Status: Polishing and adding other details.
Never Forget You
Twelve.
Not long after Joshua and I made our way back into the house, did Taylor and I get ready to leave. Joshua's breakdown wasn't brought up. Everyone was wise enough to avoid it all together. We all had our breakdown, and suffered from ill thoughts, and stormy feelings. It was only natural.
"So, do I get to drive?" Taylor leaving up against the kitchen counter beside me, where I stood packing things into my purse. A purse that was Celina's. A beige purse with two buckled pockets in the front, and a spacious inside, with a long strap. Inside was a wallet that was also hers, the only real things inside of it was my bank card and a couple bills. Earlier in the week, we all went to the bank to get new bank cards, and went to the government buildings to apply for new legal ids and documents.
I scoffed. "No way. I don't trust you driving. You're a boy. You naturally go 100 miles over the speed limit. I escaped death once, I don't want to try again." I said, slipping the iron pill bottle into the bag, along with my cell phone.
Taylor faked being offended. "Why, I would never!" I put my hand to his mouth.
"Just get in the car." I said, handing him the keys. He turned around, and went to the front door.
Cyrus rounded the corner at a dangerous speed and slammed into my legs, nearly knocking me over.
"You're leaving?" He asked, looking up at me, as I took him in my arms.
"I'm just going out for a little while. I'll be back really soon! Do you want something while I'm out? A toy?"
He pondered for a moment. "A dog!" His eyes shining.
"A toy dog?"
He shook his head. "No! A real dog!"
I laughed. "I don't know, sweetie. I don't think that's possible right now. But we'll see, ok? Now, you'll have to be good for Dominick, and Stella, Natalie and Joshua, ok?"
He nodded vigorously. "If I'm good, will you get me a dog?"
"You guys leaving?" Dominick came up beside me, taking a peek inside my purse, and nodding at the pill bottle. I looked at him, thanking him fully with my eyes. The conversation steering away from the dog.
"Yeah. We shouldn't be long. Be home for dinner, definitely." I smiled at him, as he brushed a stray hair from my face.
"Don't worry about not coming back soon. Just go out and enjoy yourself. Get your mind off everything else. You need to have some fun." I knew what he was hinting towards by saying 'everything else'.
"Of course. Take care of Cyrus. Have fun!" I slipped the bag onto my shoulder. Dominick reached out and took Cyrus from me, after I gave him a kiss on the head.
"Bye, Gia." Cyrus waved.
"Will do. Bye, Cyrus." I went to the front door, and slipped on a pair of flats. Opening the door, I heard Dominick call out.
"I'm having Taylor report back to me on what you've eaten today!" I rolled my eyes, and closed the door.
Just as we climbed into the car, my phone started to ring. I dug it out of my purse and pressed answer.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Alexiou? It’s Detective St. Vincent.”
"Oh, hello. How is it going?” I asked, as I bucked myself in, and Taylor settled in, looking over at me.
“I’m just calling to let you know I’ve found Callum DeLuca.” I nearly dropped my phone.
“You what?”
“Callum DeLuca. He’s living in a small village to Nothern BC called Fort Nelson with some distant relatives of his. I’m messaging you the address right now. I’m still working on Andrew and Alexandra.”
“T-thank you so much. You’re amazing.”
“Just doing my job. I’ll give you a call when I find anything else out. Have a good day, Ms. Alexiou.” With that, the line went dead, and my phone buzzed. I looked at it, and a message showed an address.
“I’m sorry, Taylor. We’ll have to postpone this shopping trip. I have to take a drive to northern BC.”
“Want me to come with you?” He asked, unbuckling his seatbelt.
“No, I need to do this alone. Tell the others, will you? And I’ll be back in a couple of days.” Taylor didn’t fight it, instead giving me a quick hug and hopped out of the car.
As soon as he was gone, I put the car in reverse, and sped off at an alarming speed. My hands shaking. Callum. Alive. And he was so close to us too. Just a day drive to find him. My foot pressed further on the gas pedal, as the car sped away.
