by Aj Estelliam
‘So, tell us everything!’
I glanced at Jess and then back at my parent’s. I didn’t even know where to start. There was so much to tell them. And yet, so much I didn’t know how to tell them.
‘I don’t know where to start with us,’ I said, laughing nervously. ‘Please start with how you got on, Dad…then I can tell you all about Scotland.’
‘Okay,’ he said, gleefully, clearly ready to burst. ‘Well, I’ve been run off my feet!’ he exclaimed.
‘You have? You seem happy about that, Dad!’
‘I am! Because it hasn’t been with work! I’ve jacked that in and already worked my notice period. I’m all done because I had holiday so my month notice turned into one week to complete.’
‘Oh, wonderful! I hope you walked away with your head in the air!’
‘I sure did, honey! And I gave the powers that be a piece of my mind.’
‘Good for you, Dad.’
He smiled. ‘And my business? It’s grown wings, Alex! I can’t believe the success I’ve had since you got me online.’
‘Oh really? Tell me?’ I encouraged.
I listened as my father talked through the success he had had through sales alone and also with his contract with the independent toy seller up North. He was over the moon by his overnight success and I could hear his happiness in his thoughts as he spoke. He was a changed man, and I was partly to thank for that. I was so happy I had helped him.
As he finished talking about what had happened since I went away, as expected, conversation turned back to us.
‘So, Alex, tell me about Scotland! We were worried when we didn’t hear from you-especially after everything that we saw happening in the papers.’
‘Yeah…’ I murmured and stole a glance at Jess. ‘Well, I’ll tell you all about it…I just-maybe I could get us settled first?’ I asked. ‘We’ve had a terribly long drive,’ I murmured. ‘We can tell you everything later.’
‘Oh, yes of course,’ my mother said. ‘You go and sort yourselves out. You can tell us all about your trip in your own time.’
‘Okay. Thanks Mum,’ I said, rising from my seat.
Jess and I headed out of the room to take our belongings up the stairs.
When we reached my room, I showed Jess around and then she sat on my bed looking at me closely.
‘What?’ I asked, turning to face her questioning look. I could hear her thoughts already and it was clear what was on their mind.
‘You know what.’
‘Yeah, yeah…I know. They don’t know…I should tell them…’
‘You should. They seem like really good people. They deserve to know the truth about it all. I think they would be happier and more content if you told them the truth about everything that has happened.’
‘What, really? But don’t you think they’d be worried?’
‘Well, maybe…’
‘I want to be able to go to Scotland with you, Jess. If they know the whole story, I doubt they will want me to go back.’
‘That’s true. But you’re a grown adult, Alex. It’s your decision alone. You chose your actions, not your parents.’
‘I know…but they still influence them. They’re an important part of my life, Jess.’
‘So, trust them enough to open up.’
‘I suppose…’
‘At least think about it.’
‘I will,’ I said, sinking down onto the bed beside her.
‘I want to start this relationship with your parent’s well. If we go down there lying, it doesn’t show a good start does it?’ she argued.
‘No, you’re right. Look at you-wanting to make a good impression.’
She smiled. ‘I really do. I want them to like me-and think I am good for you.’
‘They will do. Come on…let’s go and tell them everything.’
She smiled. ‘Good for you.’
I grimaced. ‘This is going to be interesting…’
‘Just be honest. It’s the best policy-always.’
‘You’re right…come on then. Let’s get it over with.’
Two minutes later, we re-joined my parents in the lounge.
‘Mum, come and sit down. I need to talk to you and Dad.’
‘Oh yes?’ she said turning. She took one look at the expression on my face and frowned. ‘Is this serious?’
‘Uh…well, it’s just…I need to tell you something.’
‘You’re pregnant?’ she said, sitting down.
I laughed, and then we all laughed. ‘No, Mum,’ I finally said.
‘What then? What’s this all about?’
‘This is about Scotland-and what happened there, Mum. I wanted to tell you and Dad all about it so you understand this all better. So, you understand me better.’
