Dad, In Spirit Chapters 20-21

Recommended for 8 & up. Ebon Jones used to be the boring member of his family, now he's the only one who can see and hear his Dad's spirit who has returned to the house, even though his body is in a coma at the hospital. Can Ebon find a way to get his Dad's spirit and his body reunited? Listen and find out in this continuation of Dad, In Spirit by A. LaFaye

Transcript

Hello,

This is Élify of Sylvanosity.

Today we're going to be reading from Dad in Spirit.

We're rejoining the Jones family on a most unusual journey.

Evan Jones has never really been happy about being the normal member of the family.

I mean,

After all,

His dad made a castle in the backyard.

His mom carves gargoyles.

His sister makes Halloween costumes that even the faculty at her middle school want to order early.

His little brother Samuel has amazing memorization skills and happens to be in his math class.

And Evan,

Well,

It turns out Evan has a most unusual skill.

When their dad,

Luke,

Falls into a coma,

But his spirit returns to the house,

Evan is the only one who can see and hear him.

So if the other members of the family want to see Dad,

They have to be touching Evan.

He's kind of like a spiritual satellite of sorts.

And Evan's wishing,

Hmm,

He didn't have to find out he actually had this skill.

Let's join the Jones family in a chapter called A Little Bit of Heaven.

I reached Samuel's bathroom first.

We all crowded around the old iron gate in the floor.

We can even see into the room below.

Dad's pale spirit face looked up at us.

Sorry,

Guys.

We're going to Castle Rook.

No visitors allowed.

After a group moan of disappointment,

We ran to the hall windows so we could see Castle Rook.

Mom crossed the yard.

Dad,

Faint like fog,

Floated behind her.

The sun bleached him white.

Eerie,

Joliet whispered.

What do you think is happening to his body when he does that?

I don't know,

I said.

How can you have a ghost of a living person?

Joliet wasn't really talking to us.

She just asked.

Pastor Krieber says ghosts are evil,

Samuel added.

Cut it out,

Joliet pushed Samuel.

Dad's not evil.

I didn't say he was.

Just be quiet,

I held up my hands.

Mom came out the back door of Castle Rook.

Look,

I pointed.

We waited.

Dad didn't emerge.

She made him go away,

Samuel gasped.

No,

She didn't,

Joliet swatted him.

We listened as Mom walked up the back steps.

As she reached the landing,

We could see Dad behind her.

Let's all go to Shroom Forest,

Mom said leading the way.

Everyone settled into our shrooms,

Aka beanbags,

Except for Dad.

We sort of hovered in the corner behind Mom.

Our feet mingled in the center of the room circle so everyone could see Dad.

Mom took a deep breath and said,

Joliet,

You were right.

We should talk about this as a family.

Dad crashed down to say,

We have to figure this out.

He spoke right next to Mom's ear.

She closed her eyes to listen.

I did too.

It slowly sounded whole and solid.

I imagined him sitting in the double shroom with Mom.

I'll tell you what I know.

I remember going to bed that night.

Your mom and I talked about fruit bats and how to sculpt bat wings.

I fell asleep in there somewhere.

While I was telling you about my conversation with the boy's teacher,

Mom laughed,

But I could tell she was still a little annoyed.

I remember,

Dad nodded,

Squinting over the memory.

I had a dream.

One of those searching for knowledge,

Your own house suddenly has extra rooms kind of dreams.

I walked through the halls of our house to tuck everyone in,

But the rooms had all been stretched.

You kids slept a mile from your doorways.

I tried to walk to Joliet's bed.

I ended up in Hamilton Hall instead.

I turned to leave,

But I couldn't remember the way out.

When I started to hunt for my guidebook,

The whole place filled up with book shows until it looked like I'd wandered into the Library of Congress.

I couldn't even find the end of a row.

An endless library?

Now that had to be Dad's idea of heaven.

But a maze?

I'd hate to be stuck in any kind of maze.

Dad went on.

I felt pulled in.

I wanted to read the books,

But not without you kids.

I just couldn't find you.

The next thing I know I'm standing at the top of the stairs in Evan's room and he screams.

Why'd you have to scream?

Joliet pushed me.

I had to open my eyes.

Dad put out his hand.

