“A hope chest?” Grace says. “It’s a
style of wooden chest.” My dad says. “So is it for Hope?” Grace asks. “No I
think this one is for me.” My dad says as he starts to open it. My dad pulls
out a model airplane and a basinet. He reaches into the bottom and pulls out a
locket and a note. “What does all this mean?” Grace asks as she looks over the
toy plane. Hope’s eyes enlarge as soon as she sees the locket. I don’t think anyone else notices Hope’s eyes
but me. “What does the note say?” My mother asks. “It’s your turn dear old dad.
Why don’t you look your family in the face and tell them the choices you made.
Who was more important to you? Tell them your truth. It should be easier now
that Hope is here. Good to see your home Hope. I hope you enjoy my gifts as
well. Until we met again in the next life or is this your next life? So hard to
tell with you. So dad the family matriarch will you be as honest as their
mother was? Or are you going to run from your truth until the last second like
Grace? Can’t wait to find out.” My dad
finishes reading the note. He looks up at my mother and then at Hope. “He has to be watching the house right now
for him to know that Hope is here.” My dad says. “Can I have the locket?” Hope
says as she reaches her hand out. My dad hands it to her and she just looks at
it. Grace pulls out a zip drive out of the basinet. “Look what was tucked into
the side.” Grace says as she runs to the living room. “Where are you going?” I
ask her. “My laptop is in the living room.” She plugs in the zip drive to her
computer and there is a video on it. “Play it” I tell her. It is Percy sitting
on a bed eating. “Hi guys I just want you to know I am safe because mom was so
forth coming, he gave me a room. I also have my own bathroom and he has been
feeding me. I LOVE YOU GUYS. He says he will give me back if you guys all tell
the truth. Cahira I miss you most. I wish we were out by the oak tree just
listening to the whims of men. I love you guys!” The video cuts out.
My
family just stands there looking at me. “I always knew Percy loved you most.”
Grace says but that’s not what Percy is saying. It’s a message I know what it
means. I look around at my family and have to act fast before who ever took
Percy realizes what was just said. I start to fake cry. “PERCY! I just want to
go out to the oak tree to be where we were happiest.” I say crying as I squeeze
Hope’s hand. For some reason I think she will be the only one to understand me.
“We should all go with you to be where Percy was happiest. Maybe it will help
us all open up” Hope says. My dad nods his head. “Where is this oak tree
at?” He asks. “Just follow me. Ill drive
my motor cycle.” I say as I head out side. Hope hops on the back of my motor
cycle. I start to drive toward the hills to the oak tree where there is no
service. We ride for 30 minutes to get there. We pull up to the top of the
hill. Grace is the first one out of the car. “No service that’s why we are out
here.” Grace says as she looks at her phone. “I thought mother bugged my phone
for a bit so when Percy and I wanted to have conversations that we didn’t want
mother to hear we came here. Percy was letting me know the house was bugged. He
knows for sure that he is listening to us but not sure on if he is watching us.
This means he must have heard us somehow.” My mother just looks at me for
second before responding to my statement. “Why would you think I bugged your
phone?” She asks me. “Because of that party that I went to in the desert and you
showed up and dragged me home. How else would you have known” I explain to her.
“Grace told me where you were.” That for some reason never crossed my
mind. “Oh well that makes a lot of
sense. Oh and screw you Grace!” I say in response to my mother, I feel a little
embarrassed at this point. “So this explains how he knows if we are telling the
truth.” My dad says. “How long do you think we have until he figures out that
we know about the bugs?” Grace asks. “We need the bugs to stay where they are.
If we try to tamper with them then he might hurt Percy. If we need to talk
about something that can’t be said in front of the bugs we can just come out
here. I have to say Cahira good thinking on your feet and fake crying.” My
mother says. “We should get back to the house and keep playing along.” My dad
says. “Dad can I have a second with you” I ask. He smiles at me and everyone
else walks back to the car. “What’s going on?” My dad asks me. “Does your
secret have to do with me too?” I ask. “Why would you say that?” He asks. “I
recognize the basinet from my baby pictures. That is my basinet.” I tell him.
“It does kind of have to do with you but more to do with Hope and your mother.”
I look at him in fear of what the secret might be. “I don’t want Hope to leave
again.” I tell him. “Cahira she might have to.” My dad says as he starts to
head back to the car.
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