"Grandma..." She begins but doesn't know what to say. I don't either, we both look to Chase. Sighing he scratches his stomach. "It's Lyra yes.... but her accident was worse than we thought." He starts, and her grip on my arms tightens. She stares at me now horror-struck. "We brought her here so she could meet her parents. That's it." He says, and her hands completely drop from me. "You... lost your memories. Of me? Of. Of Spridge?" She looks at me. I don't move, what the hell am I supposed to say? Sorry, I don't remember you or this place. That seems rude. "Yes.. yes of course take her to her parents. Maybe Garret can help her." the lady says turning the three of us around and pushing more into town. I look around like a child at Disney World, this place is so cool! Farther up the road, there is a gate and hill leading to the castle. The royal family. Flora is telling me, what everything is and introduces me to other older people. Teenagers don't just walk about the town like their parents. They're either at home or in the Fkolappers, the place for teenagers to hang out. Walking through town I get stared at. "It' 's been two years... everyone thought you were dead." Flora whispers as I start getting more and more stares. "I've been missing since I was 13?" I ask them, and they nod. "You're birthday is in two days." Chase says trying to lighten the mood. I nod knowing that already. I'll be 16, and the party, Tatum's party! I get used to the stares, as we make our way deeper into the city. . . it's a lot bigger than a town. Finally, they stop, at a house that looks like something back in Gone with the Wind. Queen Anne style house, the only reason I know that is because I had to do a project on House styles like that. "Does my family have money?" I ask, then wish I hadn't. What if there didn't? I feel horrible. "Most families do. Whether they own a business or breed animals, work for the royals. There is no poverty here." Chase says, my jaw drops again. No poverty? Mean money isn't a problem here, no homeless or bums? I like this place more and more. "Our family and yours work with the royals." Chase adds looking down at me. "Elementals." That's right I can do some type of magic. Flora practically has to carry me up the stairs, I'm frozen. I might be meeting my parents . . . who I was told were dead! Two years, that's a long time to think you lost someone. Flora knocks on the door, shoving me behind her. It swings open, and I take in a deep breath. "Frederick." Flora greets me, I want to peek over her shoulder because I thought they said, Garret. Neither of them ever mentioned a brother either. "Flora, what is it? The Caster's aren't in the best of moods . . . you know, it's just a bad couple days for them." He sighs, and I hear a creaking sound. Maybe he leaned against the door, by his voice I'm partly sure he is our age. The Car! It's nice to hear other people have my last name. It's not common at all. It must be a Spridge name. "Well...it will be the best week of their lives!" Flora squeals unable to keep her calm, I peek over her shoulder... yes she is a lot taller than me. She is at least 6'2! I'm like 5'6! I see a boy who is about the same height as me, standing in the doorway leaning against the door as I thought. Brown hair, and a more muscular build. Not too bad looking. Digging the dark-colored hair. His eyes meet mine, and he backs away grabbing the door. I shrink back, oh shit, maybe I shouldn't have looked. "Is that. . . " He whispers, and Chase grabs my elbow pulling me out from behind her. "Lyra." He gasps, still gripping the door. "Careful what you say, Fred, she lost her memories." Chase warns, and he lets go of the door. What could he have said that would upset me? "How do you know it's even her?" He asks, stepping out onto the porch. Closing the door. Launching into how he found me, Chase explains how hard it was. Then he tells him about when he first talked to me... and the pepper spray. The Frederick guy laughs at that, yet while he is telling the other parts he isn't happy. He isn't happy I'm back, I guess that's it. "Does she have that birthmark? Did you think about checking that?" I hear part of their conversation. Birthmark? Wow, some dreams! I think about the mark on my shoulder that looks just like a cloud, or at least that's what people tell me it looks like. "You can't just ask someone if they have a birthmark, some people might take offense to that." Chase sighs, glancing at me. " What if it's not her? What do you think Molly and Garret will go through? How much trouble you'll be in for bringing a mortal here? " Frederick fires back, staring at me. Something is in his eyes, almost like a pain. "I-" I clear my throat. "I have a birthmark." I say, and Flora and Chase look at me. " On my shoulder," I touch my shoulder, pulling down my sleeve. I hear Flora squeal again. Best dream ever. The door swings open out of know where. "Frederick, what are you doing- Oh my god!" a small blonde woman says. Her eyes glazed over ready to burst into tears. Yelling for a Garret, she starts crying. But doesn't move. Flora pushes me closer, I'm still holding my sleeve down so the birthmark is still being shown. She is hugging herself bawling her eyes out. Her bleach-blonde hair blew in the breeze. A man walks into the picture a couple of seconds later with brown hair and an oiled back. Brown eyes, tall compared to the woman. He wraps his arm around her, asking what's wrong. Looking where she is looking, at me. He gasps pulling her closer, covering his mouth with one hand. Oh shit. It's them. Molly and Garret. My parents! Pulling the sleeve of my shirt back up, I clear my throat. Do just say hi to mom and dad? I mean I don't remember them, so I feel awkward. The woman steps closer to me, holding out her hands. Reaching for me as I might disappear, I can see the resemblance. I got my height from my mother and my eyes from my dad. She stops, right before she touches me taking in a deep breath. Her hands cup my face, and a tear slides down my face. She wipes it with her thumb. "Lyra." She sobs pulling me into her, her arms scrabbling all over my body checking to make sure I'm real. " hmmm . . . Mom.." I say it's funny to say. She sobs again at the sound of my voice, and Garret . . . my dad comes out of the house as well. Looking me in the eyes, Tears well up in his. If he starts crying I'll start crying. He sniffles, wiping his eyes as if he heard what I was thinking. "Our baby!" my mom is still crying.
"We should take this inside." My dad says, pulling Mom away, and I follow. Along with Flora, Chase, and Frederick. Chase hops into his story again, While my parents stare and hug and cook for me. Lots of 'hmm's' and 'oh wow's are said, and lots of laughing at how many times Chase thought he found me but didn't. Then tears when he gets to the part when he did find me, also getting to the part where I have no memories of this place or them. "You don't remember us . . . at all?" Garret asks, I look at each of them. I see a resemblance but nothing that rings any bells. "I..." I begin. "She doesn't remember anything," Frederick says, getting up and leaving the room. He seems even more agitated than before. He dislikes me. I watch him as he goes, wishing I knew why but that's what happens when you lose your memories. "Could you.... possibly.. tell me what happened?" I ask, everyone in the room. "It wasn't a car accident," I say wearily looking at Molly and Garret. Everyone in the room looks at Flora, and she gulps. "Why don't we talk about something else!" Molly says, "We can show you back around the house... and we can get to know each other better." She says scooching to the edge of the couch.