SHADOWS OF KAYLA

WHO?

“Morning Rick,” dad greeted as he brisk walked through the door to a room were several boxes of clothes were stacked and scattered around. Dad dropped his bag on a nearby table and took off his jacket, proceeding to loosen his tie a bit.

The old guy looked up from the sheet of paper he has been busy scribbling away on. Rick had funny round frame sitting on the bridge of his pointy nose, which made him look a bit different from how he looked the day before.

“Oh! Morning, Dexter,” he chimed brightly back.

Here we go again! Dexter?

I stood by the door and watched the two men, not understanding what relationship they had asides from the boss and employee kind. I was shocked that dad still had the time to go to the office after what had happened with Tom the night before.

Yes, Tom fell unconscious after hearing about me, and dad had to go get a nurse woman who lived two blocks away. She came over with dad and suggested Tom was taken to the hospital, but for some reason mum and I didn't understand, he begged that Tom be treated at home. I bet mum was tired of arguing with dad all the time, because surprisingly, she didn't even ask why he was stopping Tom from being taken to the hospital.

All she asked was,

“Nothing's going to happen to my boy, right?”

And the nurse nodded,

“Sure, I can help get a doctor over tomorrow morning.”

I glanced around the room, then back at the two who talked. For some reason, I felt like I was not doing the right thing stalking dad and trying to figure out what was wrong with him. It wasn't like I would have been able to do something, had I found out about anything.

There was Rick, whom I wasn't sure was the one Van was after, and there was dad, who kept acting weird all the time.

What if that is the Rick and those guys were spying on our house because he's related to dad?

I felt my head pound for seconds. My realization could be true. A cold rush of air flew through my back up, causing me to shudder a little in the spot I was.

Is that why dad has always been hiding around?

Does…does dad also know Van? I stuttered to myself. My mind raced around all the possibilities of my family actually being in danger if that was the actual Rick. Again, I couldn't be so sure.

“And thanks for last night,” dad's husky voice broke me out of my reverie.

“I had to,” Rick responded, moving from one desk of clothes to another.

“It's the least I can do for you. Just promise that you're going to tell everything to Sandie once those things get over the ocean safely,” he added, adding to my confusion.

What things are they talking about?

What things need to get safely over the ocean before dad tells mum what is going on with him?

I squinted suspiciously at the duo who stood a few feets away from each other, each man busy with his own thing.

“It's really killing me,” dad mumbled with a sigh and shook his head slightly.

“I understand, son.”

“I'm worried for you too, Rick. How do you manage to always act like you're fine…like nothing's wrong? I've been doing that for almost two months now, and I feel like I'm going to die of guilt the next minute,” dad complained frustratedly, pausing his work. He held his face in his hands—it was his new habit.

“Well, I know it's all going to be fine. It's just a matter of time,” he assured, taking his glasses off his eyes and wiping them with an handkerchief he pulled out of his pants' pockets.

“...your boy, how's he holding up? He still doesn't know?” Rick inquired, returning the glasses to his eyes.

Wow! For someone who didn't like talking about his family problems, dad sure confided in Rick a lot.

How did his new boss know about me and Tom?

Or did he happen to tell Rick everything while they talked?

Or did they know each other in the past…before I died?

The latter had the most possibilities of being true, because Rick kept saying that dad was like a son to him. This couldn't have been a feeling one would grow in a few weeks of working with another person, right?

It seemed like gibberish, what they spoke about, because I was completely lost and didn't understand what to continue doing.

Finding who the real Rick was?

Figuring out what's wrong with dad?

Knowing what things they needed to get over the ocean safely?

Lost was the word. I was completely lost.

“He found out last night.”

Rick turned from the desk to face dad.

“You told him?”

“No…not really. Sandie and I were talking and he…uhh…” his words faded away while he held his head and leaned his weight on the glossy blue wall.

Dad's eyes were sunken with stress and I felt so sorry for him. It was so sad knowing how dad had changed. He was my dad before my death, and became someone else after. I just didn't know what to think, what to make of all the problems, or where to dump my worthless self in.

“I understand, son. I hope he's fine now? Tom…”

“It was a whole lot last night, but he's doing okay now. Just needs a few medications and rest, says the doctor.”

“Oh boy! I'm so sorry about that. Had I known about this earlier, I'd have sent you right back out that door you walked in. Because seriously, you should be with that kid right now and not here.”

“I know, I know. I just couldn't handle the guilt. And Sandie, she's so upset with me….I just need some space…”

“You’ll be fine, son.”

“I'm quite sure that murderer still has no idea where you are. We'd be out of here before he realizes it,” Rick spat.