AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brooks pressed play. “We wanted to wait and watch it with you.”
Hunter was stunned.
Suddenly, their parents were on the screen.
His father frowned into the camera, tinkering with it. “I hope this tripod holds it.”
Their mother waved him over. “Hurry. The kids aren’t gone for long, if you want to get this recorded it has to be now.”
“They’re so young,” Kensi whispered, still leaning on Trey.
Hunter couldn’t believe it; there were his parents; just like they’d always been in his memories.
His father grinned, as if he’d been called to host a show. “Hey kids. If you finally found this, then you discovered that … there’s no gold here.”
Marshall cursed. “Dad… really?”
Brooks snorted and stared at the screen with the eyes of an FBI guy.
Their mother grinned at them. “We don’t know when you’ll find this, or if you ever will. As you can see, we went to a lot of trouble to make a great adventure for you.”
“Gosh, it’s like we could just reach in and talk to them,” Trey whispered.
Hunter couldn’t believe that this video had existed, hidden beneath the inn all this time.
His father continued. “So … you’re wondering, because you have a piece of the gold and you have seen the picture of us with the gold … where is the gold?”
His mother swatted at his father’s shoulder. “Of course they are. Just get on with it.”
His siblings all laughed a bit.
Trent put a hand on Hunter's shoulder.
“Okay,” his father said and grabbed their mother, pulling her in for a quick kiss.
It was … so tender and Hunter felt emotion creep into his throat again.
His father turned back to the camera. “This might seem super annoying to all of you, but your mother and I finally decided, after much thought and prayer, that it wouldn’t be good for any of you to have the gold. Or … anyone else.”
Marshall shook his head. “Of course it wouldn’t be.”
Their mother smiled at the camera. “When you have that much gold, it usually leads to greed and pain and … nothing good. Plus, you all are going to be highly successful people and we do have a little money in your funds.” She waved a hand of dismissal. “You don’t need the gold when … you have each other.” Her tone turned serious. “And, we know we pound this into you a lot but … all of you, are our gold.”
Warm chills washed over him and he was instantly crying, thinking of how crazy it was Trent was back. And, how he would have traded all of the gold for his life.
His father put his arm around his mother and pulled her closer. “That’s right. If one day, you find this tape, and you are all together, then you have … everything.” He blinked hard. “Because I’ve lost guys and … it’s taught me that what’s important in life … is family.”
Everyone around him was crying, including Trent.
His father stared quietly at the camera, seeming to be deciding something.
His mother got teary-eyed. “Just tell them if you want.”
All of them were quiet.
His father said, “I don’t like saying such things, but … I have this feeling that I’m not long for this earth.”
Hunter cried even more, but he didn’t cry out loud.
