Devil's Hotline Ch. 01

"You both sit. I'll bring the platters out," Miranda nodded, stepping back into the kitchen.

"Platters?" Beth looked down briefly at her own body. Not the kind that one would associate with platters of food.

"Just your mother being your mother. I'm excited for the left-over casserole we'll be eating for the next week. Thanks for that."

"It's not my fault!"

"I know, I know, sweetie. Here, sit." Her father guided her with a deft hand. One pulling her forward by the wrist, another pushing her from the lower back. A practiced movement that signaled he had done it on countless occasions, and her body followed with just as much ease. Beth felt... relaxed beside her father. Unusual mentally, but physically was totally natural. It was scary how easily she was falling into this alternate time-line and/or nightmare. She hadn't yet decided which it was.

One, then two, then three platters landed on the table-cloth. Egg scramble, breads and toast, and meats. A final salad bowl with a fruit medley landed between it all, and her father stood to pull Miranda's chair out and he guided her down much like he had done to Beth, though his hand went further down her lower back on Miranda, eliciting another gag from Beth.

They ate comfortably. Beth realized after a few mouthfuls that her desire to eat immediately stopped at some point quickly into the meal. As if something inside her subconscious triggered to prevent her from over-eating. As good as the food was -- better than she remembered her mom's cooking to be, in fact -- Beth felt that switch suddenly flick and a sudden aversion to the food kicked in. She felt satisfied, and all desire to eat was gone. Whatever that was warranted deep thought, but for now, she filed it in the back of her mind to ponder when she wasn't in front of other people, both of which took admiring glances at her between bites.

"Full already, sweetie? You should eat more." Her mother tried to push, as mother's do, but never her mother. At least, not until now.

"I really can't. I'm stuffed." Beth couldn't tell if that was the truth or a lie. The thought of eating any more was mildly nauseating, but in any other circumstance, she knew she would have gladly indulged in seconds.

"Eat's like a bird. I don't know where she gets it from." Daniel laughed quietly to himself, joined by Miranda.

"Well, honey, why don't you take Beth with you to show her whatever you've got planned."

Daniel nodded back to his wife, wiping his lips with a folded napkin and laying it over his half-finished plate. "You heard your mother, Bethany. Why don't we have a little talk in the garage?"

Beth raised an eyebrow at her father, unsure what this cheerful version of her dad had planned, but curiosity taking control of her. "Ok." She stood, pulling her skirt down slightly and falling into pace beside her father, naturally taking hold of her elbow and guiding her out to the garage -- acts of old-fashioned chivalry that felt foreign to the mind, but were ingrained into her physical presence.

The pair made their way outside and over to the open garage. Their home was gated and obscured from prying eyes, so her father had a tendency to let the garage air out unless it was raining. It was large. Enough room for ten cars, though they only ever had three of four at a time. Beth's father was not much of car guy.

That had changed too. The garage looked different, larger than before too. It had been expanded into the area she once knew as her mother's garden shed. Now the garage could hold another couple of cars, and every inch of that extra space was being put to use.

"Yes, sweetie, it's yours." The sound of dangling keys rang beside her ear, making Beth turn with a stunned expression plastered over her gorgeous visage. She was shocked at the amount of luxury vehicles stored within the garage. Daniel, however, assumed her shock was due to the latest addition. A Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the latest model.

"You got me a... G Wagon?" She was unsure what to even say. It wasn't a car Beth ever pictured herself choosing. Thinking of herself now, however, it seemed like exactly the kind of car that Bethany Miller would drive, this version of Bethany. At least it was in all black, though it did seem to be covered in tiny flecks that sparkled, not unlike her skirt. And the rims were golden. There seemed to be a common theme there, and Beth, rather fortunately, didn't mind the black, white, and gold combination.

"Came in just in time. Picked up at the dealership this morning. What do you think?"

"I... I really don't know what to say. This must have cost a fortune..."

"A drop in the bucket. How about just a hug then, if no words?" Her father looked at her expectantly. Beth turned to face him and nodded slowly, bewildered at the offer, and then conflicted at how sad it was that she thought it weird to hug her dad.

"She stepped to him and wrapped her arms up and around his neck, feeling his long arms take hold of her and then wrap tightly around her waist. It sparked a warmth deep inside her. Deeper than anything should ever be inside a person. She sunk further against him, the comfort of his body like a shield made to protect her from all harm. He kissed the top of her head with a shiver down her spine, skin practically tingling from the warmth.

Then he let go, stepping back and leaving Beth there with sudden sinking sadness. A void. An abyss. Because physical contact with another person had never felt so... good. It was bliss. Euphoria. And, yet, it had only been a hug. Was that how a hug was supposed to feel? She genuinely didn't know. But if it was, then she understood why people did it so often. In fact, she didn't understand how people ever stopped themselves.

"You give the best hugs, sweetie, but don't giving random boys hugs just because you're an adult now. Those college kids aren't worth it."

"Dad... please stop."

"Yes, Daniel. She's heard enough of your speeches already. Besides, our Beth isn't that kind of woman." Miranda made her appearance, giving an appreciative glance at the her husband and daughter and then an admiring whistle at the latest addition to the Miller garage. "A little overboard, don't you think, darling?"

"What? The car?" Daniel asked. "It's not every day your daughter is heading off to Yale. Well-deserved, if you ask me."

"Well, that's true."

The three stood in silence for a few moments. There was only one topic of conversation left. Farewell. And Beth's parents were clearly unwilling to broach the subject. Beth, however, was eager. Sure, her parents seemed incredibly loving now. But, somehow, they just didn't feel like her parents anymore. Really, it had been a long time since she thought of her actual parents as family. Now? They just seemed like friendly neighbors that happen to look like her parents did.

"Time to go?" Beth asked, already knowing the answer.

"Right. Time to g... to... Oh, sweetie!!! Do you have to?!" Miranda reached out, embracing Beth as she froze up in the sudden hold. Daniel was quick to pry Miranda away, pulling her to the side, then turning back to Beth.

"Go ahead, sweetie. Get in your car. Me and your mom will drive the truck. The GPS is already programmed to the university, but just follow behind us anyway." Daniel directed Beth, all while holding his wife, who was now bawling into his shoulder. "And, Beth. We love you. Have fun."

Miranda mumbled something that Beth assumed to be "I love you", but could have honestly been any combination of three words. She smiled at them and walked over to her new car, still in disbelief that it was hers, and found the key -- which was digital and not the set her father had dangled in front of her for effect -- resting on the hood with a sealed letter beneath it. The letter had a lot of flowery writing that didn't mean much to her, but she tossed it into dash anyway for safe keeping.

Finally, when Daniel had managed to pull Miranda into the truck loaded with all of Beth's things, it pulled out of the driveway and through the gate. It was in that moment that Beth noted something odd. Her mother's hug hadn't felt quite as good. She figured it must have been because everything happened so quickly, and tossed the thought out of her mind as the engine revved and Beth set out to explore this new life.

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It wasn't until Beth arrived at her dorm, unpacked her belongings, and bid farewell to her parents, that her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown sender...