Finding Red

Chapter 9

Nadia

'Yeah, she's right?' I really said 'Yeah, she's right' and walked away. He probably hates me now, I have gotten my memory back and all I can say to him is 'Yeah' I was mentally slapping myself as I squeezed my way into the car. I sat in front with Vannessa that way I wouldn't have to see Gage, or see him looking at me. I had only been awake for a couple of weeks and now we're getting my family back? It all seemed strange to me but just for the chance to see my father, my mother, even Jase again I did anything and I was going to do anything it took to make sure they would make it home.

We spent the entire four hour car trip listening to Vannessa's really shitty music. If I had to hear one more song about how a country guy fell in love with his truck I would lose it. Elijah and Gage were asleep in the back, neither of them had said a word or even made a sound since we left the house.

"So what's the first thing you're going to do once you get your family back?" Vannessa turned the music down.

I haven't actually thought about that. I've thought about getting them back, but never what would happen after. Where would they stay, would they even remember me? It had been years since they saw me. Not a lot had changed but I didn't even recognize myself. I remember back to the other day when I had just gotten to the house. Looking in the mirror I didn't recognize who was staring back at me.

"I don't know, I just can't wait to get everyone home safely." I looked out the window, for the past hour it had only been fields of green and brown. No crops, no house's, not a sign of human life, just tree after tree after tree.

"Well, the first thing I'm going to do is tell Jason all about our daughter." she smiled

As she sped up. "Well, we're about half an hour away from the address. Do you mind waking the boys up?" She asked as she turned the music back up.

I turned around and saw Elijah leaning against Gage. His messy blonde hair against Gage's chest sent a nerve off in me. That's what me and Gage always looked like, they have been acting weird today, like more weird than their usual. I turned back to Vannessa, "Vannessa, what's going on with Gage and Elijah?"

Her face did that thing. That thing everyone does when they have bad news. The pursed lips and the sad eyes. Then she told me. She told those six words I could never unhear. When she said them it felt as if someone had shot me in the chest. One giant bullet to my chest over and over again. I looked back at Gage, I had given him the best of me. I had loved him no matter what even with all of the accidents. Those six words sent the entire world I knew back into the spinning mess I originally woke up too.

Those six words might as well have killed me just then and there.

"He slept with Elijah last night."

I sat back in my seat. I didn't have any words to respond with. The moments went by in silence. "Nat?" Vannessa looked quickly at me. "Are you ok?"

I didn't know, I didn't know the answer to that question.

Was I ok?

I turned around and tapped Elijah's knee, waking him up. "Hey Eli, we're almost there. Wake Gage up." then I turned around and went back to my thoughts. Why would Gage do this? Yes, technically we aren't official but he was mine, he knew he was mine and that I was his. Everyone knew we were off limits.

My thoughts were consumed by Gage until we turned into the first sign of humanity, or whatever was left of it. A small house with big green trees surrounding it. This was an interesting house. This house looks like it has been abandoned for years. The untended too garden over grew the white picket fence that is now hidden under vines and brush. Pieces of glass shards lay scattered across the curvy gravel pathway that led to the door. If a house could speak I wonder if this house would talk?

We all get out of the car preparing for the worst. We had no idea who or what we were about to walk into. All we know is that we won't leave without my family. I walked up onto the white and brown porch. It had vines and leaves growing up the side of the house which partly covered the windows. Vannessa and Gage followed behind me as Elijah tried to look in the covered windows. I knocked on the door.

Nothing.

I knocked again. Then movement came, then more and more. Thuds of someone coming down the stairs. Sent shivers down my spine. I waited for the door to open. I could feel myself starting to shake, and I guess Gage did too because he put his hand on my shoulder. Maybe Vannessa was wrong and it was just a misunderstanding. I knew Gage loved me; he would never do anything to hurt me.

The door slowly opened as I held my breath. A girl wearing a pink crop top and navy blue sweatpants was standing in the doorway. She looked scared, she was just barley shorter then Vannessa but still taller than me, and she looked a lot like Gage, they had the same slim nose and the same almond eyes.

"Eden?" Gage pushed past me to see the girl.

Who the hell was this random girl and why did Gage know her?