The Great Escape

Posted on Wed May 4th, 2022 @ 5:04pm by Unawakened James Corrigan

Mission: Tales of the Unawakened
Location: Corrigan Home, James' Car
Timeline: Present

This morning was beginning like any other morning at the Corrigan house. Rachel was finishing the breakfast preparation; Jack was reading the newspaper; the two kids were very quietly getting ready for school. There was no bickering between the two children as there might have been in most households as both of them had no desire to attract their father's attention in that way. Each had their own reasons, but the end result was the same.

Eventually, Kat and James came down the stairs, he having let her precede him, and entered the kitchen/dining room. Neither said anything immediately, and Rachel placed plates before each of them. As she placed one before James, she gave him a significant look and set the plate down just a touch slower. Then she moved off again and gave Jack his plate.

Between the time when she set down his plate and the time that his father folded the newspaper to accept his, James took the small envelope from beneath his own plate and secreted it in his jacket's inner pocket. Kat looked at him curiously, but he shook his head, and she let it go.

"So are you both ready for your trip?" Rachel asked her children good-naturedly as she gathered her own plate of food and sat at the remaining open spot at the table.

James, keeping up the act that he hated the idea, grumbled something under his breath. Kat grinned. "Yep!"

Rachel smiled. She was about to say something else when Jack interrupted her. "Your mother asked you a question, Boy," he growled at his son. "You answer her with respect."

James looked at his mother, properly chastised. "Sorry, Mom. Yes, I'm ready."

Jack grunted vague acceptance of that as respectful enough. Rachel smiled at her son warmly. "It's all right, James," she said graciously. "Now both of you eat your food and then get off to school. I don't want any report that you were late. Okay?"

Both nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"You have the spare tire in good condition?" Jack asked, looking at James.

Hadn't they done this last night with the question about his car's condition? Oh, well. Best to humor the old man and keep him off his back. "Yes, sir."

"Extra gas can full?" Jack pressed

James nodded again. "Yes, sir." It wasn't, and he made a mental note to fix that before they set out on the road.

Jack grunted. "Good." Rachel gave him a look, and he continued, handing over some money. "This should cover gas and trip expenses." He didn't seem happy about giving it to James.

James took the money and nodded. "Thank you," he said in his most respectfully polite voice. Counting it, he placed it into his wallet which joined the secret envelope in his inner jacket pocket. James never put his wallet in his back pocket; he had always thought that was a dumbass thing to do because it a) made it too easy to steal and b) made it too easy to lose.

"Watch out for your sister. If anything happens to her--" Jack started.

"I think he gets the point, Jack," Rachel interjected gently. Besides, she knew that James loved his sister and wouldn't let anything happen to her if he could at all prevent it. There was no need for the threat. Jack was just being... Jack, at least where their son was concerned.

Jack grunted again, and the family finished their breakfast. When they were done, Rachel took the plates, and the kids gathered their bags. Giving their mother hugs, they headed off to school -- Kat gave her father one too, but James knew better and simply went outside to pack their bags into the car and wait for her. When she came out, he opened the passenger side door, let her in, then closed it and went around to his own door. Getting in, he started the car, belted up, and they headed out of the driveway.

TBC>>>