Grand. - Episode 14

Present day,

18th February 2019,

Saturday evening.

That went well. Two hours drive for nothing.

We ride silently. There is an elephant in the room. I really don't know if his toughts are aligned with mine.

"Living with your brother without telling him about your parents fleeing is such a dumb move." I try to start a conversation.

Silence.

"You never told me your brother was half white?" I continue in my effort to make a conversation.

"That's because it never really came up. Its really not important."

"So his mother is white?"

"Clearly." He responds rudely.

"Am sorry...i was just trying to make a conversation."

He does not respond. He is clearly upset about something. A blanket of silence envelopes the car for the rest of the journey back to Grand. At about 6:00 pm we reach Grand. Lloyd is still very moody and am not in the mood of mothering him. He parks the car away from my house. I do not immediately get off the car. Instead, i lean comfortably in my seat and search his eyes which he intentionaly hide from my field of view.

"Have i done something wrong because your attitude is all over the place." I ask.

"Nope." He cuts.

"Nope??...Anyway thanks for the ride."

I unbuckle my seat belt then open the car door.

"Penny, wait." He says.

"Oh..so now you want to talk."

He ignores me.

"I have been thinking about Sidney and am beggining to question everything about her dissapearance."

"You are?"

"Yeah i am. When you said it was convinient for Sarah to comfort me at that trying moment what did you mean?" He asks.

"Hypothetically speaking if had a crush on the guy my best friend is dating and unfortunately my friend dies or disappears for that matter, i would want to hold off

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. I would not want it to look like am happy my friend is gone. Sarah was all over you when Sidney was gone. I mean it could be just a coincidence."

"What are you saying Penny?

"Am not saying anything just that she must have been really happy Sidney was gone, hypothetically."

I watch his face as he turns his head the other way. He turns it back taking a brief pause.

"You don't think she had anything to do with her dissapearance, do you?" He asks.

"No, not at all." I say "But i would be surprised if she had."

"For someone so smart, you are a bad liar." Lloyd says.

"You think am smart."

"Oh yeah...are you sure you are fourteen?"

"Yes i am but my grandma says my soul is a thousand years old, we can probably start from there."

He chuckles.

"I love you." He says. "I mean i love how your brain works."

Awkward silence.

"I got to go, take care.

********

Sunday,

19th February 2017,

Yesterday ended with much fun. Having the whole family bond over a well cooked meal was a soothing balm after the frustration in Raven.

Evana my mum is here. I always look foward to church for the wrong reason but today i won't be doing that. Dad brought into the idea of us spending more time together before mum goes back. I draw the curtains of the window pulling up the window on the process. Standing next to the window gives me Lloyd memories. I kind of miss him. I just wish he could open up to me more. I wish it was a different scenario and we were exploring a mutual friendship. Not one based on the secrets i hold for him. The mystery around his parent's fleeing, the dead woman is now becoming very serious. Should i talk to James about it? What of the diary? Who could be behind those notes? My mother's head appears on the doorway.

"Morning sweet pie?"

"Mum am not four anymore."

She laughs.

"You always going to be my sweetpie and you overslept."

I yawn then pick up my phone. Its 10:15 am.

"Wooow! Why didn't you wake me up?" I asked jumping out of bed.

"I figured you tired plus its a weekend so no biggie."

I stand up and start making my bed. Its good having mum around. If we get more weekends like this am sure mum will be moving back in with dad.

"Am so glad you came. I have been missing you alot."

"Me too baby."

Mum pulls me into a hug. We share a mum daughter moment for a while.

"Actually am going to stay a bit longer, i already talked to dad about it."

"You did? Thats great!" I respond hugging my mum again. I still give questioning glances to mum.

"Yes i did. Am having my house renovated so i will be staying here to give them space."

Sounds great for me. More time with us will do a great job in her forgiving dad.

********

Grand is quit a natural when it comes to nature. The streets are well groomed with ornamental plants though most of the people here don't really notice.

Read " Made " by the same author ( DORSILA ANYANGO )

. I walk side by side with my mother. Mr. Meani's compound comes into view. Thats the other name of Jake Walters. People call him meanie not necessarily because he is a mean person but because he likes to keep to himself. As his compound comes into view, i see him standing by the gate.

I say hi to him as we pass by and he responds joyfully. Not bad for a supposedly mean person.

We walk a few meters away and he calls at us.

"Poppy?" It is more of an inquiry than a call.

"Poppy?" I repeat looking at mum also inquiring of the same because my name is definately not Poppy.

"Poppy its me Walters Remember?"

Mum just looks bluntly at him. Whether she recognises him or not i cannot tell. She then breaks the ice.

"I am not Poppy, i am Evana."

"My mistake, i was sure it was you..am really sorry. Have a nice day."

He walks respectfully away. I can see he is so convinced about what he just said.

"I wonder what's that about." I say.

"Me too." My mum responds.

**********