I'd Sell My Soul

Chapter 16: Someone was here

Allison Monroe's POV:

I was staring across the table at Sophie as she picked at her dinner with her fork. We'd spent most on the day in silence. I looked up at the clock, it was late. Dinner had taken longer than anticipated. She glanced up once at me, noticing my staring and made a noncommittal sound. She was angry at me. Personally I feel as though her anger lays more at the fact that her mom died about two months ago, not at me entirely. I was just a live candidate she could direct it towards. 

"When your mom was fifteen she liked to try out her makeup on me. I would've been in middle school and definitely didn't need it. But she made me feel special and important." I chuckle at the memories of her telling me to hold still. Sophie looked up at me, chewing a piece of potato. She liked back down at her plate. "I don't think you remember but you and I used to live together. My last year of high school. You and I were best friends. I used to read my textbooks out loud to you in your bouncer in my bedroom so your mom could shower or nap. You used to think I was so funny. You'd just laugh and laugh at me."

"So you think we can be friends again or what?" She narrows her eyes at me.

"I think you're mad at me because you think I'm trying to replace your mother. I'm not. I have and always will be your aunt. But I'm also your guardian who's trying to protect you from making the wrong decisions." I explain.

"You're very different from my mom." She mutters and keeps picking at her plate. She's not convinced.

"But we look a lot alike right? And that kinda hurts because it's like she's here but she's not." I say. Her eyes meet mine again. "I know because I felt the same way about Aunt Carla. She looked like my mom but definitely wasn't her."

"I guess I forget you lost your mom too." She confesses. I'm not sure how much information Farrah gave Sophie about her grandmother.

"That hurt never goes away. It just dulls. For that I am sorry." I clear my throat and resume cutting my chicken breast.

"Mom just said Carol died...but someone at school said she went to prison." Sophie starts.

"My mother was a broken woman who made bad choices. She went to prison for dealing drugs. She died from cancer in prison." I explain bluntly.

"Do you miss her?" Sophie asks.

"Yeah...it's different though. I regret the times she missed. The big things like Christmas and birthdays. But I miss Farrah more. And it's a different kind of loss." I reason. Silence falls once more as Sophie ponders my words. The ticking of the grandfather clock in the living room is all that can be heard.

"I'm sorry Aunt Ali." Sophie says after awhile. I look over at her and smile gently.

"I do love you kid. I hope you know that." I say as she picks up her plate and Carrie's into the kitchen.

"I know! I'll start on dishes." She calls from the kitchen. There's a knock at the front door and I get to my feet immediately. I'm not expecting any visitors so when you live in the country and you're not expecting visitors, a knock on the door can be unnerving. I walk over to the front window and see Levi's truck parked in the gravel. I open the door and he walks in.

"Hey. I'm sorry for showing up like this." He starts. My heart leaps in my chest. Why is he here?

"Oh it's no problem...are you hungry?" I gesture to the dinner table trying to be polite.

"No I just came to check on you. Someone broke into Katie's parents house." Levi explains.

"What?!" My jaw drops and a shiver runs down my spine.

"I'm shocked she didn't call you. Look she's convinced it's the creek killer." Levi runs a hand through his hair.

"Of course she is, that's Katie for you." I roll my eyes.

"Well she's convinced herself we are due for that visitor next. So I came out here to check on you and Sophie." Levi continues. That's when Sophie steps into the dining room.

"Aunt Ali-" she starts.

"Oh honey I'm sorry, don't worry nothings wrong." I attempt to assure her.

"No Aunt Ali, I'm telling you...I swear on my life and my mom...I did not drink that vodka. I didn't water it down. I never touched it." Sophie shutters. I watch her body language closely. Levi looks back and forth between us. She's not lying.

"We gotta talk to the sheriff." I conclude.

We swung coats on and grabbed my purse before loading up in Levi's truck, heading towards town. I tried to take deep breathes but I couldn't ignore the anxiety and raving thoughts.

"I'm scared." Sophie's voice sounded from the backseat. Levi looks at me.

"It's gonna be okay Soph. For all we know maybe Aunt Carla was sneaking a sip." I chuckle. We all know Aunt Carla is staunchly against alcohol and drugs, especially after what happened to her sister and then to my own. She's never had a drop of alcohol in her life. I look down at the frozen bottle of water on the floor of Levi's truck. If someone was at the house, when? Why? Who are they? I look over at Levi with fear in my eyes. He glances at me once and grabs my hand, squeezing it. He lets go and returns his hand to the wheel. The gesture took me back to when we were dating. The way he used to hold my hand whether I was happy, unsure, scared, he was always there, holding my hand. I missed that. Relationships had come and gone since Levi but I found that nothing quite compares to your first love. I missed it, the unfaltering love. As we pulled into the parking lot of the sheriffs department, Katie stepped out of her little car. I climbed down from the truck and embraced her. She squeezed me tight. When we broke away she walked over to Sophie and hugged her.

"Everything is just fine Sophie! Don't worry." She reassured her. Sophie nods her head but I can tell she doesn't believe her.

"Shall we?" Levi gestures to the building. I grab Sophie's hand and squeeze it. She looks up at me and I smile.

"I promise kid. Nothings gonna happen to you. I promised your mom and my word is good." I smile. She gives a half smile back and we all walk in the building together to tell the truth.