This was the moment Mark and Courtney were dreading. How could they possibly tell Bobby that his family had disappeared? After what he had been through, he didn’t deserve this. But still, he had to know.
“B-Bobby,” said Mark nervously. “There’s s-something you should-”
Courtney cut him off. “We’ll go with you, Bobby,” she said. “We want to be there for you.”
Mark shot Courtney a look, but Courtney didn’t back down. She felt there was only one way that Bobby should learn about what had happened and that was to see it for himself. If they told him, he’d want to see for himself anyway, so Courtney felt it would be better to get the news all at once.
It was a short walk to Bobby’s house on Linden Place. As they walked along the familiar sidewalks of Stony Brook, Bobby looked around with a smile. He had walked these streets a thousand times before, but he now had a whole new appreciation for them. He took in every sight, every smell, every sensation that he could. He wrapped himself in the feelings like a comfortable blanket and it made him feel whole again. He felt so good that he even allowed himself to think that it was possible to pick up his life where he had left off.
Mark and Courtney sensed this. It broke their hearts to know that soon his happy homecoming was going to crash and burn. Then just before they rounded the final bend that would bring them to 2 Linden Place and the empty lot where Bobby’s house used to be, Courtney grabbed Bobby and stopped him. She held him by the shoulders and stared him right in the eye.
“You gotta know something, Bobby,” she said sincerely.
“We’re here for you.”
“I know that, Courtney,” replied Bobby.
Courtney didn’t let go of him. She knew that as soon as she did, he’d turn that corner to see that the life he so desperately wanted back, wasn’t there anymore.
“Hey, you okay?” Bobby asked her curiously.
Courtney nodded and let him go. Bobby glanced at Mark to try and get a clue as to why Courtney was acting all strange, but Mark looked just as bad as Courtney did. Bobby knew right then that something was wrong. He spun and ran around the corner to get to his house. Mark and Courtney gave each other a nervous glance and followed.
When Mark and Courtney rounded the corner, they saw Bobby standing alone on the sidewalk, staring at the empty lot where his house used to be. He didn’t move, he didn’t shout, it didn’t even look like he was breathing. He just stood there and stared. They didn’t say anything. They had to let Bobby take the time to get his mind around what he was seeing. Ornot seeing. Bobby walked forward and stepped onto the spot where his yard used to be. It was the yard he had played in since he was a toddler. It was the yard where he wrestled with Marley. It was the yard that led to the house he had called home for fourteen years. It was all gone.
“Hey there,” came a familiar voice from behind them.
Everyone spun to see Uncle Press standing on the sidewalk. He was once again dressed in his jeans and long leather coat. Behind him was a small, black sports car he had just arrived in. A Porsche. Uncle Press always traveled in style.
“It’s okay, Bobby,” said Uncle Press softly. “Try to breathe.”
Mark and Courtney took a few steps out of the way. Whatever was about to happen, it was between Press and Bobby. They saw that Bobby’s eyes were red. He had started to cry. But the sad look turned to one of fury when he saw his uncle.
“Where are they?” Bobby said through clenched teeth. “And don’t tell me this is the way it was meant to be. I don’t want to hear that.”
“They’re fine, “Press said soothingly. “They’re all fine.”
Bobby took a few steps toward Press. He was angry, sad, confused, and scared. But most of all, he wanted answers. “Then why aren’t they here?” he demanded.
“This is the toughest part,” said Press. “It was tough for me, it was tough for Alder and for Loor, too, but we all had to go through it. I would have told you on Denduron, but you had to see for yourself.”
“See what? What is happening?” Bobby demanded.
Courtney reached out and grabbed Mark’s hand for support. Mark didn’t resist.
“Bobby, your family is gone because it was time for you to leave,” said Uncle Press. “They raised you to be the person you are today, but it’s time to move on.”
Bobby took a few steps back as if Press’s words had physically hit him. What was he saying? Was it planned for him to go to Denduron from the day he was born? Did his family know about this all along? How could that be? His life had been so…normal. Then a realization came to Bobby.
“You’re not my uncle, are you?” he asked.
“No, not in the traditional sense,” answered Press. “But I’ve always looked out for you and I always will.”
Bobby turned back to the empty lot and ran to the center. He wanted to find a splinter of wood, a piece of glass, maybe even a piece of an old Wiffle ball. There had to be something that said he had passed through here. But there was nothing. Then Bobby heard something that came as another surprise.
“It will be all right, Pendragon,” said another familiar voice.
Bobby spun back toward the sidewalk to see that standing next to the car was Loor. She was dressed in denim overalls and a tight pink sleeveless shirt that showed off her powerful shoulders and arms. She even had on Doc Marten black boots. Her long black hair was braided down her back and she wore a necklace made of small shells. She could have easily passed for a student at Stony Brook High. No one would ever guess that she was actually a warrior from a far-off territory.
Courtney looked at Loor and sized her up, head to toe. Mark saw this and made a mental note to give Courtney a hard time later for being jealous. But who could blame her? Mark thought that Loor was even more strikingly beautiful than Bobby had described. She may have been dressed like a suburban girl, but she had the powerful presence of a warrior. Courtney Chetwynde had finally met her match.
Bobby walked to Loor. If anyone could tell him the truth, it would be her.
“Does this make sense to you?” he asked.
“It is starting to,” was her answer.
“What about your mother?” he asked. “Was Osa your real mother?”
“No. I was told the truth before I first went to Denduron,” answered Loor. “Osa raised me, she taught me all that I know. She was my mother in every sense, except that she had not given birth to me. But that did not stop me from loving her.”
Bobby looked down, letting this sink in.
“On the mountain,” continued Loor, “I did not say good-bye to you because my mind was elsewhere. Osa’s body was already back on Zadaa. I had to return for the burial ceremony. It was difficult for me. I hope you were not offended.”
Bobby shook his head. He understood all too well because he now knew what it was like to lose your mother. He looked to Press and asked, “So that’s it? Travelers don’t have families? They don’t have lives? They only bounce around the universe looking for trouble?”
Press smiled and said, “You trust me, Bobby, don’t you?”
“I think so,” said Bobby skeptically. “But I’m losing faith fast.”
“Don’t,” said Press quickly. “Believe me when I tell you that as time goes on, this will make sense to you. And I’ll make you a promise. You will see your family again. You’ll see your mom and your dad and your sister, Shannon, too.”
“What about Marley?” Bobby asked.
“You’ll run with your dog again too,” said Press. “But not today.”
“When?” asked Bobby.
Press gave this thought. He may have had all the answers, but this one eluded him. “That’s one I can’t answer,” he said.
Bobby looked to Loor who gave him a slight nod of encouragement, then back to the empty lot. He took a long time to collect his thoughts. Finally he said, “You asked me how I felt before. You want to know how I feel right now?”