Don't be hard on each other.

This isn't anybody's fault.

There was a pounding from below.

Samuel jumped,

Asking,

What's that?

It's just someone at the door,

Samuel,

Dad said.

Leaning to block our exit,

Joliet said.

Don't answer it.

Why not?

Mom asked.

Any time an outsider comes in,

Dad disappears.

Good point,

I nodded.

The pounding got louder.

Whoever it was really wanted our attention.

You have to answer it.

Mom stood up,

But Samuel hugged her tight to keep her from going.

Joliet and I tried to block her.

All right,

All right,

I'll answer it.

Dad went for the back stairs.

We raced down the front.

Dad beat us.

He stood at the door smiling.

Hey,

This has some perks.

He closed his eyes to concentrate,

But he still couldn't grip the door.

Let me look.

Mom leaned forward and opened it.

A lady in a blue raincoat stood in the steps.

It had started to rain,

So she was all hunched over and wet.

Mrs.

Jones,

She said.

Mom rushed her into the house as she continued.

Dr.

Parker sent me.

We've been trying to call,

But your phone's been busy.

It hit me like a flash flood.

I'd left the phone off the hook when Dr.

Parker called earlier.

What is it?

Mom asked.

Dr.

Parker wants you to come to the hospital.

Why?

Mom started to shake.

Dad looked scared too.

Your husband's vital signs are weakening.

Weakening?

But Dad was standing right beside us.

He was doing great,

Laughing and talking and playing jokes on old Fento.

Come on,

Kids.

Mom herded us toward the hall.

Get your coats.

We gotta go.

The lady stood right between Mom and Dad.

I wanted to push her out the door.

Mom searched for Dad,

But couldn't see him.

He leaned toward her and whispered,

Go.

I love you.

Mom said it out loud and the nurse blushed,

Then realized Mom was looking at someone behind her.

She turned and poof,

Dad vanished.

We screamed but it did no good.

He was gone.

We ran for the car.

At the hospital,

Mom tried to leave us in the waiting room,

But we all followed her to the nurses' station.

Leaning over the counter,

She asked,

Dr.

Parker?

She's with your husband,

Mrs.

Jones.

Before the nurse could stop us,

We all went into Dad's room.

Dr.

Parker looked like she just tucked him in.

When she saw us coming,

She came forward,

Putting up her arms like a blockade.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Backing us into the hall,

She said,

His vital signs dipped a little,

But he just stabilized.

Just now?

Mom asked.

In the last 15 minutes or so.

I knew what Mom had in mind.

I'd thought it too.

It had taken us 15 minutes to drive to the hospital.

Dad had disappeared from the house 15 minutes ago.

Coming back to the house was ruining Dad's chance of coming home.

Guilt coated my insides like boiling milk sticking to the side of a pan.

We went to the waiting room.

Mom didn't want to leave until she was sure Dad had stabilized.

I didn't want her to go anywhere.

I held her tight.

Juliet hugged me and Samuel slid in under Mother's other arm.

I didn't want to think about Dad because I knew it'd make him come around.

It was all my fault.

I kept bringing him back with all of my stupid questions.

Is Dad gonna die?

Samuel asked.

Silent for a moment,

Mom said.

I don't know,

Honey.

Don't say that,

I said.

Oh,

Eppen.

Mom rubbed my head.

Your father loves us so much.

He can't let go.

We keep pulling him back.

I set up asking,

Do you think he was supposed to die?

That's just it,

Eppen.

I don't know.

Mom hugged me so hard it hurt a little.

If she didn't know,

Who did?

Just then,

Some guy with a halo of red bristles for hair came into the waiting room.

Mrs.

Jones?

Yes,

Mom answered.

The man who seemed to be carrying a balloon under his shirt sat beside her saying,

I'm Dr.

Fields.

The neurologist from Rochester?

That's right.

When he smiled,

I saw the gold lined one of his teeth.

I have some news to share with you.

Good news?

I asked.

Well,

He looked at his shoes.

We'd just met him and already he had bad news to tell us.

Let's just say it's mixed.

Would you like to come into the consultation room?

No,

Mom shook her head.

The children can hear.

We've found the problem.

Mom held on tighter.

I felt stiff all over.

