Hide n Seek Pt. 5

Swoosh, Woosh

With those noises, the four Brinsons were taken back to their living room with the same Monopoly board in front of them. 

“Oh. My. Goodness,” Georgia whispered. She looked to see if the whole family was there and she was happy to see all of her family members staring back at her. Her mom, Josh, Jacob, and Gemma were staring with sparkling eyes, filled with the same level of happiness as her. 

KNOCK KNOCK! 

“AHH!” Georgia screamed, surprised by the sudden knock at this late time of the night. 

“It’s fine. I’ll go see who it is,” their dad left his chair cautiously. 

Georgia, Gemma, Josh, Jacob, and their mom just watched silently, not even being able to breathe. They held each other’s hands because they knew this was their moment of truth. Whether the outcome was good or bad, they had to accept this unreal reality. 

“Who is it?” Their dad asked carefully. He was human too and he was scared of who it might be. 

“Linda, will you dial 911? Don’t call but just have it ready. It is extremely rare for someone to knock on our door this late,” their dad said quietly. Everyone could tell even he was a little nervous. Nothing like this has ever happened. Their mom quickly opened up her phone and dialed 9-1-1 with a slightly shaking hand. Georgia comforted Gemma quietly, knowing this was what they had to face no matter what. 

There wasn’t any chance it could be her neighbors. They lived in a quiet and peaceful neighborhood full of retired seniors, except the two houses on the other street. Mr. and Mrs. Hartt, their next door neighbor, even told their family to stay quiet after 9 PM. 

“I have it ready. Just ask again and don’t open the door all the way,” their mom warned. 

“Who is this?” Their dad asked once again.

“I don’t know if you’ll remember me but your family helped me in New York. I promise no harm. Please call the police if you would feel safer that way,” the man had a gentle but deep voice. 

Their dad carefully opened the door and saw a handsome man, dressed in a suit this late (12 AM). 

“Honey, who is it?” Their mom walked over to the door next to their dad.

“It was you!” The man shouted, full of excitement. His sudden exclamation made everyone jump. “I want to thank you. Thank you for helping me that night in New York. Without your help, I wouldn’t be where I am right now,” the man kneeled down and thanked her over and over again. He remembered her brown hair with highlights of orange and yellow in between as well as her deep, green, emerald eyes, a rare green color. Their mom was one of those people who didn’t really change their style. She always wore her hair in a ponytail with two strands of hair in the front or she clipped it up. 

“Oh my! There is no need for you to do this. You deserved that help and I am so glad you are in a much better situation now,” their mom grabbed the man’s hands, still rough from living on the streets. She and the children recognized the man. Their dad was still confused by this whole situation but that didn’t matter. They had succeeded on their “mission” to fix their mistake. Out of all of them, their mom’s heart rested down as if she had finished her big task at work. They looked up and down at the man, unable to believe this was the same man. He was so different! No more of the tangled beard and no more of the dirty skin covered in rashes. 

In the doorway stood a man dressed up in a black and white suit. The smell of cologne entered the house through the small crack of the door. He was the homeless man they had helped. His eyes were the color of melted milk chocolate. He was tall, even taller than their dad who was 178 cm. He wasn’t too fat or too skinny, just the right weight for a man that tall. It seemed as if he had worked out. He was more on the muscular side than the thin or fat side. His hair was swept back but it was as if he ran to their house frantically. His thick brown eyebrows were the main focus on his face. 

“I came to find you and it took a year and a half with the help from my friends,” the man continued. His mouth wasn’t necessarily smiling but the spark in his eyes showed a mixture of happiness, relief, and thankfulness. 

“Before you finish your story, please, come in and sit down with us,” their mom told the man. She wanted to make sure they weren’t disturbing the neighborhood too much before the security might come and charge them a fee. 

“Who is this guy? I am so lost!” their dad whispered to Georgia. 

“It’s the homeless man we helped two years ago in New York,” Georgia responded. 

“How do you all remember him?” He asked with a confused look on his face.

Georgia just turned around, smiled a bit, and said, “good memory I guess.” 

“What is your name?” Their mom gently asked as she motioned for him to sit down on their brown dinner table. 

“I’m Dylan, nice to meet you. How about yours?” He answered.  

“I’m Linda, my husband is Robert. My kids, Georgia, Josh, Gemma, Jacob,” their mom told him with a warm smile. They all waved to him with a smile on their faces still full of disbelief and relief. 

It was a little too late for dinner but the family still got some food ready because Dylan came straight from the airport without having any food. The table was now all set up and now it was time for Dylan’s story to be told. About how he became a different man and how he found the family. 

To be continued…