I stopped a couple times for gas and bathroom breaks, to take my pills and grab a small bite to eat. Slow, acoustic music was playing on the car stereo. Many hours later, I had finally pulled into city at 6:00 in the morning. Using the GPS on the phone, I followed the directions, that led me all the way across the town to the outskirts, in a small trailer park community. Already, many people were up and getting in trucks to go to work, or whatever it is that they were doing. Driving around, I found number 14, which was where Callum was supposedly supposed to live. I parked near an old, beat up chevy truck. Hopping out, I made my way up to the door and knocked. No more than a minute later, the door opened up, an older woman standing there. Short white hair made her light green eyes stand out.
“Yes? Can I help you?”
“My name is Gianna, I’m looking for Callum DeLuca?” The expression on her face changed. To one of surprise.
“Just a moment. Callum!” She yelled behind her. I heard a faded answer call back. “There’s a girl here for you.”
Moments later, Callum came up beside the woman and looked at me. His eyes widening slightly in surprise, before he smiled. “Hey there, little water goddess. I was wondering when you were going to show up.” He stepped out and wrapped me up in a hug.
----
I was sitting on a couch, while his great-godmother handed me a cup of coffee. Callum was sitting across from me, looking exactly the same as when I had seen him last. “Where were you, Callum? I went looking for you, after the earthquake.” I sipped the warm coffee in my hands.
His dark green eyes sparkled. “My mom and I were in Vancouver. We were going to come back, early the next morning on the first ferry in. But…” He trailed off. “We went there to check up on one of mom’s art shops. But then the quake hit, and we got separated. I contacted my god-mother, and came here to live with her until I heard something from my mom or you guys. How did you find me anyways?”
“Uh, it’s a long story. Basically, I have help from a detective who is looking into finding the rest of us. So far, it’s just you, me, Natalie, and Joshua.” Callum smiled.
“That’s good. But, what about anyone else? Cassie, your mom?” I shook my head.
“My mom died, I’m also taking care of a small boy named Cyrus. McKenzie is still alive. She’s living in a small apartment downtown. But, Cassie is dead. Joshua ended up proposing to her that night, but…”
He sighed. “Okay, well, let me pack up my bags and I’ll come back with you. You can fill me in with the rest.”
He got up and left, leaving me with his god-mother, Jane. She sighed softly, and looked at me. “Take care of him, okay? With his mother MIA, and his father in the hospital in a coma, it’s hard for him to stay strong.”
“Wait…his father is in a coma? What happened?” I was shocked.
“He fell out the window of a building on the island during the earthquake. He hit his head really hard, and has been in a coma ever since. Callum visits him once a week, he’s at the Mount Saint Joseph hospital in Vancouver. The doctors don’t know if he’ll ever wake up.”
Callum came out with two bags and half a smile. “Sad story, huh?” He shrugged it off, clearly not wanting to talk about it anymore. But that’s the way he had always been. Rational. Kept everything in check. “I have my own truck, so I’ll follow you back, okay?” I followed him out of the house, as he threw his bags in the back of the beat-up truck I parked behind. I gave him a quick hug, and got in the SUV while he exchanged goodbyes with his god-mother. I put in directions on how to get back, and took off, the red truck following closely behind.
What shocked me the most was how undamaged Callum looked. How he barely looked any different than months ago, when I last saw him. He held everything in so tightly, and this wasn’t like him. My thoughts wandered off to the nights when all six of us would be goofing off, or watching movies at home. Sure, he was the rational one. Kept everyone in check for the most part. But, he still had fun. After all, he was the one who said if we left the island, and each go to a different corner of the world, and be gone for years and years, we would still find each other again, find our way back home. Because….because the garden would never be destroyed. Except, it was. Was that why Callum seemed so disconnected from life now? Because the garden was destroyed, and we were all separated, but we can’t get home again. Our home is gone. The garden is gone. Because everything he knew was gone? He was the one who was always so serious, and strict about the fact that all of us needed to stay together.
The drive back home was endless.