What is it?

Mom asked.

It's a micro tear at the base of the brain.

A tear?

As in a rip in the brain?

That was the worst possible news.

Now,

What that means is that the injury was severe enough to push him into a coma.

But it doesn't mean it's not repairable.

He'll need surgery?

Dr.

Fields looked down again.

No,

Ma'am.

Surgery isn't an option.

We have no way to fuse the tear ourselves.

But the brain is an amazing organ.

Once it is time to recover from the shock of this injury,

Your husband's brain may reactivate itself.

It often compensates for injuries by rerouting information.

Rerouting?

Was that it?

Dad had found a new route through his brain that allowed him to separate into two people.

Now we just had to help him find a way back to his body.

But would his body ever be okay?

How likely is it that he'll recover?

Mom asked.

I'd say a 50-50 chance that he'll regain consciousness.

But be aware there may be some residual changes.

Mom nodded.

Dr.

Fields asked if we had any more questions.

I wanted to know if he always talked about someone's odds,

As if living or dying depended on the flip of a coin.

But Mom thanked him,

And he went away.

Putting her arms around all three of us,

She whispered,

We need to pray,

Kids.

I asked God to turn the coin in our favor,

But it felt more like I'd turned in a request for a miracle.

That could be one tall order.

This concludes chapter 20.

Let's start chapter 21.

The Answer Man.

Dad usually claimed the title The Answer Man.

He considered it a personal challenge when someone asked him a question he didn't know the answer to.

Like,

Where exactly is Timbuktu,

Anyway?

He'd hunt and scrounge until he found it.

It's a city in northwestern Africa,

By the way.

Mali,

To be exact.

Any time I had a question that made me feel the least bit empty,

I'd go to Dad.

He'd find the answer,

And just like that,

I'd feel fuller.

Knowing why Dad had gone to a coma didn't help.

It didn't even matter how it had happened.

What I had to know was how Dad could be in two places at once.

And what could make him healthy and whole?

Where could I go to find a way to make that happen?

The last place I wanted to go was to school,

Especially after spending the night in the hospital waiting room.

The next morning,

Dad still slept like a princess,

Entranced by a witch.

Why didn't that ever happen to princes anyway?

Since we could do nothing more at the hospital,

Mom sent us all to school.

She'd fallen back into her act-normal routine.

When we dropped Juliet off at her school,

Mom got out to have a talk with her.

I didn't dare roll down my window to eavesdrop,

But Juliet stomped off.

Whatever Mom said,

It wasn't good.

Samuel and I got her little speech at our school.

Expecting it,

We just sat there when she stopped the car.

Boys,

Decide.

I think it'd be best if we didn't encourage your dad.

Encourage him?

Samuel asked.

To do what?

I added.

Mom looked down.

Mom looked down.

Everything your father does as a spirit affects his physical body,

So we need to stop encouraging him to come back to the house.

You want us to ignore him?

I asked.

Mom had asked another ugly scheme.

She nodded.

Yes.

No way,

Samuel and I shouted together.

Mom turned to face both of us.

I know it'll be hard,

But it's the best thing we can do for your father right now.

We need to do what we can to put his two selves back together.

Keeping him at home,

Away from his body,

Isn't doing him any good.

In a flash,

Mom had given me the answer.

I had to get Dad's spirit to the hospital.

Okay,

Mom,

I yelled as I rushed out of the car and ran into the school in search of BJ.

It was my turn to be the answer man,

And BJ was going to help me make it happen.

I found her in the library hunting for a book.

BJ jiggled when she saw me.

All of her excitement flowed into her mouth as she spewed out words faster than my mom could chew,

Threw wood with her stone cutter.

Hey,

Evan,

Has your dad shown up again?

I tried and tried calling.

The line stayed busy for hours.

My dad wouldn't let me come over.

He said it was rude.

He's rude.

He's shown up all right.

Now we've got to get him back to his body.

Excuse me?

I pulled her out into the hall.

Let's talk on the move.

Leaving school by our bathroom window route,

We headed through the park as I gave BJ the scoop.

If we want Dad back,

Then we've got to get his spirit and his body back together.

As I ran,

I could hear BJ shout,

Oh.

We cut over to Nicollet Avenue to catch a bus back home.

