STORM: IT'S A CURSE TO REMEMBER

by Gurpreet Kaur Sidhu

  “You don’t visit often,” she said abruptly.

  Bruce cleared his throat. “It’s safer that way.”

  “Oh, is it really?” she asked sarcastically with a hint of seriousness.

  Even though Bruce sensed the sarcasm, he was in no mood to talk about the last twenty-seven years. He knew Venice wanted answers. As much as she had the right to know why he left for a longer period than they initially agreed on and why he never phoned his mother to make sure she was doing all right, this was not the time for that talk.

  “I’ll try to come by more often,” he said as he opened the door. “Just promise me that you’ll keep an eye on Evan.”

  As he turned to look at Venice to say goodbye, he remembered the day he’d left Evan and Denise with her. It was the only day he clearly remembered as the other ones had become a blur. He’d hugged Venice tightly and kissed Evan and Denise goodbye. Venice waved goodbye with a faded smile across her face, knowing that having Bruce leave was the best thing for her grandchildren. She knew it was only a matter of time before she saw Bruce again.

  Deep down, Venice knew the choices Bruce made weren’t easy and she would never know the burden those choices carried on his shoulders until she walked in his shoes. She never held it against Bruce. However, she wasn’t going to let him off the hook so easily either.

  ***

  Shadow was sitting in her office, working on the nursery. It was far from perfect but perfect was what her client was looking for. It was what every person was looking for even though there was no such thing as “perfect.” It was a standard that people had made up in their minds. Every person’s definition of “perfect” varied.

  A long time ago, Shadow had a picture perfect life set up in her mind. Shadow knew it was impossible to have the perfect life, but regardless of the obstacles that were thrown her way, she knew she would manage to have the life she imagined growing up. She would have three kids, an amazing husband, and a cat and a black Labrador. They would live in the suburbs, in a peaceful town—but her life had been far from perfect. She sighed as she looked at her sketches of the nursery. More than anything, Shadow wanted a family. She wanted to be pregnant and carry a child. She wanted to be a mother and she knew in her gut, it was going to be the most fulfilling job she would ever do in her entire life, but the chance was taken away from her. Now, even thinking about having a family seemed close to impossible. To bear another child would be much harder the second time around.

  Second chances were rare.

  A few hours later, Shadow was packing up, getting ready to head home. The parking lot was still fairly full, aside from the fact that it was half past five. Usually now, everyone would be scattering around the parking lot to their cars. But it wasn’t like that, here at least. In Pool View, the town of the very rich, every working man and some women would have been turning on their ignitions right about now.

  She searched for her keys in her purse as she stood by the car door. Why do I always have trouble finding the darn keys? It was one of those annoying perks of having a purse. And it was always the case with the bigger sized purses. With the small ones, just the bare minimum would fit, and that was only if Shadow squished everything in herself. On the other hand, the bigger bag, she was able to fit everything she needed but there was no organization. It was apparent she would have to sit down and organize her purse.

  After finally pulling out her keys, she unlocked the doors to her C-Class Mercedes—a gift from her generous father. She knew driving a Mercedes didn’t mean anything, but to her father, it meant there was newfound respect. He had this idea that driving luxurious cars automatically made you worthy of respect. But in Shadow’s world, it simply didn’t work that way.

  Once she was behind the wheel, she leaned over to place her purse on the passenger seat. That’s when she noticed a black envelope. Within a few seconds, Shadow’s heart started to race. She felt her heart pounding through her ears. Thoughts ran across her mind at the speed of a hummingbird’s heartbeat. What was this?

  And then, everything hit her at once.

  It was him.

  He was the only one capable of pulling a stunt like this. It couldn’t be anyone else. It had to be him. Shadow looked around the parking lot. Gradually, everything around her became a blur. Her hearing was limited to only the sound of her heartbeat.

  This was not good. She wondered what he wanted and how he managed to track her down. Shadow was sure she had been discreet about her move and whereabouts.

  Shadow frantically opened the envelope and out she pulled a piece of paper. Etched on the paper was:

  Peek a boo, I see you.

  Slowly, she started to lose feeling in her legs. Her hands started to shake. Her lungs started to close up, but as her body was put into such shock, everything she felt was amplified. This is how I’m going to die, she thought. At work, in my car, this is how they’re going to find me. She was panicking out of control.

  It took Shadow a couple of minutes to calm down by taking deep breaths, like the pregnant women in Lamaze class. Not that she ever went to one of those classes, but she’d seen it on TV shows.

  After a few minutes regaining her composure, she looked down at her lap, where the piece of paper lay. Right now she worried for her life as she was in danger.

  She took another quick glance around the parking lot. No one was watching her, not that she was aware of, but still, it was clear. She shoved in her key and turned the ignition, shifted the gear into reverse, making sure not to hit any car in a panic, shifted back into drive, and peeled out of the parking lot. It was going to take her forty minutes to get back home with traffic. Within that time, anything was possible. She had to be extra cautious as she drove. Every time she came to a stoplight, she looked both to her left and right. He could be anywhere. She feared to look in her rear view mirror to find him staring back with that smile.

  Mr. Jingles! He was in danger too.

