Female Novel
Chapter 832
With Karen's query "setting the mood", Jeffrey's question didn't seem so jarring or enigmatic.
It elevated the tone of our game of Truth or Dare into a no-holds-barred confessional for grown-ups.
Karen showed no signs of wanting to stop Jeffrey. Instead, her eyes bulged with excitement, flamesof gossip fanned by her eagerness.
Dorothy felt the question was too sensitive to broach and was about to suggest Jeffrey pick anotherwhen Everett spoke up beside her—
"Not her."
Silence fell over the group.
The crackling of the campfire's embers was the only sound punctuating the hush.
Everett just smirked, his gaze locking with Dorothy's without a hint of evasion, and said, "Thenwho?"
He was doing it on purpose. Dorothy knew it. It was so unlike him to joke around at a time like this!
Karen burst into laughter and immediately pressed on, "How old were you back then? A teenager?In your twenties?"
"That's another question. Wait for the bottle to come back to me."
"Deal!"
Karen was keen to keep the spotlight on Everett to satisfy her curiosity.
But the bottle, stubbornly, would either point to Jeffrey or land on Dorothy!novelbin
As the night grew denser, with only the flickering firelight dancing around...
"Last round! Time to hit the hay," Jeffrey, concerned about Karen's sleep, suggested we call it anight.
"Alright!"
Finally, after several spins, the bottle pointed straight at Everett.
But it was Dorothy who had spun it!
"Yay! Dorothy, ask him!" Karen was so excited she could hardly keep from leaping forward to askherself.
But Dorothy just smiled. She wasn't curious about that.
"Everett, truth or dare?" she inquired.
He looked up at her. "Do you want me to choose truth or dare?"
Dorothy thought for a moment. "Dare."
"Alright." Everett agreed without hesitation.
"Can I save this dare for later? You'll owe me one, no questions asked."
Jeffrey and Karen expected him to agree right away.
But Everett just looked at her, his eyes deepening, pondering for a long moment before responding.
"You're planning to have me vanish from your world one day, aren't you?"
His question was rhetorical, but the humility in his voice was unmistakable.
This was Everett, after all! Such humility should never have come from him.
They locked eyes for nearly a minute before Dorothy chuckled. "No, I'd never ask for that."
"Then I agree," he said.
Dorothy extended her pinky. "Pinky swear."
"Yeah, pinky swear." Everett linked his finger with hers.
...
Jeffrey and Karen, hand in hand, headed back to their room.
Behind them, Everett, holding his daughter and leading Langston by the hand, followed Dorothy toher room.
"Dad, Mom, go get some sleep. I've got the baby sister covered!" No sooner had they entered thanLangston volunteered himself.
Putting his sister to bed was his forte! Once she was asleep, he could play on the computer to hisheart's content!
Everett, without any pretense of politeness, nodded, pulling a still-dazed Dorothy back to his room.
"Everett, isn't it a bit inappropriate to leave them alone?"
"We're the only two rooms on this floor. What could happen?"
Dorothy had no response.
Everett wrapped her in his arms, gently kissing her forehead. "Dorothy, about that question Karenasked, do you want to know the answer?"