--
We arrived back at about 7:30 in the morning, the sun barely starting to rise. The sky getting lighter. The air was cool, and the house was still when we pulled into the drive. The 20 hour drive taking its toll on us. We had stopped for lunch and dinner at different little towns along the way. I shut the car off, and hopped out. My body aching and sore, and definitely stiff. I was cracking my back when Callum came to stand beside me.
“So, this is the house huh? It’s beautiful. And big.” I had filled Callum in at our rest stops about the past couple months and the house and Cyrus, Taylor and Stella.
“Come in, I’ll make some coffee.” I unlocked the front door, and quietly made my way inside. The first thing I noticed was that Joshua was asleep on the couch, the tv muted and on some obscure channel playing old black and white television program. I pulled the blanket up around him, as he nestled in. I tip-toed downstairs to check on everyone. Stella and Dominick were asleep in the bed, with Cyrus snuggled in-between them. I smiled. I went upstairs to change, and Natalie was asleep in my bed, the picture of Alex and I loosely in her hands. As if she had fallen asleep looking at it. I took it and set it on the bedside table. Changing into a big hoodie and sweats, I found Callum downstairs with a fresh cup of coffee in his hands, examining the house.
“This place is really nice. Joshua certainly made himself at home.” He joked as he glanced over at Joshua’s sleeping form on the couch. We went out to the balcony, and sat on the chairs.
“There’s another bedroom downstairs if you want it. And everyone should be up pretty soon. Dominick has to go back to the base today, Stella, and Natalie work at diners in the city. Joshua found a job as a teacher’s assistant at a school close to here. I don’t work until Tuesday. And Taylor has work at a game shop.” I had found a job working as a daycare worker, getting the referral from when I helped at the daycare in the tent community.
“Sounds like a plan.” He sipped his coffee, his eyes gazing out the little river. The door slid open as Taylor slipped out. He smiled as he walked up to me and glanced at Callum.
“You must be Callum. I’m Taylor.” They shook hands, and clearly hit it off right away. They both started talking about Taylor’s job at the game shop, and favorite type of games. I rolled my eyes. Boys.
“Oh, Gia. You’re back.” I turned around to see Natalie rubbing her eyes before looking over at Callum. She paused.
“Hey there, Nat.” Callum smiled, and got up as Natalie flung herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.
“You idiot! Where have you been?! I missed you so much, you stupid, stupid idiot.” She cried as Callum laughed and lifted her up, spinning her around. It was her favorite thing, and it made her laugh.
We made our way back inside, our chattering waking Joshua up, who didn’t even notice Callum was here. We all looked at each other, and smiled. In the mornings, Joshua was the most oblivious person in the world. Breakfast was being made, and Joshua was sitting at the table yawning with a cup of coffee in his hands. “Pass me the cream, someone.” He yawned again, as Callum handed him the carton. “Thanks, bro.” A moment passed, then two. Joshua’s head snapped up, and his eyes were wide. “Callum?!” Callum grinned widely, and the rest of us laughed. Joshua shot up, and hugged Callum with a force that could rival a bears.
Eventually Stella, Dominick and Cyrus made their way upstairs, and names were exchanged. I looked around at everyone at the table, and it felt like nothing was out of place. Except…for the two missing bodies. Joshua, Callum, Natalie and I all noticed it. We exchanged looks, and tried to smile at each other, but we still knew it would be hard without them.
--
Days passed by quickly. Winter came and left. We had all found our spots back in society. My phone hadn’t received any calls from the detective. And we did our best to continue with our lives. Natalie and Dominick had finally announced their relationship, which didn’t surprise any of us. I had enrolled Cyrus in a pre-school, and was able to up my hours at work. Our lives started to sort themselves out, as everyone had started to get income and were able to start buying little luxuries again. Like beat-up old cars, and new clothes. I woke up one morning to the realization that it had nearly been a year since the earthquake. Spring was in full bloom, on the edge of summer. Then a knock was on the door, and things changed from there.
I opened the door to come face to face with an older woman, with long blonde hair and very dark brown eyes, which were narrowed at me. “Where. Is. My. Daughter?” She seethed, and I nearly stepped back.
“I-I’m sor-?” I stuttered.
“Stella. Where the HELL is my DAUGHTER?” My blood ran cold.
