Emmeline's experiment and the unintended side effects had an impact on the entire family. It took about a week for Emmeline's side effects to go away completely. Matthew refused to help Emmeline with any more of her 'little experiments' and absolutely refused to escort her off the premises. Matthew didn't need Gregory to threaten him. Ania kept poking and checking in with Emmeline, which reminded Emmeline of a buzzing fly. Gregory was overly cautious and missed several days of work, even when they needed the money to feed Matthew as he was eating them out of house and home!
After a while Emmeline 'forgot' about her little experiment thinking it was for the best. Unfortunately because she was unable to leave the premise she missed all of Matthew's soccer games and that hurt her. Gregory attended every local game at the request of Emmeline. While she was sad that she wasn't able to share in the excitement she still wanted the family to be there and support him. Matthew deserved their cheering voices she wasn't so selfish to deny him that. Ania was the only one to attend all of the games (hitching rides with the team) and Gregory even allowed her to be visible for the home games, which thrilled Ania to no end! Matthew and Ania always made sure to give Emmeline the play by play with the occasional demonstration in the yard. Each time she watched their show, she felt a pang of regret or loss, but did well to hide the feeling in front of the others.
At the end of the season the high school sports teams had their banquet. Matthew begged to go to the banquet. When Gregory saw the price of the tickets he balked. They couldn't afford this!
"You do realize we will have to cut this money from somewhere in the budget? Do you still want to go?" Gregory looked over the accounts mentally figuring out how they could afford it. Even with cutting things out it would be difficult.
"I would like to sir, but I understand. I shouldn't be selfish." Matthew was upset, but he understood that money was not in unlimited supply. To think when he was younger he thought all you had to do was swipe a credit card!
As he was walking out the door, Emmeline leaned over and slapped the ghost next to her. She had a look on her face 'don't you dare make that boy feel guilty. This banquet is a special occasion!'
Gregory set the pen down, "Son, we can go. It's not that big of a deal. We have the money." Gregory was lying, but he wasn't about to tell the boy that. The daggers that were shooting out of Emmeline's eyes vanished and a smile was all that remained. Gregory shook his head not exactly sure how he was going to have to make this work.
"Emmeline love, is there anything that we can sell?"
"I'll go and check, there has to be something!"
***
Matthew was getting ready for the event. He wore a navy blue suit and jacket. Emmeline created a special ascot for the occasion, it had their school mascot embroidered on it. He wore his brown dress shoes. He fixed his collar in front of the mirror, his bright blue eyes shining back. He recalled how Emmeline had made this suit to match his eyes.
Emmeline saw him coming down the stairs, "How handsome, you both look so handsome."
Gregory raised his brows, he looked the same. "Matthew, that is a smart suit. Nice choice."
Emmeline walked over to Matthew and fixed his ascot, it was perfectly fine. Emmeline didn't know why she did this. "Now, I want you to memorize the entire event. From what the place looked like, to how the food tasted, no detail is too small. I want to be able to close my eyes when you are telling me about it and feel as if I am there."
Matthew nodded, "Of course Emmy, between the three of us we will tell you all about it, it will be as though you are sitting next to us."
"Go now, or you'll be late." Emmeline shooed them out the door. Part of her reason for kicking them out of the house was because she was starting to feel the tugging in her chest and the loneliness was consuming her soul. Emmeline screamed at the top of her lungs to vent her frustrations at being left behind once again. The people in the car where chatting merrily while Emmeline screamed.
The candles and lanterns that had been illuminating the room extinguished. The room was eerily cold and deathly quiet after she finished. She wrapped her arms around herself trying to calm down, she could already feel the cold spot forming and it was only getting larger. If she didn't contain her feelings it could envelope the house. She exited the house and headed to the cemetery, she could really use the peace and quiet of the dead.
In the car on the way to the banquet, Matthew had a sudden chill that ran down his spine and chilled him to the bone. The chilly feeling was brief and then he was back to back to normal. He didn't think anything of it other than the brief thought of Emmeline by herself at the Octagon House.
***
The banquet was crowded as both teams were there, the varsity and junior varsity soccer teams and their families. Matthew could feel his palms beginning to sweat and his heart was racing. He took a few breaths to calms himself down. He glanced over at Gregory who he could see his eyes moving observing all the people.
A tiny voice next to Matthew spoke. "Matt, looks who's here." Ania spoke in a whisper, not that it mattered with the number of people in the room.
Matthew looked back towards the room and he saw a face he wasn't expecting, Erin. She looked lovely with her hair up and she was wearing a simple short black dress and red cardigan. She waved at him and he waved back.
When she started coming over he began to get even more nervous than he was before. He glanced again at Gregory who was now looking towards where Matthew had waved and noticed the girl approaching.
"Erin, how are you?"
She smiled and his heart thumped, "I'm doing well."
"Why are you here?"
"The tennis banquet. You're here for the soccer one no doubt! I bet the school gets a discount." She laughed.
Gregory nudged him, "Oh, pardon my manners, this is my papa." motioning to the man who stood next to him. "Papa, this is my friend Erin Dawson. She is the one who has been helping me with science."
"Pleasure to meet you, Ms Dawson."
"You too Mr. Casper, pleasure to meet you." Erin looked at the father son pair and couldn't help but notice both of them were dressed to the nines for the school fall sports banquet. It made sense now; Matt's formal way of speaking he definitely picked it up from his father! "Well, my parents are waiting for me, I better get going. See ya tomorrow Matt. Bye Mr. Casper."
"A girl friend? You never told us?"
Matthew could feel his face getting hot. "We're just friends and she tutors me in science and I help her with french, its really no big deal."