Chapter 1
“At last we have found it.” The children said as they looked upon their grandfather’s old chair.
“I want to sit in it.” The youngest boy Red said.
“You can’t right now.” The oldest girl Jessie said in a soothing voice.
The children had been through so much in their journey to find their long lost grandfather’s chair. They thought that he would be there.
“Look, those must be his shoes.” Ben said. He is the middle son, out of six.
Marie went to examine the shoes.
“These are still warm.” She is the middle girl.
“Then Grandfather must be around here somewhere.” George replied. He is the oldest boy.
“GRANDFATHER!” All the children yelled.
No one replied.
“Maybe we should split up?” Jessie asked. She is the oldest girl.
“Alright we will go in pairs.” George stated.
Automatically the children split up. George with Jessie, Marie with Ben, and Red with Heather.
Chapter 2
The children’s parents had met six years ago. They have been married for five. Janet their mom had George, Ben, and Red from a previous marriage. Tim their dad had Jessie, Marie, and Heather from a previous marriage as well.
They all got along so that wasn’t a problem. The real problem was finding a house that was big enough. While they were looking they stayed in a three-bedroom apartment. The girls shared and the boys shared rooms. Then out of nowhere there Grandfather called. “I have a house you can use. I am getting sick and I don’t want to sell my house.
However when they arrived at the house no one was there. They figured that he must have gone to town. They did find a letter explaining where their rooms were located.
Dear Children,
Here are the instructions to where you will find your rooms. The boys have the east end of the second floor. George has the farthest room on the right. Ben has the one right across the hall. Red will find his room right next to George. Tim and Janet you guys have the master bedroom, which is located at the top of the stairs. You can’t miss it. The girls have the west side of the second floor. Jessie has the room at the end of the hall on the left. Marie has the one right across the hall. Heather will find her room right next Jessie. The rooms are situated like this because George and Ben and Jessie and Heathers’ room have a way to connect. I will leave it up to you guys to figure it out. It can get kind of scary here some times.
All of the kids looked around at each other.
“I don’t want to be here.” Red said.
“It will be okay son.” Tim said. “I am looking to you Jessie and George to look after your siblings.”
“Alright dad we will.” Jessie and George said in unison.
The family then continued to read the letter:
That is why I have the older kids connected to the younger kids. Keep an eye on your stuff. Things have been known to disappear from time to time. Don’t worry, they turn up in a month or two. Have fun settling in to your new home. I am out getting some food with my wife. We will be home soon.--Grandfather
“Well kids, lets start unloading the trailer.”
While the kids were unloading it was on all of their minds as to how they were going to figure out the secrets of the house. Suddenly they all heard a piercing scream. All the kids and their parents ran into Reds bedroom.
“RED, WHERE ARE YOU?” They all called.
“I’m in the closet.”
They all ran over to the closet. What they found was weird. They looked in the closet and there was no sign of Red.
“RED, WHERE ARE YOU?” Janet asked.
“If you look behind the duck on the wall you will find a handle. Please open it.”
George got there first and found the knob.
“I found it. But it won’t move.”
“What do you mean that it won’t move?” Janet asked.
“I don’t really know. It just wont…(the door suddenly moves open as quick as a blink of the eye)… move. I don’t know what happened.” George stated.
“Where’s my baby?” Janet screamed.
“I’m back in the corner.” Red said.
Red ran into his mothers arms.
“What is this place that we have stumbled upon?” Jessie asked.
“I do believe that this is one of the passages that Grandfather was talking about. I wonder if this looks the same as the one that is supposed to be in Heathers’ room and mine? I mean this is kind of weird. Don’t you think so as well?” Jessie asked.
“Well, lets go and find out.” Ben stated.
“Why don’t Tim and I take Red downstairs and make some lunch for us all.” Janet requested.
“That sounds great.” The kids replied.
Chapter 3
Meanwhile, Grandfather was at the marketplace. He was just about to drop of his wife when someone banged on the door to the car.
“Get out of the car, NOW!!!” A stranger in black told him.
“I will not get out of my car.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Grandfather put his foot to the accelerator, as the man was about to break into the car.
“I do not think that it is a wise choice to stick around here. Why don’t we get the groceries and get out of here?” Madame Christina asked her husband.
He saw the look of terror in her eyes and he proceeded to do as she wished.
They stopped by the grocery store and bought everything that was on the list. Usually only Madame went but this time they went together. It wasn’t a very big shopping list, but they were the essentials.
When they got back to the house Grandfather dropped Madame at the kitchen and had his butler put the car away.
“Sir, a man called for you about an hour ago, on the personal telephone.” Butch said.
He went straight to his study. He saw the answer machine blinking wildly. He picked up the phone and listens to his message. A look of pure terror came to his face. As Madame walked in she knew that face.
“You can’t leave right now you haven’t even seen our son yet or our only grandchildren. Tim is going to be very disappointed.”
“I know but my boss was just shot. They need me to come right away.”
