Inspiration Point by M.A Casey

dangerous,” my mother urged. 
    He thought about this more a minute more and nodded
ready to hear Emin’s idea.
    “Okay, well all four of us need to be able to get away
together and go to this place Dad has, at least until we can think of something
else,” Emin started.
    “But they will be watching us Emin,” Dad reminded him.
    “I know, so we need a diversion or something right?”
Emin confirmed.
    “What did you have in mind,” I encouraged him.
    “Well, I was thinking we need a crowd and just enough
time for us to escape without them seeing us and then I thought about Dad’s
benefit dinner.  They said you had to cut all ties here so we can tell the
Dean it will be your farewell too and we will all attend.  Spencer will
assume you're doing exactly what he told you to , and hopefully they will back off a little with everybody there.  They
won’t want to raise suspicion.  With over two hundred people there I
figure we just need to have another vehicle waiting, slip out and then go
wherever Dad has planned.” He stopped to hear our reactions.
    “Sounds good to me,” I said “although I hate formal
wear,” I grumbled attempting to lighten the mood a little.
    “It could work Ethan, don’t you think?” My mother
encouraged.
    “I guess it’s worth a try,” he agreed.  “But we
need to make the whole thing very convincing and time leaving the benefit just
right,” he said almost confidently with a hint of hope.
    “We can do it Dad, I know we can.  We won’t leave
you here with them okay, it’s just not an option,” Emin said, and we all nodded
in agreement.
    “I guess I better ring the Dean and let him know I’m
resigning then,” my father said started to put the plan into place
already. 
    And then it dawned on me that I only have just over 24
hours of this life left and then I will be in hiding for who knows how long.
    “Anyone hungry?” I said as I started my way to the
kitchen wanting a distraction.
    “Starving,” Emin responded.
    “Zeke brought back some food, I have put it in the
fridge,” Mum called out.  “Let me know if you need a hand.”
    I was happy to cook on my own, it found it relaxing.  I looked
at the supplies he brought.  Apart from the basic’s I found a piece of
lamb and I was suddenly inspired.
    I went all out, glad for the distraction.  I made
a stuffing for the lamb with some herbs, pine nuts, fresh breadcrumbs and soft
cheese, prepared as many vegetables as I could find in the fridge and roasted
some potatoes.  By the time I was onto a sauce, they had joined me in the
kitchen.  All desperate to know what I was cooking that smelt so
good.  Mum set the table and helped Dad take a seat while Emin and I
dished up.  Then we all sat down together to eat the meal I had
prepared.  It was a strange realization that this was the first meal we had
eaten together in twelve years, and it would also be the last meal we would eat
in this house.
    My mum chuckled to herself as she was eating which
worried me so I had to ask. “Is something wrong?”
    “Hardly,” she said smiling at me. “It’s just that this
is truly delicious Hayln, have you been taking classes at school?” she
questioned.
    “No, I replied,” quite pleased with myself. “I just
pulled a few things together, I have never cooked this before,” I said. 
    By now, Dad and Emin were both making sounds demonstrating
that they too were enjoying the meal. 
    “I wonder,” Dad said in between mouthfuls.
    “Wonder what?” Mum responded to him. 
    They had been more at ease with each other today than
I remember seeing them since they were married.
    “Well if this is another of Hayln’s talents,” he
concluded.
    “Cooking? Really?” I queried.
    “I think he is right Hayln,” Mum added.  “Your
father was quite a good cook when he got a chance, but this is really
exceptional,” she smiled at me.
    “It is really good Hayl’s,” Emin added.  He
hadn’t spoken as he was too busy eating but