If I Knew Then

Chapter 3: Meeting my Ghost Roommates

"This is the safe house." Jaxson welcomed me into a small home entrance. Entrance littered with shoes of various sizes, nearly every hook on the wall taken by different colored coats, and clambering footsteps from the floor above echoing across the building made it obvious that Jaxson and I wouldn't be the home's sole occupants.

      "We decided to gather the few that accepted the offer," Jaxson confirmed my suspicions. "Better support and it's easier to keep an eye on everyone."

       Kicking shoes out of the way, a pair of children's sandals tearing at my heart, Jaxson lead me down the hall.

       "So long as no one's watching, you can use any door in any location to return here. You will also be able to walk towards the safe house if the situation requires it."

       My brows pinched together. "The house will just pop up on a random street?"

      Jaxson hummed in agreement, unconcerned by the magically appearing home, housing a bunch of reincarnated people. With grocery bags appearing in his hands, he led me into the kitchen. The kitchen was beautiful, modern with white cabinets and large barn doors that opened to reveal a pantry. The long table, lead me to believe that more people lived here than I had first imagined.

       "How?" I wasn't over the magically appearing home.

       Jaxson huffed cluelessly. "I've been helping here for a while, and I still have no idea."

       Dropping the bags on the marble island countertop, he nudged his chin towards one of the 12 seats at the wooden table. "Have a seat. I'll make you a snack."

      Hesitantly, I pulled a chair, surprised by the idea that I was hungry. "Do they have food on the other side?" Whatever the other side was.

      Despite the sincerity of my question, Jaxson chuckled. "I'm beginning to understand my grandpa's complaints when I was in your shoes... I can't tell you anything about the other side."

      "Your grandpa was your angel guide?"

      I jumped at the gruff chuckle behind me. I turned in my seat to find an old man walking into the doorway. A little taller than Jaxson, bushy grey brows contoured hazel eyes. I returned the man's smile, gaze traveling to the small hand clutching his. With long blond curls that flowed to her waist, she couldn't have been more than 5 years old. The smile with which I had greeted the man flickered upon meeting the eyes of his little friend. Despite the situation, the young girl was grinning. She bounced on the heels of her feet as she waited for Jaxson to turn around.

      "Why does everyone think were angels?" the man asked.

      "I told you that it was a fair assumption, grandpa...A potentially correct assumption." Jaxson looked at me over his shoulder and winked. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I already knew that he was going to be a pain in my derriere.

      "I wish I could say that it's nice to meet you, Addilyn." The man stepped closer, sticking out his hand. I shook his hand, unsure how to interpret his words. "I'm Leonard."

      After I released his hand, he nodded down at the girl. "And this is—"

     Jaxson finally turned his back to the counter and spotted the blonde. "Aria!" he greeted, interrupting his grandfather. Opening his arms, effortlessly Jaxson raised Aria onto his hip. "How was your day?"

     "Leonard walked me home and then I went to the park!"

      "That sounds wonderful." He placed her down on the island top, short legs swinging with excitement. "I'm making Addie a snack. Do you want apple pie?"

      While Aria nodded eagerly, my brows shot into my hairline. I loved apple pie. Coincidence? How much did he know about me?

      "I did my research." Jaxson chuckled at my reaction. I frowned but didn't get to question him on the means of his research. Aria had fixed her sparkling grey eyes on me.

      "You're pretty," she told me.

      "I—" I spluttered, caught off guard by the comment. "Thank you. But I think you're prettier."

      Grey eyes widened like saucers. "Really?"

      I nodded earnestly.

      "Do you know what Jaxson said the first time we met you?" Leonard prodded. "He asked me if we were taking care of a princess."

      "I like princesses," Aria giggled. "Are you a princess?" Grey eyes returned my way, wide in anticipation.

      I resisted the urge to crinkle my nose in amusement. Princess? With my unbrushed hair and long nose? Maybe she was thinking Cinderella before the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, or Tiana after kissing the frog.

      "Oh no," I finally answered. "I'm just a regular girl." A regular, broken girl.6

      Aria's grin didn't fade. "Do you like movies?"

      "I do."

      "Leonard said we could watch Sleeping Beauty, tonight. Do you want to watch it with us?"

      No one stood a chance refusing those eyes. I fixed my gaze on Jaxson, a silent plea that he didn't have anything already planned for me.

      "Tonight's just about settling in," he reassured. "You're free to do as you please."

      I relaxed, aiming my smile back towards Aria. "I'd love to watch Sleeping Beauty." Aurora had always been one of my favourite princesses.

      With Jaxson's promise to bring the pie over when he finished, a small hand seized mine and pulled me into the living room. Though the TV was off, the large velvet couch was already occupied. An elderly and middle-aged woman sat side by side. They greeted us with smiles, but the younger one with grey streaked hair, smile didn't reach her eyes. She looked exhausted, pain in blue eyes doubling my apprehension of accepting this opportunity.

      "What did we choose?" She painted joy on her features for Aria's sake, nodding her head towards the empty cushions on her right.

      Eagerly, Aria pulled us both towards the pointed seat. Jumping on the cushion, she made sure that I followed. "Sleeping Beauty!"

     "Sounds like a great choice. I look forward to being introduced to this princess."

     My brows twitched a little. The words sounded foreign in her mouth. She'd never heard of Sleeping Beauty? I was going to have a few more questions for Jaxson...

       Though curiosity was palpable, no one asked the questions we were all thinking. We didn't share stories of our situations, didn't speak of its precedent events, or plans for the completion of our tasks. We sat together in a large living room, munching as we watched a princess movie because a young blonde's life ended much too soon. With the three girls, Leonard, and Jaxson, I didn't get to dwell on the full extent of my situation. I fell asleep after Aurora woke from her curse, still on the sofa. I hadn't even bothered to check out my room. Seeing my temporary bed would make everything feel real.

Footnotes

6. You are NOT broken for feeling the way you do. You're hurting. You're not an anomaly. You're not weak. You are human with human emotions. You may have a mental illness. You are not something to be fixed, you are a person that needs healing. And it may not feel like it but healing is possible. It might be difficult. It will come with ups and downs. Scars will linger years after. But one day you will heal.