Newt came in first and with a smile and shook Cordell’s hand a little stiffly. Dee was right behind him, a smile pasted on her face as well.
“Good to see you again Cordell,” said Newt. “How is the new graduate? Enjoying her new found independence I hope.”
“Wow. That was quick!” exclaimed Dee.
"Yes, and unexpected. Angie has never been independent or outspoken and tended to keep to herself but these last few months, she has changed."
“How is Delia dealing with that?” asked Newt.
"Why don't you ask her yourself. She’s in the kitchen making breakfast,” replied Cordell, still angry that Delia hasn't given him the chance to tell her. So let Newt do it, he thought.
“Sure,” said Newt grateful to have an excuse to leave the room and talk to his daughter alone. He wanted to ask her about Adele’s journal and would prefer to do it in private.
Dee watched Newt leave to go find Delia and decided to give them some time alone. She turned to Cordell and asked, “Would you mind checking on our flights for Sunday? I just want to get checked in and confirm the times.”
“Certainly,” said Cordell, relieved to have something to do. He and Dee walked over to the laptop. He pulled up her flight info while she watched over his shoulder.
“I can also show you a picture of Angie’s new house while we are on the laptop if you like. It's tiny but it's just her. No roommates.”
“Yes, I would love to see it,” said Dee enthusiastically.
“Yes, I would love to see it,” said Dee enthusiastically.
“Why do you ask? What did Cordell say?” asked Delia defensively while she continued to work on breakfast.
“Hey. Nothing. He just told me about Angie. I know it’s probably making you sad.”
Delia was furious that Cordell told Newt she wouldn't accept her gift. How dare he! thought Delia. “No. I am fine. She has been upset. It was understandable. Now, breakfast is ready. Let’s sit down”
They went to the table with their food and began to eat “Did I say something wrong?” asked Newt confused by her reaction and response.
“Newt...I don't mind, it's just...it's in a hidden room. The room where everything from my past life is locked away. Cordell hates that room. But only he and one other person very dear to me have seen it. It's not something I share easily.”
“No. It's not right. I can't hold it back from you. You and Dee already know my dirty secrets. It's just talking about it and showing you are two different things. You will see the morbid evidence of my life and it's hard to share. Go get Dee and I will take you inside and you can read mother’s journal.”
Newt smiled much relieved and said, “Delia, your life is nothing short of exceptional. Not dirty or something to be ashamed of. If you're ready, I will get Dee.”
Newt found Cordell and Dee discussing Angie's move. He told them what they were going to do. When Cordell found out what Delia was getting ready to do, he said he would join them. "You don't have to come with us if you don't want to," said Newt remembering what Delia had said about how he felt about her room.
"No, I want to to be there for Delia. Revisiting this can be hard on her." Even if he was furious with her, he still loved her very much and wanted to be there for her.
Dee and Newt followed Delia and Cordell to the basement. Dee had to suppress a laugh when Delia walked over to the bookcase and began to input the code to open the hidden door. She and Niall had the exact type of door concealing a hidden room in their home. No doubt Adele had used the same trick. While not original, it was effective.
Everyone was anxious as the door opened and they filed in. The first thing Dee and Newt thought when they finally entered the room was that it was definitely haunted. It akin to a tomb. The hair on the back of their necks stood up on end and a chill ran down their spines. The presence of spirits was unmistakable. It was all Newt could do not to run in fear but he knew Adele was watching. He could feel her. And that alone made him stay.
“Let me show you around," said Delia, "This is where I have potions and spell ingredients stored. It belonged to Mother." Delia gestured towards the entire room. "Most of the things in here are remnants of my life after she died up until Cordell and I got married. The rest belonged to Mother." Delia was talking nervously and Newt had to force himself to listen, while Dee, on the other hand, was enraptured by all that she was seeing.
Dee saw the fairy house as she looked around the room and headed straight for it as the others followed. "Was this Adele's?" asked Dee.
"It was here when I discovered Mother's room. I thought it was a childhood toy, but have only recently discovered it's true nature," replied Delia as everyone stared at it.
"She must have hoped to return to her true form at some point," said Dee sadly.
"And the other Urn belongs to my first husband, Francisco. I married him as soon as I graduated from high school, about a year after Mother died. We had five children together...three fathered while he was still alive. They are the ones in the picture with us," explained Delia.
They continued around the room, Delia painfully explaining each object and set of Urns and the stories behind them, Dee constantly asking questions. Cordell trying hard to maintain his composure.
Delia took him over to the desk. When Newt saw the pictures his eyes grew wide.
"She kept my picture...My sweet Adele. She is as beautiful as I remember," said Newt his eyes watering.
Delia looked at him sadly. She felt so sorry for her father. She backed up so her grandmother could view the picture too.
"Delia, who is the man in these pictures?" asked Dee motioning to the pictures of her and Vladimir.
