Mr. & Mrs. Liars / Duskwood

Chapter 12

Attention: Mention of Alzheimer's disease.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Macie POV*

I offered to cook dinner while Jake worked on creating a fake ID. 

I haven't seen Peter in a long time. The last time we saw each other was because of Lilly's video. They sent to talk to me because he was a familiar face. He couldn't get the truth out, I lied so he wouldn't know I was looking into Hannah's disappearance. Although later, he found out that I was somehow related to her, only I lied to him again saying that I was actually a friend of one of her group of friends.
I never understood how he believed me.
    "Too innocent when it comes to me..." I mutter to myself.

I finish cooking and place the food on two plates, taking it into the living room, where Jake is on the computer.
    "Here you go." I set the plate and cutlery aside.
    "Thanks." He puts the computer aside and decides to eat. Well, he has learned to take care of himself and put work aside. Too late for that "Hmhm... Delicious."
    "You're exaggerating." I let out a small laugh "Okay, let's talk about Peter."
    "Did you know he was involved in the case?" he asks as he wipes himself with a napkin.
    "No, I know about some cops, but not about him." I says, grabbing some food before popping it into my mouth.
    "So maybe he's on the case."
    "It would be impossible to imagine." I think a little about that man and hug myself "I mean, he's like an uncle to me. When my parents died, he tried to clean my image because they all the talk about me."
    "But that has nothing to do with what happened." he reminds me "Macie, you more than anyone that you should not judge anyone. "
    "I know... "
    "Maybe he didn't show up in front of you on the case because he knew you could find out something weird was going on?"
     I set the plate aside, my stomach churning. It would have been a good strategy, but planned by him? Impossible, I don't see him capable.
But he was the one who kept all the evidence of that dead man. At least he has to know something.
    "I'm just trying to make theories, Macie." I look at Jake after hearing him. I hadn't realized that I had been totally thoughtful "You don't have to get angry."
     I sigh, nodding. Yeah, okay, let's not jump to conclusions, I haven't asked Peter about the case yet.
    "When we talked to Hugo," I look up at Jake, listening to his story "I was reminded of the old couple who lived in the same building as my mom and I."
    "Did he have Alzheimer's too?" I ask, following the theme to relax.
    "The woman, she was the one with it." He places his hands under his chin, lacing their fingers together "I ran into her going up the stairs, she thought I was her son."
    "That... It's very sad."
    "Yes, I don't deny it." Now he is the one who is thoughtful. It's like we switch emotions sometimes "But back then, I think I did her a good favor."
    "Oh yes?"
    "Her son died in a plane crash a few years ago" he sits up a little, his eyes fixing on mine "and her illness got worse after that. She gave me a little fear at first that she would confuse me with another child and that she would want to bring me into her house, until her husband appeared for her and explained everything to me when she returned home."
    "It must have scared you to think she was going to kidnap you."
    "If I hadn't screamed, her husband probably wouldn't have noticed." he smiles crookedly, remembering that "Her husband, then, told me that she was very sick and that if he could sometimes talk to her, keep her company when he wasn't at home. I offered to help, since I had never had grandparents, it was an opportunity to have some. "
    "That's so sweet..."
    "You could say so." he sighs "The moments I spent with that old woman, listening to stories that she came to remember, were quite entertaining. There were other days when she didn't recognize me as Jake or as her deceased son, so I had to leave it for another time the visits." He takes a breath, as if he feels heavy. I can see it was something important to him "The last time I saw her, she had a moment of clarity. She remembered that her son was dead and the time we spent together watching old movies or just listening to her talk about her. She thanked me for all the company I had offered her. "
    "And the next day she died, right?"
    "I remember my mother hugging me when I found out about her death and how I couldn't stop crying." I give him a sad little smile. I'm glad her mother was still alive back then "She was trying to calm me down all night. I had established a bond with that old woman as if she really were part of my family."
    "At least you made her happy, Jake." I took his hand gently and stroked it, never taking my eyes off him "I'm sure she was very happy to have met you."
    "I hope so..."