An SUV pulled into the driveway, and Stella and Dominick hopped out, laughing about something. The woman turned around, and the laughter immediately stopped.
“Mom?”
The woman marched quickly over to Stella, and slapped her. Hard. The sound echoed, and Stella lost her footing and nearly fell. “How DARE you.” The woman raised her hand again, but Dominick stopped her.
“Enough! Who are you?” He took a protective stance around Stella.
“Who am I? Who AM I? I am that ungrateful, low-life, cunning, lying bitch’s MOTHER. Who the hell are YOU?” The woman ripped her arm from his grip.
“But, she told us you were dead?” The words coming out, before I could stop them. She turned towards me.
“Of course she did. Using the disaster as a way to run away from her family, when we have given her everything. The best in life. She ran away from her duties as an heiress.” The woman spat out.
“Stella?” I whispered, and she looked up at me with tears in her eyes.
“It’s true. I did. I lied. I lied that my parents had died. I did it because I was suffocating. I couldn’t handle it anymore!! The parties, the jewelry, the fancy dresses and cotillions and the betrothal.” Tears were falling freely now as she wrapped her arms around herself. “You had it all planned out. My entire life. Make me marry that creep, who liked to slip his hands under girls dresses and use his status as leverage. Make me live in a big house and have kids with a man I would never love, and live a life I never wanted. Make it so that I had no choices in my life. And one day grow old, like you. Hateful. Angry. Abusive.” She looked up at her mother, her entire body shaking. “So yeah, I lied and ran away. Because I would rather live in poverty and have nothing, than live that life.”
Her mother sneered at her. “Yeah? Well, it wasn’t hard to find you. I have been keeping tabs on you for the past couple months. I kept waiting for you to come back home, or contact your aunts and uncles here on the mainland, but you didn’t. It wasn’t until I saw you working as a lowly waitress in a shit diner and mingling with….low-life’s that I had to put a stop to it. Now, you’re coming home with me. You’re lucky that Thomas still wants to marry you.” She went to grab Stella’s arm, but Dominick was quicker, and put himself between the two of them. I had stepped forward too, and turned to see that Taylor had come running out too.
“Stella is of legal age. She can make choices, and she’s choosing to stay here. You need to leave.” Dominick said in a low voice.
“How dare you.” The woman’s hand slapped him across the face.
Before I knew it, I was standing in-between Dominick and Stella’s mother. The woman narrowed her eyes at me. But anger was flowing through me. “Stella is MY family now. She’s made her choice. You have no right coming onto my property, and acting this way. Leave now while I’m being nice, or I will call the police and have you removed by force.” I stared at her dead in the eyes, and she laughed.
“What kind of little petty girl are you? I am of the Mikhailov family. A girl like you could never touch me.” I recognized the last name. They were known for their business connections as a powerful Russian family. They became rich through the diamond mining, eventually the oil mining too. But, there was one connection they had that they answered to as superiors.
I stood up a bit straighter. “And I am of the Tobias family. I am a trusted and protected member, and I have Sebastian Tobias’ grandson in my personal care. Now, I don’t know how he would react if he knew that the Mikhailov family showed their faces around his beloved grandson, and were a danger to his safety. Stella is under my protection, and that of the Tobias family as well. Should I call him now?” I pulled my phone from my pocket, and hit speed dial 1. The phone was on speaker, as everyone was perfectly silent. The woman glared at me.
“Sebastian Tobias.” His voice clipped.
“It's Gianna.”
His voice has instantly become softer. “Good morning, Gianna. To what do I owe this pleasure? How is my grandson?”
“He’s doing well, Sebastian. I’m actually calling to let you know that a member of the Mikhailov family is in front of me right now. And she’s causing a disturbance at the house.”
There was a pause and his voice changed again. “Let me speak to her.” His voice was more professional and cool.
I took the phone off speaker, and handed it to her. She cleared her throat and took the phone.
“Viktoriya Mikhailov speaking.” She was silent for a few moments. Her face starting to pale. She tried to speak but her mouth just opened and closed. After a minute, she hung up the phone and handed it back to me. She turned her heel and went back to her car. Without speaking a word to her daughter or the rest of us. She started the car and left.
