I'm thrilled at the thought of finally meeting my long-lost uncle. If Mom had known he was alive, she would have risked everything to contact him. She thought her entire family was gone, and she shed tears because of their absence. In moments like these, the weight of her absence pressed down on me. I call Andy to find out if he can go with me. He seems surprised when he answers the phone.
"Hi Roxy, are you ok?" He asks, threading through his voice.
"Yeah, everything's fine. I talked to Uncle Donovan, and he's willing to meet me in Vandolia, where he lives, on Saturday. Zeke has to help his dad with the business that day, and I was wondering if you could make the trip with me. I promised him I wouldn't go alone. Can you come?" I ask hopefully.
"We don't have any plans. I can go with you; I'm sure Sharon won't mind," he says quickly. His voice carries both surprise and happiness. Relief washes over me because Zeke won't need to worry while I'm gone. Andy can help me navigate the conversation with my uncle since they already know each other. We talk a little longer and make a plan for Saturday. I decide to read more of my mom's journal. Maybe there are more clues in there. I grab the book and open it up to the last entry.
Dear Diary
Things in my house keep getting weirder and weirder. Remember the bookbags Donovan and I found in Dad's office? Well, he gave one to each of us kids and told us they were for emergencies only and not to look in them until we had to. Didn't he know you never tell someone not to do something; it just makes them defy you. Inside my bag were money and important documents. The weird thing is the name on all of this was Amber Sleighton, not Catalano. Why would he change my name? I'm really starting to get scared.
On top of that, I woke up to people yelling at each other last night. Sneaking into the hall and looking over the banister at the entryway, I saw Dad and Sheriff Dawson, Andy's Dad, yelling at each other. Mom was trying to quiet them down, worried they would wake us kids up. Donovan crept out of his room, joined me, and watched the scene unfold. At one point, we thought there was going to be a fist fight. Finally, my mom got the sheriff to leave after pleading with him to go. He left unwillingly and told my parents he would be back to settle this matter once and for all. I looked over to Donovan to see if he knew what they were talking about. He just shrugged his shoulders. As soon as the sheriff left, we quietly went back to our rooms. What was going on? Does Andy know about any of this? I need to ask him.
On a happier note, I am four and a half months pregnant. The baby is healthy, and I'm so glad. Excited even. No one can tell yet. I have a small baby bump, but it's not noticeable unless I wear tighter clothing. My parents are still not on board with me keeping the baby. It's ok, though —I have some time to convince them. In the end, it doesn't matter what they want; I'm eighteen and can make my own decisions. I can't wait to see her tiny face, count her fingers and toes.
Oh my goodness, something's wrong. I have to go. I hear yelling again.
There is nothing else written. Usually, she finished with a thank-you-for-listening diary entry, but not this time; it seemed she intended to return and write more, but she never did. Could this entry be from the night the family vanished? A cold ripple runs through me at that thought. My poor mom was fleeing not just for her life but for mine as well. She must have been so frightened all alone at such a young age. Although it did fill in some gaps, like where our last name came from, it was in the documents her dad put in her bag.
The rest of the week goes agonizingly slow. Zeke listened to me talk constantly about the journal entry and meeting my uncle. If he was sick of hearing me ramble, he never shows it. He just smiles and strokes my hair as I keep going on and on. He is always supportive of me in my pursuit to figure out what happened to my family, as long as I take the necessary precautions for my safety.
As soon as I fall asleep, another dream takes over. The woman in the blue dress is back. She smiles at me, a warm, comforting smile. It was infectious, and I couldn't help smiling back as she approaches me. Walking not far behind her is another dark, shadowy figure, a little taller than her. As she gets closer, the shadowy figure takes shape into my mom. They are holding hands and seem happy to be together. As they stop in front of me, Mom looks over to me lovingly. Oh, how I miss her. This moment both makes my heart smile and ache.
"Momma, I miss you," I say, choking on a sob.
"I miss you, too, sweet girl. This is your grandma, Thalia. I'm sorry I couldn't introduce you until now," Mom tells me as tears stream down her face.
"Grandma," I choke out between sobs. "What happened to you all? I found Uncle Donovan and my dad. Dad and I are going to meet him on Saturday."
"Honey, it's too dangerous for you to keep investigating. Please stop." Grandma Thalia pleads.
"I can't. I'm too close to figuring out what happened," I stated. No way would I give up now when I'm so close to the truth.
"I know you are sweetie and we're so grateful that you found your Uncle Donovan," my mom says happily, "but we are worried about your safety. You must put your well-being above all else." Their voices grow desperate as they plead with me to stop investigating the family's disappearance. The fear is radiating from them, but I shake my head no. I can't stop now; I'm getting closer, and I will not let fear deter me from the truth. As we talk, I hear someone's voice in the distance calling to me, pulling me away. Mom and Grandma fade as they reach for me, and the dream dissolves into darkness.
