Chapter 5: Secret Place
The entire trip back to the hideout was quiet. I think Dawn was in just as much disbelief as I was. Well, if you'd just been asked by Erol of all people to marry him, how would you react? Well, I can tell you one thing, this was going to require a lot of thinking. And I do mean a lot. I wasn't even sure if it had really just happened! Had I been imagining things? Am I dreaming or something? I mentally slapped myself. This was reality, all right… and Erol had just proposed to me. I always thought that he liked my mother. Well, it's obvious that something is really out of place, or my name is Alice. And its not.
That's pretty much when I decided it was time to visit dad. I quickly rounded a tight corner (almost crashing in the process because I was speeding) and drove towards the hideout. It seemed like the longest drive ever, too. I eventually got there after a good struggle and walked through the door where Uncle Torn was giving dad and Daxter a mission.
I admit, I was relieved to see my dad again. That is, young and healthy and not in any life threatening situations.
"Jakie! Just in time!" Uncle Torn spoke up, dragging me out of my daydream. I mentally shook myself back to reality just in time to see dad turn around.
"Jakie, what are you doing back here?" he questioned.
"Hello to you too," I replied. I walked over and leaned on Torn's desk. Dawn leapt from my shoulder to the desk.
"I take it you had a nice time," Uncle Torn said with a little sarcasm. Dawn scoffed.
"Are you KIDDING? That was CRAZY! I cannot believe what just happened!" she exclaimed. Uncle Torn rolled his eyes.
"What happened, Jakie?" Dad asked. I sighed deeply.
"I ran into Erol on the way back here," I said. Both Dad's and Torn's attention was on my. "He… asked me to marry him." I choked out the last few words. You can guess what the reaction was…
I stayed at the hideout the rest of the day, trying my hardest to push the whole incident to the back of my mind. Dad and I had talked for a while; catching up on what had happened during the time we were apart. Dawn and Daxter also spent their time catching up. But eventually, I knew that I had to think Erol's proposal through, so I went out to the lake to think.
The Lake. The small place I called my secret spot where always used to come to think about things. It hadn't changed very much. A few more metalheads that usual, but that was to be expected. Well, here I am… floating on my back in the cool water staring up at the blue sky. Even as an adult, I still loved to swim. It was just so relaxing… Luckily I'd outgrown the whole 'falling asleep afterwards' thing. That had been a thorn in my side for quite some time. Anyway…
Erol had asked me to be his wife. This would be a tender subject… If I married him, it would almost be like throwing my life away when there's so much I want to do still. A girl's wedding is supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life. I mean, every girl dreams of her wedding day; being forever bound to the man of her dreams and all that. Erol was NOT the man of my dreams. That's for damn sure. But… if I refused to marry him, how else could I get the Eco stone? Ashelin, maybe… but she and the Baron weren't exactly 'close'. Wow, this is becoming really one-sided. Well, if I didn't find the Eco Stone, Dad would die and I'd be left with hardly anyone. I couldn't let that happen! I loved my dad more than anyone else, after all! Oh boy…
What the hell was I going to do?
Kiri:What will she do, I wonder... Will she marry Erol to Save Jak? Or will she turnhim down and find the Eco Stone on her own?And where's the other half of the thing that Erol gave her in the first story? heheh. You'll find out when soon enough!