"Holy shit." Taylor breathed.
"So, do I get to drive?" Taylor leaving up against the kitchen counter beside me, where I stood packing things into my purse. A purse that was Celina's. A beige purse with two buckled pockets in the front, and a spacious inside, with a long strap. Inside was a wallet that was also hers, the only real things inside of it was my bank card and a couple bills. Earlier in the week, we all went to the bank to get new bank cards, and went to the government buildings to apply for new legal ids and documents.
I scoffed. "No way. I don't trust you driving. You're a boy. You naturally go 100 miles over the speed limit. I escaped death once, I don't want to try again." I said, slipping the iron pill bottle into the bag, along with my cell phone.
Taylor faked being offended. "Why, I would never!" I put my hand to his mouth.
"Just get in the car." I said, handing him the keys. He turned around, and went to the front door.
Cyrus rounded the corner at a dangerous speed and slammed into my legs, nearly knocking me over.
"You're leaving?" He asked, looking up at me, as I took him in my arms.
"I'm just going out for a little while. I'll be back really soon! Do you want something while I'm out? A toy?"
He pondered for a moment. "A dog!" His eyes shining.
"A toy dog?"
He shook his head. "No! A real dog!"
I laughed. "I don't know, sweetie. I don't think that's possible right now. But we'll see, ok? Now, you'll have to be good for Dominick, and Stella, Natalie and Joshua, ok?"
He nodded vigorously. "If I'm good, will you get me a dog?"
"You guys leaving?" Dominick came up beside me, taking a peek inside my purse, and nodding at the pill bottle. I looked at him, thanking him fully with my eyes. The conversation steering away from the dog.
"Yeah. We shouldn't be long. Be home for dinner, definitely." I smiled at him, as he brushed a stray hair from my face.
"Don't worry about not coming back soon. Just go out and enjoy yourself. Get your mind off everything else. You need to have some fun." I knew what he was hinting towards by saying 'everything else'.
"Of course. Take care of Cyrus. Have fun!" I slipped the bag onto my shoulder. Dominick reached out and took Cyrus from me, after I gave him a kiss on the head.
"Bye, Gia." Cyrus waved.
"Will do. Bye, Cyrus." I went to the front door, and slipped on a pair of flats. Opening the door, I heard Dominick call out.
"I'm having Taylor report back to me on what you've eaten today!" I rolled my eyes, and closed the door.
Just as we climbed into the car, my phone started to ring. I dug it out of my purse and pressed answer.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Alexiou? It’s Detective St. Vincent.”
"Oh, hello. How is it going?” I asked, as I bucked myself in, and Taylor settled in, looking over at me.
“I’m just calling to let you know I’ve found Callum DeLuca.” I nearly dropped my phone.
“You what?”
“Callum DeLuca. He’s living in a small village to Nothern BC called Fort Nelson with some distant relatives of his. I’m messaging you the address right now. I’m still working on Andrew and Alexandra.”
“T-thank you so much. You’re amazing.”
“Just doing my job. I’ll give you a call when I find anything else out. Have a good day, Ms. Alexiou.” With that, the line went dead, and my phone buzzed. I looked at it, and a message showed an address.
“I’m sorry, Taylor. We’ll have to postpone this shopping trip. I have to take a drive to northern BC.”
“Want me to come with you?” He asked, unbuckling his seatbelt.
“No, I need to do this alone. Tell the others, will you? And I’ll be back in a couple of days.” Taylor didn’t fight it, instead giving me a quick hug and hopped out of the car.
As soon as he was gone, I put the car in reverse, and sped off at an alarming speed. My hands shaking. Callum. Alive. And he was so close to us too. Just a day drive to find him. My foot pressed further on the gas pedal, as the car sped away.
