Prologue

"Ian, what's wrong? Don't be upset. Are you alright?"

There comes a point in your life when you realize your parents aren't gods. You love them unconditionally until mid-adolescence, when you start to question their decisions and begin to ponder their ulterior motives. Bit by painstaking bit, you establish independence.

"Ian, come back. Just for a visit. Please?"

Independent or not, I'd always have a soft spot for my mother. Normally, I would have accepted the invitation without a second thought. Now, though, I was hesitating.

At the moment, the world wasn't working quite the way it should.

"I, ah, sorry, Mom. I'm going to stay here with Kyle and Jodes for a while."

"Please, Ian? Bring Kyle and Jodi, of course. I just want to catch up." I couldn't help feeling that her voice was wrong somehow. It wasn't wheedling. The attempt at a guilt trip seemed half-hearted, fake. The words were too polite, not at all characteristic of my sour, demanding and all-around terrifying mother.

"Just wait until I get a little time off work, alright?" I pled.

"Ah, yes. You must love your Calling."

"Uh, yeah." Calling?

"Okay, then. Promise you'll come down as soon as you get some time off, okay, honey?"

"Promise, Mom. Love you. Bye."

"Goodbye, Ian."

I hung up the phone, feeling more than a little disoriented.