Chapter 15

Back again

Someone shook me awake. I wiped the tears from my eyes. What was that dream? It felt so real, the hurt felt so...

"Talia, is it really you?" Grandpa asked. His hair was fully gray now.

"Where am I?" I asked, sitting up.

"Bar Harbor, Maine. Koreetsi mou, it's been 14 years. Why do you still look the same as when you were taken from me?" He frowned.

"Has David gotten married?" I asked.

"Yes… You're a time traveler." He concluded.

"Not in same way David was. He got to control where he went. The Phoenix is just taking me wherever it wants." I said.

"There must be a reason for this." Grandpa thought.

"… I think I know why now. In the future, Fox's dad is dead and… you aren't doing too good. I think the Phoenix is… letting me spend time with you?" I told him.

"Quite an odd sense of time." He quipped.

"It's weird. It feels like it's only been a day since I saw you." I shrugged.

"Get dressed and you can tell me about your adventure over breakfast." He left.

Get dressed? I looked down and saw I wasn't in the clothes I was in when I went to Owen's apartment. I was in jammies with tiny stars and moons everywhere. I got up and looked in the backpack on the dresser. It had my clothes and a toy fox that looked like my old one minus the tag and a Happy Meal toy, Garfield in a jeep. What happened when my mind went fuzzy?

I got dressed and went to breakfast. It was Spanakopita, toast and yogurt. It turned out Spanakopita was breakfast food. I guess Grandma Kara wanted me to try it. I told him the real version of what happened without giving away the future. The really important bits. The part where I was taken away to New York was trickier since I met Dad there and was asleep for the beginning and end of it. I managed though, saying I had passed out after lunch.

"I'm glad you are safe, Talitsa." Grandpa rubbed his chin. "What puzzles me is how the Phoenix took you without anyone noticing." He frowned.

"I dunno." I shrugged. I just thought Owen was asleep when the Phoenix took me. He's probably not worried… He knows I wasn't supposed to be there long.

"No matter, you're here now." He smiled.

"Yeah." I said.

He said that he had gotten a bit of hope 6 years ago when the local police chief left him a message that I, his granddaughter, was in Manhattan, but no one at the 23rd precinct remembered why they had called all the way out to Maine. I said it was a mystery.

I tried not to lie too much anymore because Puck said my words were more binding than when I was a human, but I could still go back on my word and lie, it just wasn't a good idea around other members of the Third Race, mainly Dad. Lying to Dad was a bad idea.

He told how he had been doing since I was taken. The fishing business was still doing good. He was doing fine. He hadn't given up searching for me all the time I was gone. He wouldn't hear my apology though.

"How are you healing?" He asked.

"It's only been a day for me. It's the same it was 14 years ago so still healing, I guess." I reminded him.

"Today is Sunday so I can stay home." He told me.

"Ok." I ate my toast.

I finished breakfast and we watched TV. After lunch, the Phoenix came. I got my backpack from my room.

"My ride's here. I'll see you later… Grandpa." I smiled.

"Goodbye, Talitsa mou. I'll be waiting for you." He kissed my forehead.

I was engulfed in flames.


Greek Translations

Koreetsi mou: My girl

-itsa: A diminutive ending basically meaning little so "Talitsa" means little Talia

-itsa mou: My little