I stopped a couple times for gas and bathroom breaks, to take my pills and grab a small bite to eat. Slow, acoustic music was playing on the car stereo. Many hours later, I had finally pulled into city at 6:00 in the morning. Using the GPS on the phone, I followed the directions, that led me all the way across the town to the outskirts, in a small trailer park community. Already, many people were up and getting in trucks to go to work, or whatever it is that they were doing. Driving around, I found number 14, which was where Callum was supposedly supposed to live. I parked near an old, beat up chevy truck. Hopping out, I made my way up to the door and knocked. No more than a minute later, the door opened up, an older woman standing there. Short white hair made her light green eyes stand out.
“Yes? Can I help you?”
“My name is Gianna, I’m looking for Callum DeLuca?” The expression on her face changed. To one of surprise.
“Just a moment. Callum!” She yelled behind her. I heard a faded answer call back. “There’s a girl here for you.”
Moments later, Callum came up beside the woman and looked at me. His eyes widening slightly in surprise, before he smiled. “Hey there, little water goddess. I was wondering when you were going to show up.” He stepped out and wrapped me up in a hug.
----
I was sitting on a couch, while his great-godmother handed me a cup of coffee. Callum was sitting across from me, looking exactly the same as when I had seen him last. “Where were you, Callum? I went looking for you, after the earthquake.” I sipped the warm coffee in my hands.
His dark green eyes sparkled. “My mom and I were in Vancouver. We were going to come back, early the next morning on the first ferry in. But…” He trailed off. “We went there to check up on one of mom’s art shops. But then the quake hit, and we got separated. I contacted my god-mother, and came here to live with her until I heard something from my mom or you guys. How did you find me anyways?”
“Uh, it’s a long story. Basically, I have help from a detective who is looking into finding the rest of us. So far, it’s just you, me, Natalie, and Joshua.” Callum smiled.
“That’s good. But, what about anyone else? Cassie, your mom?” I shook my head.
“My mom died, I’m also taking care of a small boy named Cyrus. McKenzie is still alive. She’s living in a small apartment downtown. But, Cassie is dead. Joshua ended up proposing to her that night, but…”
He sighed. “Okay, well, let me pack up my bags and I’ll come back with you. You can fill me in with the rest.”
He got up and left, leaving me with his god-mother, Jane. She sighed softly, and looked at me. “Take care of him, okay? With his mother MIA, and his father in the hospital in a coma, it’s hard for him to stay strong.”
“Wait…his father is in a coma? What happened?” I was shocked.
“He fell out the window of a building on the island during the earthquake. He hit his head really hard, and has been in a coma ever since. Callum visits him once a week, he’s at the Mount Saint Joseph hospital in Vancouver. The doctors don’t know if he’ll ever wake up.”
Callum came out with two bags and half a smile. “Sad story, huh?” He shrugged it off, clearly not wanting to talk about it anymore. But that’s the way he had always been. Rational. Kept everything in check. “I have my own truck, so I’ll follow you back, okay?” I followed him out of the house, as he threw his bags in the back of the beat-up truck I parked behind. I gave him a quick hug, and got in the SUV while he exchanged goodbyes with his god-mother. I put in directions on how to get back, and took off, the red truck following closely behind.
What shocked me the most was how undamaged Callum looked. How he barely looked any different than months ago, when I last saw him. He held everything in so tightly, and this wasn’t like him. My thoughts wandered off to the nights when all six of us would be goofing off, or watching movies at home. Sure, he was the rational one. Kept everyone in check for the most part. But, he still had fun. After all, he was the one who said if we left the island, and each go to a different corner of the world, and be gone for years and years, we would still find each other again, find our way back home. Because….because the garden would never be destroyed. Except, it was. Was that why Callum seemed so disconnected from life now? Because the garden was destroyed, and we were all separated, but we can’t get home again. Our home is gone. The garden is gone. Because everything he knew was gone? He was the one who was always so serious, and strict about the fact that all of us needed to stay together.
The drive back home was endless.
--
We arrived back at about 7:30 in the morning, the sun barely starting to rise. The sky getting lighter. The air was cool, and the house was still when we pulled into the drive. The 20 hour drive taking its toll on us. We had stopped for lunch and dinner at different little towns along the way. I shut the car off, and hopped out. My body aching and sore, and definitely stiff. I was cracking my back when Callum came to stand beside me.
