Case 52: The Lost Diary

Day 1

"Thank you sir for buying this house. I've been waiting for a very long time just to watch this house getting bought." The seller smiles and stares at the house. I turned my head facing the house and smiled. 

"Well, I've been finding a cheap and good house for a very long time too." We bursted into laughter. 

"So, I'm just gonna give you the files of the house including the lot tomorrow." He smiled and waved goodbye. He enters his car and starts the engine. The car immediately moved until it disappeared from my sight, leaving smoke. Everything became silent. There are few neighbors, busy working for the holiday coming up. 

An Old woman, in my sight, is coming towards me. Her silver hair and her skin tells everyone that she's already aged. Until, I came back to my senses and found out that the woman was already in front of me.

"Welcome to this neighborhood. Be safe and don't bother to yell some help if you needed to. I'm your neighbor. The one with the Pink House, one house away from yours." She smiled and gave me a gift. I opened it and wasn't expecting receiving stuffs like this.

"That's a sign of the Holy Cross. Put it above your bed. Merry Christmas and again Welcome." Her voice isn't croaking like some aged people do. I bet she's just tired.

"Wanna come in Ma'am--?"

"You can call me Mrs.Elizabeth." She smiled. Then, Silently holds my hand and refuses. 

"You sure? I'm Kevin, Kevin Millard." I smiled at Mrs. Elizabeth while introducing my name.

"Thank you but I need to go. My dog is waiting for me. He's hungry." She giggles and started walk back. I put down my things on the ground. Then, went to Elizabeth. 

"Mind If I send you back home?" She smiled and nodded happily.

While walking back to her house, she started a conversation to kill silence.

"You live alone?" She asked.

"Yes. I bid farewell to my parents ten years ago because I want to be independent. I want to work hard for them too. To return the big favor they have given me. So, I'm right here in front of you, Mrs.Elizabeth, because I want to learn how to fight life alone. To stand strong for them, my parents. Unfortunately, my wife died seven years after she gave birth to our one and only child." I stopped as we reached her house.

"Come in. I have fresh-baked cookies and hot chocolate." I nodded and came in silently, observing the inside of the pink house I saw when we were talking earlier. The smell of fresh-baked cookies immediately caught my attention. She was already in the kitchen, preparing the food. I sat down in the couch in her living room while observing everything. 

Her house is a fine and simple house yet you could tell that it was filled with an olympic-pool size of memories. You can see pictures of her children, she has two girls and a boy. Her grandchildren have pictures too. They were all cute and pretty, Handsome too. After looking to the pictures next to me, I suddenly realized. Where are they?

"Mind If I ask a question Mrs.Elizabeth?" She nodded as a reply.

"Where is your husband? Your children?" She smiled and replied.

"My Husband is already dead. He died in a car accident when he was buying the dog that I've been wanting. The dog, Sammy, successfully lived but Ted. He died." She stopped and placed the cookies and hot choco in front of me, signalling me to eat.

"Sorry to hear that." She smiled and nodded sadly.

"Well, for my children. The two girls in the picture right beside you, Alexa and Wendy, got married and were both teaching. They're in the city though. For the boy, Dale, he graduated but he's not yet married. He's an investigator and a police too. He just finished his recent case." She smiled proudly while looking at the pictures.

"So you live alone Mrs. Elizabeth?" She smiles again. You can feel the loneliness she was feeling. 

"But thanks to the neighborhood who are very kind. They've been helping me except for the old owner of your house though." We both turned our heads to the kitchen when we heard a bark. A dog came out. It was a Canine. 

"And of course, thanks to Sammy too, who's been taking care of me." She patted her dog. Sammy is quite trained. He doesn't charge strangers like me. I think whenever he can see that the person is no harm to him and Elizabeth, he does nothing to that person. He's very kind but tough and strong too. 

I sipped the hot choco and ate some cookies. We talked a lot like she's already fifty-six years old and I'm twenty-two.

"May I ask too?" I nodded while smiling, waiting for her question.

"Where's your baby?" The memories flashed to my mind. Then, I returned to reality.

"My baby's at my parents. They wanted to raise Bell, my daughter. Luckily, Bell agreed because she gets to get everything she wanted." We bursted in laughter. 

"Well I need to go Mrs.Elizabeth. Thank you so much for welcoming and for the gift too. Goodbye. Goodbye to you too Sammy." I exited and returned to my house. I picked up the things I left earlier and went inside. My house is simple. It's good enough to let four persons live. I placed down the things in the kitchen and went to my room to hung the Holy Cross Mrs.Elizabeth has given me. I then continued cleaning up the bedroom.

The house has three rooms. The Kitchen, living room and bedroom. The comfort room's in the kitchen. The house has a little backyard that can be seen at the kitchen's window. I went to the sink in the kitchen to wash my dusty hands. While washing it, I looked in front of me, a window facing the backyard. 

The sun is setting down, bidding farewell for hours to let the moon shine again. It was already cold and dark outside. Lucky me, I finished cleaning ang arranging everything before supper time came. So I had the time to prepare some food. I peeked inside the fridge and picked up the frozen meat. I washed it to unfreeze and separate the ice, then I had a strange feeling that someone was looking at me. I looked outside but no one was there. So I ignored that one and continued cooking.

When the meal was finished, I lay it down on the table and washed first the utensils I used while cooking. I then immediately sat down and ate the meal happily. A fine supper with a fine meal on my own fine house. What a great feeling it is. Everything was silent. Even outside. Only the thing that was making some noises are the streetlights who have some serious problem. Turning on and off. Good for us, the whole neighborhood, we all have electricity to fight through the dark and cold nights.

I washed the plate, fork and spoon. Then, went to bed. I lay down and closed my eyes. It has been telling me to close all day but I can't because I need to finish fixing my house before reaching the night. I opened my eyes and looked at the clock beside me. It was still Nine o'clock. I picked up my phone and called my parents.

"How's Bell, mom?" I hear laughter on the other line.

"She's ok. We're watching a television show. Then, will go to bed." I nodded even though she can't see it.

"Ok. How about you and Dad, Mom? How are you two?" 

"We're still kicking and happily living with Bell. She ranked first too!" I smiled proudly.

"Can I talk to her?" 

"Sure. Bell, come here! Dad wants to talk to you." I heard footsteps running on the other line then heard my daughter's voice.

"Dad! I missed you. When will you visit here?" The smile on my face still was on there.

"I'll visit you soon Bell. Be good and nice with Grandpa and Grandma, Ok?"

"Ok."

"Congratulations too Bell! You ranked first. What do you want as a present? I want a dog, A Canine! I saw my friend's canine and I really really really want to have my own Dad." I nodded, again even though she can't see it.

"Ok. Dad's gonna buy you a Canine soon. Go to bed early."

"Ok. Good Bye Dad. I love you."

"Good bye Darling. And I love you two, I always will." The other line cutted off. I placed down my phone and was rest assured. I closed my eyes until I heard my phone's call ringtone. I opened my eyes and stared at my phone. I picked it up and tried to open it but the battery's already dead. I still can hear a phone ringing. It must be near. Maybe someone left. Maybe the owner did? I ignored the ringtone and closed my eyes. Silence covered my eyes as I fall to sleep.