I was placing the picture I brought with me on her nightstand when I noticed a photo of my mother that wasn’t there before, resting on the wooden top. She was dressed in a pretty sundress, her blonde hair falling around her shoulders and I could tell it was a summer picture.
She was standing in front of the beautiful brick house I once called home…and holding a baby I knew to be myself. Her smile alone gave the picture life as she looked down at me clutching the top of her dress and looking back up at her, a grin expanding my chubby cheeks.
By the age of eight I had plenty of memories of my parents and in none of them could I ever remember not feeling loved. I remember my mother crying the day they left. My father almost canceled the entire trip.
“Did my parents leave me?” I asked before I could rethink or stop myself.
“They will never leave you, Lake.” The pain in her voice was evident. She was fighting to hold onto to her memory while I had long since let them both go. Though she never talked about my mom either I know she misses her. I never thought about how hard it must be to lose a child and not know why.
“So where are they?” Everyone was so sure that my parents didn’t bail but there was never any sign of foul play. How could they just vanish?
“I wish I knew.”
*
Once we were through the door of my house after returning from Whispering Pines, I turned on Keiran who stopped short, just inside the door, and looked at me curiously. “Stay away from her,” I said simply.
The entire ride back I battled feelings of regret. I had exposed my grandmother to Keiran. Now he had one more person to use against me if he chose. He now knew who she was and where she was and worse…she wouldn’t remember who he was.
He wore an indifferent look on his face when he shut the door. “Are you going to give me a reason not to?”
His lack of reassurance was unexpected and dangerous to my peace of mind. “Keiran this is my grandmother! She’s old and helpless. How can you even think to –”
“I wasn’t. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t, so I won’t tell you otherwise.”
“But what reason could you possibly have to go after her?” Out of the only two people in this room, Keiran was the dangerous one yet all the hostility and anger radiated off of me. His nonchalance for human life was chilling.
“I want you to stay away from my past. I know you’re still digging but it ends now.”
“Where is this coming from?”
“I’ve asked you before. I’m telling you now.”
“Just tell me whatever it is that you don’t want me to find!” I yelled, losing patience but he was gone before I finished and the sound of the front door slamming was my only answer. I slid to the floor in defeat when I realized that Keiran would never open up to me.
Chapter TwentySeven
“Where were you all of Sunday? I called you a hundred times.” I listened to Sheldon fuss as we walked down the hallway. It was lunch period and I’d just got out of volleyball, which wasn’t as fun without Willow. She texted this morning to say she was sick and skipping school.
“Sorry, I just had a lot on my mind and needed time to think.”
“Bummers. I wanted you to come with me to my audition. Felix is looking for a face for his new clothing line.”
“I’m really sorry, Sheldon. How did you do?” I asked, feeling like shit because I forgot about her audition.
“Canceled. I was too nervous. Dash had offered to go with me but he disappeared too.”
“Are you sure modeling is what you want to do?”
“It’s been my dream since I saw my first show. Dad says I have to go to college first but after that my dreams are my own.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“I guess so. Going to college isn’t so bad.” I shook my head and started putting my bags in my locker.
“Sheldon you have to think –”