“So, this is the house huh? It’s beautiful. And big.” I had filled Callum in at our rest stops about the past couple months and the house and Cyrus, Taylor and Stella.
“Come in, I’ll make some coffee.” I unlocked the front door, and quietly made my way inside. The first thing I noticed was that Joshua was asleep on the couch, the tv muted and on some obscure channel playing old black and white television program. I pulled the blanket up around him, as he nestled in. I tip-toed downstairs to check on everyone. Stella and Dominick were asleep in the bed, with Cyrus snuggled in-between them. I smiled. I went upstairs to change, and Natalie was asleep in my bed, the picture of Alex and I loosely in her hands. As if she had fallen asleep looking at it. I took it and set it on the bedside table. Changing into a big hoodie and sweats, I found Callum downstairs with a fresh cup of coffee in his hands, examining the house.
“This place is really nice. Joshua certainly made himself at home.” He joked as he glanced over at Joshua’s sleeping form on the couch. We went out to the balcony, and sat on the chairs.
“There’s another bedroom downstairs if you want it. And everyone should be up pretty soon. Dominick has to go back to the base today, Stella, and Natalie work at diners in the city. Joshua found a job as a teacher’s assistant at a school close to here. I don’t work until Tuesday. And Taylor has work at a game shop.” I had found a job working as a daycare worker, getting the referral from when I helped at the daycare in the tent community.
“Sounds like a plan.” He sipped his coffee, his eyes gazing out the little river. The door slid open as Taylor slipped out. He smiled as he walked up to me and glanced at Callum.
“You must be Callum. I’m Taylor.” They shook hands, and clearly hit it off right away. They both started talking about Taylor’s job at the game shop, and favorite type of games. I rolled my eyes. Boys.
“Oh, Gia. You’re back.” I turned around to see Natalie rubbing her eyes before looking over at Callum. She paused.
“Hey there, Nat.” Callum smiled, and got up as Natalie flung herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.
“You idiot! Where have you been?! I missed you so much, you stupid, stupid idiot.” She cried as Callum laughed and lifted her up, spinning her around. It was her favorite thing, and it made her laugh.
We made our way back inside, our chattering waking Joshua up, who didn’t even notice Callum was here. We all looked at each other, and smiled. In the mornings, Joshua was the most oblivious person in the world. Breakfast was being made, and Joshua was sitting at the table yawning with a cup of coffee in his hands. “Pass me the cream, someone.” He yawned again, as Callum handed him the carton. “Thanks, bro.” A moment passed, then two. Joshua’s head snapped up, and his eyes were wide. “Callum?!” Callum grinned widely, and the rest of us laughed. Joshua shot up, and hugged Callum with a force that could rival a bears.
Eventually Stella, Dominick and Cyrus made their way upstairs, and names were exchanged. I looked around at everyone at the table, and it felt like nothing was out of place. Except…for the two missing bodies. Joshua, Callum, Natalie and I all noticed it. We exchanged looks, and tried to smile at each other, but we still knew it would be hard without them.
--
Days passed by quickly. Winter came and left. We had all found our spots back in society. My phone hadn’t received any calls from the detective. And we did our best to continue with our lives. Natalie and Dominick had finally announced their relationship, which didn’t surprise any of us. I had enrolled Cyrus in a pre-school, and was able to up my hours at work. Our lives started to sort themselves out, as everyone had started to get income and were able to start buying little luxuries again. Like beat-up old cars, and new clothes. I woke up one morning to the realization that it had nearly been a year since the earthquake. Spring was in full bloom, on the edge of summer. Then a knock was on the door, and things changed from there.
I opened the door to come face to face with an older woman, with long blonde hair and very dark brown eyes, which were narrowed at me. “Where. Is. My. Daughter?” She seethed, and I nearly stepped back.
“I-I’m sor-?” I stuttered.
“Stella. Where the HELL is my DAUGHTER?” My blood ran cold.
An SUV pulled into the driveway, and Stella and Dominick hopped out, laughing about something. The woman turned around, and the laughter immediately stopped.
