Chapter 1

Charlie and Amita's trip home had been disastrous from the second they had boarded the plane. Torrential rains caused massive amounts of turbulence resulting in their flight being diverted to Dallas Texas, where they had been stuck over night awaiting a new flight back to LA.

Having now safely landed back in Los Angeles, Charlie and Amita soon found that their luggage had not. After filing a lost luggage form it took them nearly three quarters of an hour to find a taxi as they had figured it was too late to phone Alan, Charlie's father, and ask for a lift. The drive from Los Angeles International Airport to Charlie's Craftsman home had been a long and tedious one. The cab smelt of stale smoke and beer which wasn't encouraging and if that hadn't been bad enough the cabbie had played show tunes from the musical Carousel the whole way. Having had a long ride to think about it Charlie swore that if he had been armed he would have shot the cabbie and claimed it was a mercy killing for the butchering of 'If I Love You.'

Amita was lucky he thought resigned. There had been only two sleeping tablets left so being a gentleman he had given them to Amita to save her from this hellish journey. Not even the effects of jet lag were helping Charlie to nod off.

"We're just approachin' Hunters Street now gov,' what was th' number again?"

"Eight hundred and seventy four." Charlie sighed it was the fifth time the cabbie had asked. It was hard to tell but Charlie swore he could hear the cabbie whispering the number repeatedly to himself as they crawled slowly past several of Charlie's neighbours homes.

When the taxi finally rolled to a halt it took all of Charlie's will power not to bolt from the cab. "That will be a hundred an' thirt' dollars gov.'" the cabbie said turning to face Charlie through the thin Plexiglass.

Charlie resisted the urge to complain about the extortion that was clearly taking place. He was a maths professor after all. He could work out how much the distance should really have cost before the cabbie would even have had time to say Carrousel. "Here's a hundred and fifty. Keep the change." Charlie turned to Amita and tapped her gently on the shoulder. "Hey we're home," he said as he gently stroked the back of her head.

Coming around slowly she peered over at Charlie. "Is it over?" She whispered. "Are we home?" Nodding Charlie got out of the cab and went around to her side. Opening the door he reached in and helped a struggling Amita with her seatbelt. Meanwhile the cabbie made himself useful by taking the one suitcase that did make it to LA to the front door.

"Good nigh'." The cabbie called through the open window of his cab with no regard to Charlie's sleeping neighbours. With a passive smile Charlie nodded to the cabbie as he sped off down the street.

For a summer night in LA it was surprisingly cool. "Let's hurry and get inside." Amita shivered.

Reaching for his keys Charlie tried placing them into the lock but they wouldn't turn. "What the?..." he said startled as he tried again.

"I know I'm tired," Amita said, "but was that porch light there before?"

Turning to look where Amita pointed he realised it hadn't. For a brief moment Charlie feared they were at the wrong house. Glancing around him he spotted Don's Chevy Suburban in the driveway. "Don must be home." He mumbled to himself.

"But its one AM in the morning, Don never stays this late?" Charlie looked at Amita's worried face as she said this. What is going on here? He thought. It's like we've landed in some sort of twilight zone.

Knocking loudly on the door it didn't take Charlie and Amita long to get a response as seconds later Alan's light flicked on. As Charlie and Amita waited the sound of someone in pain as they shuffled about inside reached them through the large wooden door. A minute later the door swung open to revel Alan rubbing at his foot. "I stubbed my toe on Don's boots." He replied to their raised eyebrows.

"Why doesn't my key work Dad?" Charlie asked as he embraced his father.

"It's a long story I'll explain it in the garage. Here let me take your suitcase for you." Without waiting for a reply Alan stepped outside in his dressing gown and socks and picked up the suitcase. Alan paused to wave to a neighbour across the street who was peering at them all through her curtains. The second Alan waved they fell back into place and Alan stepped back inside the house.

As Alan placed the suitcase down by the bottom of the stairs Charlie and Amita made their way into the living room. There they found Don passed out on the couch. Six empty beer bottles littered the floor by his feet and an empty pizza box was strewn across the coffee table along with a few dirty napkins. "I came home around midnight from my date to find him here like this. I didn't even know he was coming over." Alan replied to their unanswered questions. However hard he tried he couldn't keep the worry out of his voice. "Follow me I'll explain everything in the garage." And with that Alan and Amita left the room.

Charlie hesitated for a moment before grabbing a blanket from a cupboard and laid it across his sleeping brother. "I've only been gone two weeks," Charlie mumbled, "What's been going on around here?" he asked his unconscious brother as he tucked him in. Taking one last look about the room he left in search of Amita and his father.