Where is My Dad?

        “Why didn’t he come?” I was sitting on the steps waiting for my Dad but he never came.

         “I don’t know, what made you think he would be here tonight?”  Mom had come out to see why I was outside after it had gotten dark.

         “Dad told me he would be here. Why would he say he was coming and then not show up?” I felt like crying, but boys don’t cry.

         “When you talked to him, did he give you a reason to believe that he was coming tonight?”

         “He said on Monday he would see me this Friday night! Why isn’t he here?”  I was beginning to get angry with my Dad for forgetting about me.

         “Let’s go into the house and call him.”  Mom got up, took my hand, and pulled me up. We went into the kitchen and mom made me a cup of hot chocolate to help me feel better.  She got her phone and dialed Dad’s number.  She held the phone out for me to hear the rings, but he didn’t answer.

         “Do you think he might have had to work?”  I didn’t know exactly what he did for work, but sometimes it took him far away and he did not always have time to call. 

         “He might have had an emergency and not been able to call, Tommy, try not to be to upset with him until you can talk to him and find out what happened.”

         “Okay, Mom, I’ll try.  Thanks for the hot chocolate it was really good and made me feel better.  I think I’m going to take a bath and go to bed.”

         “Is your homework finished?”

         “It’s Friday, we didn’t have any.”  I went upstairs to my room, got my pj’s, and went to take my shower.  I was still upset, but now I was beginning to worry about him.  I didn’t know what was wrong but I knew something was.

         “Tommy, Tommy, please help me!”  I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes.  I looked all around just my night light was on. “Dad?” I thought I had heard him calling me.  “I guess I was dreaming.” I laid back down and went back to sleep.

         “Tommy, help!”  I sat back up and I knew it was real this time.  I called out to him.  “Dad, where are you?”

         I looked around my room and I thought I saw a faint glimmer of light in the corner of the room.  Slowly getting out of bed, I walked to where the light was sparkling.  Every now and then I thought I saw my Dad’s face.  “Dad?”

         “Get your mom and come to the Davenport Cave and hurry please!”  He sparkled and then was gone.

         I ran down the hall and into Mom’s bedroom.  I started shaking her awake.  She opened her eyes and saw me.  “What’s wrong Tommy?”  She was scared that something had happened to me.

         “Mom we’ve got to go and go now!”

         “What do you mean go?  Go where? What time is it?”

         “Mom come on we’ve got to hurry, Dad’s in trouble and needs us!” I knew I had to make her understand that this was real.

         “Stand still so I can talk to you.  Now tell me what this is all about.”

         “Dad says to go to the Davenport Cave and hurry.”

         “When did you talk to your Dad?”

         “Just now in my bedroom.  He wasn’t really there but there was a sparkly kind of light and I could see his face and hear him.  He said to come to the cave and hurry!”  I just had to make her believe me.

         “Tommy, what are you talking about?  What are you doing?”

         I was pulling her out of bed and handing her, her jeans and top so she could get dressed and we could go to the cave.
 
         “Come on Mom, hurry!”  I had already dressed before coming to her room.

         “All right I’m up and need to dress, you wait for me in the kitchen.”

         Mom came into the kitchen and she still looked puzzled.  I handed her a cup of coffee in a to-go mug.  She took it and smiled at me.

         “Okay, let’s go and see what this is all about.”

         We drove the few miles to where the cave entrance was and parked the car in the lot.  It was beginning to get light so it was easier to see.

         “What do we do now?”  Mom asked me looking around.

         “I think we need to go in the cave a little way.”

         She took my hand in hers and held a flashlight in the other and we entered the cave.  It was dark and damp inside.  We had just started walking when we heard someone coming in after us.

         “What are you doing here at this hour?  The cave is not open yet?”  It was the park ranger; he had seen us drive in and was curious about what we were doing.

         “I have reason to believe that my husband is in here and maybe hurt.”

         “Okay, let’s go on and see if we can find him.”

         We walked down a tunnel and then we heard him calling out to us.  He had fallen into a hole and could not get out.  The hole was filling with water and it was almost over his head.

         “Dad!” I yelled and ran to the hole.  The park ranger, Mom, and me grabbed him, caught his arms, and pulled until we got him out.

         “Thanks, you just saved my life.  I am sorry that I did not make it tonight.”

         “Dad, I am just glad that you are okay.  Why were you in the cave?”

         “That is not something I can talk about, but thanks for coming after me.”

         “I saw you in my room! How did you do that?”

         He just smiled and said, “I can’t talk about that either.”

         Dad has always been a little mysterious.