“Mom?”
The woman marched quickly over to Stella, and slapped her. Hard. The sound echoed, and Stella lost her footing and nearly fell. “How DARE you.” The woman raised her hand again, but Dominick stopped her.
“Enough! Who are you?” He took a protective stance around Stella.
“Who am I? Who AM I? I am that ungrateful, low-life, cunning, lying bitch’s MOTHER. Who the hell are YOU?” The woman ripped her arm from his grip.
“But, she told us you were dead?” The words coming out, before I could stop them. She turned towards me.
“Of course she did. Using the disaster as a way to run away from her family, when we have given her everything. The best in life. She ran away from her duties as an heiress.” The woman spat out.
“Stella?” I whispered, and she looked up at me with tears in her eyes.
“It’s true. I did. I lied. I lied that my parents had died. I did it because I was suffocating. I couldn’t handle it anymore!! The parties, the jewelry, the fancy dresses and cotillions and the betrothal.” Tears were falling freely now as she wrapped her arms around herself. “You had it all planned out. My entire life. Make me marry that creep, who liked to slip his hands under girls dresses and use his status as leverage. Make me live in a big house and have kids with a man I would never love, and live a life I never wanted. Make it so that I had no choices in my life. And one day grow old, like you. Hateful. Angry. Abusive.” She looked up at her mother, her entire body shaking. “So yeah, I lied and ran away. Because I would rather live in poverty and have nothing, than live that life.”
Her mother sneered at her. “Yeah? Well, it wasn’t hard to find you. I have been keeping tabs on you for the past couple months. I kept waiting for you to come back home, or contact your aunts and uncles here on the mainland, but you didn’t. It wasn’t until I saw you working as a lowly waitress in a shit diner and mingling with….low-life’s that I had to put a stop to it. Now, you’re coming home with me. You’re lucky that Thomas still wants to marry you.” She went to grab Stella’s arm, but Dominick was quicker, and put himself between the two of them. I had stepped forward too, and turned to see that Taylor had come running out too.
“Stella is of legal age. She can make choices, and she’s choosing to stay here. You need to leave.” Dominick said in a low voice.
“How dare you.” The woman’s hand slapped him across the face.
Before I knew it, I was standing in-between Dominick and Stella’s mother. The woman narrowed her eyes at me. But anger was flowing through me. “Stella is MY family now. She’s made her choice. You have no right coming onto my property, and acting this way. Leave now while I’m being nice, or I will call the police and have you removed by force.” I stared at her dead in the eyes, and she laughed.
“What kind of little petty girl are you? I am of the Mikhailov family. A girl like you could never touch me.” I recognized the last name. They were known for their business connections as a powerful Russian family. They became rich through the diamond mining, eventually the oil mining too. But, there was one connection they had that they answered to as superiors.
I stood up a bit straighter. “And I am of the Tobias family. I am a trusted and protected member, and I have Sebastian Tobias’ grandson in my personal care. Now, I don’t know how he would react if he knew that the Mikhailov family showed their faces around his beloved grandson, and were a danger to his safety. Stella is under my protection, and that of the Tobias family as well. Should I call him now?” I pulled my phone from my pocket, and hit speed dial 1. The phone was on speaker, as everyone was perfectly silent. The woman glared at me.
“Sebastian Tobias.” His voice clipped.
“It's Gianna.”
His voice has instantly become softer. “Good morning, Gianna. To what do I owe this pleasure? How is my grandson?”
“He’s doing well, Sebastian. I’m actually calling to let you know that a member of the Mikhailov family is in front of me right now. And she’s causing a disturbance at the house.”
There was a pause and his voice changed again. “Let me speak to her.” His voice was more professional and cool.
I took the phone off speaker, and handed it to her. She cleared her throat and took the phone.
“Viktoriya Mikhailov speaking.” She was silent for a few moments. Her face starting to pale. She tried to speak but her mouth just opened and closed. After a minute, she hung up the phone and handed it back to me. She turned her heel and went back to her car. Without speaking a word to her daughter or the rest of us. She started the car and left.
"Holy shit." Taylor breathed.