Rod - The Weapon

Chapter 27: Brownies?

We all sit down on the sofa and start speaking. I ask the both of them, "What have you guys been doing for the past, I don't know, 10 years?" Sasha sighs and says, "You've met Valerie now, so you know how our 10 years went? We built a proper healthy family. Bought a home, got a promotion and started a home business. The business was entirely Violet's idea."

I look at Violet with proud eyes, you don't even need words to describe the amount of pride I feel for her. Nora says, "So what has been going on with you and Rachel? I kind of miss her, you should have brought her with you."

Sasha looks horrified as she turns her head towards Valerie giving a look which says, 'You idiot, why didn't you tell you're damn mother.' Valerie gives a look which says, 'What? I thought you told her.' I look at the both of them with a little doubt and say, "Rachel... passed away few weeks ago, maybe a month? Yeah, so that is the update on Rachel."

Nora looks shocked with disbelief and says, "Oh, oh my god, I'm so sorry I didn't know at all. I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to ask at all on purpose." I chuckle and say, "It is fine Nora, you didn't know and Valerie didn't tell you." Nora looks at Valerie with a concerned look and says, "How long have you known this? Sasha were you in on this too?" Sasha gives an awkward smile.

Nora just sighs and says, "The both of them are like partners in crime. For some reason Valerie tells Sasha everything, but I adore their relationship." I sigh with hesitation because I don't know if I should ask her this but, I'll give it a try.

I ask her, "Did you... know about Rachel and Valerie's relationship?" Nora looks at me as if I'm a dumb baboon and says, "If I didn't see the fact that Valerie is a spitting image of Rachel, then I'd have to go back to first grade." I say with relief, "That is good to know."

Nora comes back with a question, "If I may ask, what happened to Rach?" I look at her with a little sadness and say, "Cancer. It took her away from me." Sasha sighs and says, "It is our best friend after all."

I just chuckle. Our conversation is going longer than expected, because Sasha and Nora aren't really the type to chat. So if you have an issue to talk about, they're probably the wrong people to go. They've changed after raising their kids. It is nice to see them happy after so many years, they absolutely deserve this.

Nora comes out from the kitchen and says, "Lunch people, come and sit at the table." Now I'm excited because I would be lying if I said that I was not starving. We all sit down as Sasha goes into the kitchen to help her wife. They bring out some home baked pizzas and brownies. My eyes glow at the sight of home cooked meal made by others.

We all plate ourselves some food and dig in. We talk while we chomp down on our food, about life, politics, kids and what not. I say, "I'm making a podcast about Alice's case right now." I hear nothing but chaos and everyone's eyes become sharp. Violet asks cautiously, "What do you mean by podcast? Are you telling everyone what happened?" I say with calmness, "Yes, I'm talking about how it has remained unsolved for a decade."

All of them turn back to their food and silence covers the room. I feel a little uncomfortable about this situation. So I finish my lunch quickly and wait for them.

                                 ****

I'm sitting on the sofa when Valerie sits beside me and says, "I'll show you something nice. Follow me." I look slightly confused but follow her to the rooftop. Like when I say roof, I mean the inclined surface of the roof which has the tiles. This is insane since I have never risked my life like this. I haven't really done anything which gives an adrenaline rush.

We both lay on our backs and stare at the clear blue sky. Valerie says, "I heard from Guy that you've finished telling the story." I nod and say, "Yeah, they've started to work on the podcast now. Information collecting is all over."

She sighs deeply and says, "So what are you going to do now?" I turn my head and say, "I don't know, suggest something." She chuckles and says, "What do you enjoy? Wait, before answering  the question with a boring answer, let me give you some ideas." I just laugh and say, "Feel free to do so."

She thinks for a moment and says, "Surfer, you should become one." I look at her with a sarcastic look and say, "So you want me to die in the hands of water. Surfing is like out of my circle. Its like out of my universe, why do you even think I'd consider it?"

She shrugs and says, "I don't know, you asked me to suggest." I just nod my head with disapproval and she starts laughing. I say, "When I'm done with Rach's journal, I'll give it to you. You should read it if you want to know more about her."

She tattles me by getting up fast and says with an excited squeal, "Really? Oh my god, Aiden you're the best!" I just pat her head and say, "But only when I'm done reading." She nods with approval.

Nora calls us down to which we immediately reply. We go down where Nora hands me a pack of brownies. She says, "I don't think you have so.eine who can make you brownies right now. These will keep you company." I say with a smile, "Thank you."

I continue, "I should probably leave now, before it gets too dark." Sasha nods and Nora says, "Feel free to visit anytime you want." Sasha says, "Yeah, drop by a visit every once in a while. We need to make sure that you're alive."

We all laugh to that and Violet comes up to me and embraces me with a hug, followed by Valerie. I hug them both back and say, "I'll definitely come back, okay?" They both nod and wave me a goodbye as I walk up to my car. I tell them a final bye and start driving out of their street.

                                ****

I get in my bed with my wife's journal in hand. I have read quire some of her diary entries. I don't think she finished the entire diary, she ditched it in the middle of the year. That is so Rachel though. I open the diary and start to read.

'Dear diary,

Kenny is stable in the hospital. I can't believe that something like this would ever happen to an innocent child like him. This kid is seven for fucks sake. What person in their right mind would ever try to touch a child.

I mean if she was that sexually frustrated, why not go to a brothel? I also found out that they were a woman, due to how Kenny acted around me. The fact that someone did something so bad to him that he doesn't feel safe with me is insane.

Aiden is heartbroken too but right now he is focusing on the case, just like I should too. But all I want is to make sure that Kenny is good. I just can't focus on anything. I feel dead inside. The way we found him absolutely ruined me. If I ever caught the abuser, I would kill them with as much cruelty. But in order to do that I need to first find her.

I swear to god, one day. One day I will give her the punishment she deserves. She deserves to rot in hell, she needs to get tormented everyday.
I don't understand how people can be so inhumane, that too to a kid.
I can't even bear to look at Kenny without a sense of shame, how the world has let him down.

Truly,
Rachel '

All of this, all of these memories rush back like waves at shore. The gore sight, the crying and screams. It all makes me want to puke again. The fact that a seven year old survived all of that is insane to me. Such a strong kid. I haven't told anyone this, but Rachel figured out who the abuser was the moment she went near Kenny.

Apparently everyday Kenny came home smelling like lemons after school. When she asked him why he smelt that way, he said that a teacher on his bus who he was dearly fond off, wore the perfume. Guess how he smelled on the day he was raped? Like lemons. She told it to me but I didn't tell the boys about this.

Something made me not to, I mean she wasn't 100 percent sure, but she was ninety nine percent sure about it.

I sigh as I turn the pages of the book when an envelope falls out of the diary. Curiosity gets the better of me and so I turn it around to see that it had huge letters stating,
'TO: AIDEN QUINNELL'

Well now it'd be rude not to open. I open the envelope to find a letter signed by Rachel. I start to read it.

'Dear Aiden,

If you're reading this, it means I'm dead already...

                              ‡‡‡‡

To be continued...

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