The Ghost Boy (A Danny Phantom Fanfiction)

Chapter Eight

Danny's POV

My brooding was short lived. Gently placing a mug of tea, a sugar bowl with a teaspoon and a biscuit tin in front of me, she grabbed her cup and sat down opposite me.

I dared to look up at her. Her face was kind and caring, but that did not bring justice to my nervousness.

"So..." she started, after taking a sip of her tea. "Where are your parents? Do they know where you intended to go?"

I opened my mouth, then slowly closed it again. Crap, what could I say to that? Should I just come out with the fact that she might be my mother? Okay, no way am I doing that. But it seemed like the easiest and most short winded idea I had... Ugh. Why was life never easy?

I slowly shook my head, and she sighed.

"Where do your parents live? Do you know your address?"

I shook my head. Damn. What was I supposed to say?

"I... I don't know where my parents are."

Her expression was unreadable, but she had frozen. Her cup was to her lips, but she wasn't drinking. The mug was poised. "What do you mean by that? If you don't mind me asking."

I looked away from her, then back. It was almost like her hardened expression was a magnet, and it made me face her. "I don't know where they are. They're kind of... Well, missing."

"Oh, dear... Is there anything me and my husband can do to help? Do you need a place to stay?"

I smiled, but debated. Should I stay here? If I went anywhere, where would I go? She seems like the only person at the moment who would be willing to take me in. But wouldn't it be really awkward if I lived here for an unknown amount of time without telling her the truth?

I slowly took a biscuit from the biscuit tin, watching her. She didn't stop me, she didn't do anything. She just looked at me worriedly. I awkwardly nibbled on the biscuit, and after I had finished it, I began taking another, and another, and dunking them in my tea. Hey, don't judge... What would you do if to you hadn't eaten in ten years? Well, considering I used to be... well, dead... I didn't need it, but still.

Wow... This is really awkward...

I tried to swallow, but for a minute I could have sworn I'd forgotten how.

Ugh... It's certainly been a while.

"Uhm... Yeah, that would be great." I smiled. "Thanks."

She smiled too, then reached over the table and placed a hand on mine. "Don't worry, we'll find your parents. Don't think of the worst, we'll sort everything, okay?"

For a second I felt genuinely grateful how willing she was to help me. Then again, she was a mother, wasn't she? Aren't all parents like that? Like, maternal instinct and stuff? Not to mention she lost her son ten years ago. How would you react if it was you? Would you not savour your other child like they were your last dying breath?

Yeah, I thought so.

Speaking of which... Yep, I opened my mouth again. How dumb... "So, do you have any children or anything?"

She hesitated, slowly lowering her mug. I heard her clear her throat before she spoke, "Yes, actually. She's sixteen. Her name's Jasmine. I think she's upstairs, actually. Would you like to meet her?"

Personally, I didn't think now was a good time. "I'm sorry, not to be mean or anything, but... I only just met you... would it not be awkward if I met the rest of your family straight after?"