Hired

55

Eva

Carlos, Nate and I left Italy in the morning and arrived at the L.A airport hours later,

"Why L.A?" I asked Carlos, he's sitting across from me and holding a newspaper to his face. "Nate and I don't know anyone in L.A."

He puts the paper away to look at me,

"You probably don't remember, but your grandparents live in this city, they've been expecting you and Nate for a very long time."

I stared at him confused,

"Grandparents?"

He hummed in response,

"Carlos, I don't recall having other relatives, talk more of grandparents, you must be mistaken?"

"You think I would hand you to just anyone--"

I waver,

"I'm saying you're mistaken."

"I'm positive." he said.

I huffed in frustration, and leaned against my seat. At the other end Nate was sitting, awake.

The pilot soon made the awaiting announcement and the seatbelt signs were off,

"Come on." Carlos reached and escorted me out of the plane,

The moment I took my first step, I was hit with the most exhilarating air, I closed my eyes for a brief second and tried to take it in.

I always assumed returning home to America would be a blissful moment, after all we were home and away from danger. But I wasn't feeling as pleased as I should be, something wasn't sitting right with me.

A group of men in suits came and escorted us into a limousine, while they trailed behind in different cars.

"Where are we going?" Nate asked me in a whisper.

"I don't know," I replied in the same tone.

"He's going to have us killed." Nate whispered again.

"Stop talking nonsense." I shot at him,

"We tried to kill him, you think he would hesitate get rid of us-" Nate's words were putting ideas in my head, "Look at him."

I glanced up at Carlos to find him staring speculatively at us. I gulped and averted my gaze, if that be the case, at least he had the decency to get us home first.

"Are you hungry?" Carlos asked out of nowhere.

"Are you trying to kill us?" Nate waved before I had the chance to speak.

"And, why would I do that?" Carlos retorted in a sarcastic tone.

Nate snorted, looking away.

I don't say anything either.

There was a long list of reasons to get rid of us and neither of us wanted to get into it.

"No one is dying, at least not today."

I watched him reach into his pocket again and pulled out a pill bottle, he took out two pills and threw it in his mouth like it was candy.

I don't say anything about it and just stared back in the same intensity. Soon the car came to a full stop in front of a blue Victorian house,

As we were escorted out of the car by one of the guards, I noticed a group of people waving and hurrying towards us, and in second they were wailing and hugging us.

"I'm so happy to see you both alive." An elderly lady said, while pulling away to take a proper look at me, "Oh, You look just like Helen..."

Nate looked as confused as I was.

"Eva, this is your grandmother, and the rest of the family." Carlos waved in between the confusion.

"I don't remember." I muttered in a stutter,

"It's okay, what's important is that you are home." They all looked so very happy, and I didn't have the heart to tell them they were mistaken, Nate felt the same, apparently, "Everyone, Let's take them inside."

They escorted us into their home and made us seat in their circular living room,

There were welcome home banners scattered everywhere, the house was decorated nicely for us, it would be a shame to find out we are the wrong people,

"I don't know what's going on but I like it." Nate chimed in beside me, I haven't seen him this excited in a while.

"Dave and Lucy, these are my grandchildren, this Eva the older one and Nate." The elderly lady came and introduced us to other people.

"You don't know how long we've been searching for you two." The Lady smiled sadly, "It's a pity what happened to your parents, Helen and Joe were the loveliest people."

"What happened to our parents?" Nate asked to my surprise, he believes these people?

"Let's not spoil the mood, it's a joyous occasion." The elderly lady cut in quickly, "Come, you two must be tired, let me show you to your room." She dragged us out of the anxious crowd and towards the stairs,

Where the hell is Carlos? Just when I thought it, I noticed him walking down the stairs with a middle aged man, the elderly woman's husband.

"There you are..." She exclaimed to them.

"Where are you taking them?" Her husband asked.

"Upstairs, it's been a long flight."

Carlos cut in, "Eva would be staying with me tonight."

The woman gasped sharply, "I just had my granddaughter return home after so many years, you can't take her."

"I'll ensure she returns in the morning."

"Eva?" All heads turn to look at me, and I Nate.

"Don't worry, they seem like nice people...." Nate assured me. He seemed to have to take a liking to these people already,

I sighed and went to stand beside Carlos, I did want more time alone with him.

"I'm trusting you, Carlos. You keep to your word again and bring my granddaughter home."

Carlos bowed his head in appreciation and took me by the hand with him, then we got back in the car and drove to the hotel.