"Some people seem to fade away but then when they are truly gone, it's like they didn't fade away at all."
― Bob Dylan
Day Seven
After our talk at midnight, Stephan had to convince me that he was fine before I could leave him alone. His nightmare only fueled my desire to get to the bottom of all this mystery. Hailey was right, maybe paying a visit to the Stones residence could give me something tangible. I thought of telling Stephan but I decide against it, it might be overwhelming. I lay in my bed, thinking randomly before I fell asleep, dream of my cat and Thanatos having an insult fight. Sniffles won.
At exactly 7:15 am I wake up groggily. I get up from bed and the first thing that pops into my head is Stephan. I shake my head trying to push Stephan's issue out of my head for a while. Worrying will do me no good and besides I had some work to do first.
I catch my little brother before he went out to school, munching on some freshly made waffles.
"Hmm smell delicious", my stomach grows.
"Stephan made it", Adrien replies in between mouthfuls, "I am beginning to think that the only reason he is here is to cook you meals".
"What?" I reply flustered, "What is wrong with my cooking? I cook too"
"Yeah, sure you do", he laughs, "If it was possible to burn water, you would be the first person to achieve that"
"Don't talk with your mouth full, gusto", I shut him up. It's not my fault my food always run into accidents. I always try to follow recipes and time limits, it just doesn't work out. I am not a terrible cook, I am just a clutzy one.
"Where's the chef?"
"He said he had some training to do with that girl that lives next door, I think they both went to the gym"
"At 7:30 am?", she did not have to escort him to the gym but I get that Jasmine was trying to use the excuse that she was helping him to get ready for his audition for next week to get closer to him. It doesn't matter, I push her out of my mind, whatever she is planning wouldn't work.
Adrien left for school fifteen minutes later. I was now home alone, just the way I preferred it when I needed to work. I did the house chores, glad that the only person that was messy was me, my brother and Stephan are really clean and they kept everywhere tidy most of the time. I take a shower to clear my mind and body and I wear some comfortable clothes. sitting at my desk, I turn on my laptop and bring out my scribble paper, waiting for my creative juices to start flowing while I edit the manuscript of the novel I have been working on.
I was pretty wiped by the time it was 3 pm, as I worked the whole time, only standing up to get a drink or take a bathroom break. I check my phone and Stephan had texted me that he was going to be with Cole around 12 pm.
The waffles I had in the morning were pretty much gone, so I thought of going to the drive-through and getting some food. Hailey is busy and Noah was supposed to be in some meeting so I was alone for a while.
I suddenly remember I was going to visit the Sones family, so I changed into something more appropriate, and grabbed my keys.
*********************************************
The house has changed.
I don't know what I was expecting really, I didn't think anything other than their memories will be affected, but apparently, no Stephan means a large, elegant house smack in a sub-urban neighborhood. I pass out a burp, I got a burger and milkshake before driving up here.
I feel my palms turn clammy as I kill my engine.
Who was I going to say I was?
A long-lost family friend's daughter?
An estranged third cousin?
I was still struggling with the first base answer I was going to give them when my eyes fall on the For Sale just next to their house. Bingo.
I ring the bell.
No answer.
I wait for a minute or two before ringing again.
Still no response.
I was about ring the third time when the door opens up.
With a bright smile, Catherine pops out of the door frame.
"Yes?" she chirps.
I stare at her, suddenly dumbfounded. Of course, she would not remember me, right? I was tied to Stephan, without Stephan, I never met any of the Stones.
She laughs at my expression.
"Oh dear, you have to speak so I can help you"
Catherine looked years younger. Her green eyes were full and f=vibrant and her hair was longer and darker than I remember. She looked like she spent all her time bathing in only milk and honey.
"I am sorry for staring", I clear my throat, "You are really pretty"
She clicks her tongue, "Aw, thanks darling, just got my hair done"
I say nothing else and just gawk at her
"I could give you the phone number of my stylist, she will know what to do with your hair"
I finger my hair that is currently in a messy bun. "Oh, no thanks". Your stylist probably collects a fortune. I did not say that out loud.
"Well?", she cocks her head in a familiar way.
"Ah yes, well you see", I begin to stutter, "I was hoping you could, um give me another number of the owner of that property", I point, "I am looking into buying a new house"
"The one on the sign doesn't work?"
"No", I lie, "I am kind of in-between houses so it's urgent"
"Okay, come on in. I should have home Owen's number somewhere around here", she beckons me in.
I take a look around her house. It was clean and tidy and it definitely was different from before. She ushers me into the living room then disappears through another door, muttering about numbers.
I look at the family portrait just above the television. Kyle, Catherine, and Camille were smiling wide in the picture. They looked so happy, Stephan non-existence changed the strong, gloomy, and intense aura in this family. Could it be that he was meant to die?
Was Thanatos wrong for bringing him back? He had said that he has resurrected Stephan because of his own interest.
I immediately thought of last night and his nightmare.
What does it all mean? What haunted him so much, for him to eventually take his life?
I begin to cross out possible theories. It was not depression, not like the counsellors had preached, or how the teachers gossiped back then. Depression could not have led to this, I remember Stephan to be a pretty intense guy, but he did not seem to be one to fall into the clutches of suicide, he simply did not show any signs, or had a tangible reason.
I concentrate on the picture again, focusing more on Camille. Sweet young Camille. She had believed that her brother was going to come back. I thought she used that to comfort herself, to help her to deal with the loss of someone she loved very much. It was so obvious now that she was unto something, she possibly had a premonition of some sort.
An idea struck me. If I could engineer a way that Stephan spends time with his sister, it could trigger memories, it would help to obtain pieces so I could put all of the puzzle pieces together. How on earth was I going to do that?
"This is it"Catherine calls from behind, "Owen's home number, I wrote down his email too if you still can't reach him"
"Oh, thanks", I collect the piece of paper, folding it and slipping it into the back of my jeans. "That's a nice family portrait"
"It is, isn't it?" she sighs, reminiscing. "Kyle finally was able to get away from work so we decide to take the summer in Hawaii. It was difficult leaving when the holidays were finally over, it was nice to have a stable, nice, and warm weather"
"I can clearly see that Camille looks so happy", she was always a happy child though.
Catherine looks at me suspiciously and takes a step back, "How did you know the name of my daughter?"
Damn, I bite my inner lip, I just had to ruin it. I was going to lie but I change my mind, if I start lying to her, I don't think I would be able to keep up. I could just tell her bits and pieces of the truth, just enough not to make me look crazy. After Stephan died, I spent a lot of time with his family. Catherine and Camille became my friends. Catherine was always this woman with so much wisdom and Camille was just a bundle of joy to be around.
"Look Catherine, I know you don't remember but, we have met and I know you wouldn't recall so I decided to just lie and say I was looking for a house. I just wanted to see you and Camille without looking like a crazy woman"
Catherine eyes me, "Wait a minute", she says looking at me, she steps forward and with an "I'm sorry", she takes off my bun. My hair spills out of its bun. She begins to awkwardly pat and smooth out my hair. Stepping back she concentrates on my face again.
"I do remember you", she says in a second, smiling like a lunatic.
"You do?", I say, confusion lacing my voice as I rake my hands through my hair.
"You used to have waves in your hair and a fringe too. That's why I couldn't place your face. It's been what now, five years"
I was still confused.
"Where did we meet?"I ask her.
"Why, we met at a funeral, don't tell me you don't remember?"