Of Course

You don't have much voice but you call out anyway. "Abigail, are you there?"

She opens the door and locks it behind her. She comes over to the bed and wraps her arms around you. She knows you very well and knows it would take something serious to put you into this state. "It was a letter from your father, wasn't it?" You just nod as your voice fails you. "Our Dad was a great man. He loved us the best he could. Always seemed to know just what to do to help us, support us and guide us. I miss him so much and I'm sure you do to." She pauses for a moment as she sits in your lap, still wrapping you in her embrace. You loosely hug her back. "You started doing something he used to do recently. Do you know what it is?" You shake your head not sure what she is referring to. "When life was hard or there was a decision to be made, Dad would ask me a question to help me see my choices. He never forced me to pick but when I said the answer, it seemed to make going with the choice easier. He would say Would you rather... And then he would give me two options. You started doing that too." Abigail was very smart and observant. She was very quick to pick up on what you had been doing even if you were not exactly being subtle about it. "He would do it a lot with Mom and Aunt Linda when he thought we weren't paying attention but he would sometimes do with us kids. And whatever was picked, always seemed to happen like magic." She lifts your chin and looks straight into your eyes. You feel her stare, her intensity and mostly her love. "I'm going to tell you something I have never told anyone. I'm not entirely sure that it's related but I think it is. It was my first birthday after we combined houses. We were at the old place crammed in and trying to figure out how to work together as a family. It was late and everyone had gone to bed or so I had thought. I came down and got a glass of water and was just looking out the window at the stars. Dad came in and gave me a hug and just watched with me for a few minutes. We saw a shooting star and he told me to make a wish and so I did. I wished that him and you would be blessed for joining us. That that blessing would make our lives easier and better. I remember wishing it with all my heart that we would be the best family." Surprise is written all over your face as she continues. "After that, things started to get easier. It was subtle, but the family got along more. Everyone got used to one another. We moved not too long after that out here to this wonderful home. Dad was always there, lifting us up and guiding us. Quietly asking questions and allowing us to grow. Always supporting us every step. But that phrase would stick out, Would you rather, but I didn't fully place it before we lost him." Sadness took a hold of her for a moment before she continued. "But last night, when you asked us all those questions as a group, I placed it. Dad used to do stuff like that from time to time, though usually only with one or two of us. So little brother..." Her gaze turning even more intense as she asks: "Would you rather share why you started asking questions that way or am I going to have to force it out of you?" She offers you a big smile as she asks and softens her gaze.

You laugh finally. You do not feel compelled to answer but do so anyway. "Abigail, I am going to share with you what I know but know I am still figuring it out. I will need your help and wisdom still. And for now, can we keep it between us?" She nods and lets you continue. "Yesterday, a booming voice appeared in my dream and yelled at me. It gave me a choice to continue life as is or be blessed with power. I picked power and it said to simply ask would you rather and that it was done. Scared me deeply. When I woke up yesterday, I really had thought it was just a dream. But then Naomi came in and I tested it by asking her a question... And it worked. Again and again it worked. And I had one of the most amazing days ever. I want to keep it going. I want to make you all as happy as I can. I want to use this gift to do wonderful things. Dad's letter there, he had a gift too. And he did use it to improve our lives. I want to live up to him and continue to make him proud." You pause as look at her intently before continuing. "So... will you help me? Even knowing I have this power. Will you stay?"

"Dummy..." She kisses you deeply. "I know you are a good man and you are so good to me. I am not going anywhere. And I am going to help you with this. But you are going to have to be a little more subtle or everyone is going to figure it out. And once the secret is out of the house... We will have bigger problems."