  Her hands gripped the steering wheel. She desperately needed to get home to make sure Mr. Jingles was all right.

  Shadow was on his radar, after she barely managed to escape the first time around.

  ***

  Venice sat in her living room, in peace as she sipped on her favorite tea, Earl Gray. Usually after a long day at work, Venice would curl up on the couch and read a good book. It was a great distraction from the reality she faced every day. Lying to her grandchildren, keeping secrets from them, trying to protect them from the horrific events that would take place in their lives—it was mentally draining at times.

  After Bruce made his appearance earlier, Venice hoped she would get some kind of vision that would shed light about Evan’s potential risk. There was always the chance Venice’s predictions were wrong. She liked being wrong, especially if something terrible was about to occur in her loved ones’ lives. Sometimes living in constant fear was the price she had to pay for her psychic abilities. This gift she was given served as a purpose to remind her, at the end of the day, she wasn’t their protector.

  After she finished her tea, she got up from the couch to start dinner.

  Just as Venice moved into the kitchen, her head began to throb, the pain increasing every minute. The kitchen lights seemed to have brightened on their own, stinging her eyes. She leaned against the countertop to keep from falling. Her jaws clenched with pain. The room started to look distorted. Everything was becoming a blur. The floor felt as if it were melting away. Her body, not as strong as it used to be, started to give up on her. She sluggishly crouched to the floor for support. She grunted and moaned as the pain became too much for her to handle. She was moments away from having a vision.

  Minutes passed by in agony. Venice sat on the kitchen floor, with her knees up to her chest and held tilted back. Her hands pressed hard against the tile floor. She shut her eyes. Her forehead creased from the pain. In any given minute, this would all be over and sh
e would know what the future held.

  Evan sat on a bench at Cherry Park.

  It was cool and calm outside, more than the usual. He was in his workout gear, feeling spent. He looked around and saw families with their kids. A little boy learning how to ride his bike for the first time. Parents hung around as their children played with the other kids on the jungle gym. He saw a little girl in a pink dress with a jacket over it, feeding the ducks in the lake, as her father stood right beside her. Ducklings followed their mother around the edge of the pond as she waddled her way to the nearest bush as their nesting ground. On the far right, a boy around Nate’s age was having a birthday party with his friends. They all wore party hats and some were blowing whistles in each other’s ears. There were presents surrounding the table with a double-layered cake. Oh, how Evan loved cake. Bakery Village, one of the most popular bakeries in Lake View, made Evan’s favorite: Chocolate fudge with hazelnut whipped frosting. It was rich in texture, which complemented the luscious icing. Thinking about it made Evan’s mouth salivate.

  As he looked around, Evan was reminded of the times he missed out with his parents. When he saw children with their parents, he saw the smiles on their faces. Through strangers, he felt the happiness he didn’t get a chance to experience as a child. There were only a few memories he had of his parents. But there wasn’t something he could hold on to or learn from. Oftentimes Evan would look through pictures of his parents to remind himself what they looked like.

  When Evan looked down at his watch, he realized it was time to head back. Evan took in the scenery once again. It was one of those peaceful places where all worries were lost. Coming to Cherry Park put his mind at ease. Especially after those long teacher meetings at Lake View District High School after school was out. Sometimes during teacher conferences, he would find himself wondering why they even held them in the first place. Most of the time it was the vice principal, Mr. Stow, who would make the final decision, which had no input whatsoever from anyone present in the meeting. And there were those times where he questioned his line of work. He could have gotten his PhD, opened his own clinic and treated patients. Instead he was treating sophomores and juniors for their heartbreaks, which they were convinced they’d die from.

  Evan jogged his way back as the cold winter breeze brushed against his face. Home was only fifteen minutes away. His cheeks flushed, exposing the pink tones underneath his light skin.

  He passed through the neighborhoods. Inhaling and exhaling. Cars passed by, pulling into driveways. Three kids jumped out of a gray minivan just as their mother pulled into the driveway. Evan could hear her yelling but the gust of wind drowned her voice, making her words unclear. But it definitely wasn’t something pleasant. She looked like the typical Lake View housewife. Hair pulled back into a ponytail, fashioning a long blue cardigan and faded blue boyfriend jeans.

  Evan continued to jog as he observed his neighborhood. It was a nice place to raise a family. The homes had more than enough room for children to play in the front yard since the houses were set apart from each other. The floor plans were cozy and family friendly. Houses were well kept from the outside. Even though they were more than one hundred years old, they still looked fairly new from the outside as well from the inside. And the schools were high in ranking compared to some of the other towns.

  ***

  Shadow pulled up in the driveway, with her heartbeat in control. The only thing on her mind was Mr. Jingles. A frantic look stretched across her face as she stepped out of her car. Her purse hung over her shoulder as she walked to the front door, keys in hand. Shadow walked in a steady pace, making sure she didn’t trip and fall. Her heart pounded in her chest.

  Her knees started to become weak just as her hands started to tremble with fear again. She felt an odd presence behind her. Shadow slowly tilted her neck to the left, with eyes focused on the ground. There was no one there. She glanced all around to double check. No one was there.

