Hey guys bookworm here! I think this might be the longest chapter so far. Someone who reviewed asked me how soon I would be updating this story. Well the answer is I really don't know! I'm trying to start another fanfic so updates might be even longer than before but we'll see. Now enough of my blabbing! On with the story! :-D
*See character descriptions on my profile!*
Disclaimer: I've said it before and I'll say it again. I DO NOT under any circumstances own Peter Pan!
The ride homewas the same as usual, Michael enthusiastically retold every single detail that happened during his day, while John and Wendy nodded and smiled right when he wanted them to. Just as Michael was telling them about a boy he made laugh so hard that milk shot out of his nose, Wendy started to think about Peter. She just couldn't believe that she was bold enough to ask him to the dance and that he actually said yes!
"He's only going with me because he feels sorry for me." she thought.
"But then again, his smile was so genuine and he looked so happy." Wendy was still at war inside herself when they reached the house on the end.
Pulling up into their driveway, they noticed a black and expensive looking luxury car parked in front of their house. All three looked at each other in utter silence. Finally, John spoke what they were all thinking. "Well, looks like Dad's home."
Ever since Margaret's death there has been tension between the three siblings and their father, Benjamin. He ran a very wealthy company and was often away on business trips and conferences. John and Wendy soon came to learn that most of the "conferences" were actually meetings with women and could last days or even weeks on end. And Michael, being the innocent eleven year old he was, didn't think much of it.
Over the years the siblings have been able to avoid their father like the plague. But this sudden visit home had them wondering. Walking into the house they cautiously deposited their things and looked in the living room, finding that their father was absent from there they then made their way to the kitchen. Sitting on a stool at the island in the middle of the room was Benjamin. Also sitting at the island was a half empty bottle of wine and a full glass.
"So, he's been drinking." thought John "This isn't going to end well". Wendy saw the bottle too, she looked at John then turned to Michael.
"Hey, can you give me and John a few minutes alone with dad?" she asked with a pleading look in her eyes.
Michael, seeing the look Wendy was giving him, quietly nodded and headed toward the stairs. Little did Wendy and John know that he sat on the steps eavesdropping.
"Dad? Are you okay?" John asked, taking slow and steady steps towards the island. Benjamin, finally acknowledging that there were other people in the kitchen besides him, looked up and faced John.
"Oh look who it is. Its my little Johnny ALL grown-up." Benjamin said with a stupid grin as he ignored the glass and drank straight from the bottle.
"Ok dad, I think you've had enough." John said reaching for the bottle. But Benjamin just pushed him away. Wendy noticed John's clenched fists, and put a hand on his shoulder.
"And isn't it my lovely daughter Wendy." Benjamin said, getting up to embrace her. As he did this, Wendy tried not to gag from the smell of liquor on his breath.
"You look just like your mother," he said, a sad glimmer quickly appearing in his eye but then was gone. "And do you know what your mother was Wendy?" Benjamin asked, his hands tightly holding her shoulders.
"N-no." Wendy said, her voice slightly quivering as she had never witnessed her father in this state before.
"She was a slut Wendy. A Slut!" Benjamin shouted. "Your mother never cared about you! She hated all of you!"
"That's not true mom loved us," Wendy started to say but was interrupted by her father's uncontrollable rambling.
"Oh stop deluding yourself Wendy, she never loved you. And you know what else? The three of ya are the reason she's dead!" he shouted accusingly at Wendy and John.
At this point Wendy was near the verge of tears and John couldn't take it much more. So, he took charge. Very quietly he said "Get out."
Benjamin stopped his rant and looked at his son. "What did you just say boy?" he asked.
John, finding his nerve replied much louder, "Get. Out." Benjamin looked at him with astonishment.
"Who do you think you're talking to?" he asked, walking toward John.
"A very disturbed man who needs to leave his family alone!" as John said this, he grabbed his father and dragged him out the door to his car, slamming him into the door.
"And if you EVER come home again, consider us out of the picture." and with those last words, John walked back to the house and locked the door.
Wendy, shocked by her father's harsh words rushed upstairs to the attic. Ever since Margaret passed on, not a trace of her was in the house. Pictures, clothes, books and everything else was boxed up and put in the attic and from the time Wendy had turned nine it had become her place to get away from the world.
Holding back tears, Wendy finally made it to the door and locked it. She ran to the old chair her mother used to have in the nursery and just sobbed. Finally, her breath slowed and she fell asleep. Now, Wendy normally had strange dreams, but these were like none she had ever had before.
It was a beautiful world full of color and sound. There was a shadowy figure in the clearing of tall trees, motioning to follow him. She ran to him and took his hand. The image fades into a swirl of color. Suddenly, the pair are standing on top of an enormous tree. There are little orbs of light floating around the air around them, making the most beautiful music one could ever hear. Then, the shadow's face began to come into focus.
Wendy woke up from her dream in a daze. Suddenly remembering where she was, she sat up in the worn out chair and looked around. Finding herself in the dark, Wendy made her way over to the old light-switch on the wall. Shivering slightly, Wendy turned around to find the large bay window wide open. Curious, she looked out to find nothing but an empty roof and a cool wind on her face.
Wendy half smiled and silently shook her head, thinking I probably just forgot I opened it, and latched the window closed. Feeling much better than she did when she first came up to the attic, wendy busied herself with trying to find the perfect dress for the dance. Opening box after box, Wendy became lost in the memoires of her mother. She then pulled over a very heavy box and ripped the old yellow tape off the stained cardboard. Staring at the boxes contents, Wendy saw what she thought for sure that her father had burned.
Inside the box, yellowed with age, were all of her mother's books. Beaming, Wendy carefully looked through the box. Every single book and story her mother had ever read to them was there. Picking out her favorites, Wendy put them in a neat stack to take down to her room. Finally, there was only one book left. She gently picked it up and examined it.
The book was leather bound and looked very old. Its pages were old and brittle, as were most of her mother's books were. But they were also covered in neat, looping cursive that Wendy immediately recognized as her mother's. As she was flipping carefully through the pages, a small flat bundle fell out.
Picking it up, Wendy carefully removed the old paper. She looked at the paper, confused and lifted out the most beautiful necklace Wendy had ever seen. The chain was a thin thread of gold. Hanging from the chain was an emerald, cut into the shape of a star. The necklace itself was breathtaking, but the unique thing about it was the emerald. Most emeralds are only one deep shade of green, but this one had a different shade of green every time you looked at it. There were also small flecks of gold mixed all through out the stone.
Compelled by some invisible force, Wendy clasped the necklace around her pale neck. Once she did, Wendy felt a flash of recognition pass through her. Shrugging it off, Wendy gathered the books and descended the stairs.
After changing into her favorite Mickey Mouse pajamas, she went and kissed John and Michael goodnight. Settling into bed, Wendy fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Her dreams were filled with bright colored plants and floating lights. But little did Wendy know that a shadowy figure crouched on the roof outside her window, watching her sleep. A small smile formed on the shadow's lips, knowing that she was dreaming of him.
I wanna thank EVERYONE who has read and reviewed this story. I am really sorry that this chapter took so long but had to keep rewriting it. Until Next Time! PLEASE REVIEW! :-D