“Can’t you wait until we see our son?”
“I’m sorry honey I can’t. You know that. I’ll be home before dark. Don’t you worry.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. Butch bring my car around.” He stated into the intercom.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Tim stated,
“Honey I am going to go and find the bathroom.”
“Okay.” Janet replied.
Tim knew exactly where the bathroom is but doesn’t head there. He then walked to the study, where he sees someone getting into the car.
“Hello, mother.”
* * * * * * *
“Hi honey. How was your trip?”
“Good. The kids have already found the secret door through my old room.”
“Well, they are just like you.”
“Hey nobody knows that you are my family. I haven’t even told Janet.”
“That is how your father wants it.”
“All these years when you call, Janet thinks that I am talking to another girlfriend. I did tell her that she would find out soon.”
“Well let’s tell them.”
They walk into the walkway of the house.
“KIDS. HONEY. Come downstairs. Now.”
“Coming they all yelled.”
At once it sounded like a heard of animals.
“That’s my family.”
When everyone arrived they were surprised to see their dad standing next to another woman.
“What’s going on?” Janet asked. She had a look of hysteria on her face.
“Well, lets go into the study.”
“There’s a study here?”
“Why yes Jess there is. It is right down the hall to the left. Third door. You guys go. I will meet you there.”
While the family was heading down the hall Tim and Madame disappeared.
“Shortcut?”
“Yes mom.”
When the family arrived in the Study they were surprised to see that there dad nor the mysterious woman was with them. Then from behind them they heard this creaking sound. They all whirled around to see that there father was there along with the strange woman.
“Every one take a seat.”
While they were taking a seat, Madame sat behind the desk and Tim stood behind her.
“The real reason that we came to this house is because, well I grew up here. This is my home. And this is my mother Madame Christina Gruel. I had called her and asked her if we could live here. I knew that there are plenty of rooms. Obviously she said yes because we are here.”
“I was more than happy because I couldn’t wait to meet my grandchildren. I have only seen pictures of you guys and ladies’. I was more than excited to meet you. I have been traveling for 15 years and have only been back for a year. That is the main reason why I have never met you before.”
“So wait you are telling me that all these years when a lady called for you and I thought that it was a another girlfriend and you told me that it wasn’t and you were talking to your mom?” Janet asked.
“Yes dear. I hope you’re not mad.”
“Well actually I am. You have lied to me all of these years. For 20 years you have lied to me…”
“WAIT ONE MOMENT.” Jessie interrupted. “You told us that you have only known each other for 6 years.”
“Actually what we told you is that we have been together for 6 years. We met in high school. Fell in love but I got a scholarship to USC and your mom got a scholarship to Boston State. On the weekends and holidays we would fly to see each other, but it didn’t really work out. Did you guys ever wonder why you got along with each other so well? Or why when your mom and I hooked up that you got along with each of us?” Tim stated.
“Honey you can’t.”
“Why not? They have a right to know what really happened.”
“It is still hard for me. For 16 years I have had to live with this.”
“And you think that I haven’t. We both made the decision. You weren’t the only one here. It was as hard for me as it was for you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You aren’t there mother. I am.”
A gasp went through the air as if the wind had just knocked down a building.
“Now we have to tell them.”
“No not yet. I’m not ready.”
“Hey mom can you take the kids out to the yard and show them the attic. I think that they will like it.”
“Yes, so….”
She was cut off by the cries of the kids.
“You have to tell us.” Cried Jessie and George.
“In good time my children.” Janet said. “Now out to the attic. With your grandmother.”
While Madame Christina took the kids to the attic, Tim took Janet by the hand and led her to the garden.
“Do you remember this?” Tim asked.
“How could I forget? This is was our first kiss. You had just got done with football practice and asked me to come over. When I got here Butch told me that I would find you out here. I found you by this statue.” As Janet finished her sentence she started to cry. “I have messed up bad.”
“No you haven’t. But, why didn’t you tell me how you felt? I never knew. I thought that you were fine with the arrangement.”
“I have never been okay with the arrangement but there was no other way that we could do this. You were said to be the best in your class. I didn’t want to hinder that.”
“Did you really think that I would choose football over you?”
“Well I never thought that and that is why I didn’t want to get in the way of that.”
“I would choose my family over football any day. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about what could have happened if you didn’t get pregnant with Jessie and George. But, there isn’t a day that goes by that I would ever wish that they were not here. I love them and you to much.”
Janet is crying this whole time and when Tim is done speaking, he kisses her. As soon as they pull away Butch comes out to fetch Tim.
“A lady is on the phone for sir, and she says that it is urgent.”
“Come with me?”
“I will.”
Tim and Janet walk to the study together. Tim picks up the phone
“This is Charlotte from child services. Your friends John and Karen have just been in a car wreck and they left there son Mike and Daughter Kitty to you. We called to make sure that you are prepared to accept them.”
“I am prepared to accept them. You can bring them to my mothers house. That is where I am located.”
To Be Continued....
