Aunt Candy and the Mysteries

Three.

We altogether ascend the stairs to the second floor, heaving our bags up with us. The landing is filled with many different doors on three of the walls. They only natural light, comes through an open door right in front of the stairs. I can't see much of that room, only that there are many windows and even more bookshelves. Surprisingly, that's the only door along that wall. The wall perpendicular to that one and the one across from it each have two to four doors on them. Must be a large room.

"Etta, your room is over there" Aunt Candy says, pointing to a door on our left "Peter, yours is over there", a door across from the stairs. "Come on!" Katchina says, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the room Aunt Candy referred to with so much enthusiasm, I wouldn't be surprised if she burst. I steal one last quick glance at Cedar. Surprisingly, he's looking at me too. He turns away, going with Luke to go show Peter his new room. I too return my focus to my new room as we pass through the door.

The walls have been painted white, with two of them painted to look like the sky on a clear blue day with comical fluffy clouds. On the wall opposite from the door, is a bay window with a seat decorated with creme and yellow pillows and blankets to compliment the walls. I smile widely. "So? Do you like it?" Brooke asks, joining us in my room along with Birdie. "I love it!" I say, spinning around with my arms out, like a helicopter and landing in the window seat. "It's beautiful!" I tell them truthfully. Katchina joins me on the window seat and Brooke takes a seat on the floor facing us. Birdie stays standing, but also comes further into the room. "Sorry that there's no bed yet... or anything else really. We just had to finish the walls and didn't want to get any paint on them."

"No that's totally fine. I appreciate you all doing this for me and Peter."

"It was no big deal, we had fun doing it." Brooke tells me, quickly looking to one of the cloud painted walls and smiling.

"So, how long have you guys known Aunt Candy?" I ask, curious as to how long they've been here.

"Well, I was adopted when I was six," Katchina tells me, "Brooke came when she was four, and Birdie when she was seven."

"And the boys?"

"Cedar came when he was only two, and Luke's been here since he was five." Brooke tells me.

"Wow, so you've all known her for quite a bit."

"Yeah, but we're glad to have some new faces." Birdie says with a smile. "Especially since we can't really go anywhere, it gets boring."

"Wait, hold up. Why can't you go anywhere?" I ask, the rumors from the airport coming back into my memory.

"It's nothing honestly. Candy's just a bit overprotective."

"But what about school?"

"Homeschooled." the three of them say in unison.

"Is Aunt Candy qualified for that?"

"She may not look it, but she's got her teaching degree for all subjects up until grade twelve." Birdie tells me.

"Wow." I'm honestly bewildered. All these things I'm learning about someone I've never met before. I wonder why we never did?

I shake the thought from my head and stand up. "Alright, now that I've seen my room," I say, "Can we see the rest of the house?" They all stand up, eager to give me the tour, and I'm thankful. This place looks amazing, and I want to know every nook and cranny. The house also helps keep my mind off of things I don't want to think about, which is a double bonus.

We exit the room, heading back out into the landing. "So to start," Katchina says perkily, "This is the room that Birdie and I share." She says, pointing to the door next to mine. Those are the only two doors on this wall. "That door right there is one bathroom, very important." She says, pointing to the door on the wall opposite the stairs that's closest to the wall with mine, Katchina, and Birdie's doors on it. "That one's Cedar and Luke's room" She says, pointing to the door next to the bathroom. "And that one's another bathroom" gesturing to the door next to the boy's shared room. "Really? Two bathrooms that close to one another?" I ask with a giggle. "Hey, you'll be thankful for it in the mornings" Birdie says, pointing a finger at me for emphasis. We all laugh for a second. "What's that last door?" I ask, referring to the fourth door on that wall. "That's your brother's room." Brooke tells me. "Oh." I say with a smile. "And that one?" I ask, pointing to the only door on the third wall. As I do, Katchina's eyes light up with excitement. She grabs my wrist and pulls me to it. "You're going to love this!" She says, opening the door to reveal a beautiful, two story, room. The top half is a c-shaped loft library, with floor to ceiling bookshelves. It's very cozy, with little cushioned benches in the corners for reading. The only wall that the bookshelves aren't on is filled with large windows that go from the ceiling down to the floor of the first floor.