For the millionth time, Violet was frowning at me as I worked at my lab table. "You shouldn't work yourself so hard for my sake, Drover. You won't be able to enjoy life if all you do is go to school and work on potions."
"I'll enjoy my life when you can be in it
fully." I huffed.
Her frown deepened and before I knew it I was smacked upside the head. Lucky for me her plush hands can't cause too much damage. "I heard your Mom and Mariner on the phone. His kids miss you. He misses you. Don't you see that your family is more important than someone who's not even real?"
I turned on her then, nearly knocking over the chemicals in my rage. "Dammit Violet! Can't
you see that you are important? You're all I care about! Once I turn you real then I can be more involved with them! But you come first! You'll always come first, even before me!" My temper died down then and I slumped over the lab table. "Just..Just be real already."
Every morning I wake up and grudgingly start my morning routine, fighting the urge to just blow everything off and work at my lab station. And every morning I ignore the stares of concern from my family and shuffle my way to the line at the bathroom. Five people (and a baby) and one bathroom, mornings aren't fun and to make it even worse this lovely Monday morning Mom decided to voice her concerns.
"Drover, sweetie, I know you believe you can make your imaginary friend real, but," Ugh I hate how she says 'imaginary friend' like I'm five. "You're beginning to worry me. She's just a doll, honey-"
I lashed out at her then. "She's not
just a doll! Why can't you just have some faith that I know what I'm doing?!"
Needless to say she was shocked at my outburst. Not once in all my life of being a misanthrope have I lashed out and yelled at my parents.
My head has always been swarmed with wonderland-esque imaginings but I could tell what was just my imagination and what was real.
"I'm not a psychotic fool, Mother! You used to be fine with me but now you're acting as if I'm some insane weirdo!"
Mom looked on the brink of tears, part of me felt awful for that but the other part was still very angry. "Baby boy I'm just concerned about you. You're tense lately and you've lost so much weight...." She trailed off, tears finally spilling over.
Not able to bear the sight of having caused my mother to cry I quickly turned on my heel and marched into the bathroom to drudge through my morning routine.
Vi made her disappointment in me very clear that morning and for once I was glad that she couldn't leave the house. School of course was spent with me wallowing in self hate and wondering if Mom was actually right, was I just schizophrenic or some ting of the sort?
No, I shook these thoughts from my head,
No, I know she's real, she is
real. But... I'm trying to make her real, so at the moment she isn't...? Gah! I am
going insane!
After a school day filled with trying to force my thoughts to be coherent ,much less make sense, I came home to this lovely gem. "Drover! We're going pay a visit to Mariner, so don't take your shoes off!" Mom called from the kitchen in a creepily cheery voice. I knew she was just getting me out of the house and away from my lab.
When I tried to pry it out of Mom that she was using this as a plot to get me away from my lab she cooly replied, "Don't be silly, sugar, we just want to visit the kids, we haven't seen them since their birthday, and the little ones have grown so much!" I quirked my brow at her, looking at her in the mirror... well some of her Dad's head blocked a bit. "Then why aren't Downy, Wisteria and Gold coming?"
"Downy needs to work on her grades, Wisteria's at a job interview, and Gold is down for a nap." Dad said, though I could see a hint of a mischeavious smile.
"Whatever." I huffed sliding down further in the seat.
We arrived at Mariner's house and were ushered in by a worn out but still some how cheery Paprika. Mare and Pappy had had another set of twins (the woman ovulates too much) and they had entered the terrible two's.
Well, mainly Sunrise who enjoyed hitting her twin brother and pulling people's pants down.
Horizon was a Mommy's boy and only really threw fits when Pappy wasn't around ... and when I try to hold him.
Mariner came down the stairs a bit ruffled, explaining that Padua was having a hissy fit again. Dad and him greeted eachother with their goofy handshake. "Why am I related to you nuts?" I mumbled.
Mare smacked his arm around my shoulders and pulled me away from the others. "You're just that lucky,bro." I rolled my eyes at him, a faint smile touching my lips.
His face became serious then. "Drover, Mom told me what's been going on. She said you have a friend you want to make real." This is why I like Mare, he didn't act like I was crazy, he had seen much weirder things on the job.
I nodded, wondering in which direction he was going.
He smiled at me then. "I think I might be able to help." My eyes lit up and my mouth nearly dropped to the floor. "Are you serious?" I gaped. He winked and pulled something out of his pocket before grabbing my hand and placing it in my palm, making me curl my fingers around it. I was about to say something when he put a fingure to his lips before looking around to see if anyone was paying attention.
Mom was goofing around with Aero, Dad and Paprika were trying to coax Sunny into playing blocks.
Coast was clear.
Mariner came closer to me and spoke quietly. "The science facility has been looking into imaginary friends and making them real. I've found the base component of the formula, that rock. Its pure rainbownium, when exposed to intense heat it turns in to a liquid. I can't tell you the rest of what we found, so its up to you to discover it." He patted my shoulder with a smile as I looked at him wide-eyed. "Thank you, Mariner."
Knowing I would want to take a crack at it immediately, he made up an excuse for us to leave, something about Aero's colon.
I hid the rock in my pocket and couldn't help the wide smile that grew on my face as we drove home. Mom and Dad, of course, thought their plan had worked. It kinda did.
