Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

questions too.
    “Don’t even think about milking this injury,” Luke joked as he walked past the living room. “You’re still going to have to do your chores.”
    “Whatever! I’d trade this sprained ankle with you in a second to do chores!” I yelled after watching him disappear upstairs.
    I hoped he wasn’t watching me a few seconds ago when a goofy grin covered my face.
    Dad cooked salmon for dinner and it made the house smell like a seafood restaurant. I moved from my choice location into the kitchen to watch him work. I needed another distraction to help me in my quest for patience.
    “How was your day?” Dad asked, turning for a brief second.
    “Okay I guess. I’m pretty popular all of a sudden. Everyone was curious about what happened.”
    “Oh?” he said, as he chopped up veggies to stir fry.
    I’d always felt like my dad was different than other dads. For one, he loved to cook. So did Luke for that matter. Most other kids’ dads that I knew enjoyed sports or news on TV in their spare time, but not mine. When he wasn’t traveling on business or in the kitchen, you could find him in his office, on his computer doing research or reading a book.
    If I wanted any of his attention at all, this would have to be the time.
    “I think the kids at school are just bored for something to talk about.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “The good news is my ankle feels a lot better. I can move around the house without crutches, so I think I won’t need them for a week like the doctor said.”
    “I see.”
    “I also think now is a good time to get my gas gauge fixed since I won’t be driving until I do get rid of my crutches. I was hoping you and Luke would take it in for me.”
    “Okay.”
    “Oh and when I woke up this morning, I had a weird incision on my left temple. I think alien’s abducted me in the night, and returned me in the morning, because I don’t remember having to get stitches yesterday.”
    “Uh huh . . . Wait?” He spun around, his face contorted. “What did you say?”
    I laughed. “Just checking to see if you’re listening, Dad.”
    Normally, Dad or Luke would make dinner and I’d clean up. It became an unspoken rule since all I could cook was cookies out of a pre-made package and scrambled eggs. But tonight, someone else would need to do the dishes because of my injury. That made me kind of happy.
    “How was dinner last night? Is there anything new going on with Auntie Jo or John ?” I tried to hide my disdain while saying his name.
    “Dinner was nice. John got a new job and likes it. But Jo said she misses you and would like you to come over soon. Says you’re always so busy. Are you avoiding her for some reason?”
    I knew eventually someone would notice that I’d completely stopped spending time with Aunt Jo and John. The reason I avoided them happened to be that I couldn’t stand to be around John. If I had an unsafe list, John would be the first one on it. He made it impossible to spend quality alone time with her.
    The last time I tried, he inadvertently invited himself along and turned it into a “let’s analyze Julia” nightmare. I secretly hoped his new job insisted that he travel like my dad.
    “No. I’m not,” I half fibbed. “I just don’t want to intrude since she’s married now.”
    “I don’t think John minds if you come over every once in a while and spend time with them. He understood when he married her you and your brother are practically her children.”
    “I mind,” I muttered under my breath so he couldn’t hear me.
    After the let’s analyze Julia session, I refused to let John know anything further about my life. But what bothered me the most was Jo seemed oblivious to the intrusiveness of John’s inappropriate questions. On top of that, it hurt that she hadn’t come to find out why I’d distanced myself, or even seemed to miss me. It felt good to know she actually did.
    “Okay. I’ll try to make it over there this weekend,” I said, figuring it was time to at least make an appearance.
    Dinner came and went and I’d completely lost track of time until I noticed it was a little after eight. My heart sank when I realized Nicholas was unlikely to show up tonight. Where was he? Did I misunderstand? Maybe he was running late?
    I needed to find something to do. There was a slim possibility he might come within the next few minutes but I couldn’t wait and watch the clock.
    I limped into Dad’s office and sat behind his large desk, moving