Going Home

by Jan Prins

  “What do you think of yourself, Merry?” He asked finally. “Well, I do not immediately have a preference, but I thought about reception work or something that you can deal with people a lot. I really like that. yes, I would think of that first, but maybe you have something else that is fun too “she said enthusiastically.

  “And you can start in a week if the school stops?” “Is that right?”. Jim promised her that he would do his best and call her directly on her cell phone if he had found a job.

  All the way in the clouds she walked out, that she had nicely fished! Jim was nice, that would probably be fine!

  Finally, Zach had managed to crack the old laptop they had discovered in the basement under the CV. He had tried numerous passwords and looked at all of his mother’s notes to see if he could find something, but nothing worked. Suddenly he got a brainwave and tried a combination of the name of their former dog and the date of birth of his father. Also some rumble with capital letters and subscript characters and suddenly it was hit!

  He read all sorts of files and documents with astonishment, he did not understand anything. It seemed like a secret code. It was about all sorts of countries and especially how life in those countries was, how the government was organized, how strong the army was and more of those things that you could not relate to ma.

  He looked as surprised as possible with astonishment, but he could not post it. Maybe Merry would get it, he would ask her tonight, and he would shut down the laptop. Then he tried to crack the tablet they found in the room, but that did not work too much. After a lot of fuss and trying, he managed to put it back to the factory position with an option that the files were left standing. Then he could finally get in without a password and he could view the files.

  This was more correspondence with all kinds of people in various places of the country. The names told him nothing and he did not understand what it was about. Will also show that to Merry, he thought and held it for today.

  He felt tired, he had a hard training of baseball behind him. This time he had been a pitcher and that went very well. The trainer was very enthusiastic and said that the scout would soon decide on the scholarship.

  Threat

  Merry lay on the sofa doing homework when she looked up and saw that little Ethan was scratching the wall with a felt-tip pen. She was shocked, how did you get that off? She quickly walked over and said he had to stop immediately. “But that’s a nice drawing? I make it to Mama when she gets home! “Merry’s heart broke with these words. “That’s really nice, she’ll be happy about that!”. As she said this she thought: what does it matter, let him draw, we live here ourselves, we have nothing to do with anyone.

  What does it matter now? “Can I help you?” “Nice !!” and that’s how Ethan and his sister were busy drawing a nice drawing on the wall for Mama. “Will I draw a nice list around it? Then it is like a painting “. The little boy liked that and a little later they looked at the results of their work. They both thought it was beautiful! And mom would certainly look surprised!

  “Shall we drink another Cola together before you go to bed?”

  Ethan lay back in his bed and slept the sleep of the innocent. Merry scanned a piece of text from the kind of diary she had found with ma’s things and stored it in her computer. With a few handy artifice she put the scanned text into the search engine of Google and had it searched for it or recognized the language of that text. Google was a fast search engine that found the most diverse things in seconds, but he still had trouble with this. It still took a few minutes before he hesitantly indicated that the text had been written in Latvian.

  “In Latvian” Merry exclaimed, well, it will have! What does mom has with Latvian? Strange thing. She started Google Translate, pasted the text, searched for the language “Latvian” and had the text translated into English.

  A strange text came out, it was clear that this translation was not widely used at Google. But what she did was confusing. It looked like a report from a spy. It was about how the port of Riga, the capital of Latvia, was decorated. Whether there was a lot of fuel storage and how much, how deep the harbor was, whether there were shipyards, cranes and so on.

  Latvia, Latvia? What was that for a country? Merry search again and in Wikipedia she read a neat explanation. That it was one of the three Baltic States, together with Estonia and Lithuania. That they used to be part of Russia, later independently, then again Russian and finally finally independent again and now part of the European Union. But because there was a large Russian community, there was always the danger that Russia would fall in to regain it, just as he had done with the Crimea. Because the goal of President Putin was to restore the ancient Tsar empire from the beginning of the twentieth century.

  What a hassle, she thought, and what does my mother have to do with it?

  And this was only a small part, what else would be in the diary? Merry thought deeply when the miserable home phone suddenly rang again. She was horrified, could she never think quietly?

  She just wanted to record when she saw the number on the number-recognizer: it was the number of Miss Megan, the kindergarten teacher of little Ethan. Just in time she pulled her hand back, Megan was the last one she wanted to speak and she let the phone ring until it finally, yes finally, gave up.

  With a sigh, she walked back to her computer; what should it be, it just became painful, it seemed like they were being chased. That should stop, this is not fun anymore!

  Time for the news, Merry turned on the TV and the newsreader began to pour out one misfortune after another, when the doorbell rang in the middle of the topic of President Trump’s last tweet. With a sigh, she softened the sound and walked to the door. She first looked through the spy net and saw an old man standing at the door, looking smudged in a pale raincoat and wearing a hunter’s hat. But otherwise he looked innocent, so she decided to open the door to hear what he had to do.