  She struggled to insert the key into the lock. It was as if she had lost mobility in her fingers. Her keys slipped and landed on the cold concrete. For a second, she stood paralyzed in fear. She looked down at the ground, knowing very well she needed to pick up her keys. She took a couple of deep breaths to keep herself calm then sluggishly crouched down to grab the keys. Her hands trembled as she carefully inserted the key into the lock. She turned the knob, entering her home. Then shut and locked the door behind her. Shadow calmly slipped out of her high heels before doing anything else.

  Mr. Jingles stood in front of her and looked up at her as if he’d been waiting for all day. Oh, am I glad to see you. Shadow picked up the furball and kissed him in between his ears before putting him down. She felt calmness for a brief second before she remembered she needed to check the rest of the house. He was capable of anything.

  Several different scenarios crossed her mind. He could be waiting in her room with his most sincere yet serial killer-like smile. The thought of him gave Shadow the creeps.

  She crept into the kitchen. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Not yet anyway.

  She walked back to the front of the staircase and looked up the stairs. Her heart started to pound louder. She looked at Mr. Jingles, who clearly had no idea what was going on. He was clueless. He brushed against her legs, only to then stand on her feet.

  You’re no help, she thought.

  She picked up Mr. Jingles and carried him up the stairs, as slowly as possible. While he was purring, she was in complete panic mode. Shadow held on to him tightly, preparing herself for the worst.

  There were three bedrooms: the master bedroom, her office—which she had yet to set up—and a guest bedroom.

  She looked down the hall. There was no movement but that didn’t always mean someone wasn’t there. She walked by the bathroom down the hall, peeking through the doorway, making sure it was empty. Next door, the room was still vacant.

  Shadow walked into her office, peering around. Her desk facing the window was empty. A sense of relief overcame her but withered away in the blink of an eye. Now, the only room remaining was hers. Her own home was beginning to feel like a trap.

  She held her breath, and held tighter to Mr. Jingles, who was getting a little antsy. He didn’t like being carried for too long. He peered up at Shadow with his big yellow eyes. What are you doing? It’s supposed to be my dinnertime right now. Can’t this wait?

  Shadow ignored the thoughtful look he gave her. Just hold on, you’ll get your dinner.

  She stepped into her bedroom, standing in the doorway, afraid to go any farther. Her eyes widened, feeling someone’s presence around her. Cautiously, she turned around. No one was there. She could feel her back and armpits beginning to sweat. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she crept forward, looking into the bathroom.

  Empty.

  She sighed in relief. Shadow let down Mr. Jingles.

  Just as the sense of relief started to overcome her, the doorbell rang. Her heart dropped. She wasn’t expecting anyone. All of a sudden, she was instilled with fear once again. It was going to be him. This was wonderfully planned, she thought. He was a master at playing mind games. She tried to prepare herself to see him standing on the other side of the door but couldn’t. Once again, she would come face to face with her obsessive ex-fiancé.

  She wasn’t ready for this.

  Shadow made her way down the stairs, walking over the heels she left in the middle of the doorway. She looked in the peephole. To her dismay, there was a handsome man standing in front of her door. She turned the knob, pulling the door toward her.

  He smiled, but suddenly his smile faded.

  Shadow was intrigued by the stranger who stood before her.

  Evan wore a confused look. Samantha? No. There was no way it could be her. But how? Her brown hair flowed down the sides of her face, making her features stand out. There was a part of him that wanted to reach out and trace
her Roman nose with his index finger to see if she was real. He was in awe. She stared at him with heavy blue eyes. Her lips were as rosy and full as those models in the Victoria’s Secret catalog.

  This couldn’t be.

  “Hi,” she said, extending her hand.

  Evan, still taken aback, shook her hand, unable to comprehend what was going on. He cleared his throat, knowing he should say something right about now.

  In a previous life, she was once his wife. Not that she was aware of that fact. Mentioning that would end with the door slamming shut in his face; definitely a bad idea. But this was her.

  He cleared his throat again. “Hi.” Still, he was taken aback by her beauty and at a loss of words. “I’m Evan. I live…next door,” he said.

  Shadow broke into a smile.

  “I’m Shadow.” She smiled.

  Evan scratched behind his ear. What do I do now? Jeez, why is this so hard?

  “So…um…how do you like the neighborhood?” He mentally smacked his forehead as the words slipped out. What kind of question was that?

  Shadow leaned against the doorway, finding him cute. She could tell he was nervous. She too was feeling the presence of butterflies in her stomach.

  “I’m fairly new to it.” She chuckled. “It’s nice, though. Really quiet.”

  “Where are you from?”

  “Pool View.”

  Evan was amused. “Oh, from Pool View,” he said. That was interesting. “We don’t have many people moving from Pool View to here. You must’ve done something.” Evan, gaining his confidence back, smirked.

  Shadow responded with a smile. “You’re funny.”

  Evan watched as she crossed her arms at her chest.

  She looked deep into his eyes. His lean figure towered over her, but just enough that it didn’t make Shadow feel intimated.

  “It was time for a change, and living in Pool View with everyone’s standards, it was hard to keep up. Plus, it’s closer to work.”