It has always been rainbows and butterflies in my head. At least, that is what I would like to believe. House hopping is not a pleasant experience for a ten year old no matter the circumstance. My circumstance would be due to the nature of father's work. Yes, Daddy's job made us a family of three house hopping at least once a year. You never actually have any sense of belonging anywhere you go. Another country to move out to,another community to getting acquaintanced and all that jazz. Oh, don't forget that the worst part would be to pack and unpack the never ending boxes when you move to a new house! It gets easy as the years passed and getting older does not necessarily mean we tend to be more mature and well mannered.
Regardless of that, I needed to be an adult when I just turned seventeen. The entire world came crashing down on me when I came home from school that day. There was a Police Line that couldn't be crossed taped at the front door of my house. My mind went fuzzy as my heart started to thump faster and an bad feeling started to crawl up my spine making my body tremble unknowingly. It was hard to breathe as I walked closer and closer towards the door when I felt a hand holding back my shoulder.
" Kid, you can't get any closer than this. Go home. It is not a scene for kids to see." I tried to speak but no words came out.
"...."
"Well don't just stand there. Shoo! Go Home, it's getting late. Your parents would be worried sick looking for you." Finally I could find my missing voice.
" What happened here?"
"The people living in this house was brutally murdered. Its better.."
I went running into the house before hearing the officer explaining. I couldn't brace myself to see but I have to, NO I refuse to believe the words that was spat out by the officer.
Then, I saw the pool of blood that was scattered across the living room.
"NOOO!!!" I could see Mommy's hand laying lifeless on the carpeted floor as slumped to the ground crying hysterically. My vision blurred, my mind went blank and I could only hear myself cry without knowing how to stop the tears falling rapidly down my cheeks. My heart hurts so much, so bad. No, Please tell me it's a lie. Tell me I got in to the wrong house by mistake and seeing a lady wearing the same clothes as Mommy's .
"Kid, what's your name? Are you their child? Hey..Answer me. Hey, Don't pass out!" As my vision turned blurry and slowly getting dark,so was the silhouette of the female officer that was shaking my shoulders.
When I woke up, I was in a hospital and It was already the seventh day since then. There was a female police officer who tended to me. She had been by my side since I fainted due to shock. The officer found out I was the only child of my parents from my ID Card which they found through my wallet. She apologized for going through my things without my consent as they needed to know my identity and whether I was involved in the murder of my parents. She informed me that my parents' funeral was taken care of by the insurance company and they were supervised by the police force. They said they could not find a relative to look after me. So I would be left to live alone or I could choose to be accompanied by a female officer temporarily in the house.
Not long after, a detective came, He introduced himself as Detective Hans and asked me questions about my parents mostly about their job and social circle. I told them that my father was the bread maker in the family and my mother as a house wife. Daddy worked as a consultant in a consulting company branched in New York City. And we just moved to New York four months ago. We hardly have friends over because we were never stay long enough to get really close to anyone in the neighborhood before we need to move back to Indonesia to be reassigned to a new place.
Detective Hans suggested that I stay in touch with him and Officer Clara James as this case might be a first degree murder. He found old documents realated olto my father's work laying in the study room where he was found dead a gunshot wound to his neck. He would be confiscating all documents in search for clues to the murder. He believes that the murderer was an amateur from the gunshot wound and that he might have an accomplice.
I neither have an appetite to eat nor to drink. All I could see was the vision when I last saw my mother's lifeless body on the ground. It just kept replaying in my mind and warm tears just keeps rolling down my cheeks as I cried silently hiding my head under the covers. Days passed and I was finally discharged from the hospital and went to live with Clara. She thinks it's better to have me guarded in case the murderer came looking for me and try to kills me too.
Unexpectedly, Clara lives in a penthouse with her husband. Her husband works as a House Realtor which explains how she got to live in a luxurious penthouse despite the annual wage of a police officer wouldn't be enough for her to afford a penthouse. I felt in awe and awkward all at the same time as I have never been to a penthouse and a luxurious one at that. Clara told me that she had always been seen a potential corrupt officer based the house she lives in. I blushed as if she read my thoughts, she burst out laughing. She say almost every one she met was nice but turned otherwise after they visited her home. It was a normal occurrence for her and she doesn't mind because she knows she is an upright justice serving officer and takes the opinions of others as passing. Her Chief Inspector knew and had checked both hers and her husband's finances. It came out clean so she was not worried of getting arrested.Life was starting to get better for me as Clara and her husband Johnny kept me occupied and getting my mind off the tragedy by helping me with my schoolwork and applying for a homeschool program. It was the safest method to keep me safe at home without going outside too much.
Suddenly, Clara and her husband came to my room at night as I was doing some homework at night.