  “Hello sir, what can I do for you?” “Girl, this is the house of Mrs. Plump”. “Yes, that’s right!” “Is Caro at home? I would like to speak to her, “asked the grimy old gentleman, who leaned heavily on a stick. “Who are you?” “Caro knows me, I am an old friend, my name is Shadow”.

  “My mother is not there, but you just come in, that’s easier for you” she said kindly. No sooner said than done, and a little later Shadow sat with Merry at the big table. “Do not understand anything” said Merry “You talk about Caro, but my mother is called Carolyn”. “Yes, I understand that this seems strange, but I really know her as Caro. I’ve been trying to call her on her cell for days, but I’m not getting any response and I’m afraid there’s something. That’s why I thought, then I’ll walk to her house. “

  Merry looked at him strangely, what was this for a man? She cautiously replied that her mother was doing well, but that she was on a business trip, followed by a sick family member after the death and it was not yet known when she came back.

  Suddenly she felt her neck hairs rise and she looked outside into the dark night. What was there? Did someone look at them? She felt that there was something, but she did not see anything. It did not feel right, she stood up and pulled the curtains closed so that Miss Megan could not see anything anymore …

  With a strange feeling, Merry sat down again and asked Shadow what he knew of her mother. “Caro and I are members of the same club The Mint Leaf”. Merry looked at him and it occurred to her that she had seen that name somewhere in her mother’s papers. “What kind of club is that?” “An ordinary social club, a coffee house, further up in the city. Caro is a regular guest and we often talk to each other, we also play billiards regularly. We can do well with each other “.

  “Ma has been a member of this for a long time”. “Oh yes, certainly for ten years”.

  Not understanding, Merry looked at this strange old gentleman in his filthy raincoat, whose shawls hung around his legs, his hunter’s hat he had put on the table.

  “Well, I’ve never hea
rd anything about it. But I will tell you that you have been and that you are worried. Then she will contact you, I assume. Or she comes to The Mint Leaf “.

  Shadow understood that he had to go, got up, thanked Merry, who then let him out. She paused for a moment in the doorway and looked around again: nothing to see, but there was certainly something. She called Zach and asked if he wanted to come quickly because she was there, she was scared.

  “How can you let such a man in?” He asked in disbelief, “you are very naive. You have to watch what you do! ”” You’re right, but he looked so pathetic. But I was very scared because I feel that a spy is outside. I had a strange feeling before, but now it was very scary! “She said shudderingly. There is simply nothing left of our former life. I can hardly go to fitness anymore. And I really have to keep track of that, otherwise I’ll be too fat. You do not care about that, you’re already slim enough, but for a girl that’s very important. I can not step anymore with my friends and no longer shopping. I have just become a boring housewife instead of a young smooth girl who is chasing the boys !! “and there were the people of the Netherlands again, and Zach’s anger dropped immediately and he felt sorry for her.

  “You are right, we certainly need to do something about that. But first we have to make sure that you feel safe at home again. Do we still have some money? Then I will go to the Walmart tomorrow to buy some stuff to take care of that “. Merry still had $ 150, he had to do it. He would start working immediately the next day after school.

  He also did that immediately and came home with a pair of wide-beamers, electronic eyes and cracked uprights. He pulled out the tool box together with the drill and the ladder. That was plotted against the facade and a little later he was drilling that it was a sweet delight. He screwed the floodlight high against the façade, the electronic eye on a strategic spot and connected everything together and made sure there was power on it. He did the same with the rear facade and side walls. It was quite a job, but it was still possible to put it in before dark. An hour later it was dark and they started testing spotlights immediately. Well it became immediately clear that even though there was only one cat in the garden, she immediately had to wear sunglasses!

  At the front and rear door he put ajar stand to prevent anyone from getting inside.

  ”” Be right back “he said and a moment later he came with a mannequin. “What are we going to experience now?” His sister said in amazement. “This will be our house guard, pay attention!” He walked upstairs with some clothes and an old pair of glasses. A moment later it seemed that there was a man at the big table, complete with glasses and cap, who was reading the paper. “Everyone who looks inside now sees an adult and not just children”. “A very smart one!” Merry said admiringly.

  “And now the biggest surprise. And he pulled out a CD. Put it in the CD player, turned the amplifier on and asked Ethan: “Would you just walk into the front yard?” The kid met this request and a little later the sound of a fierce barking dog was heard.

  The CD player did a great job! “Attached him to the spotlight” he explained “As soon as a light comes on our” dog “starts barking. that will keep the intruders at bay. If you now also keep the curtains closed, you can not do anything at home “.

  “That’s what you thought carefully about, Zach. Very nice and thank you! “And a kiss was his part. He looked at her proudly. “If I can then hold your cell phone, I will program an emergency number that you can use to reach me or - if I do not assume - the police. And always keep that phone on hand! Together with this spray can of tear gas, which I also have bought. Because in the end I only have one sister!”

