if I had to choose between New Orleans and Nashville, I’d go with New Orleans, and remember to save me a spot for Mardi Gras.”
Liam laughed. “I’m sure that your coach would love that, taking off for a party right in the middle of the season.”
“Ah, good point,” I admitted.
When Monty finished cleaning up, the three of us went out to shoot some hoops while Charlotte stayed inside with Debbie. When Liam and Debbie left that night, I sat in the den with Monty and Charlotte just enjoying the sensation of being home. Charlotte was back to normal, and she was going to be just fine when I left for school. It was a nice ending to a very nice Thanksgiving.
Chapter Ten
Charlotte
I had spent most of the evening at my desk daydreaming about Calvin more than actually doing any work. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate, I found myself staring out the window. I was trying to figure out some math problems when I saw a faint light out in the garden. The sun had just set, and I wondered who could possibly be out there. It was the Friday night after Thanksgiving, and Uncle Monty and Kevin weren’t due back from the game for another few hours. I walked out onto the porch and realized that I hadn’t imagined the light; there was definitely a faint glimmer out there.
Immediately, my heart started to race as I wondered if it could possibly be Calvin. I had managed to pull myself out of my misery over missing him when Kevin made me realize that if I upset Monty too much, he might send me back to live with Dad. I wasn’t willing to take the chance of being away when Calvin came back to find me. The thought of seeing him excited me, but I felt doubtful that he could be back already. Still, I was unwilling to risk missing him if there was even the faintest possibility of seeing him again.
I zipped up a hoodie over my t-shirt and tied on sneakers. Calvin had said he would be gone for months, but that light looked like it was coming from beyond the gate. It had to be him. I tried to come up with scenarios for how he had returned so soon as I rushed downstairs and into the night. I deliberated for a moment at the gate, but soon pulled out the necklace which I had started wearing every day so that I would always be ready. I inserted the key into the lock and pushed the gate open.
This time, I wasn’t blinded by sunlight. The sky was even darker inside, with only the barest hint of the rising sun. I looked around anxiously, searching for a sign that Calvin was near. Suddenly, a figure appeared with a lantern.
“Hello, Charlotte,” a voice said from a few feet away. Immediately, my heart sank. That voice did not belong to Calvin; it belonged to James. My disappointment turned to shock.
“James! What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I suppose I could ask you the same, but really all that matters is that you’re here.” James walked toward me.
“Huh? How did you get in?”
“I have a key, same as you.” He held up a crystal key almost identical to my own. I was speechless.
He pocketed his key. “I was hoping you would get the nerve to come in if you saw the light, and I see that I was right.”
“How did you know I would see it?” I didn’t quite understand what was happening.
“I didn’t. But I also knew you were home alone and would be more likely to come tonight rather than another night. I realized you had found the key when I saw that chain.” James reached over and pulled out my necklace, startling me with his touch. I couldn’t believe he had noticed the necklace when Monty and Kevin hadn’t.
“There’s no reason to hide that necklace here,” he said lightly, sounding very different from the James I was used to.
“Here? What do you mean? Do you know where we are?” I asked, not sure how much about my previous trips through the gate I should admit to.
“This is where I’m from, and where
Liam laughed. “I’m sure that your coach would love that, taking off for a party right in the middle of the season.”
“Ah, good point,” I admitted.
When Monty finished cleaning up, the three of us went out to shoot some hoops while Charlotte stayed inside with Debbie. When Liam and Debbie left that night, I sat in the den with Monty and Charlotte just enjoying the sensation of being home. Charlotte was back to normal, and she was going to be just fine when I left for school. It was a nice ending to a very nice Thanksgiving.
Chapter Ten
Charlotte
I had spent most of the evening at my desk daydreaming about Calvin more than actually doing any work. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate, I found myself staring out the window. I was trying to figure out some math problems when I saw a faint light out in the garden. The sun had just set, and I wondered who could possibly be out there. It was the Friday night after Thanksgiving, and Uncle Monty and Kevin weren’t due back from the game for another few hours. I walked out onto the porch and realized that I hadn’t imagined the light; there was definitely a faint glimmer out there.
Immediately, my heart started to race as I wondered if it could possibly be Calvin. I had managed to pull myself out of my misery over missing him when Kevin made me realize that if I upset Monty too much, he might send me back to live with Dad. I wasn’t willing to take the chance of being away when Calvin came back to find me. The thought of seeing him excited me, but I felt doubtful that he could be back already. Still, I was unwilling to risk missing him if there was even the faintest possibility of seeing him again.
I zipped up a hoodie over my t-shirt and tied on sneakers. Calvin had said he would be gone for months, but that light looked like it was coming from beyond the gate. It had to be him. I tried to come up with scenarios for how he had returned so soon as I rushed downstairs and into the night. I deliberated for a moment at the gate, but soon pulled out the necklace which I had started wearing every day so that I would always be ready. I inserted the key into the lock and pushed the gate open.
This time, I wasn’t blinded by sunlight. The sky was even darker inside, with only the barest hint of the rising sun. I looked around anxiously, searching for a sign that Calvin was near. Suddenly, a figure appeared with a lantern.
“Hello, Charlotte,” a voice said from a few feet away. Immediately, my heart sank. That voice did not belong to Calvin; it belonged to James. My disappointment turned to shock.
“James! What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I suppose I could ask you the same, but really all that matters is that you’re here.” James walked toward me.
“Huh? How did you get in?”
“I have a key, same as you.” He held up a crystal key almost identical to my own. I was speechless.
He pocketed his key. “I was hoping you would get the nerve to come in if you saw the light, and I see that I was right.”
“How did you know I would see it?” I didn’t quite understand what was happening.
“I didn’t. But I also knew you were home alone and would be more likely to come tonight rather than another night. I realized you had found the key when I saw that chain.” James reached over and pulled out my necklace, startling me with his touch. I couldn’t believe he had noticed the necklace when Monty and Kevin hadn’t.
“There’s no reason to hide that necklace here,” he said lightly, sounding very different from the James I was used to.
“Here? What do you mean? Do you know where we are?” I asked, not sure how much about my previous trips through the gate I should admit to.
“This is where I’m from, and where
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