As we stopped in the corner to catch our breath,

BJ asked,

How are we going to get him to show up?

Major roadblock.

I still had no idea how to get Dad to show up.

There was no pattern to it.

He'd pop up in for a bite to eat.

How could he be hungry?

He'd made his nightly rounds.

I didn't have that long to wait.

He had appeared to taunt Vento the Demento.

But would he do it again?

What the heck?

It was worth a spin.

Instead of taking the bus home,

We took it straight to Ventro's office.

His secretary was a short-haired guy with hair that looked like an overused toothbrush,

All stiff in one spot,

Then sagging in another.

Dr.

Ventro will be with you in just a moment,

He said,

As he hung up the phone.

I didn't feel like waiting a minute,

But I had no choice.

I should have known not to trust Bristlehead.

It took Ventro a whole twenty minutes to get done talking to some kid with a band-aid over his left eye.

He walked out of the elevator,

Then came to talk to me.

Evan,

This sure is a surprise.

Who have you brought with you?

BJ offered her hand.

Ventro shook it.

She scrunched up her face,

So I knew she was giving him the BJ death grip.

But Ventro kept right on,

Smiling.

Come on into my office and tell me what's up.

We walked into his little romper room.

When he closed the door,

I said,

I just wanted to use your office for a bit.

My office?

Yeah,

I need to find my dad,

So I came to take him to the hospital.

Ventro looked confused.

He bunched up his eyebrows.

Is your father lost,

Evan?

I guess you could say that.

I walked behind Ventro's desk and messed with his Rolodex.

All the while,

I thought,

Come on,

Dad,

Show up.

How'd he get lost,

Evan?

Knowing the truth wouldn't sink in with Ventro,

I used it as a stalling tactic.

I figured he'd give his analytical mind a spin.

You know,

He fell into a coma.

Then his spirit showed up at our house.

I'm just trying to get his body and his spirit in one place.

I see,

He nodded.

One of those adult pretending-to-understand nods then asked,

And how do you plan to do that?

Listening to Ventro's stupid questions,

I knew exactly why they were called headshrinkers.

They clattered your mind with questions until it was too crowded to think straight.

Then you had to let everything out of your mind to clear the thought jam.

That just left you with an empty head.

I couldn't take it anymore.

I shouted,

Dad,

Where are you?

Nothing.

B.

J.

Stared at the rug and Ventro got all sad-eyed.

Typical to add.

When I needed him the most,

He was nowhere in sight.

The whole thing made me mad enough to rearrange Ventro's furniture a little.

An overturned chair,

Couch cushions across the room,

Ugly alphabet rug kicked into a heap.

It looked pretty good by the time I finished.

B.

J.

Yelled at me to stop and Dr.

Ventro told me to let it all out.

I wanted to let him out.

Shove him right out the door and never let him back in.

I went for a painting on the wall.

I saw myself smashing it over a chair,

The glass popping into the air like fireworks.

Ebin!

Dad's voice boomed right through me.

It felt like it came from inside me.

I froze.

Dad stood next to me,

His face in a gargoyle-style frown.

Slow the train down,

Son.

Talk to me.

Where were you?

Why didn't you show up when I called?

Dr.

Ventro grabbed me by the shoulder saying,

Ebin,

You've lost control.

There's no one here but us,

Just you,

Me,

And Belinda.

Leave my son alone.

Dad yelled right in Vento Demento's ears,

But it had no effect.

The drip didn't even flinch.

Ventro tried to steer me to the couch.

I begged,

Do something,

Dad.

Dad ran across the room.

He pushed through B.

J.

She jumped as if she'd been touched by a hot stove.

See?

I shouted,

Pointing to B.

J.

She'd felt him.

Ventro turned to look at B.

J.

Just as Dad turned on the floor lamp beside the couch.

Ventro got a full blast of light torture.

He screamed,

Covering his eyes.

He teetered a little.

All right,

Dad,

I shouted.

B.

J.

Rubbed her arms saying,

I did feel him.

I did.

Come on,

Dad.

I jumped up and ran for the door.

Let's go.

B.

J.

Followed right behind me,

But I wasn't sure Dad had stayed with us until we got in the elevator.

