Knock

Darby swung open the door to her room with a thump. And stood in her doorway with a strong stance as if she was ready for battle. Her mother, who had been out in the hallway, was startled by the sudden sound and whipped her head around to look at her. Looking over Darby to make sure every hair was in place, she studied her from head to toe with her critical gaze. Spotting the difference right away when she spied that Darby's dress was now split into two parts instead of one full skirt. She felt her rage at Darby's insistence on rebelling rising up again.

"Darby!" she shrieked. "What have you done to your dress! How dare you! You refuse to let me teach you! You won't listen to me and you refuse to behave properly! That is it, young Lady, you're going to have a talk with your father! He will straighten you out!"

Darby was being dragged away again by her mother. This time down the stairs, her feet fumbling and tripping as she tried to keep up with her mother's angry pace and rough pulling. She was led down a long dark hallway. It was completely quiet here. Her father's study was at the end of the corridor and it was the rule of the house that it be kept absolutely quiet while he was working in there. They reached the huge wooden door. Darby looked up at the big door, which felt ominous today. She gulped but tried to put on a brave face so her mother wouldn't know she was feeling nervous. She wasn't sure if her father would side with her or her mother, being scolded again by her other parent sounded terrible. She wasn't sure if she could take it.

"Knock and go in" her mother said, still annoyed, "then tell your father how you've been behaving today." With a "hmph!" Her mother left her alone in front of the dark silent door, which seemed to grow bigger and bigger the longer she stood in front of it and Darby felt like she was shrinking smaller and smaller as stood there, alone. She gathered her courage together, took a deep breath and rapped her knuckles on the large wooden door. The sound of her knocking felt like thunder in the absolute silence of the corridor. She waited for the response, clenching and unclinching her fists. Waiting in the silence felt heavy on her shoulders. After what felt like an eternity, there was finally a voice heard in the quiet, the deep tone of her father's voice.

"...Come in." Darby reached for the large golden doorknob, the metal felt cold in her small hands, she turned it, pushed and entered. There was a loud creak as it was pushed open, light streamed into the room on the other side of the door and Darby had to lift her hand to shield her eyes as she blinked and adjusted after walking in from the dark corridor. Her father's office walls were a deep emerald green and had shelves filled with books from floor to ceiling. There was a large globe and maps and interesting artifacts and things to look at. No matter where she turned in the office, there was always something fascinating to catch her imagination and intrigue her eyes. There in the middle of the room, seated in a wide velvet chair, was her father. He had warm brown hair, with bright blue eyes that could either be very stern or sparkling. He was dressed in a deep blue silk and velvet smoking jacket and had a thick mustache that slightly curled in at the ends. Darby studied her father's face to try to find if he was in a good mood or a bad, but his expression did not give her any hints, it was perfectly neutral. She stood looking at her father, waiting for him to speak first.

"So…" his deep voice drew out, "I heard that you have been having some disagreements with your mother." Darby's eyes quickly looked down at the hardwood floor. Her eyes stung as she held back tears. She had been holding back so much already that she felt exhausted and weak in front of her father. Her tears welled up in her eyes and a single drop was about to tip over the edge when her father suddenly pushed out his chair from his desk and he made a single gesture, leaned down ever so slightly and opened his arms to her. Darby jerked her head up, startled at his sudden movement, and looked to see what he was doing. And at this simple gesture, she instantly burst into tears. Tears streaming down her cheeks as she ran to hug her father. Finally, feeling safe to show her emotions, she held onto him and sobbed into his jacket.

"Papa" she cried, struggling to stop the flow of tears and pent-up, hurt emotions. Her father gently scooped her up for a hug and softly patted her back, he whispered warmly.

"There, there darling." Darby, still struggling through her sobs, stuttered.

"Pa-papa! The ma-magnifying gl-glass you gave me…go-got broken!"

"Oh dear, I can always get you another one." he said softly.

"B-but it was special! I wanted to ke-keep it!" Darby cried out, still unable to stop her tears.

"Well, let me see…" he muttered as he opened drawers in his desk and searched up papers and items. "Hmm..I am sure it was around here somewhere…Aha!" He pulled another magnifying glass from a desk drawer and presented it to Darby.

"Oh! Thank you Papa!" she sniffled, tears still streaming down her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him again. She took the magnifying glass and fiddled with it in her small hands.

"Was that all Darby?" Darby looked down at her hands as her eyes darted back and forth, struggling with the tears ready to fall again.

"No, that's not all."