Answers?

Katie

I open the door and a woman is standing there. It takes me a moment to realise who she is and I watch as her face goes through a range of expressions: determination, the readiness for a fight; puzzlement, a surprise that has taken her aback; hope, a light that unknits her features; realisation, a hammer to the face that crushes it.

Her posture changes too, from firm to smaller, like a shrivelled mushroom. She's got here quicker than I thought she would.

And now, I'm scared.

*

Bethan

It's not Laney.

That would be too wonderful. But there is something of Laney about her.

It's reflections of Dave I see. She is watching me as I look at her. It is Dave's wary gaze, I can see in her eyes; the way he looked at me in the days following Laney's disappearance, with concern but also fear, at my railing and my despair. He couldn't handle it, made him jittery. I put it down to his own feelings of grief and his inability to express them, talk about them. I spilled; he bottled.

I don't know what to do. I have questions but I'm almost afraid to ask. She's a similar age to Laney...

I can't just stand here.

*

"Hello."

"Hi. Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a man called Dave. Does he live here?"

"Yes. My dad's called Dave."

"Oh. Your dad."

"Yes."

"Is he in?"

"No. He's out."

"Oh."

"Is there a message...?"

"Um, er, no, I don't know, I just wanted to, um..."

"I know."

"You know what?"

"What you wanted."

Pause.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Katie."

"Katie. Oh. And you're Dave's daughter?"

"Yes."

"And you know who I am?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You're Laney's mum. Dad's other wife. Bethan."

Silence.

"I sent you the photo. Of the boys."

"You sent it?"

"Yes."

"But how? No, I mean where did it come from? How did you get it? Who took it?"

"I don't know. I mean, I know some things but..."

Silence.

"Some things? What do you mean? This is so confusing..."

"I think I can give you some answers..."

*

Bethan

Answers. All I've ever wanted was answers.

I step inside.

***

366 words

Bethan may get to know some things today but where will it lead? Katie's revelations may just blow some lives apart.

This started here:

Yesterday's story:

Thanks for stopping by! If you do read this, please leave a comment as I love to interact with my readers.

283/366