the passenger seat.

The interior of the car was a light grey color. Iren had the AC on quite high and the music turned up loud. "How'd you get the car?", I asked. "My adoptive parents bought me it for my birthday!", he said quite chipper. "Now when it rains you won't get wet!", I smiled.

He started the engine and revved it a few times. He went into reverse and shot out of the lane way and onto the road. He travelled down the road to the café, passed the library and by the laundromat. He had a huge grin on his face and he drove.

We finally came to a stop half an hour later at the mansion. "Woah this thing can really run!", I said. Iren gave a big smile. "I am thinking about painting it white, what do you think?", he asked. "I approved. It is my name and all...", I joked. He chuckled and then we said goodnight.

I slowly walked to the front door. I went inside and found a convention of adults all deep in conversation. There was a dozen of them, and at the head of the table was my dad. They all turned to look my direction. "Nice night out..", I said shyly. My uncle Steward sat besides my dad. He said "Where is your sister?". They sat me down at the table beside my great aunt Bessie.

They asked me questions about where Blue was and the called a police officer over. "I haven't seen her for a week now.", Krista mentioned. They all talked for an hour more until an officer came over. He was tall and bald and had a pipe in his mouth. "Officer Forrest, nice to meet you.", he said as he came in the door. "So, Blue, how long has she been gone for?", he asked. "Huh?", I said waking up from a daze. "Oh, about six days. Last time I saw her was at the café.", I said.

The officer wrote in his notebook. I was starting to get really sleepy so I excused myself so I could go to my room. I walked up the stairs almost tripping on the third step. I put on my sleep wear, when I heard a knock on my door.