Page 50 of Happenstance
“Is there something wrong with that one too?” she asked, nodding at Preston.
“That’s Preston. He’s… umm…”Terrifying, scary, possibly the antichrist or death incarnate,“Different.”
“Uh huh.” Nan shot the boys one more glare. “Well, let’s go see your house, child.”
Nan and Preston were not two people I ever wanted in the same room, or even on the same planet for that matter, but thankfully neither one said a word as we walked up to the front door. Preston didn’t even spare my Nan a glance. He leaned back against his red BMW and lit a smoke, leaving us to do our thing. Relieving as that was, I couldn’t help but feel like he was watching me. I wasn’t going to glance back to find out though. Preston Whitley was better left alone.
I stared at the matching envelope hanging off the red bow decorating the door. Once again, tears welled up in my eyes. Written on the front was:Welcome home, my sweet Angel.
“Open it,” Parker whispered in my ear.
My gaze shifted over my shoulder to his smiling face and then back to the envelope. Why did he have to be so sweet? Then again, I could just be crying for the sake of crying. I seemed to do that a lot lately. I gingerly reached out and plucked the envelope off the door. Inside was a beautiful card with a green haired, freckled troll doll saying ‘my baby is having a baby.’
When I opened the card, the tears really started to fall. There was a sonogram picture with the words,‘family is everything. I can’t wait to start mine with you.’Along with a set of keys. It was all so sweet. The only thing that confused me was the poem tucked in the envelope behind the card:
Sing a song of sixpence,
Hear the baby cry,
Four and seven order members cooked up a lie,
When the lie was forgotten,
The ravens ceased to sing,
Gutted by the bastard of the king of kings.
It was signed The Piper.
“Parker, what is–”
The paper was torn out of my hand before I could finish speaking. Unease settled in my stomach as the dark glint in Parker’s glare grew.
“Is something wrong?”
He smiled down at me and passed the poem to Logan. “No baby, everything’s fine.”
“Uh huh,” I grumbled, eyeing the shocked expression on Logan’s face.
The fact that Preston walked up behind him was enough to tell me, everything was not fine. The poem mentioned ravens and the Order. Was it a threat? Was I in danger? Because Parker didn’t look happy. Although he was trying hard to convince me otherwise.
My suspicion took a backseat when Parker pushed me through the door.
“Welcome home!”
I jumped back at the loud declaration. Standing in the most beautiful entryway, were Parker’s dad, his sister Ava, and his mother. Above them, hanging off a balcony attached to a spiral staircase, was a banner, saying ‘Welcome Home Lana.’ I couldn’t believe it. This was not something I was expecting. The whole Whitley family was here to welcome me. Well, except for Mrs. Whitley, who stood there with a scowl on her face, sipping from what looked like wine.
I wasn’t about to let one sour puss ruin the mood, so I smiled at all of them and said, “Thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”
“You are family now, my dear,” Mr. Whitley proclaimed, “And we like to go above and beyond for people in this family.”
“It’s fucking annoying,” Preston grumbled from behind me.
My heart seized in my chest as I spun around, ready to grab Nan, but it was too late. I watched her hand whack off the back of Preston’s head in slow motion. The strike rang out like the chimes of a doomsday clock. His icy cold glare locked onto my Nan, sending a shiver down my spine. Next to come out was his gun.
“Hit me again,” he cocked the hammer back. “I dare you.”
The room went so quiet, I could hear my own blood pumping. Nan didn’t back down. She stood strong where she was, straightened her shoulders, and stepped in closer. Squaring off with death himself. My chest heaved with my unreleased breath.
