Chapter 58: Telling the Family
After some discussion, they arranged for Sarah to return home until after graduation. She thought she would be better off finishing up with one set of pressures before diving into the next. First things first, though. They had to inform her family. Next morning, they rejoined the world Above, and drove to see Toby and Robert.
Sarah's car pulled up in front of her father's house. She parked and got out, and was nearly bowled over by 98 pounds of flying 13-year-old.
"Sarah!" Toby cried, flinging his arms around her. "We weren't expecting you!" He glanced over at Jareth, just getting out of the car. He grinned at the king. "Hi, Jareth!"
"Hello, Toby."
"Is Dad home?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah, but I gotta warn you—he's been kinda weird since your last visit."
"Weird? Weird, how?" Sarah kept one arm around Toby and tucked her other arm through Jareth's as they went up the walk.
"Weird, like he stares at me a lot. And he got out my baby pictures this week and started asking me a lot of wacked-out questions about how much I remember from when I was a baby. If I didn't know better…"
Toby's voice cut off abruptly as his father opened the door.
"Sarah. Jareth," he greeted them with no sign of surprise. "Come on in." As his son made a move to bolt, Robert grabbed his arm. "You too, Toby." He motioned them all into the living room and took the chair that sat opposite the couch. They all sat down, with Sarah in the middle.
"I'm glad you two happened to come by today," he said to Sarah and Jareth. "I've been wanting to talk to you both."
"We wanted to talk to you, too, Dad," Sarah volunteered, a little nervously. Toby was right: their father was acting a little strange!
"All right," Robert said calmly, leaning back and folding his hands. "You first."
Jareth spoke for the first time, his voice betraying nothing. "I have asked your daughter to marry me," he said, cutting right to the chase. "And she has agreed."
"Yes!" Toby crowed, pumping his fist in the air. The other three raised their eyebrows at him, and he went pink. "Uh, I mean congratulations. Yeah. That."
Jareth smirked. "Thank you, Toby. Believe me, I felt much the same way about it."
"So you love her, do you," Robert paused before adding the name, "Jareth?"
"I do, yes."
Robert looked to his daughter. "And you love him, do you?" It was almost a sneer, and Sarah's eyes flashed as she lifted her chin and took Jareth's gloved hand in hers.
"Yes, I do, Dad."
"Gettin' mushy in here," Toby complained. "Can I go?"
"Yes. You can go upstairs and bring down that crystal you said Jareth gave you. You know, the 'technologically advanced' one?" Robert's face was expressionless.
Toby exchanged alarmed glances with his sister, and started up the stairs.
"What's going on, Dad?" Sarah asked. Her tone brooked no dissembling.
"We're about to get a few mysteries cleared up around here, honey. That's all. Aren't we, Jareth?"
Jareth bowed his head politely. "If you like."
Toby reappeared with the crystal, and gingerly placed it into his father's outstretched hand. "What happened? What'd I miss?" He sat down again next to Sarah, both looking pale and wide-eyed. Jareth leaned back, unperturbed.
Robert cleared his throat. "So… Who wants to tell me the story of the baby, the teenaged girl, and the fairy king?"
A/N: Anyone want to join me in a rousing chorus of "Dun, da dun dun DUN"?