Chapter 3: Father Was Worried

At home, my mother was at the door waiting for us. Her face softened seeing me, but she glared at my father behind. “What’s wrong with your shoulder?” She asked, seeing the bandage that Father tied.

“It’s just a simple broken shoulder, Lucia, it’ll heal tomorrow,” Father answered for me and proceeded to enter our house past us.

I saw mother’s lips pursed as she closed her eyes. It was a similar expression I saw back then when I accidentally broke our window while playing. Is she mad?

Mother’s eyes opened and she looked at me gently. “You’ll be healed tomorrow after a night’s sleep but the way your father-” She paused and closed her eyes again before she continued, “Will you go to your room first, honey? I’ll come up later to retie your bandage.” She softly said.

I nodded, “Yes, Mother.” And climbed up to my room as I was told. A few seconds later, Mother’s angry voice echoed downstairs.

--

Morning the next day, my broken shoulder had already healed up. My wounds and injuries before take at least 3 days to heal up. But since I turned 9 two months ago, a simple night’s sleep is more than enough to cure everything.

Having the same blood as Father, this special ability is passed onto us, his offspring. Mother said that when the twins always reach 9, they will have this same ability. And I am so glad, not that I’d let them suffer such injuries at all.

"It really is gone!"

Toby exclaimed upon seeing me. I just exited my room and the twins are most likely on their way to wake me up. "What is?" I asked him.

"Your wounds, big brother Duke. They're all gone." He said, amazed.

"Mom was right!" Koby also happily exclaimed as they encircled me, checking my entire body. I chuckled at them. I, as well, was astonished by this ability. So, I cannot blame them to be fascinated like this. After they were done with their “check-up” on me, the three of us then headed downstairs together.

When we reached the kitchen, the chatter of my siblings subsided upon seeing our father already seated at the table. Father glanced at me. "I have somewhere to attend to this morning. But I'll pick you up at 2 pm later. So, pack your things ahead." He told me. I just nodded to him subtly and sat on the chair across from him. My siblings did the same and we ate our breakfast silently after that.

--

One month later.

The training with Father continued. And every single day, our sessions are getting harder and harder. But despite that, I can say that I made small improvements. However, I don’t think that those are enough for Father.

‘How can this be?!’

I heard him whisper to himself, one time- after we finished one round of sparring. He was looking at the sandbag I used to practice punching and he looked so disappointed. I knew right away that I am still not at the stage that Father had expected me to reach.

"Ack!"

I yelped in pain after Father's kick landed on my gut. We are at our final sparring for the day and Father was attacking me without inhibitions. I wanted to complain, but I endured. Father must have been doing this because of my slow progress. I cannot appear weaker than he already views me as.

I slowly stood up and began my assaults one more time. One of my slight improvements is my longer stamina. And I decided to use that for this fight. So, I started to run around Father, trying to lure him to charge at me. I just needed an opening to land a blow. And when I saw him move his right leg and shoulder for a counterattack, I quickly jumped on a nearby tree and used it as my footing to increase the speed of my attack.

But I was read.

Father had already anticipated my plan and instead of landing my blow, I was only able to punch the air where he was supposed to be standing. And by then, I knew that Father is already behind me. But I still turned around, not giving up. However, his claws were already in my neck. I failed again today.

"Let's go home."

Father told me. He did not give any comment this time like he always does. I knew I did badly this past month. But did I really not improve? Even for a bit? I can feel that I did, though. I stared at my father's back. If I really did not improve, then that must have been the reason why Father is much scarier than he already was.

I hopped in the truck and we headed back home. We reached our garage just before the sun totally set and I hopped out carefully.

The house was silent when I entered. "Mother?" I called out. Usually, when our truck entered our garage, the twins will come and greet us. But neither Mother nor the twins greeted us.

With the silence looming in our house, my instincts quickly kicked in. But Father was first to move. I did not know how, but Father was already upstairs, in Koby and Toby’s room. The door to their room is already opened, meaning to say that he was already there inside to check on Mother.

“F-father…”

I called out in nervousness. But Father was calm. He then eyed me. “Don’t jump to weird conclusions, Duke.” He told me.

And before I could speak up, we heard the twins’ voices downstairs. Turns out, Mother had brought the twins to buy a few ingredients at the mart in town. She run out of them while cooking for dinner and the twin made her bring them. Mother forgot to leave a note but since she thought that they’ll be fast, she just let it be.

“Father and I were worried, Mother!”

I told Mother as I was really worried for real earlier. But Mother just gave me a chuckle. “Your Father was not worried, son. He must have already known right away.” She assured me.

“But-”

I wanted to argue that Father was really worried as he used the windows to enter the second-floor rooms quickly, but Mother had already left to cook. I could only sigh.

Was that normal of Father then? I looked at my father but he was already on his way upstairs.