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, mes


    of gossip fanned by her eagerness.


    Dorothy felt the question was too sensitive to broach and was about to suggest Jeffrey pick another


    when 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, "Then


    who?"


    He was doing it on purpose. Dorothy knew it. It was so unlike him to joke around at a time like this!


    Karen burst intoughter and immediately pressed on, "How old were you back then? A teenager?


    In your twenties?"


    "That''s another question. Wait for the bottle toe 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 ornd on Dorothy!


    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 a


    night.


    "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 ask


    herself.


    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 forter? 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 nning to have me vanish from your world one day, aren''t you?"


    His question was rhetorical, but the humility in his voice was unmistakable.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    This was Everett, after all! Such humility should never havee 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 to


    her room.


    "Dad, Mom, go get some sleep. I''ve got the baby sister covered!" No sooner had they entered than


    Langston volunteered himself.


    Putting his sister to bed was his forte! Once she was asleep, he could y on theputer to his


    heart''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 Karen


    asked, do you want to know the answer?"