Of the Shadows

Chapter 15: Remember Me

I woke to the aroma of eggs, bacon, and pancakes wafting through the air. Kota's little sleeping body was curled up and heavy on my chest.  His silky black hair stuck out randomly on his head. I chuckled and tried to tame it back down with my fingers.  He snickered, no longer asleep, "stop it sissy."
"Stop what? This?" I tickled his fat little neck, causing Kota to erupt in an array of cute giggles. "Or this?!" I tickled his sides then his feet. I stopped so he could catch his breath.  Dad came into the living room, he was sporting a white and pink apron with a beautiful butterfly pattern over his work outfit of black pants and a grey polo shirt.  I almost fell off of the couch laughing at him. He looked down at Kota and me and smirked.
"You don't like my outfit?" He asked, grabbed the end of the apron and twirled as if he were wearing his best skirt.
"No, no, I love it!" I managed between giggles.
"You look pretty Daddy." Kota added sweetly.
"Well thank you, son." Dad picked his toddler up,  "breakfast is ready if you want to eat before you hit the road."
"Yes, thank you." I replied, heart sinking a little. He still didn't remember me. For a moment things had felt normal. Cyndie was fluttering around the kitchen as she set up the table, placing silverware meticulously around the plates.
"Honey its just pancakes. I don't think we need a salad fork." My dad laughed his hearty laugh and pecked his wife on the lips.
"Oh hush, I like them. They are cute." She replied admiring the little fork in her hand before placing it at the last plate on the table. "Good morning Maura, dear, have a seat!" Cyndie had so much energy in the mornings, I never quite understood why or how. I smiled meekly back at her and plopped down in the seat she was motioning towards. The food made my stomach rumble. Dad placed food on his, Cyndie, and my plates while Cyndie cut up the food on Koda's. The pancakes were fluffy and huge, two of them more than enough for a meal. The plate was bigger though, with just enough room for eggs and bacon.
"Oh, shoot, kiddo do you care if your food touches?" Dad asked.
"Nope, I like a little syrup in my eggs. Mum never liked it though." I answered excited to mix my breakfast food together.
"Ha! Maybe you are my child." He chuckled drizzling his own food with a good amount of syrup. Cyndie just liked a little bit on her pancakes and a dome of whipped cream. She spiraled some into her own mouth from the nozzel on the can.
"Want some?" She asked kindly, pointing the can towards me. I nodded and grinned before I let her spray some into my mouth.  It was delicious. The whole meal was, really. I shoveled the first few bites into my mouth. Kota climbed down from the table scooted his plate closer to me and crawled into my lap.
"Kota seems to really like you. He isn't usually this good with people this fast!" Cyndie smiled warmly at us, "I hope he's not bothering you." 
"Not at all! He's sweet." I replied and tussled his hair with my fork free hand. His tresses were sticky at the ends. His hands and mouth were already covered in syrup and he tried to feed me some of his food. Considering it had hair from his head in it along with whatever else his hands came into contact with I politely refused. "Not thanks, Kota Bear, see I have some of my own." My voice was soft and higher pitched when I talked to him. I suppose it's what you'd call a baby voice.
"Okay. Can I have bacon?" He asked pointing to one of the two pieces I had left.
"Sure!" I said attempting to sound excited to share. I gave him the smaller piece. He took a bite and scrunched his face up in delight, fat little cheeks all but hiding his eyes as he smiled.
"Yummy thank you sissy." Kota did a little happy bacon dance.
"You're welcome cutie." I giggled. Cyndie and Dad had stopped eating and were staring at us.
"What'd you call her, sweetheart?" Cyndie asked Kota, confused. Kota laughed a sweet little toddler laugh and didn't answer.
"Kota, who am I?" Dad asked him.
"Dada." He replied proudly.
"Great job and who's this?" He asked pointing to Cyndie.
"Mommy!"
"Yay!" Dad clapped his hands and Kota squealed happily.
"And who is she?" Dad asked his son pointing at me.
"Sissy!" Kota clapped for himself and threw his syrup splattered arms around me nuzzling into my chest. I hugged him back, resting my chin on the top of his head. Dad and Cyndie looked at each other baffled.
"Maura when you came here you said you were my daughter. Is..Is that true?" He seemed shaken. He rubbed his neck in his cupped hand. He shifted his fingers to his temple and rubbed in a circle as if he were trying to massage away a headache. When he moved his hand I saw something on his skin glisten in the sunlight pouring from the kitchen windows. A shiney spot on his neck.
"Are you okay, honey?" Cyndie asked him and rested her hand on his knee.
"Yeah I'm fine, just a headache. Came out of nowhere."
"Maura, why is my son, who has never seen you in his life, calling you sissy?" He seemed frustrated but not towards me. Like he could feel that he was missing something. There was that shiney thing again, shimering in the light. It looked like a symbol of some sort shining on his neck.
"I told you, I'm your daughter. You and Mum had me right out of highschool. I've known Kota since a few days after he was born. The first time I changed his diaper he peed across the room and Cyndie fell out laughing. He broke his arm when he was a year and a half by jumping off of the couch.  And he loves old cartoons. Me and him would watch looney toons and little bear all the time. Hes my brother and you're my dad. I don't know why you don't remember me."
"How could you possibly know about our son's arm?" Cyndie asked. She sounded more scared than confused. As I stood up and got closer to Dad I could see the thing on his skin was definitely a symbol or rune. "What's on your neck?" I asked him.
"What are you talking about?" He asked both hands on his head now. He squinted at me through pained eyes as if the migrane were affecting his vision.
Cyndie kneeled down beside Dad and pushed her hair to one side to get it out of her face. She had one too. A tiny shiney ancient letter glinting golden in her skin.
"This." I stepped closer and touched the rune. It burned hot on my fingers. My dad cried out in pain. Kota started crying in the background too scared to get too close to his dad, opting instead to hold fast to his mom's leg.
"Dad, please remember me." I begged.
"Maura. Something's wrong. I can't get my head straight." He struggled against whatever controlled his memories I pressed harder into the burning symbol.  Dad yelped in agony. His nose began to bleed.
"Let go if him!" Cyndie commanded and pulled at my hand. I fought against her keeping my thumb pressed tight against the rune.
"Dad please!" I wanted with everything in me for him to remember me. His ears were bleeding now. I wasn't sure how much further I could push this.
"Its okay, my baby bear. Everything's going to be fine." Dad looked at me like he knew me before Cyndie finally pried me loose and Dad slumped to the ground.
"Get out." Cyndie threatened and pointed towards the door.
"Let me at least call an ambulance." I begged eyes swelling over with tears at the sight of my unconscious father.
"I'll call them. You've done enough. Go." Cyndie picked up Kota, grabbed her cell phone from the counter and dialed 911. She kneeled back down by my dad and checked to see that he was breathing. Kota was crying uncontrollably and reached for me.
"Bye bye, Kota bear." I said through tears and backed out of the room. Dad stirred and sat up slowly. "What happened?" He asked. "Who's that?" He questioned before I slipped out of the front door.