‘Okay,’ she said slowly, looking a little unsure. She didn’t like the way this was heading and was currently hoping there wasn’t something wrong with me, health-wise.
‘Okay,’ I said, drawing a deep breath. ‘Well, this begins when I was in the accident-when I woke in the hospital.’
‘You’re alright? Please tell me you’re not suffering any ill effects from then?’ she asked.
‘Not exactly ill effects, Mum, but that accident changed me. Something went wrong when I hit my head and it kind of…rewired my brain.’
She frowned at me. My father frowned at me. ‘In what way?’ she asked.
‘I’ve been…I’ve uh…since the accident-I can…hear people’s thoughts,’ I told them.
They both stared at me in stunned silence, looking completely confused.
‘I can hear people’s thoughts. Sometimes I get visions too…’
‘I don’t understand. How can you hear thoughts?’ my mother asked. ‘That’s impossible…people can’t do that. I don’t even believe in psychics!’
‘No…well, maybe it does sound ‘out there’ but it’s happened. When I went to Scotland, I could hear a woman who was buried under the ground. I phoned the police and that’s when I met Jess. Jess works in Scotland as a police detective. They didn’t believe me too at first. Not until I led them to a woman who was buried under the snow. Well, two women…one was alive…and the other, well…she was already dead.’
My mother paled. My father just stared at me open-mouthed.
‘Shall I go on?’ I asked.
They glanced at each other warily and then nodded. I took a deep breath and told them the rest of our story.
Chapter 29
When I finished the whole story, my parents sat on the sofas, staring at me in sheer disbelief. I swallowed hard, and waited for their reaction. Their thoughts were jumbled and incoherent so I couldn’t even tell what they made of it all.
‘Alex!’ my mother exclaimed.
‘I know, Mum…it’s a lot to take in!’
‘It sure is,’ my Dad interjected.
‘What an amazing talent!’ my Mum said, surprising me.
My eyes widened as she looked more amazed than upset. ‘Uh, yeah…well, it’s a blessing as well as a curse.’
‘To think how much you helped the police, Alex! How wonderful! What a sense of accomplishment you must have!’ she smiled.
‘I did, uh…well, it was good to help…’
‘And to save lives, honey,’ my Dad added.
I nodded. ‘That too.’
‘So, you can hear everyone? All the time?’ he continued.
I nodded slowly, grimacing.
‘Us as well?’ he asked.
‘Yeah…’
‘Wow…’
‘It’s how I knew you were so unhappy, Dad. I knew you needed to leave that job in order to be content. I saw, inside you, that your passion lay with your woodwork so I knew that had to be direction you went. I sometimes get flashes of foresight too,’ I told him. ‘So, I knew you would find success doing it too.’
‘Really? So, you knew all of this before it even happened?’
I nodded. ‘Don’t be angry, Dad.’
‘I’m n
ot angry! I’m awed!’
My eyebrows lifted.
‘Robert; the way Alex helped the police was incredible,’ Jess added in. ‘She was obviously reluctant in many ways because the situations were so awful, but she was so brave. She led us to each of those women and saved all of their lives. She also managed to enable us to capture the guilty man.’
‘Who was your brother?’ he asked.
She nodded sadly. ‘I had a very abusive and disturbed childhood. After my mother died, I was sent to live with my father. He abused my brother and I until it resulted in a confrontation involving a gun. He died at my hands that night, and then I was bounced from home to home. I went down the path of helping others through becoming a police officer…unfortunately, my brother didn’t. He fell into a destructive cycle of drug taking and ultimately began to torture and kill women.’
‘What an awful result for your brother…and such a wonderful end of the story for you,’ he commented.
Jess looked at him in surprise.
‘You must be very proud of yourself,’ he said.
Jess shook her head. ‘Not really, sir. I’m just working hard to do a good job.’
‘Well, I’m sure you do. You seem very committed. Also, my daughter is a very good judge of character, so if she likes you, we all do-right Laura?’
