ACT ONE:
The search results for just the name "Winchester" were endless. A few newspapers articles, a couple of obituaries, and even criminal records. What kind of family did I come from?
"Thea?"
I looked up. Harry glanced up at me from his newspaper.
"Yes?"
"What are you doing?" he asked nonchalantly.
"Homework."
Mom peeked at my screen. I quickly pulled up an old, already finished essay. She turned back to the stove, and started to stir the soup, blankly staring into the pot.
She saw.
"Mom, I can explain." But could I? Could I explain what she really wanted to hear? Which was definitely not the truth.
"It's okay Thee," she paused, continuing on in a more happier, yet fake, tone. "I can understand why'd you be curious. If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask."
In other words, 'I'm only being polite. Don't ask.' But I couldn't help myself.
"Do you know what his sons' names were?"
She sighed. "I believe they're names were Dean and Sam. Cute kids."
I had came across a few pages about Dean. It said he killed a poor girl, but then was found dead right in the same room. But it sounded like Sam was still alive. Maybe I could e-mail him. Would he even want to meet me?
"Do you have any plans this summer?" Harry asked, breaking the awkwardness filling up the room.
"Work, work, get ready for college, and more work." I grimaced. That did not sound appetizing.
"I love summer vacation!" my little brother, Max, chirped in.
My mom placed four plates down on the table. Any other day, she'd yell at me to put my laptop away, but that happened not to be the case today. I pushed it to the side anyway.
"Cynthea, why don't you help your mother set the table?" Harry suggested.
I groaned, but obeyed anyway. Mom handed me silverware and I placed it accordingly.
"Been accepted to any colleges yet?"
"Harold, we've already had this conversation."
"Don't give your step-father attitude," Mom scolded.
"I love you Harry!" Max said, hugging him.
"Kiss up," I muttered.
Mom smacked me with the dish towel.
"But yeah. Boston University," I finally answered.
He nodded in approval. "When do you start?"
"This fall," I said. "That's why I need to work a lot this summer."
"Wanna hear my advice?"
He was going to give to me no matter what.
"Sure."
"Put away a little money in the bank every, maybe day or month, and about the time you get out of college, you could have big bucks! Then come back and take care of your mother and me."
We'll see about that.
"I also got accepted to University of Southern California, but Mom won't let me go," I said, sending a look towards my mother.
"It's too far," she explained like she had many times before. "I still think you should just attend the community college up the street."
I laughed. "Not happening."
Dinner went better than I think any of us had expected. The awkward tension that was present earlier dissipated. After dinner though, I brought my laptop upstairs to my room and searched more on the Winchester name. But it seemed they liked to disappear, come back for a huge criminal story, then fall off the face of the planet again. I was starting to get creeped out.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
When I saw it was my mother, I slammed my laptop shut and tucked it under my bed.
"Goodnight Thea."
"Night Mom. See you tomorrow."
She walked out, shutting the door behind her. I heard Max blabbing from the other side of door, then everything went suddenly silent.
The light flickered above.