Opal

Chapter 5

Daughter? Me? Nonono, see I know I used protection the last time I hit it so what is this Eritrea on about? How could I have a daughter that I don't remember being pregnant with?

"Come again?" I said.

"Yes, you got pregnant when you were 16, had birth at 17, and had your memory wiped of the whole thing as soon as you turned 18. Jesus, what don't you get here?"

After Eritrea's snarky remark I realized that I was still tied up to this God forsaken chair. I pulled up my legs and hands to show that I was still confined and sarcastically smiled.

"Oh fine."

After I was untied I stood up and walked right out the door, but I soon caught myself in the same room again. I repeated this for about five minutes until Eritrea got bored of watching me go in a circle.

"You can't leave this room until you agree to help me."

I sat down, "why should I believe anything that comes out of your mouth? You kidnapped me off the fucking street."

"It's a lot more common than you think, and if it makes you feel any better it wasn't me who did it, I hired a few guys to handle it for me."

I could not believe this woman.

"No, that doesn't make me feel any better. In fact it makes me feel much worse. Let me out of here."

Eritrea took a puff of her cigarette and blew it into my face, "Get your act together. I don't have time to babysplain this a million times so that your human brain gets it. You have a daughter, and before you ask, no, I don't know her name or where exactly she is."

"Well it seems you've thought of everything, huh? You have no plan and I have no certainty that I have a daughter."

"Okay then I'll bite, what do you think happened to you?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but paused. I had no other real leads, and I knew that. I suppose it was easier to believe myself then this woman telling me I had essentially abandoned my own child.

"You say you can help me get my daughter back, and you want revenge on your obsessed historians in return, right?"

"Right," Eritrea replied.

I took a moment to think about it. If what Eritrea was telling me was true then if she tried to screw me over I could use my abilities or whatever and try and get my own revenge. I had no idea if I had a daughter, but a small part of me had to believe that she did exist, for her sake. I took a deep sigh and stood up.

"Okay, I'll help you. Where do we start?"

After finally being able to leave that cursed room, Eritrea and I were driving to MySpace while we were discussing the plan.

"I'm sorry, you want me to do what?" I said scrolling through my many messages.

"Well, maybe if you'd get off your phone you'd hear me better."

I rolled my eyes and turned off my phone, "fine, just repeat what you said."

"You need to talk to the security guard at MySpace, the one you're always friendly with--"

"Lionel?" I interrupted.

"Yes, him. He knows more than he's telling you about your daughter."

I paused for a moment to think.

"You mean Lionel knows I have a daughter?" I asked.

Eritrea sighed, "now before you go getting angry.."

It was too late. Everything Eritrea said after that was muffled. I was furious. I've been working at MySpace for nearly four years, and Lionel has known how much I've longed to know what happened to me. He's known all this time and just kept it for himself? I soon realized that we had reached my workplace. I slammed the door as I was exiting the car and ran up the stairs to find Lionel, he had some explaining to do.

"LIONEL!" I called out.

Everyone paid no mind to me, they just kept working like it was normal. I was having none of this and I needed to find Lionel.

"LIONEL!!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. This had gotten everybody's attention.

I saw Camille rush out of her office to me, and I saw Lionel running closely behind her. Once Camille reached me, she spoke first.

"Oh my goodness, Monica! What is wrong? Did something happen? Please tell me you are okay, I really need you to finish up your remembrance article for publishing."

Lionel opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly jumped in.

"Are you kidding me? You know what, I don't have time for this," I changed my focus to Lionel, "you and I need to have a little talk."

Lionel looked at Camille then looked back at me, "I'm kind of working, so unless you are in dire need of security it's going to have to wait until the day's over."

"He is correct about that Monica, I love you girl, but we do need Lionel on standby."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Lionel's arm, pulling him into my office.

"Hey!" I heard Camille say as I stomped off with Lionel. I had no time for my boss right now.

I slammed the door and started talking, "how long have I known you?" I asked.

"Excuse me?" Lionel replied.

"I said, how long have I known you?" I repeated.

Lionel looked confused but went along with it.

"Since you've started working here four years ago. Listen, I would love to talk about our friendship, but I'm kind of busy." Lionel turned to leave.

"Busy keeping your secret of not telling me that I had a daughter?"

Lionel paused as his hand was on the door knob. He turned to face me, "what are you on about?"

"Don't play coy. I know you know about my daughter, and I will prove it."

"Mon, you need a drink. I've got work to do, don't call me today again."

I was pissed. What was it with everyone wanting to get me drunk every time I was one step closer to the truth? I left my office and went to go find Eritrea, who was surprisingly still outside waiting for me in the car.

"Where the hell were you?" Eritrea said as I entered the car.

"Confronting Lionel," I replied unapologetically.

Eritrea started the car and continued the conversation.

"You need to be more careful, you cannot just be running into workplaces because a man is keeping a secret."

"An important secret, a secret that could have changed my life had I known sooner," I reminded her.

"Don't worry about Lionel. He's insignificant right now, right now let's just focus on where we're going next, okay?"

"And where is that, back to the never ending room?"

"Nope, somewhere you will get the truth."

I was confused. I tried thinking of everyone in my life who would have a tie to me not remembering my daughter, but not many people came to mind. I looked to Eritrea, shrugging.

"We're going back to the parents' house."