3. The Scars Left Behind
Yes...yes, that was it. Like the perfect plot, it began with taunting introductions, rising actions and all surmounting to form a heated—
"Daddy?"
Shadow jumped. Without him knowing, he had drifted away in another fantasy. Had he started to act out? In front of his young daughter?
He took the plate from her and set it on the table, staring at it in disbelief.
Maria cocked her head to one side innocently. "What were you doing?"
He shook his head. "Uh...Nothing, Maria. I'm...just tired, that's all..."
"But you sounded like you were in pain..."
"Thank you very much, Maria. It looks delicious," he answered, trying to change the subject.
She shrugged it off and returned to the other side of the counter to get her meal. She sat down at the table across from Shadow and lowered her head in prayer. Shadow watched her lips move slightly as she mouthed the words and then as she made the sign of the cross. She picked up her knife and fork and began to cut at the egg daintily. Feeling a stare, she paused and looked up.
"Yes?"
Again, he shook his head and picked up his utensils. "Sorry." He took off a small piece and placed the fork in his mouth, leaving it there as he paused and reflected before taking it out again. "Maria, do you know where Ty and Jet are staying?"
"No. What about Accel?"
"Accel has her own apartment nearby, remember? Ty and Jet are coming from out of town and said they'd rent a place together," Shadow replied.
"Oh. That's right. They said they were stopping by today, right?"
"Along with everyone else."
Maria put her utensils down and clasped her gloved hands together. "Oh yes...I'd like to see them all again!"
After the two had finished breakfast, they both went off to do their own things. Not soon after, the doorbell sounded. Shadow eased off the couch where he had been lying to answer it and Maria rushed down from her room to greet the visitors as well.
In the doorway stood two figures, both taller than Shadow and considerably older as well. One, a female, was black with rounded bangs and the same quill style as him, except for green stripes instead of red. She had the same tuft of white chest fur and wore a green belt with trailings from the buckle along with gold and white gloves and green and white boots. She had red eyes, like Shadow.
The other, a male, was silver in colour with red stripes on his arms and legs and a quill style similar to a combination of Sonic and Shadow's. He had yellow and gold gloves and black running shoes with small lightning bolt symbols on the inside. He had a left green eye and a right red eye.
"Dad!" They both cried on seeing Shadow. Immediately, the girl reached out to hug and kiss her father.
"It's been so long, dad. I'm so glad to see you," she said calmly, tears filling her eyes.
The male saw Maria lurking behind Shadow. "Hey, Maria. You've grown. And you look so much healthier than when I last saw you."
"Thank you, Mach," she answered cheerfully. "The doctors say that I'm slowly recovering."
The girl moved on to hug her younger sister. "Maria! It's great to see that you're doing so well!"
Maria gagged in her grip. "Likewise, Celerity!"
Shadow closed the door behind them. "Did you see anyone else on your way over?"
"Nope," replied Mach. "Though Ty and Jet are supposed to be nearby, aren't they?"
Shadow nodded.
"And Mireille and Lucien coming from out of town?"
Again, Shadow acknowledged with a nod. "Have a seat, and make yourself comfortable. I'll wait for them here in the foyer."
Mach and Celerity looked to each other, exchanging slightly worried glances. Celerity spoke. "Our bags are still outside. If we could get them?"
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Shadow opened the door once more for them.
Mach and Celerity followed Maria to the living room where Shadow had retired to after breakfast. They each sat in their favourite chairs as Mach and Celerity examined the changes to the house.
"Well, dad sure knows how to keep the place clean without mom around," Mach commented, running his finger along the arm of the chair to reveal no dust.
"He isn't doing that much, actually," replied Maria, with hesitance and traces of guilt in her voice. "I've been doing the dusting a lot of the cleaning. This morning I cooked breakfast."
"Really?" asked Celerity, straightening her pose. "If dad's making you do the work, this has to have really affected him bad."
Maria shook her head and lowered it. "No, he's not making me do it. I just notice things getting a little untidy, so i do them myself. I'm sure that he would get around to doing them, but I get to the task first."
"Then how is dad taking mom's..." Celerity trailed off.
"Not very well. He daydreams a lot, and this morning while he was waiting for me to finish cooking, he seemed to fall asleep. He did some weird actions and sounded like his was in pain. What do you think that was?"
Mach and Celerity exchanged glances yet again. This time Mach answered. "I'm sure it was nothing, Maria," he said, laughing slightly to cover up his embarrassment.
They heard the doorbell ring again, and the two elders ran to the door, grinding to a halt on meeting their father's hand.
"No running in the house," he scolded calmly as he plodded to the door.
"At least the rules are still the same," Celerity sighed.
XD. So, confused? And no, Mach and Celerity aren't crazy calling Shadow "dad" even though they're much older. Think about it...(You don't really NEED to know who mommy is for this one) First person to guess the reasoning wins a prize!