Series Wednesday: Family game night Page 12

“Is it blood?” I ask as my dad turns off the machine playing Percy scream. “This is clearly way too thin to be blood.” My mother says like this is something I should know. “I am sorry I am not a murderer and don’t see blood all the time.”  My mother just gives us a look and pulls the broken bag that the fake blood came out of off the top.  There is a box wrapped in plastic under it. “It’s for you Grace.” My dad says as he looks at the top of the box. “Is that?” I ask Grace shocked by the fact that I instantly recognize the box. “Yeah, it’s our secrets box from when we were kids.” My parents stare at us, not knowing what we are talking about. It’s a wooden box that my dad had custom made for Grace when he was in Paris on a business trip. It was the most beautiful wooden box with a lock. It was the only thing that as kids we had that we felt our parents couldn’t touch. “Do you still have the key?” I ask Grace. “Of course I do.” Grace says as she runs upstairs to go get it.
                She comes running down the stairs with the tiny key is hand. “So this has to do with Grace?” My mother asks my dad. I roll my eyes not surprise that my mother would throw this on someone else. What if this has nothing to do with Grace but I can admit this does look bad like it has something to do with Grace. “I highly doubt Grace could have made an enemy that has this kind of money without your help Mother.” I say to my mother with a smile. Grace looks at the box with the tiny key in her hand. “How sure are we that this is not a bomb?” Grace asks my parents. “Hand me the key and box. I’ll open it.” Grace looks at me. “Do you think our old secrets are in here still?” She asks me. I can’t help but laugh at the fact that is what is on her mind right now. “Honest I cannot even remember the last time we put a secret in that box.” I tell Grace. “It was before the coma back when we told our secrets to each other and no one else.” I know Grace is referring to Chance. The coma changed everything in my life including my relationship with Grace.  “What secret could you have as kids that would be so bad you couldn’t tell us?” My dad asked, Grace and I both shrug.  My dad just shakes his head at us and opens the box.  I step back just in case there is a bomb.  My dad pulls out of the box pictures. “What is it?” Grace asks, he passes the pictures to Grace. I can’t see the picture so I get closer to Grace. She sees me trying to look and hands them to me. There are 5 pictures, the first is a picture of me and Grace as kids. We are in front of a ride at a carnival smiling. We had seen the lights from our old house. Grace told me she wanted to go see the clowns and join all the other kids. My parents weren’t much into carnivals or doing things with us, they did things with us for appearance sake. So because this one wasn’t thrown by our school and no one would be there to watch we knew they would not take us. I remember Grace begging them to take us. Our parent said no of course but as Grace begged I stole money from my mother purse. I waited until they fell asleep and woke up Grace. I still remember her face as I stole their car to take us to the lights. We were only 6 years old  at the time. I could barely touch the pedals but I somehow got us there. We spent all 200 dollars I had stolen from my mother and rode all the rides and ate everything we could find covered in candy. Grace seemed so happy that night. It was perfect until our parents and the cops showed up. My mother was so pissed she beat me so badly I couldn’t go to school for a whole week. She claimed I had the flu but really she needed my bruise to heal. Wait who took this picture? “Grace do you remember taking this picture?”  Grace stops to think. “No I don’t I Just remember riding the rides before mom and dad showed up.”  I don’t remember taking this picture either.  I hand the picture to my mother. “Oh I remember this day. Cahira you were in rare form. I remember asking you why you thought it was okay to steal from me. Do you remember your response?” I look at my mother and shake my head no. “Of course you don’t. You said it’s not that I thought it was okay, I just don’t care enough not to do what makes Grace happy. I don’t fear you so just do your worse.” I look at my mother because that just doesn’t sound like me. “I did not say that.” I tell her. “Oh yes you did. You were very different before that coma ruined you. You were so much disconnected from everything and fearless. You were so beautiful. I beat you and you asked for more that was just who you were.” My mother sighs as if I was dead or something. She would love the kid who defined her and disrespected her. Wow I am surprised she doesn’t still love me.  I look down at the second photo and it’s of my dad and Grace at a work event. He is so handsome and so regal. The third is of my mom and Grace, the forth was of Enrique. Not sure why he keeps popping up. The fifth is of Percy tied to a chair. “There is an envelope here with your name on it Grace. My dad hands it to her.  Grace opens it and pulls out the letter inside.