Reminisce With Me

Chapter 5: Mystery Woman

I slipped into my trench coat, long enough to keep me warm and light enough for me to run. I checked the clock one last time, waiting for my mind to say, get back into bed, Aubrey. Don't you know, never trust a stranger. But, instead, it whispered, what if this woman is your way out of the Clavis family – away from Dave. 

I grabbed the small bottle of hair spray from my dresser before opening my bedroom window open. 

Here goes nothing. 

It had stopped raining, but the ledge was still wet. I was grateful for the fully grown oak trees that boarded the Clavis home. I leaped onto the branch and carefully climbed down. The air tickled my cheeks, sending a quiver down my spine. When I reached the bottom, I stared at the empty streets. Most of the houses were dark shadows, with the exception of one or two that had a few lights turned on. Though, it was only 9:45PM, Grove Wood Crescent fell asleep quite early considering most of the residents were either elderly or couples with small children. 

I counted in my head to three before sprinting down the vacant sidewalk, my eyes adjusting to the dark. The night wind waltzed behind me, entangling my hair as I ran. 

The street lamps began to lessen as I got close to Heritage Park and the sky was suddenly sprinkled with stars. Oddly enough, seeing them shine was comforting. 

I struggled to climb the hill to the park, out of breath from the run. When I finally made it to the top, the soccer field on my right seemed like a dark, endless abyss. I placed my hand on my knee, slightly bending over to catch my breath. The adrenaline I had felt earlier was gone. 

I slipped my hand in my pocket, grasping the bottle of hair spray firmly. 

I swallowed hard. "Amelia?" My voice wavered, and I cursed under my breath, hoping to sound more confident. 

The park swings swayed with the wind and I held the bottle even tighter. My shoes were damp from climbing the hill and I was suddenly cold. My eyes skimmed the park, hoping for a woman to appear, but there were no movements. 

"Amelia?" my voice was much sterner now. 

I waited a couple more minutes and was convinced she wasn't going to show up.

I held in the angry tears, frustrated with myself for risking getting caught by Dave and coming here. 

I hugged myself and turned around to leave. But, there she was. 

Amelia leaned against one of the trees, her hands in her pockets. It was too dark to see her features, but by the way she stood, I knew in an instant it was the same woman from Dante's.

"I'm here, now tell me what you know about my parents," I said, the fear I felt earlier replaced with confidence. 

Amelia laughed under her breath, stepping closer to me. Her features were finally revealed: dark round eyes, chess pieces, ready to make a move. Her hair was slicked back into a low bun and I wondered how it stayed in place with no loose strands. "Aubrey Van Alen," she began, examining me.

My fingers never left the bottle of hair spray. "Tell me what you know," I said again. Amelia seemed impressed and she took another step forward. 

"The confidence, I admire it." She still watched me and I couldn't help but look at the hill, wondering if I would make it down without falling. "Aubrey, we don't show fear – it makes us appear weak. You would be surprised to find how well people can read others."

"We?" I questioned. "Who are you?"

"I work with your parents, though I have not seen them in years. We met at the organization and became very close." Amelia pursed her lips, looking around the park. "Come have a seat with me."