“Of course not. It’s just Cordell - never mind - let's talk about you and Dee. Are you all packed? I am sure Niall is ready for you to return home.”
“Yes just about. We leave tomorrow evening. But Delia, I need to ask you something. I know you have Adele’s journal. I would really like to read it before we go. I wanted to ask before now, but well…”
Newt was dejected and couldn't look at his daughter. He was so hopeful. “I understand," he said as they both took a bite.
“No. It's not right. I can't hold it back from you. You and Dee already know my dirty secrets. It's just talking about it and showing you are two different things. You will see the morbid evidence of my life and it's hard to share. Go get Dee and I will take you inside and you can read mother’s journal.”
Newt smiled much relieved and said, “Delia, your life is nothing short of exceptional. Not dirty or something to be ashamed of. If you're ready, I will get Dee.”
Newt found Cordell and Dee discussing Angie's move. He told them what they were going to do. When Cordell found out what Delia was getting ready to do, he said he would join them. "You don't have to come with us if you don't want to," said Newt remembering what Delia had said about how he felt about her room.
"No, I want to to be there for Delia. Revisiting this can be hard on her." Even if he was furious with her, he still loved her very much and wanted to be there for her.
Dee and Newt followed Delia and Cordell to the basement. Dee had to suppress a laugh when Delia walked over to the bookcase and began to input the code to open the hidden door. She and Niall had the exact type of door concealing a hidden room in their home. No doubt Adele had used the same trick. While not original, it was effective.Everyone was anxious as the door opened and they filed in. The first thing Dee and Newt thought when they finally entered the room was that it was definitely haunted. It akin to a tomb. The hair on the back of their necks stood up on end and a chill ran down their spines. The presence of spirits was unmistakable. It was all Newt could do not to run in fear but he knew Adele was watching. He could feel her. And that alone made him stay.
“Let me show you around," said Delia, "This is where I have potions and spell ingredients stored. It belonged to Mother." Delia gestured towards the entire room. "Most of the things in here are remnants of my life after she died up until Cordell and I got married. The rest belonged to Mother." Delia was talking nervously and Newt had to force himself to listen, while Dee, on the other hand, was enraptured by all that she was seeing.
"It was here when I discovered Mother's room. I thought it was a childhood toy, but have only recently discovered it's true nature," replied Delia as everyone stared at it.
"She must have hoped to return to her true form at some point," said Dee sadly.
"Oh God, is that Adele's Urn?" asked Newt as he looked up to the shelf above the little house.
"Yes," whispered Delia.
"And the other Urn belongs to my first husband, Francisco. I married him as soon as I graduated from high school, about a year after Mother died. We had five children together...three fathered while he was still alive. They are the ones in the picture with us," explained Delia.
Dee was intrigued. "While alive? He is the one that fathered your two children postmortem? In ghost form? Amazing. You truly are special Delia."
Cordell cringed at Dee's reaction. He hated having Delia's past lovers shoved in his face.
Cordell cringed at Dee's reaction. He hated having Delia's past lovers shoved in his face.
Even Cordell's lamp was on display. He wanted to burn it. He despised being a part of this room. It made him feel like one of Delia's trophies. He knew better, but still, he was afraid one day it would be his ashes on the shelf and not his home of 1,000 years.
When they got to the Philosopher's stone, Dee couldn't resist and had to bend down and touch it. Delia still was afraid of it because of what happened to Goodwin. "Those are the gold bars he transmuted before transmuting himself to his grave. I never wanted to gain any benefit from therm. He was an evil, selfish man who tricked me into believing he loved me."
Dee continued to put her hands on the Stone and said breathlessly, "This has been bewitched Delia. I can feel the power. It will work, once we are ready to bring back my daughter."
"Speaking of Adele," said Newt, "Where is her journal?"
Delia took him over to the desk. When Newt saw the pictures his eyes grew wide. "She kept my picture...My sweet Adele. She is as beautiful as I remember," said Newt his eyes watering.
Delia looked at him sadly. She felt so sorry for her father. She backed up so her grandmother could view the picture too.
"Delia, who is the man in these pictures?" asked Dee motioning to the pictures of her and Vladimir.
Cordell swallowed the lump in his throat waiting for Delia's reply. Sadly, Delia answered her grandmother's question just how he feared she might. "He is the only other person outside the four of us that ever knew about this room. He died saving my life."
"Newt," Delia said softly trying to change the subject, "that old computer has her journal on it. Why don't you sit down? The pass-code is my birth date." Cordell put his arms around his wife in an attempt to help comfort her, but she quickly shrugged him off and whispered simply 'Don't'. Then louder to Newt and Dee, "We will leave you now. Let me know if you need anything."
Delia turned without another word and began walking out of the room with Cordell following behind her unsure of how to move forward with his wife.
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