  Doubts

  In the canteen of the Benjamin Tasker Middle School, the group of friends was talking noisily about the famous New York disc jockey that they had seen in the disco of the Center for the Performing Arts last weekend. That man had performed a great music repertoire and presented it in a very special way. It had been a great atmosphere, they had not seen it so special in Bowie yet. He was really a great hunk, they had all fallen in love. Merry smacked like a plug: she could not have gone there because she had to fit Ethan, she just felt bad about not being able to go to that disco. With jealous eyes she saw her friends so enthusiastically, and she felt the jealousy rise and stand alone more and more. That way she was really out of the group, while she had always been an active part of it.

  Oh, well, they started talking about what they were going to study now that they are going to leave this school soon. There will be a few works, but most will continue their studies. And she, Merry, what does she choose? She has no choice: she must, with the emphasis on, have to work, otherwise they have nothing to live and eat. She can not choose and hear those friends now: one is going to do something nicer than the other and she, Merry … She felt her eyes get wet.

  Would she then be different from other girls? Would there be something wrong with her? While she still heard the twittering of her friends, she began to doubt herself more and more. Would she be different from an ordinary girl? Could that sometimes be the cause of her mother walking away, that she no longer saw her?

  And if she would be different, like her friends, would she have been home? The doubt began to gain more and more control over her. The sense of loneliness and abandonment became increasingly stronger.

  “Hey Merry, wake up once, what are you pondering! Come on anyway! Too bad you had to be careful, but next time will you just go along again? We can all sometimes not, that happens to us sometimes. “A warm feeling flooded her: they were her friends and they do not let each other down. Why was she thinking so stupid too? She sat down with them and soon it was as usual again.

  After school Merry walked her usual route to Ethan’s preschool to pick him up with Miss Megan. He tried to chat again, but she made an excuse. They walked together to Teal Lane 13, walked through the garden gate and opened the front door. Once in the room with a mug of tea she had put, she picked up the home phone to see if there would be a message on the answering machine.

  The first message was from the boss of Carolyn who now wanted to know how it was and if there was already a view on her return to the real estate agency. He sounded extremely annoyed and who would blame him? The second message was - how could it be otherwise - Miss Megan, who still wanted to speak to Carolyn as soon as she was back. No further messages while she had her hopes on Jim from the agency that would have called with the offer of a job. But no, nothing! Disappointed, she put the phone down again and unknowingly saw evil around her.

  After all, how was it necessary to continue? If she did not get a job soon, there would be no choice but that Zach had to find a job herself, and then the consequence was that she would have to go to Ethan at home; and that’s exactly what she wanted! Suddenly she realized that her cell phone was still off-that was of course necessary at school and she quickly turned it on. And yes, twisted, there was a voicemail message from Jim that he had found a job for her as a part-time receptionist at a new gym that would be called Sport World. He urgently asked her to go there at four o’clock tomorrow to apply, and if she were to be accepted she could start the next week when the school vacation began, from four o’clock in the afternoon until eight o’clock in the evening.

  Merry made a dance of joy through the room, and Ethan looked surprised at his suddenly cheerful sister.

  Back home Zach was immediately jumped by his sister who told him the joyful news that she probably had a job and applied for work tomorrow after school. Horrified, he heard her cheerfully say that she would have to work until four in the evening from four o’clock in the afternoon next week. “But dude, that is not possible, because then I have to adapt to Ethan! And what about my baseball training? “She looked at him in amazement and reminded him that they had agreed. “Yes, but it does surprise me, I did not expect that soon. And you know what baseball means to me! ”” Of course I know that. But what are we to live on if I can not do this? “Zach looked at her a
nd knew she was right. “Well, tomorrow I will discuss with the trainer if I can stay away and if there is no danger of missing the grant of the fair. There is nothing else “, he does not look happy. Merry looked at him “You understand, I think it’s bad, but we have little choice, do not we?” “Do you still have tea?” He finally asked for the subject to be closed.

  The next morning, Zach brought his little brother, Ethan, to the Bowie Preschool and walked inside to meet Miss Megan. “Good morning Megan, may I ask you something?” He began friendly. Luckily, she was not so annoying with him lately, so he dared to approach her a bit informally. “You know our mother is still not home and next week the school holiday starts, so Ethan can not go here. Do you sometimes know a daycare where he could stay all day or at least after three in the afternoon until nine in the evening? “Megan looked at him as if he was crazy. “The only thing that I can offer you during this holiday is that he will be until he turns six, because then he should legally - in September - go to the Elementary School, two days a week here at school. Furthermore, no such a school as you are meant to exist does not exist in Bowie, you will have to solve that yourself, just like working parents do. I would not know where that is possible. “Zach looked at her appalledly. “How is that possible? Especially during this time when both parents are encouraged to work, should there be such a thing? ”” Yes, you are right, with an emphasis on it. It seems to me a gap in the market, maybe something for you to start? “He let her stand, he no longer wanted to be fooled by such a nitwit from a kindergarten teacher. He would inform somewhere else.