From Foes to Flames

From Foes to Flame- part 17

Chapter 17

Adeline

"Violet?" I'm still half asleep and the room is dark, but I can see her standing in the doorway with the hallways light leaking in. "I think I'm still dreaming, punch me please?" Matao walks over to me and kisses me on the cheek for slightly longer than last time. That's nice. His lips feel hot and then I realise I'm not dreaming. Reality hits me when I look up and remember violet is standing in my doorway. I walk slowly over and sus out the figure standing in front of me. She looks exactly like me apart from her eyes and her short hair. From the way she way she is standing I can tell she is scared, she takes her breathing from short and fast to slow and long to calm herself. Exactly the same way as I do. Without a thought I hug her, then I'm crying, then I'm asking where she has been and asking her a million questions without even waiting for any answers.

For a while she doesn't reply knowing she wouldn't get time to give me an answer, when my words start cutting out again, she finally speaks "I can't believe we are together". Before I could respond I hear the front door open, and I realise Linda is home. We step into the room to let Matao go downstairs "I'm so sorry I couldn't find you" she breaks down into tears and I hug her again. Even though it's been years it's like our connection never changed.

"I'm sorry too, I looked for so long, but some things happened, and I had to stop" I cried, tightening our embrace. Moments later I hear footsteps and then the door opens.

"Adeline, are you ok- "Linda paused the moment she saw Violet "Matao why am I seeing double?" Matao came into view and started trying to explain what was going on "she's not staying as well is she? This house isn't a homeless centre".

"Homeless..." Violet muttered and trailed off when she realised what Linda meant "wait, homeless? When did this happen? Is mum alright?"

"Mums fine" I replied sharply, no mums fine she is living under a roof that is actually hers and not sleeping in her own car that she was kidnapped from.

"Mum she isn't staying I promise, its only Adeline" Matao explained as he hurried Linda out the door, closing it behind him.

"Is mum alright" Violet repeated.

Anger filled me immediately "yes mum is fine, she is sleeping under her own roof with food and water, while I'm out here getting kidnapped from my car and barely having enough food to get by" Violet looked shocked and didn't reply "so yeah, she's fine, she probably got rid of all my stuff to make room for her clothes".

" Adeline why are you not staying with her anymore? She asked sincerely, her voice change as soon as she realised what else I said "YOU GOT KIDNAPPED? WHO? WHAT? WHEN? HOW?"

"My dad" Matao said quietly as he opened the door and stepped inside. Both of our eyes were on him, and my jaw was dropped, I didn't even know what to say. Clearly, he realised how shocked I was and corrected himself "his men, not him. They were looking for Violet" he pulled out a letter and handed it to me.

To David Brown

258 North Street New York

In this letter is a picture of Nathanial Whitlock's daughter Adeline, we plan to take her into our possession in order to blackmail Nathanial. We will carry out this order on the 8th of November unless we are personally ordered by you to not proceed. If he does not want his daughter, we will have her killed. With this plan we will be in possession of the item you need very soon.

85 Barton Street New York

He looked down at his feet as I started reading and Violet hovered over my shoulder to read it. Then it hit me "YOU KNEW I WAS GOING TO GET KIDNAPPED? YOU LET THIS HAPPEN TO ME" I yelled at him and pulled my sleeve up to show the huge cut on my arm that I was given by his father's men.

"No no no" he tried to reassure me, he walked over and held my hands "I found a knife in your car, it had the same symbol as mine and my dad gave me it so I went through his desk and found that letter, if I didn't find it I probably would have never found it" I looked at him silently so he proceeded talking "because the letter was posted here I don't think he had a clue about what was going on". I took a minute to take in what was just said.

"Look I'm going to need to go home, my dad needs to know about this. Adeline, please come I would love to talk with you" Violet said sternly "I'll be waiting in the car" she said before turning and walking out.

"I'm sorry for not telling you" Matao said before looking at the floor I didn't respond for a minute, still shocked "I'll take Violet home, get some rest please".

"It's ok" I sobbed, I grabbed him and hugged him while sobbing with my face in his chest "I'm coming with you".

"Are you sure it will be very late when we get home" I nodded and squeezed him a little tighter before holding his hand and guiding him downstairs. Linda must have gone to bed because downstairs was completely empty. I sat in the back of the car with Violet and we talked non stop the whole way to her house about everything that had been happening. Once we finally pulled into the driveway the house was all dark apart from the room at the front door. I felt sick. I followed Violet to the door while Matao followed close behind and she pulled out a key and opened to door.

There was a creak and we walked through the door into the lounge room. My dad was sitting on the lounge with the tv running. He looked exactly the same as he did when I last saw him, brown bushy beard, green eyes and freckles. He was slightly on the chunkier side but her was a long man, so it seemed to even out. When he looked over at me his eyes widened his posture straightened and he waited for me to say something. "Dad?" His face lit up and he came over to hug me.

"I'm so glad you are here, I'm sorry we couldn't find you" he continued with the apologies and questions for another few minutes until he calmed down a bit "where are you staying? I want the address so we can come visit you".

I was about to talk but I was cut off by Matao "she is staying with me" Matao was standing tall, making himself look tall and intimidating when I looked at him.

Dads' eyes snapped to Matao then back to mine before he asked, "is this true?" I nodded and he sighed "why on earth are you staying with some silly boy?"

I stayed silent for a moment hoping that Matao would talk but he never did "mum kicked me out" I said quietly. He looked at the ground before walking into the kitchen. I looked over at Matao and he shrugged, I then turned to Violet and she repeated his action. He walked back into the lounge room with a pen and a note pad.

He handed to two items to Matao before saying "write your address and phone numbers" Matao scribbled it down and handed it back to dad. He then wrote his own phone numbers on a sticky note and handed it to me. "It's late you should go home, I i'll call you when I can" he turned to Matao and shook his hand "thank you for bringing Violet back safely and taking care of Adeline, I will send you some payments to pay for food and her share of rent in your home".

Matao began talking "it's really not a wor- "

Dad cut him off "It is, she needs to eat, and I will not have you kick her out to live on the streets, if you are smart you will accept this money and continue having her stay with you".

Matao sighed before saying "thank you for the money and thank you for letting me take Violet" he shook his hand and walked out the door. I gave dad a hug before following Matao to the car.