Perception

LXVII

"Can I ask you more questions? Is that okay?"
Her voice sounded so brittle she barely recognised it herself. Adele put both her ancient hands on Anna's thighs and smiled at her.
"Dear Anna, you can ask me everything you need."
Adele's hands felt like the sun, like warmth spreading through her.
I could have grown up with this lady.
"Erm. Can you tell me more about my mother? How old was I when... when that happened?"
Adele nodded, and Anna didn't miss the look of pain that crossed her face.
"You were only one, almost two. So young. Your mother was the middle child, a golden child, always with a smile. Everyone loved her. Just like you, Anna, her smile was just like yours."
Eli squeezed her hand softly, her beacon, her raft that she held onto for dear life, holding the waves at bay. She waited for Adele to continue.
"My sister had already passed. I've often thanked God she didn't have to be there to see... to see that. I... I don't really know that much about her three girls, because I was living so far away."
Adele looked down at her lap, tears overflowing onto the flowery skirt.
"I wish I would have been closer. I wish I wouldn't have missed it all."
I have a cousin.
"And my cousin? Can I ask? Do you know what happened to her?"
Adele shook her head slowly, almost imperceptibly.
"No, I'm sorry. She was tiny at the time. She was adopted, like you. I have no idea, just like I had no idea about where you were until not long ago."
Suddenly Adele looked up urgently. "How.... can I ask, how are you here?"

The question made perfect sense, but yet Anna wasn't prepared for it and had no idea how to answer it. It was clear to her that Adele knew nothing about the weird things that had been happening lately, nothing about any visions or dreams or seers. She was just a sweet old lady. There was no way she could burden her with the truth, was there?
"We... we were just walking, we're staying on a campsite nearby. We just happened upon the cottage and I thought I'd ask for some water. I can't believe this has happened either."
She could tell from the look in Adele's eyes that she didn't quite believe her, but she didn't press it further. And suddenly Anna was done, she could take no more, she needed to go, she needed to run up the hill, she needed to get to safety so she could think, so she could shake the darkness off before she'd lose the ability to.
"I... we need to go, I'm afraid. But... can I please come back?"
Adele nodded straight away, a clear invitation.
"I'll be here, Anna. I've rented this cottage to spend my days for a while, since my husband died. I'll give you my phone number. Please..." she got up and started heading into the little house again, her steps a little quicker than before with her urgency. "Please don't be a stranger, Anna. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to know you before I go."
I could have grown up with her.
The image was unshakable.

She took the piece of paper with the telephone number from Adele's hands, taking it in both her own as if it were made of gold. Then she bent forward on a whim and hugged her great aunt. A piece of herself, a piece of family.
"Bye." she whispered, waving faintly at the tiny old lady before stepping back off the porch and making her way as quickly as she could, back through the sunflowers, up the hill.