Reincarnated

Chapter Two: The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth

The bell rang, startling me out of my thoughts. I don’t remember the drive home, it’s like I was concentrating on something else. I do remember thinking that it was odd that my mother was home. She’s never home when I get back from school.

I closed the door, quietly. So quietly, in fact, that I didn’t even hear it myself. I could hear shouting in the kitchen.

“Eliada! You have to tell her!” A slightly familiar masculine voice yelled. Wait, who was Eliada?

“I can’t. It’s too soon. And I go by Eleanor now.” I was confused. Since when did Mom change her name? She’s always been Eleanor, right?

“You can’t avoid her forever.” I noticed that he deliberately ignored my mother’s request to call her by her name.

“It’s too early. She has to figure it out, or at least enough to come to me about it.” Figure what out? And who is this she? It couldn’t be me, I think I would know what Mom’s talking about if that was the case.

“It hurts, you know.” His voice broke. I couldn’t see his face, but I couldn’t seem to shake the feeling of familiarity. “I love her.”

“I know! I was there, remember?” They both sighed simultaneously.

“I’ve spent three hundred and fifty years alone.”

“You’ve had Kenna and Evander.”

“No, I haven’t. They died, too. I haven’t been able to find them, or Cassidy, or anybody. Except for the one person I can’t talk to. I’ve known she was here for twelve years.”

“Oh. I didn’t know. Cassidy is here, in Beverly Shores. Were they reborn in this generation?”

“Yes. Anna and Evan. They are still siblings. I just don’t know where.” I was confused, obviously. Who was this strange man? And why were they talking about the Dream People, as I’d dubbed them.  I decided to stop eavesdropping.

“Mom! I’m home!” I said walking into the kitchen.  I saw his face and gasped. His eyes widened as well, but he was avoiding eye contact.

“Eamon.” I whispered. He lifted his eyes to meet mine and I saw the same sadness and confusion in those emerald orbs. It was as if he heard me, but that’s not possible, right?

“Hey, Aislynn. How was school?” I raised an eyebrow at her. “Oh, right. This is Eamon White, an old family friend. Eamon, my daughter, Aislynn.” I blinked and broke eye contact. So, it was him.

“I have homework.” I said and stomped up the stairs to my bedroom, where I burst into tears. How the hell was this possible? The man of my dreams, literally, was standing in my kitchen. And the thing was I remembered next to nothing about him. How does my mother know him?

Unfortunately, approximately ten minutes later, I heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs, too heavy to be Mom’s.

“Aislynn?” That strinkingly familiar voice said. “May I come in?”

“Considering what I do know about you, you’d come in even if I said no.” My bedroom door was gently pushed open and he came in.

“Speaking of, how do you know me?” I ignored the hope that was prevalent in his voice. I couldn’t deal with this now.

“I don’t really. I just know things about you, things I don’t understand.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“No. I don’t know you, and I certainly don’ t trust you.” I replied stubbornly.

“All right. If that is what my lady wishes.” I flinched. Did he have to use that nickname?