The rest of the still life had begun to fade into black again. When I returned the cup to its former location, the colors flashed back into view with ...ven more intensity. My whole family struggled to interpret the phenomenon with no success.Kendra had been doodling in clay as I painted for the past hour. I finally put my brush down and sighed.“I don’t know if I should exhibit it. I think it’s finished. What do you think?”Kendra wiped her hands on a towel and came to stand beside me. She bumped. "Why did you want to come with me tonight?" I asked, holding her close."Well, it's weird. I mean, in a bizarre way, you're something like a cross between a step-father, a brother-in-law and a friend. But when I got right down to it, I looked around at the boys in the school, and I decided that of all the guys, you were the one that I would want to go to prom with, given a chance. I realized that you probably wouldn't think of it, and that you were likely taking Gemma, so I knew I'd have to ask. I walked over to them and he stood as I approached the table and she introduced us and told me he was her father. I was a little shocked she had brought him along and was not sure how he would react since she and I were both married but not to each other. Frankly, I was nervous as hell. We chatted a bit and finally she looked at me and said she had something very private and personal to tell me. I glanced at her father and he just sort of smiled at me. She cleared her throat and started telling. You should also ask how we knew your own door, after all, there are four doors here. Why did we come here in the dead of the night instead of at daytime? Why did we use the deep-sleep charm on your warriors instead of asking them to send for you?’ The sarcasm dripping from Augustine’s voice would fill an earthen water pot as he moved and sat down on the floor. ‘Don’t be angry that I doubted you,’ whispered Chidebem, giving himself a mental shake. ‘It’s just that I didn’t know…I didn’t think…it.