‘Oh absolutely…I think it’s wonderful Alex has met someone so wonderful and you two are so well suited, clearly!’
I gaped at them, surprised at their reaction to it all. They had taken it all in their stride and been calm and understanding; especially when they were faced with the knowledge of my newfound skill-and the fact that I was involved in a major crime. I looked over at Jess and smiled a little. She smiled back, clearly pleased with their reaction to our tale of the past couple of weeks.
‘We’ve been very happy together since meeting,’ Jess said more quietly.
I smiled at my parents. ‘We really have. I’ve never met anyone like Jess before and we’re talking about the beginning of a future together. We spent so many hours together in the safe house, it was almost like the first year of being with someone in that time-because we covered so much ground! We’re happy…that’s the main thing.’
‘So, what does this mean in terms of you being local, Alex?’ my father asked. ‘I’m guessing a move is involved if Jess has a home in Scotland.’
‘Well, that’s what we’ve been discussing,’ I told him. ‘Jess owns a beautiful, massive home by the sea in Scotland. She also has her job…’
‘What about your job, honey?’ my mother asked.
‘Well, I struggled with the open-plan office, Mum…all those people, and all those thoughts in my head. And also-I’ve been offered a new job.’
‘In Scotland?’ she questioned.
‘Yes, that’s right.’
‘What is it?’
‘Well, the Captain I met-Captain Withers-said that if I ever needed a job with their police department; it would be mine. He said I was so much help that I could be like a human lie detector!’ I laughed.
‘Wow…so you’d be helping catch criminals?’ she questioned.
‘Not solely. I think I would be doing a range of things. He said he would give me a title of ‘police researcher’ but I would be basically helping wherever necessary.’
‘That’s an amazing turn of events, Alex,’ she murmured. ‘And I’ve always loved the idea of going to Scotland. It would mean holidays,’ she smiled, turning to look at my Dad.’
‘You’d be welcome anytime,’ Jess smiled. ‘I have a large house right by the sea. It’s a beautiful spot and very peaceful. You’d be very welcome to visit anytime you wanted. There’s loads of space. There’s also lots to do and visit in the area so it would be a great place for a holiday. There are lots of old castles especially.’
‘Oh, how wonderful!’ she grinned.
‘So, you’re not against the idea?’ I asked, cautiously.
‘Against the idea? Why would we be?’ Mum asked.
‘Because I’ve been in the middle of a murder investigation! Which Jess is a part of!’
‘No, honey…if you’re talking about danger, sadly that can be found anywhere you go these days. I think it’s wonderful that out of these awful events, you’ve found each other. You’ve also found a future. Do you want the same things for the future?’ she wondered.
‘We do,’ Jess added in. ‘We both want the traditional happy ending…marriage and children.’
I looked at her with love and was positively beaming inside. I felt wonderful hearing her say that out loud.
‘Well, that’s even more wonderful! Grandchildren!’
I smiled at Jess. ‘One day…we will probably spend the first few years getting settled and established in Scotland,’ I murmured.
‘Yeah…’ she nodded, smiling.
‘So! What wonderful news! Let’s crack open a bottle of bubbly!’ my mother said, rising to her feet. ‘We should be celebrating.’
I sat back against the sofa and smiled at Jess and then my Dad. Jess had been right. Honesty was really the best policy.
We celebrated by toasting our new relationship and then as my mother headed to the kitchen to cook, Jess and I headed to my room to talk.
She sat down on the bed looking happy.
‘I can’t believe that all went so well!’ I exclaimed.
‘You weren’t going to tell them, were you? I didn’t realise that!’
‘Well, I just thought it might be better.’
‘It’s never better to lie, Alex.’
‘No…I suppose not. It turned out way better than I ever imagined. And they reacted very well, all things considered.’
‘They sure did. They took it all in their stride,’ I murmured, although now I listened, I could hear them talking in the kitchen, and their thoughts alongside it. They had been concerned for my safely but had recognised what a wonderful woman Jess was…and what a future she offered for my life.