He looked faint in the fluorescent lights,

But he stood there in jeans and the green sweatshirt he'd gotten for coaching Samuel's team through the shortest Little League season in history.

They had a blast,

But they couldn't play baseball worth did they?

Is he here with us?

B.

J.

Asked.

Dad leaned closer to B.

J.

's ear then said,

Belinda Jane,

The toffee brain.

Dad called her that because she'd eaten enough toffee one Christmas to sugar-croll her brain.

She giggled.

I heard him.

Really?

I asked.

Hey,

I'm getting better at this,

Dad said smiling.

Maybe that's not such a good idea,

Dad.

Where is he?

B.

J.

Squinted to try and see him.

Why not?

Dad asked me.

I couldn't look at Dad,

But I managed to say,

Whenever you do something wild,

Your body goes kind of wonky.

Huh?

B.

J.

Pointed to where I was talking.

Is he right there?

I nodded.

B.

J.

Stared in awe.

Dad,

If you don't get back to your body soon,

Bad things could happen.

Worse than not being able to eat,

Sleep,

Or hug my kids?

Not likely.

It could happen,

Dad.

I wanted to cry.

Dad leaned over so we were face to face.

I could feel the warmth of him on my cheeks,

Like static on a blanket.

When you first take it out of the dryer,

He said,

I'm sorry,

Buddy.

This is not your fault.

Not just about this whole mess.

He waved his hands in the air.

His right hand swung over B.

J.

I felt that.

B.

J.

Grabbed her head.

I'm sorry.

I didn't hear you at first,

Evan.

Dad not hearing me was nothing new.

He could research during the fire drill.

He'd get into the zone and the rest of the world would disappear.

Last spring,

Samuel got his foot stuck in the storm drain in the front of the house.

We called for Dad with enough volume to bring Mr.

Taggart out of the house a hundred yards away,

But Dad didn't hear a thing.

He looked completely surprised when Mr.

Taggart carried Samuel upstairs.

Part of me wanted to make Dad feel better and tell him it was okay,

But I also wanted him to know how sorry he should feel for disappearing into his work all of the time.

Maybe it was his fault after all.

His black hole research benches had led to a permanent disease.

No,

That was stupid.

All that mattered was getting Dad back into his body.

We need to get you to the hospital,

Dad.

Good idea,

Sport.

Evan smiled,

But he still looked sad.

I'll be a better listener,

Evan.

I promise.

Thanks,

Dad.

When this is over,

I'm going to settle into a normal routine.

I'll be an ordinary guy.

Dad sounded like he was making a bargain with God,

Sacrificing something to be brought back into his own body.

Could Dad actually be an ordinary guy?

He couldn't mow the lawn in straight lines.

He always mowed shapes,

Left the rest of it long to show off his new creation.

Last Halloween,

He mowed a pumpkin into our lawn,

Then spray-painted it orange.

People drove by our house at all hours to look at that stupid pumpkin.

Some guy from the Tribune even came by to take a picture and interview Dad about Hamilton Hall.

Dad could never be just an ordinary guy,

But I couldn't help thinking that he might have the right idea with his promise to be normal.

This kind of stuff never happened to an ordinary guy.

You know,

Every family is extraordinary in one way or another.

Sometimes,

Because we're members of that family,

We don't see it.

We think we're normal and average and annoying at times.

But in reality,

Every individual is an amazing creation with astounding potential.

So someday,

Every day,

Perhaps you should take a moment to consider just how unusual your family is.

What do they do that no one else can do?

What do they see that no one else sees?

And how can you use those skills to become even more than you already are?

To connect,

To understand,

To help others?

You know,

With all the skills Eben has for trying to find a solution to help his dad,

I bet you he can find ways to help others,

Too.

I wonder if that's exactly what he does.

Hmm.

Well,

You know,

We're gonna have to read on and find out.

So join me next time when I read from Dad in Spirit.

But for now,

This is Elie Faye of Sylvan Asselby signing off.

Reviews

That was fantastic my mom makes up ridiculous nick names for the family members in my family, mine is franciekarkatua (pronounced fran-sie-Kara-ka-to-a), weird right I love my family very much even though they are a bunch of over achievers.

This is amazing!! Please make more soon 😍