Untitled Chapter Two

The inside of the yellow house was similar to most any house. Magazines stacked on the coffee table in the living room and a book lay on a stand under a lamp. The dining room was elegant with an almost oversized circular table. The table, which was old, seemed too large for the average family. It was placed below an even older crystal chandelier with what appeared to be a large glass globe placed on a plate suspended by delicate gold chains attached to the curved arms of the chandelier.

The father and daughter walked down the hallway and into the kitchen, where the air was filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies. A slender woman with loving blue eyes poured some lemonade into a glass and handed it to the man as she placed a lock of dark brown hair behind her ear. “Dinner will be ready in about an hour Sebastian” the woman said with a soft smile.

“How was your trip daddy?” Adara asked as she reached for her own glass of lemonade.

“It was very…eventful. I learned a lot.” Sebastian said, his gaze moving from Adara to her mother. “So, how was everything here my dear Gabriella?”
Hearing her name she looked up and caught his gaze, “Oh, you know…” she said as she moved from the stove to the small desk in the corner of the kitchen. She searched through some mail and handed Sebastian a newsletter. He looked at it briefly and then rolled it up.

“Well I think I will go upstairs and change…oh, where is Luc? I have not seen him yet.” Sebastian said as he headed into the hall and towards the stairs.

“I think he is upstairs with his experiments” said Adara. Sebastian turned and looked at his girls before heading upstairs to change.

As he walked up the stairs he could hear music playing. Sebastian knocked on a door with a large red and white metallic sign hung on it reading KEEP OUT! The music stopped and footsteps could be heard moving closer to the door. It opened with a squeak “Yeah…oh, hi dad. You’re back, how was the trip?” an adolescent boy chirped before turning around and walking back to the bed where he had been reading a book.

“It was fine son, just wanted to say hello and let you know I was home. Mom says dinner will be ready in about an hour so make sure you are washed up.” He answered from the doorway.
“Yes sir.” Luc answered as his concentration left the conversation and went back to the book he was reading. Sebastian closed the door and headed to his bedroom, once again the music began to play from behind Luc door.

Soon afterwards Sebastian emerged from the bedroom dressed in khaki pants and a polo shirt, worn bedroom slippers where dress shoes and trouser socks had been. Sebastian passed Luc’s door once again and knocked once.
The music was no longer playing and the door crept open with the force of the knock. Sebastian peered inside the room. Posters adorned the wall, and one corner held empty test tubes. The book he had been reading was lying open on his bed but Luc was not inside. Sebastian closed the door and continued down stairs following the sounds of his children and wife which became audible the farther down the stairs he went.