‘They’re amazing parents. You’re very lucky.’
I looked over at her smiling. ‘I know…they are wonderful people. They’ll be part of your life now, so I’m glad you like them!’
‘Yes,’ she smiled. ‘That will make things easier,’ she laughed.
I lay back on the bed and breathed, long and slow. Jess joined me, lying beside me.
We lay there quietly, relaxing in my old, childhood room. I felt a sense of bliss and calm descend over me. It was so nice to feel so content and that Jess and I really may have a future together. As I closed my eyes, the eyes which had appealed so much, scared me. They were just like Jess’ but not quite the same. They held a glint of evil. They were full of hate, despite their beauty-clear, green with flecks of golden brown. I opened my eyes, and pushed the image away mentally.
Hours later, I sat in the lounge with my Mum while Jess went to the outhouse with my Dad to see his work.
‘You look happier, honey,’ my Mum said, once they were gone.
‘I am, Mum. I’m really happy. Jess is a special woman. Really special.’
‘I can see that. I like her, Alex. I think you two match really well. She’s a far, better choice that anyone else I’ve met!’
‘To be fair, you haven’t really met many of my girlfriends.’
‘No…but I expect there is a reason for that, honey. This is the first time you’ve brought home a woman to stay-and that’s unique in itself. It means you care for her more than you’ve ever cared for another woman.’
‘That’s for sure,’ I nodded. ‘Will you come up to Scotland every now and then?’ I asked.
‘Of course! We’ll come whenever we’re invited! I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland, and now I have the perfect excuse!’
‘It’s absolutely beautiful, Mum. You’ll love it…also, her house! It’s just incredible!’
‘So, we could stay there? We wouldn’t need a hotel?’ she wondered.
‘Oh no! Don’t plan on hotels! You’d have to stay in the house-it’s just
gorgeous.’
‘How has she managed to get such a wonderful house at such a young age then?’ she asked.
‘Well, because she works so ridiculously hard, Mum. Before meeting me, she literally had no personal life. She kept herself to herself and just worked. Therefore, everything she made was ploughed into getting herself her own, gorgeous home. Housing is cheaper in Scotland too…’
‘Yes, that’s true. Well, I hope she’ll calm down a bit with work once you’re up there living with her.’
‘She will,’ I smiled. ‘I’ve already made her promise to.’
‘Good. I want you to be happy, Alex.’
‘I am, Mum. I really am. This is the happiest I’ve ever been.’
‘No reservations.’
I swallowed hard, pushing the image back of Jess lying unconscious in the snow. ‘No,’ I said boldly. ‘No reservations whatsoever.’
For the rest of the week, Jess and I visited local places with my parents. She clearly enjoyed seeing my old stomping ground and my parents enjoyed getting to know her. In the evenings, Jess liked going to watch my father work and he taught her a few things about woodwork as she watched. I enjoyed the time catching up with both of my parents and the peacefulness of being in my home setting. When it came to our last evening at the house, I lay in bed feeling relaxed and content.
As I slipped into dreams, I saw his eyes and sat up abruptly, alarmed by his evil eyes.
‘What is it?’ Jess asked urgently, immediately awake and the police officer in her alert and ready for action.
‘Urgh,’ I groaned, slumping back.
‘Nothing…nothing…just the eyes,’ I said, before thinking.
‘Eyes? What eyes.’
I sighed. Honesty was the best policy, she had said. ‘I keep seeing your eyes-but it’s not your eyes. It’s your brother’s eyes. They’re evil. The same as yours-so unique-but still…they’re disturbing.’
She frowned at me, her eyes glinting in the moonlight. ‘But…that doesn’t make any sense.’
‘Why?’ I asked, frowning.
‘Because my brother’s eyes aren’t the same as mine.’
‘Yes, they are. They’re a clear, crystal green-with flecks of brown in them.’