Our Perfect Insanity

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three

“I still can’t believe no one said anything, or called the cops or... or something!” 

Sylvia exclaimed this as we walked inside the apartment again, each carrying two bags of food and other necessities.

“Did you want them to?” I challenged, raising an eyebrow in her direction. 

Sylvia shook her head quickly.

“No, no of course not! I was just… shocked, that’s all…  I expected someone to recognize you; after all, ever since my mother and your daughter were found dead, you’ve been all over the papers and the news.” Sylvia explained, and I frowned.

“I wasn’t aware of that… so, everyone thinks of me now, as a murderer?” I questioned, and Sylvia shrugged, pulling a jug of milk out of a bag and opening the fridge, placing it inside.

“Yeah, I suppose so. Do you not remember anything from when you were under Ariel’s control?” Sylvia inquired, tolting her head to the side as she looked at me curiously.

I frowned again, sighing and pinching the bridge of my nose.

I don’t remember anything, that’s the problem. If only I could remember something that Ariel told me. She must have told me something, a plan or something… she was going to go after Sylvia, and I know she had a plan, I just can’t remember what.

“Jonathan? Jonathan, hello…? Hello?! Jonathan! Wakey, wakey!” 

Sylvia’s voice snapped me out of my musings, and I looked over at her, rather startled by her annoying attempt to ‘wake me up’.

“That was actually kind of scary… I thought you were having some kind of episode… you just like spaced out there. Are you okay?” Sylvia questioned, concerned, and I nodded my head, shaking the hair out of my eyes and fitting my glasses back on my face.

“I’m fine, I was just… thinking…” I trailed off, taking to putting the groceries away once more. Sylvia watched me for a moment, before she went back to putting everything away again.

I found myself watching her as she put the groceries away. She’s so much like her mother; I can see it in her every second. 

I obviously didn’t care for Sylvia in the way I did for her mother, that would just be plain wrong. But, I did care for Sylvia.

Like I had told those gang members, Sylvia almost seemed like a daughter to me. 

Maybe, if I had been able to save Kathryn, if this whole thing with Ariel had been settled, then maybe Sylvia could have actually become my step-daughter?

If only I hadn’t failed to save Kathryn. 

If only I hadn’t failed to save June. 

How would our lives have turned out, if they were still alive? What if Ariel had chosen someone else to become obsessed with? 

“Jonathan? You’re spacing out again!” Sylvia exclaimed, and I felt her hands gripping my shoulders as she shook me gently. 

I snapped out of my thoughts to look down at her, and she was looking up at me with a bemused expression.

“Sorry, Sylvia, I’m just mulling over my thoughts. No need to worry.” I told her, running a hand through my hair as I yawned. 

Sylvia looked over at me and smiled at she put a box of cereal away in the cupboard.

“Tired?” She asked, and I nodded my head wearily.