"June, may we have a moment with you?"
"Yes,sure."
"I've been meaning to talk to you since morning, you see. I came to work this morning and Chief wanted to see me first thing today. So I came to his office and.."
"And?"
" Its alright, you should let her know. Don't keep her in the dark. She'll be fine. Trust me, sweetie."
"Well, There was this lady that claimed to be your Godmother. She's European and she presented evidence of her statement as your Godmother. She requested to have an audience with you as soon as possible."
"What?"
"Do you need me to repeat what I said?"
" No,no,no,no..I heard you loud and clear. I just, it's just that I couldn't digest the fact that I have a Godmother out of nowhere. Is she legit?"
" She has a photograph of herself,you and your parents in a gathering along with a letter written by your mother dated many years ago. Would you like to meet her? If you're not comfortable with that I could inform the Chief that you decline the request. It's ok."
I kept silent for a while. Should I go and see her? She might know something about my parents that I don't. But what if she's a fraud? Wouldn't I be sending my life voluntarily to an unknown foe?
After thinking things through, I decided it was best to meet her and read the letter she had from Mommy.
"I think it's best that I meet her Clara. I would like to read the letter she had from my mother."
"Good call June. You definitely need to know the so called relative that popped out from the ground like a weed."
" Johnny, you shouldn't say that. What happened to that charming gentlemanly personality of yours that got my hooked?"We burst out laughing at the sarcastic remark.
Clara and Johnny are fun and such loving couples. They're very adventurous,taking time of the weekend to go hiking or have a picnic by the park. They're great together. As Clara called The Chief, it was soon decided that I would be meeting this Godmother tomorrow. As she needed to leave for Paris soon for business purposes.
I came to The Police Station accompanied by Clara the next morning. As I walked through the halls towards The Chief's office, I felt a piercing gaze. I turned but saw no one looking my direction. I let pass as I might have been nervous. When I came in the office, Clara introduces me to The Chief. Sitting by the sofa not far from Chief Calico's desk I saw a beautiful brunette lady dressed in a black suit and wide black hat covering half of her face. Chief Calico introduced us, the lady's name is Sylvia Banks. She stood up and walked closer towards me.
"Hello June, the last time I saw you were just six months old. You've grown to be Belle fille June. You're no longer a petite mademoiselle."
" Hello Madam Sylvia. Pleased to meet you. As you already know I'm June Beringin."
"Oui June. As you have been informed, I am your Godmother,you can call me Maman Sylvie. It means mother in French. Your parents choose me to be your guardian if anything should go south with them. You can read this letter from your mother to me. Ah, almost forgot, There's a letter addressed to you from your mother." Everyone was surprised by that sudden information.
"Stop pulling my legs, it's not funny."
"I am not, you can read it yourself Chérie."
As I received the first letter from Mommy to Maman Sylvie. It stated that should one day they go missing or die, Sylvie was the one that my parents trust to have my custody rights. The second letter was addressed to me, sealed by a wax and the colour of the paper turning slightly yellowish anyone could see that the letter has been written some years ago. It stated that the nature of Daddy's work was not merely a consultant. He was an undercover agent for the underworld business. Daddy is a lawyer for the mafia based in Indonesia. And Sylvie Banks is one of his many sister in arms but the only one he could trust. And the letter ended with Mommy apologizing for not being able to free me from an arranged marriage with the heir of the empire. The letters fell from my hands and I slumped on the sofa. Clara picked up the letter and asked Sylvie if she could read this along with the chief. Sylvie nodded.
"Can we make a copy of this letter? This might be a breakthrough in your parents' murder case." Chief Calico was hyped after reading the letters.
"No,you may not. This letter's existance is not to be known to anyone but the people addressed in the letter. Are you ready to move in with me June?"
"Yes, Please give me time to collect my thoughts and belongings."
"I'll give you time till end of the week. I'll be back to pick you up."
Sunday came sooner than I thought. And it was time to move out. I said my farewells and expressed my gratitude to Clara and Johnny. Surprisingly, Johnny was rather emotional and we shed some tears.
Clara took me to Chief Calico's office and Maman Sylvie was seeping her drink. We didn't stay long in the office and left. Turns out Maman Sylvie and her husband live in The Netherlands. So we would be taking a flight to Holland. After a long flight from NYC, we arrived at the airport. We were pick up by a chauffer and as the car approaches to where we stood, Maman Sylvie suddenly turned to look at me.
"Yes?"
"Please forgive as I often forget many things. Too many things to handle."
"Errm...ok. Cool."
"Right, I forget to inform you that your betrothed came as well."
"Be what?" As I was still processing her words, the car door opened and a handsome man with a feature of a mix blood of Asian and European came into my view.