I sit
and watch Hope wash her face. “Are they good to you?” She asks me. “Who my
parents?” I ask her. “Yes silly your parents.” She sit on the countertop across
the bathroom. “I mean they are serial killers. So yeah I guess for serial
killers they are great to me.” Hope just laughs at my comment. “Well I am sure
they are doing the best that they can. So, I have to ask did you ever have any
idea Rose wasn’t your mom?” I stop to think about my answer. “Yeah I think I
always knew. She just never felt like she wasn’t my mom, but she was my
mother.” I guess I always knew. It examples my distaste for her. “You didn’t
get the killing urge like them?” She asks me. “Yes and No.” Hope looks confused
by my answer. “Please explain.” I look
around trying to think of how to explain. “I guess it is kind of simple. I got
hit by a car when I was young and ended up in a coma. The coma damaged that
part of my brain.” Hope puts her hands over her mouth. “Before the coma did you
have an urge to kill?” She asks me. “Ummmmm. It’s hard to remember things from
before. How I remember it was I didn’t have an urge to kill, I just didn’t care
if I had to.” I can see the relief in Hope’s eyes. “I am sorry I couldn’t be
there for you.” Hope says. “Why did you leave me with them?” I ask her. “I was
only 16 when I had you. I didn’t know how to be a mother, I never had a mother.
Rose and John were more settled then I could ever be.” My mouth drops. “You
were 16?” Hope smiles. “Yes I was but Rose and John didn’t know. So let’s not
tell them.” How could my parent not know
she was just a kid? She was around my age. No wonder she still looks so young.
“You said you never had a mother. What happen to her??” I ask hoping to find
out more about where she comes from. “I don’t know. I was sold and shipped all
over the world since I can remember.” My heart drops. “Sold? Do you mean?” Hope
looks at me for a while. “I am very educated in the ways of seduction and
desire.” I get up to hug her. She doesn’t have to say anything else for me to
know what she means, I don’t want to let her go. I just want to keep her here
with me where she is safe.
Hope
and I lay down to get some rest. She seem so loving and nothing like my
parents. I close my eyes to her smile and stroking my hair. “Cahira.” I hear as
I open my eyes to see Grace. “Where is my mom?” I ask. “Do you mean Hope? She
is down stair with our real mom and dad talking about all the boxes we have
gotten so far. She is trying to help us find Percy.” I can’t believe for even a
second I forgot about Percy. I get up out of bed and follow Grace down stair to
the kitchen. As soon as Hope sees me she sticks her hand out for me to come to
her, I run over to her and she raps me in her arms. My mother’s Face changes to
a very unhappy look. “How did you sleep my little warrior?” Hope whispers in my
ear. “I slept great for the first time in a long time.” I tell her. “Hope we
should really stay focused.” My mother says as if I am a distraction. My dad
put his hand on my mother shoulder to calm her. Hope start to edge me behind
her. “Rose if you don’t get a hold of your jealousy we will have to speak in
the game room. I don’t think either of us has the time for that. So I suggest
you control yourself.” Hope says to my
mother with such force. My mother just stand there, she has nothing to say. My
dad just starts talking. “So, what we have so far is we think who ever took
Percy has been watching us for years. Probably since the girls were little. We
have done some profiling about how old he should be. We think he is between
30-45.” Hope shakes her head my dad’s statement. “That’s too old, he was a bit
young then that. If it is the same guy who was my client in China.” I look at
Hope hating the fact that she has clients. “You said he had money right?” My
dad asks. “Yes to afford the kind of time I spent with him. He was rich for
sure.” My dad rubs his forehead, the way he does when he can’t solve a problem.
“Why would he won’t to expose all of our secrets and to take Percy?” Grace asks. “To get our attention. He has been
in the back round the whole time. He has been watching our secrets, like Hope
said he thinks this will bring us closer together or tear us apart. Percy is
just a way to ensure we will be honest because we all adore Percy.” I explain.
It all seems so clear to me now. This is more than just a game to this man. He
is gearing up for something bigger. I am just not sure what. “That is very
perceptive and I completely agree with you little warrior.” Hope says to me. I
notice how encouraging Hope is and the fact that she won’t let me go. I have
never felt this kind of love. I wish she wouldn’t of left all those years ago
and would of stood to be my mom. The doorbell rings and we all run to the front
door. My dad motions for all of us to stand back as he opens the door. There is
a wooden chest in front of it. Both my parents carry it in. Hope once again
edges me behind her. “What is it?” Grace says. “It’s a hope chest.” Hope says
as she looks at me.
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