𝚈𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙶 𝙼𝙸𝙺𝙰𝙴𝙻𝚂𝙾𝙽

thirteen

𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓲𝓴𝓪𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓸𝓷
13.  a few good men

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"This is the place," Elena said as we got out of the car, looking at the post-it note in her hand. "I really appreciate you coming with me."

"Sure. It's no problem." I said, walking up to the house. "Let's do this."

Once we reach the front porch, Elena walks up to the front door and prepares to knock but hesitates for a moment.

"Elena? You okay?" I asked her, noticing her hesitation.

She looked at me for a second before looking up at the door again. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Finally, she raises her hand and knocks on the door. After a moment of waiting, Elena shakes her head and turns away when someone answers the door. Elena looks at the woman standing on the other side.

"Trudie? Trudie Peterson?" Elena asked the woman.

"Yes?" Trudie nods."

Elena looks at me, and I gesture toward Trudie, telling her to continue. "Uh, my name is Elena Gilbert. I wanted to talk to you about Isobel Flemming."

"Well, I haven't heard that name in years. How do you know her?" Trudie asked, looking between Elena and me.

"I think that, um, well...Do you know if she had a baby that she gave up for adoption?" Elena questioned, and Trudie's face lit up in realization.

"My god. You're her daughter." She said, giving Elena a once-over. "I was just gonna make some tea. Would you like some?"

"We would love some." I smiled, looking at Elena as I walked in.

"Uh, the kitchen's this way," Trudie said, showing the way, and Elena walked in.

Walking through the kitchen into the dining room, I sat down at the table as Elena removed her jacket. Trudie walks into the room from the kitchen.

"I wasn't gonna come. I didn't think I was, but I was driving, and I hit this stoplight, and it-" I smile as Elena rambles before taking a deep breath. "-made me think about when I was learning how to drive and then my mom would always warn me about this blind turn on the left-hand side, and then I was thinking about my mom, and-"

"Elena?" She stopped to look at me, and I chuckled. "Deep breaths."

"I had your address. I'm sorry for barging in." Elena apologized.

"It's no problem. Um, just a surprise, though." Trudie told Elena as they sat down. "I haven't thought about Isobel in years."

"When was the last time you saw her?" Elena asked her.

The blonde thought for a minute before she replied, "About 17 years ago, when she left to go have you. We kept in touch for a while, but, well, you know, people drift apart."

"And you don't know where she ended up?" I questioned.

"She was in Florida for a while. She was on her own. I know it wasn't easy." Trudie told us.

"Do you have any idea who my father is?" Elena asked her.

"I could never get her to fess up. Anyway, she finally pulled it together, got into college on a scholarship." She said, but I didn't miss her hesitation.

"Where did she go?" Elena inquired.

"Somewhere in North Carolina. Duke, I think. Smart girl, smart school." Trudie told us when the whistling from a kettle was heard from the kitchen. "Let me just grab that."