After getting ready, Damon raced down the hall to get to the kitchen only to pause at the sight of a thin man sitting down hunched over the dining table with his head in his hands. Beside the man was Riley with her hair done in a braid playing with her dragon stuffed toy on her lap.

  "Morning dad." Damon's excited greetings were answered with a grunt from his father who didn't bother raising his head. Damon raised his brows hearing his father before turning to his mother who had her back to him overlooking a pot Damon assumed to be breakfast.

  "What happened to him?" Damon asked

  "What happened to him?" Damon winced upon hearing the rising anger in his mother's tone that she tried to hide in sarcasm but her aggressive stirring of the pot revealed her true feelings. Damon witnessing this and not wishing to be on his mothers 'angry at' list, beelined to the dishes and utensils on the counter to help set the table, smiling sweetly at his mother while doing so.

  "Robert, you heard the boy. Why don't you explain why his father is hungover on the day of his son's Awakening Ceremony?"

  "Yea, explain" Riley, like her mother, demanded answers with her hands on her hips that quickly shifted to catching her dragon stuffed toy that fell from her lap.

  Peeking out from the corner of his eye, Damon was greeted by the sight of his father lifting his head out from his hands where strands of his shoulder-length brown hair fell over his brown eyes that were currently glaring at him. Damon smiled sheepishly in response.

  "C'mon explain to the boy." Damon watched his mother bring the pot to the center of the table before scooping the soup out the pot to pour it in everyone's bowl. Leaving her husband for last, she paused to glare at her husband who could only respond by grabbing his bowl and lifting it, not forgetting to accompany the bowl with an apologetic smile. Damon watched his mother's eyes soften before pouring the soup, rolling her eyes while doing so.

  With everyone seated and the table set, no one picked up their utensils to eat. Instead they waited for the chef to give the signal to bless the food. A moment later the lady of the house cleared her throat and said "Bow your heads for the spirits that come to bless the food."

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  With their eyes closed and mouths shut, they gave the Spirits their moment to bless the food. After a full minute, ten seconds given to every Spirit to bless the food and ten seconds to leave, the Beaumont family opened their eyes and dug in.

  Damon immediately began devouring his food, ignoring the the giggles coming from Riley and the heated glare from his mother. The only thing on his mind was the Awakening Ceremony that is to be held in a few hours and he couldn't wait to get there.

  "Are you ready son?" Damon paused his meal to nod, an answer his father wasn't fond of as he asked another question." I mean, are you ready for the outcome? You have to remember that only two to three awakeners are found every year here in Sparking City."

  "Robert." Damon bowed his head, choosing to swirl the soup in front of him after hearing his mother's stern voice. " I'm sure he's well aware of his chances."

  "Is he? His chances at Awakening are nearly nil, Lisa." Damon heard his father adopt a stern tone similar to his mother and knew an argument was coming.

  Damon shifted his attention from his meal to his parents who were currently having a conversation with their eyes while Riley sat in between them with her stuffed dragon clutched to her chest. Feeling responsible for the situation, Damon answered his father.

  "I know dad. I am well aware of my chances. I know small cities like ours only get around two to three Awakeners every year and in worst cases only one. But..." Damon paused for a moment after seeing he got his parents undivided attention " But that doesn't mean anything to me. Two to three people out of the thousands that show up will Awaken, those are still chances I'm willing to take. Spirits, even if it's just one person that Awakens in the entire city" Damon with a confident look on his face jammed his thumb to his chest "I'll be that one."

  Damon watched his parents stare blankly at him for a few moments, nearly causing his confidence to waver before smiles broke out on their faces. Damon watched his father let out a proud laugh and his mother go back to helping Riley with her food whilst carrying a small smile on her face. Without turning to face her son, she reprimanded him "Don't ever use the Spirts name in vain again." A bitter smile was the response her eldest gave.

  "That's my boy." Damon sent a proud look at his father that quickly morphed into a grimace after witnessing the proud smile on his father's face fade into a wince of pain as he went back into having his head in his hands. Damon once made a promise to himself when he was younger that he would never drink alcohol and from observing his father, he mentally patted himself on the back for his wise decision.

  "Yea, go wake up big brother." Riley shouted her support for Damon who rolled his eyes his eyes with a smile before correcting her. "It's Awake- you know what forget it. Thank you, Riles."Damon smiled at the sight of his smiling family and was grateful for their support.

  He just hoped he could live up to his own words.