Lost Relations

The fog was unusually thick that morning as Wrinkles and his two young counterparts carried the unconscious woman and baby to a gated neighbourhood. Here the houses were huge and luxuries looking. This was a place which Wrinkles wanted to avoid at all cost. Uptown Acres. He felt that this was not the place for someone like him, a traveling outcast, but there was other no choice. Trying to be as discreet as they could they carefully made their way across the many mansions and luxuries street lights. The people who lived here, were just like him, and the two boys who were with him. The only difference was that they had used their abilities and talents for less heroic things, and more mundane and more 9-5 office hour kind of things. Here for example those who had super speed, became secretaries who made coffee as well as arrange schedules for their superiors. Others who had the ability to manipulate ice for instance used their abilities to make all sorts of ice creams and start small franchises. Those who were super geniuses resided in office cubicles getting paid monthly. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with these occupations, but Wrinkles felt that there was more to abilities than to enhance one’s resume. Perhaps that is why he felt contended to sleep on park benches rather than buy a house and pay installments for the rest of his life.

Finally, they reached a house with a huge gate painted a picket fence white. It had a homely feel to it. Like one of those adverts which had the most perfect and ideal family promoting some sort of product like oranges, that added to their suburban bliss.

Wrinkle’s quietly moved towards the gate, and pushed it. It slowly creaked opened.

He gave a sigh, and turned to the boys.

“Hey old man. Do you know the people who live here? This is Uptown Acres. Proper folk live here. Not like us wandering vagabonds,” Dany said.

“Don’t worry boys. I’m sure this family won’t call the cops on us,” Wrinkles answered.

"Why? Do you friends with them or something?" Scrubs said.

Wrinkles didn’t reply but gave a sigh, as he walked towards the red coloured door which looked like it had come from a family sitcom.

Wrinkles knocked on the door politely.

There were sounds of footsteps running

Then the door opened. A woman with medium-length curly red orange hair was standing at the doorway.

Their eyes met. Her eyes widened in shock!

"Papa ! Is that you?"

“Papa?!” the two boys said, in surprised.

“I didn’t know that, Wrinkles, I mean Mr Alexander had family,” Scrubs whispered.

“Neither did I. I though he was an outcast like us,” Danny said.

Wrinkle’s daughter gave her father an awkward hug. Wrinkle cringed but place his hand around her.

He then cleared his throat.

"So Rebecca’s dear, is your husband home? We need a doctor urgently," Wrinkles said holding up a crystal-encased hand.

She nodded.

“You’re just in time. He was just about to go to work. He’s on night shift duty today,” Rebecca said.

A voice came from down the upstairs of the house.

“Honey, have you seen my tie? The red one. It’s the only one that fits with my pinstripe suit,” a manly voice said.

“Oh, it’s probably in the dryer. I just did the laundry yesterday. By the way, do come down. We’ve got some unexpected visitors,” she said.

“Oh, who is it? The neighbours?” a tall brown-haired, man in glasses said as he come down the stairs.

He froze halfway as he caught the sight of Wrinkles.

“Oh, it’s your father,” he said, in a tone as sour as someone who had drink a whole bottle on lemon juice without any sugar.

“Nice to see you too, James,” Wrinkles said, in a very forced tone.

For a moment both man gave each other angry stares like rival cats fighting over a mate.

Luckily Rebecca quick gave a cough and tried to dispel the situation.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Do come in,” she said.

She then caught sight of the two boys, with the unconscious woman on the stretcher and the baby.

“Yes, and do bring your guest in too, papa,” she said.

She turned to her husband and gave him a knowing nod.

Dr Arbuckle gave a sigh as he came down the stairs. His father-in-law never came for friendly visits.

It took about half-hour of explaining from Scrubs and Danny, before Rebecca and her husband were updated with the entire situation. Dr Arbuckle looked uneasily at his long-lost father-in-law. He had forgotten the reason why he never liked the man but it was all coming back now, especially since he brought a complete stranger, he had found in a dumpsite for him to treat. Unfortunately, Wrinkle was Rebecca’s father so there was an obligation to help.

The two men stared uneasily at each other, wondering what to say after all these years. Wrinkles tried to break the silence as the doctor took a look at his father in laws hand.

“There are minor fractures on the bone, but nothing too serious,” Dr Arbuckle said.

“How long will take to heal?” Wrinkle’s replied.

“A few months,” the doctor replied.

“A few months? Isn’t there anything you could do to make it faster,” Wrinkle’s said.

“Do I look like I have a healing ability?” Dr Arbuckle replied slightly annoyed.

Healers were rare, and in the entire world of supers, they could only be counted by a handful. They were quickly recruited by the World Rulers to serve under them and be their private doctors, becoming extremely wealthy. Regular doctors had powers, but usually had nothing to do with healing. Come to think of it, Wrinkle’s wasn’t really sure what kind of ability Dr Arbuckle had. It was probably something low-level, like super stretchy arms or maybe the ability to turn into plastic. Whatever it was, the doctor never showed it. Wrinkle’s suspected he was rather ashamed of the ability.

Suddenly, there was the sounds of a baby crying. Wrinkles turn to see the baby at the couch, but she was fast asleep.

Rebecca looked upstairs. "Oh, I almost forgot. Papa, you’re a grandfather now. He's only two months old,"

"What?," Wrinkles said, his face suddenly softening.