Keeper of the Lost Child (A KotLC Fan Fiction)

FIFTEEN

   "You mean that..." Jamie trailed off. "You mean that Mr. Forkle had something to do with it?"
   Lilly sighed. "The world is bigger than you think. Bigger than you or I could ever comprehend. Maybe there's someone who could..." now it was her turn cut herself short.
   Jamie had spilled everything. It felt like she had just opened her mouth, and the words had flowed from her jaw. Lilly was a good listener, much like Mr. Forkle, and Jamie had found herself blabbering on. She told her about the moving, and how they had come to San Diego. She explained how she had met Coco, and how it had led to her meeting Mr. Forkle.
   It felt like hours crept by, but in actuality, it was only twenty-five minutes.
   Jamie's mother had not come in to check on her yet, so Jamie had spoken freely.
   After she was finished speaking, Lilly had asked her to tell her more about one thing in particular. One thing she had not described in much detail. Of all the things Lilly could have asked about, she decided to ask Jamie about what she thought on her parents' late-night conversation in the hotel in Sacramento. The one about them finding more money in their bank accounts. Since money was a sensitive topic in the Foster household, she had laid off of the topic, only hinting around a conversation, and a strange donor.
   Jamie still didn't understand what Lilly's place was in all of this, but she formed a question she hoped would sound natural.
   "What is your relationship with Mr. Forkle?" Deafening silence had lapsed over them, and Lilly seemed thankful of the words.
   "He is a close family friend, and a sort of father figure to me."
   Sensing the delicateness in her words, Jamie took her reply as Lilly seeing Mr. Forkle as someone she trusted. She dared not question further.
   The sound of a little bleep! filled the air, making Jamie jump.
   She glanced over to see Lilly fumbling with a ring in her finger. Jamie had noticed the ring earlier, but now it was glowing.
   Desperation filled Lilly's voice, and Jamie could tell what she said was urgent. "I have to go. I might see you soon, but don't count on it. Trust your instincts Jamie, you're a smart girl."
   Jamie blushed from the praise, as she followed her visitor to the door.
   "Bye Lilly. It was nice talking to you," she said, though nice wasn't how she would have described her conversation. More... informative.
   Lilly flashed a final smile, the gesture lighting up her kind facial features.
   "Stay safe."
   Lilly bustled out, but somehow made it seem graceful, as she ran down the lawn, in long loping strides.
   Lilly's last words to her sent Jamie's mind buzzing.
   "Who was it?" Jamie's mother appeared behind her, just as Lilly slipped from sight.
   "A really nice girl named Lilly. She's my age. I think she was kind of worried because Coco just disappeared, that maybe other kids might too, I don't know. She just kind of randomly popped by. She said she might come back, but she also said not to count on it."
   Her mother nodded sadly, and Jamie hoped that she wasn't thinking about that moment when she had come up to her room, when Jamie had been crying.
   "What was she like?"
   "Really nice, um, she was like, really pretty, and she laughed a lot. I told her about what has been happening to us lately." Jamie left out the part about Lilly telling her about Mr. Forkle being involved in the mystery money. Because truthfully, Jamie hadn't even told her parents that she had been eavesdropping on their conversation.
   Now it was fully dark, and Abby led her daughter into the house, shutting the door on the way.
   "You want some hot chocolate? You're shivering. It's really cold out here. Strange weather. I've got dinner on the stove."
  Jamie smiled. "Sure, Mom. Thanks."
   Her mom grinned, and stood up to get the kettle on. As it hissed and sizzled, Jamie thought, strangely enough, about the woman she had spotted, signing something in the other yard. Mr. Forkle's old yard.
   She wondered if this woman was her new neighbour. If she was, would she be as nice as Mr. Forkle? Or would she have a good reputation, but be mean, like Coco Mozale?
   Something seemed oddly familiar about the lady. She was tall, thin, and had light blond hair.
   She was also wearing a hooded cloak, though the jewelled red hood had been thrown down. Her face was unusually pretty, sort of like Lilly's. It was like all the people she had been seeing lately were fashion models. They showed up to just to make her feel bad about how she looked herself.
   It seemed impossible that Jamie had seen the woman before.
   Until it wasn't impossible at all. Until she realized that she had seen the woman before. It was a terrible memory, but it was real.
   Still, she doubted herself. It couldn't be possible that this woman was the same one.
   Her new neighbour seemed normal enough. She couldn't possibly be the lady that Jamie had seen disappear.

871 Words

Well, that was a quick update. Three chapters in one day! I hope you liked it! If you especially liked it, feel free to comment your thoughts!
Until next chapter.
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