The Secret House

Ray was proud of the work she did getting Vaun’s hair in such a nice braid like the one she wore herself. She handed the mirror over to Vaun for her to see.

“Hmm. It’s very nice. Definitely keeps it in place.” Vaun commented.

“Good. Okay, now, you have to check this out.” Ray giggled as she pulled up another short, goofy video clip and showed Vaun. She was surprised when she looked up at Vaun to see no change in the expression on her face, before the realization came to her. “Oh, you don’t understand.. uh.. our humor.”

“Well, not this it seems. My knowledge of humor needs some work…”

Ray laughed harder now. “Clearly!”

“Oh, was that humorous?” Vaun smiled, trying a slight chuckle.

Ray cringed. “Well, kind of, but your laugh could use some work too.”

Vaun blushed, embarrassed. “Oh” She muttered.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry, I just… it came off kind of creepy.”

Just as Vaun was about to ask her more, they heard the front door open.

“Shit!” Ray cursed quietly. She hurriedly went to carefully close the bedroom door.

“Who-” Vaun started but was quickly shushed by Ray pushing her fingers to Vaun’s lips. Vaun was startled by the sudden close contact at first, but understood from her body language it was in a protective reaction. Ray slowly walked up to the window on the opposite side of the room, peering out.

Ray whispered, “It’s my mom’s car… what is she doing out here?” The next instant they heard footsteps starting up the stairs. She then walked over to Vaun to pull her by her arm towards the bathroom.

“What are we doing?” Vaun whispered.

“You need to hide here and don’t move… or say anything! Please!” She whispered back.

“But-”

“Don’t! I’ll be back!” Ray ordered before closing the bathroom door. She whipped around just in time to see her mom walking in.

“What…”

“Mom!” Ray said, and her mom, Norina, shrieked, her hand flying up to her chest.

“Ana! My god… what are you doing here?! How did you get here? Oh I swear to Christ, Rayana, you better have a good explanation!”

“Mom, I just…” Ray searched hard in her mind for a useful distraction. “I needed to know… why did you hide this from me? This… house? The photos...” Part of that was an honest question. “I just don’t understand the need for secrets… I wanted to ask Dad about it but… I was having a rough day at school and got a ride over here because I wanted to find out for myself…” Ray sighed. “I’m sorry… but I need to know.”

Norina held a hard look at her. “Ana… you don’t… I…” She huffed out a sigh of her own. “Get downstairs. We’ll talk about this later.”

“But-”

“Now, Rayana. I don’t have time for this.” Norina scolded. Ray stared at her for a moment. “Go!” She demanded again. Ray hesitantly made her way out of the room.

Vaun heard the receding footsteps, some panic running through her. She thought she faced much more intense, terrifying moments of danger, but standing in this bathroom mere meters away from Rayana’s mother scared her more than anything she felt, and she could not in the slightest understand why.

After a while, she heard footsteps returning and felt relief knowing Rayana was coming to her rescue… she stepped up toward the door when she saw the doorknob turn. To her surprise, she was greeted by Norina, who froze her in her steps when she saw Vaun. For the briefest moment, Vaun felt this strange connection deep within her, but it was quickly overrun by an abundance of fear.

“Ana, how… how did you get up here so fast… and change your clothes..?” Norina asked, her face scrunched up. Vaun was too terrified to speak, and now she was afraid she’d just start crying in front of her. Oh great, just how wonderful, now she was going to ruin it all for her and Rayana. How would she ever explain to her mother… “Answer me, Ana!”

Vaun jumped, being scared out of her train of thought, blinking up at Norina while trying to open her mouth until her body decided for her. She threw up onto the bathroom floor between them.

“Oh my… goodness, Ana, alright, here…” Norina said while cautiously reaching out to her, then turning to the closet door behind them to grab a clean hand towel. She turned on the faucet to run water over it, then handing it over to Vaun. “I’ll clean up the floor, just get yourself cleaned up and meet me downstairs after… just aim for the toilet if you feel more coming, please…” Norina told her, taking another towel to clean up the floor, then throwing it in the trash and opening up the toilet cover while Vaun carefully wiped at her mouth. Norina finally stepped out of the bathroom and headed downstairs. Vaun sighed, this time truly feeling relief, her knees almost giving out underneath her had she not held onto the counter of the sink. She took a look at herself in the mirror, studying her face. She wondered about that brief moment when Norina first looked at her.

“Vaun,” Ray whispered from the door. Vaun jumped, but was relieved to hear her voice.

“I’m so sorry,” Vaun started, part of her wanting to cry.

“Look, I’ve got to go with her right now, but I’ll be back later, I promise. You know where everything is… just… uh… stay, okay?”

“Uh… okay” Vaun answered. Ray smiled apologetically, started toward the door but paused and turned back to Vaun.

“Oh, and, by the way, good covering for me here. I was so fucking scared there for a while, hiding behind the door in the hallway… anyway, gotta run. You’ll be fine, I promise.” Ray said, smiling again before leaving the room.

Ray paused in the hallway, giving herself a moment to calm and compose herself. She still wanted answers from her mother. She was frustrated and felt betrayed. She continued down the hall and down the stairs to get to the front door.

As she climbed into her mom’s car, Norina buckled her seatbelt. “Oh, I see you changed clothes again. I’ll get the other clothes when I can get back here. Please tell me you’re not sick with something?”

Ray was confused for a moment, looking down at her clothes but then quickly realized she was talking about Vaun. “Um, no. But… I still want answers.”

There was a long moment of silence until Norina sighed. “Later. I… I will try to answer them. But, something happened at your school.”

“What?”

...