I wake to Zeke gently shaking me, calling my name. He sees my panic-stricken face and watches my body withering side to side. Tears are rolling down my face, and I keep saying, "No, I can't stop. I'm sorry." He pulls me into his arms, holding me tight. His warmth is like a shield that wraps around my body, making me feel safe.
"I've got you," he whispers, rubbing my back. "You're okay, baby. You're ok." I cling to him as I bury my face into his chest. His heartbeat and strength steady me. I take a deep breath and tell him everything, every little detail. After a while, we both finally drift back to sleep, our limbs tangled together, and his arm wrapped protectively around me, like he's guarding me from whatever threat awaits us.
The next morning, I push the dream to the back of my mind and get ready for the trip to Vandolia. I make sure to bring the diary, the paperwork, and a photo album filled with pictures of Mom and me. I place my bag by the front door and walk to the kitchen. As I make coffee, an eerie silence settles over the kitchen. The strong scent of the coffee fills the room as it brews. I reach for a cup, and all of the cabinet doors suddenly open and slam shut with a deafening noise. I jump back in fear. The cabinets begin banging open and close, creating a relentless, haunting rhythm that sends chills through my body. The air is vibrating with energy. An angry, desperate, warning-type energy.
"Please stop," I shout. "This won't prevent me from leaving today or stop me from finding the truth." The banging ceases immediately, and the room falls into an unsettling silence. My nerves are on edge as I scan the room looking for anything else that may happen. I start to reach for a cabinet again, but a loud banging on the front door makes me jump and scream. I can hear Andy yelling, asking if I'm okay. I run and let him in before he breaks my door down.
"Sorry, I'm fine," I say as I open the door and let him in.
"Why were you screaming?" He asks.
"All of the cabinet doors were banging on their own. It freaked me out."
He looked skeptical. "Roxanne, what are you talking about?" He asks.
"I'm going to tell you, but please listen until the end before you think I'm crazy. Since we've moved into this house. Wait, no, it started before we even moved in. A lot of strange things keep happening. Weird dreams, doors slamming, disembodied screams, cold winds, and footsteps. Trust me, I know it sounds crazy, but it's all true," I explain.
"Okay, okay, I believe you," he says, though his tone tells me otherwise. He's just humoring me. Not wanting to argue or continue the conversation, I grab my bag and shoes as we head out the door. Andy insists on driving, so that I can rest on the way there. Which was a good thing because long drives make me sleepy.
The drive to Vandolia is peaceful, filled with music from the radio. The scenery was beautiful as we drove between the towns: the farmland, with rolling hills, animals grazing peacefully, and crops stretching as far as the eye could see. Plus, it was nice to spend time with Andy, just me and him. We talked a little, and it made me wonder: If he had been in my life growing up, would Mom and I have been happier?
The closer we get, the more excited I become. Butterflies stir in my stomach at the thought of finally meeting my uncle face-to-face. So many questions bombard me. Will he accept me, or can he provide the answers I was seeking? Uncle Donovan had texted me a few days earlier about where we should meet—it's a small café on the corner of Main and Broadway. When we enter the town, we see the café immediately.
Uncle Donovan texts us to come in when we get to the café; he already has a table and is waiting. Andy spots him through the large window facing the street as we pull up in front of it. I look through the window into the café. I search the windows, but at first, no one looks familiar until he raises his head and looks straight at us. That has to be him, my mom's older brother. They look similar. He shares the same eyes and hair color as my mom.
We walk inside. I clutch my bag close to me; it's my security blanket. I follow Andy closely as he guides us to Uncle Donovan's table. I step out from behind my father, and my uncle's eyes land on me; a look of shock crosses his face. It's as if he's seen a ghost. This is the second time someone has looked at me like that. It's unnerving. We quickly sit and make introductions.
"Hi, you must be Donovan. I'm Roxanne, your niece," I say to him nervously.
"You look so much like Amber," he says, smiling. "Where is she. Is she ok?" He asks. He was looking past me like she might appear at any minute. I hated to be the one to crush his hopes.
"I'm sorry, but my mom passed away a year ago," I say quietly. He cries at my words. He must have thought he would be reunited with his little sister. It pained me to see his heart breaking.
"My little sister is gone?" he asks tearfully.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I brought our family photo album so you could look at it," I say, pulling it out of my bag and placing it on the table between us. He takes the book with trembling hands. He carefully turns each page, looking over the pictures; he smiles lovingly at my mom and my photos.
"She was so happy to be pregnant with you. I thought we would reunite that night, but I'm not sure what happened to her." He says.
"What happened that night? Is anyone else still alive?" Andy asks.
"As far as I know now, Amber and I are the only ones who made it out. The people who did this are still in that town watching and waiting. Why did you buy that house? Didn't your mom tell you it was dangerous?" he asks.