Indiana, Invincible; Chapter 5, Part 4

by Maryam in A Land Of Desert And Sun

(Liam's POV)
The Rheston Residence, Same Time

My house is silent; Mum's getting a rest in bed, probably reading one of her self-help books (you have no idea how well-read I am of the eminient Dr. Laura Schlessinger; there are no limits to things you read when you're bored), and Dad's late at work, and I know why.
The stealing attempt.
They have no idea who tried to do it; my dad's company assumes it was one of its enemies, but Dad didn't look too convinced. I wondered why, because art theft (or attempt of art theft) is one of the most widespread forms of it, isn't it?
But still. You never know.
And that is why I started researching.

(Indiana's POV)
The Finnigan Residence

'Dad?'
My voice, to my ears, sounds rather timid; through the teeny crack I've opened the door to, I see my father yawn, stretch, and, blinking like an owl behind his glasses, he turns to me. Taking a second, he smiles.
'Hello, Indy. Back from school already?'
I laugh and venture into his study.
'It's been about an hour, Dad. I made an apple pie, by the way, too.'
He raises his eyebrows and widens his eyes playfully, and I go over and kiss him once on each cheek, then sit on the floor, looking up at him inquiringly. 'Are you busy?'
He shrugs and wheels his chair away from the table, then stands up, stretching again. When he sits down, he takes off his glasses, rubs his eyes wearily, and looks at me with his brown eyes, a tad darker than mine. 'I'm not busy. I've found out all anyone could possibly need to know about dragons and all that rubbish about where they originate' -
'M----!' (Special Note For Susmi: See If You Can Guess Who That Is)
We both turn to the door, where my mom is standing, looked at Dad with a bemused smile on her face and a tray in one hand. She flits over to Dad, puts the tray on the table, ignoring the greedy look he sends towards it, and leans down, looking him in the eyes.
'Your writing is not rubbish! Tut, tut, dear,' she stands straight again and steps away, 'discouraged already?'
Oh, no, she's teasing him again - his eyes narrow, but I see the twinkle of a grin in them. 'Oh, really, M-----?' (Another NTS) 'Whose book was on the New York Times bestseller list for a longer time last year? Mine or yours?'
She ignores the grin that comes from my father and sniffs. 'That's just because I finished it and got it done earlier. I don't ask my editors for extra time, that's certain.'
My mother walks away, and my dad shouts after her, 'You could certainly use a lesson from me, dearest, Finn's Hide was considerably longer than your last.' I'm laughing by now, and he winks at me. We both listen hard.
I can hear Mom going up the stairs as she yells back, 'QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY, DEAREST!'
We've positively dissolved into giggles by now; finally, my dad turns to me. The tiredness in his eyes are gone, and now there's a spark of merriment in them that wasn't there before.
'So, Indy dear, what were you asking again?'