Chapter 29: The Parker Game

The lunch was filled with bullying, promises of revenge, and bickering between Liam's parents. I, as well as the husbands of Liam's sisters, could only find the situation amusing. Soon we were in the garden, waiting for the game to begin.

"Who wants to participate?" Karen asks as all the brothers walk to the center of the garden.

"Last time you guys broke my arm, I'm out". Matthew says raising his hands in surrender, making me look at him in awe.

"I'm not crazy enough to agree to play this game with you either". Erick says, already walking in the opposite direction.

"Trust me, you don't want to be a part of this". Lucas says and follows Erick, Matthew and Victor.

"Don't listen to them Helena, this is the best game you could play". Lilian says pulling me to the center of the garden.

"Only we are a little bit obsessed with winning, so we can be mistaken for crazies at some point in the game". Karen says with a smile on her face.

"I think I'd better..." I start to speak, trying to get back.

"It's gone, it's already arrived in the middle of the garden and it's already inside". Vidia speaks with a smile, pulling me to her side.

"Take it easy, you'll like it". Liam says, winking at me with a mischievous smile.

I just smile, not really believing it. Soon Liam's father appears and stands in the center, receiving everyone's attitude.

"As always, the game is free and has no rules. But I would like to make it very clear that if anyone gets hurt this year, your mother will ban this game forever". Seriously. "That means, Karen, no pushing anyone off the roof". Speaks up to her daughter with a scolding look on her face.

"Understood, boss". Speaks like a soldier, making everyone laugh.

"Who did she push off the roof?" I ask Liam startled.

"Her husband". He answers normally, as if it were something simple.

I widen my eyes, not believing it.

"Liam, no more locking your sisters in the basement". Dad scolds him with a look, and he raises his hands in surrender and cracks a mischievous smile.

"But I didn't hurt them". Speaks as if it were justification.

"Vidia and Giulia, no bothering the neighbors or hiring outsiders to help you". Speaks and the two agree.

"And Lilian, for the love you feel for your mother, don't ever use fire to stop your brothers from reaching the line".

"I promise Dad". Speaks with an angelic smile.

Then I realized that in the camp they were calm and normal, that it was no challenge.

"And Helena, are you sure you want to participate?" Liam's father asks me.

"No". I answered quickly, already feeling that my heart wanted to burst out of my mouth.

"She's in, don't worry, we'll take it easy". Karen says showing me a sweet smile.

How could I believe her when she threw her own husband off the roof? Who does that?

"The game chosen for this year is a scavenger hunt". Liam announces and everyone celebrates.

"I love it". Giulia speaks excitedly.

"The prize is this teddy bear with the head of an owl and the body of a dragon". She says, showing the plush toy that looks like it was sewn by hand.

Everyone applauds the prize and I can already see them changing their features.

"I will give you the first clue of the game and there are 20 more clues until you reach the place where the great big Corugon will be". Speaks excitedly. "The first clue is to find the egg quickly, you have to keep your feet warm". Speaks and gives a minute of silence. "Let the games begin". Speaks and blows a loud whistle.

Everyone runs into the house and I go along, without even having understood the hint.

"Are you looking in the sofa?" Keren judges her sister who was rummaging through the living room sofa.

"I put my feet between the cushions when I want to keep them warm". Speaks as if it were obvious and Karen leaves in another direction of the house.

What makes your feet warm? I look down at my feet and see the sock I put over my heels and smile, going up the stairs. I open a few doors until I find a room and walk to the dressers, rummaging through them.

If someone told me that on the first day at my "in-laws'" house I would be going through their sock drawers, I would say that the person hit their head too hard. But here I was, looking for a golden envelope.

I smile until I find it and open it. The note said: don't give up this race and warm up your food for a minute. I get confused and stop for a moment to think. Could it be the oven? When I turn around I run into Liam, who is looking at me with a strange smile.

"How smart you are, it looks like I've got myself a bride to match". Speaks and pulls the paper from my hand, already reading.

I try to take it back, but he raises his arms and I jump around trying to reach it.

"I found Liam, this is wrong". I talk angrily at him.

"No rules, remember?" Speaks with an evil smile and goes downstairs.

He runs straight into the kitchen and opens the oven, starting everything from the inside. I roll my eyes, wanting to throw something heavy at his head. I look at the microwave and see that there was something inside.

I open it and see a plate with ice, the golden paper was frozen. I open a smile and put it on to warm it up. Liam was already beside me and as soon as the microwave beeped we started to fight to see who would get it. We ended up knocking over the microwave when we reached for the envelope, but neither of us gave in.

"A truce". He says while we are holding the paper, which would tear if we continue. "Let's read it together".

"I'll read it, you can't be trusted". I speak and he nods. "I'm a container where the plant grows happily". I grimace. "What a bad rhyme". I say, smiling.

"Thank you, suckers". Karen says running past both of us, and her sisters are also behind them.

"Your apologies". I and Liam shout at the same time to each other, soon running after the girls.