LOOKING TROUGH YOUR EYES

CHAPTER 10

Sheryl ran to hug her. After greeting each other, Lindsey sent her to the Walkers and stayed talking with Paul, asked him what was wrong with Sheryl. He told her that she’d been "weird" since the morning, that they met Melany. Lindsey exploded and yelled at him:

-          We agreed that you wouldn’t take her with that woman again!

-          It was a coincidence, she passed a moment by the restaurant where we were having breakfast - he said in a very parsimonious voice

-          she knows where you eat every day! - Said still upset

-          Calm down, they'll kick us out of the zoo if you keep yelling

-          Don’t you dare to tell me what to do! We had an agreement. Well ... I’ll take Sheryl with me, when you are willing to do what we agreed, call me and we’ll arrange a new date so you can go out with her

Lindsey thanked the Walkers, said goodbye, and returned home with her daughter. On the way, Sheryl told her everything that had happened.

-          So… he didn't tell you when, where or for how long exactly he’ll be traveling?

-          No ... - Sheryl replied

-          Okay. Stop thinking about it ... what do you say if we bake cookies for the rest of the day? - Lindsey said trying to get a smile from her daughter

-          yeah! - Said the excited girl - Can I take a few to school tomorrow?

-          Mmm ... I think I already know who they are for - said the mother with a mischievous tone - what do you think if we take them to his house in the afternoon?

-          yey!

They entered the house and, while Sheryl changed, Lindsey began to arrange everything they were going to need from the kitchen. Suddenly her cell phone rang; it was Paul. She took the call, but no one answered, there was only grinding of teeth, as if someone was shivering with cold or so annoyed that they would not stop scraping their teeth. It lasted almost 5 seconds and then they hung up the call. Lindsey was surprised, she was going to call him back, but Sheryl was ready to start making the cookies.

-          Shall we start? - She asked enthusiastically

-          Sure, what cookies do you want to make? - She said as she took out her recipe book so that the girl could choose

-          This one! - Sheryl said when she saw some cookies with some caramel in the center

-          Wow, are you sure? It’ll take us a long time ...

-          Yes, I'm sure it’ll be worth it

Seeing her daughter's determination, Lindsey agreed and they went to work. As expected, it was taking them a lot of time to make the dough and all the details, it was already lunchtime and they were hungry. Sheryl asked her to have lunch before they finished making the cookies, since having all those tasty things in front of her made her even hungrier. Since she hadn't made lunch, Lindsey decided to order pizza. Within 15 minutes, there was a knock on the door, Sheryl rushed to open it, and her mom followed her as she pulled the money out of her wallet. When she was going to pay, she got a big surprise, the delivery man was nothing more and nothing less than Mike.

-          Don’t worry, it’s on me - he said with a beautiful smile

-          Mike! - Lindsey said surprised - I didn’t know that you also worked as a delivery man

-          I'm not a delivery man, it's just that ... today was a special day and I wanted to surprise you - he said something nervous - Did I do wrong?

-          No, it's not that ... just that you really surprised me a lot - she said blushing - come in, please - she invited him - Sheryl, do you think we can share the pizza with Mike?

-          Mike! - She said with a mischievous voice - of course, it was time you brought him home.

Lindsey beckoned her to be quiet and a little nervous continued:

-          Have a seat, Mike - she said, trying to deflect the subject.

He laughed and said:

-          Wait a minute, please. I brought a couple of things, I didn’t come just to take your lunch - he said as he went to his car.

 As soon as he was outside, Lindsey warned her daughter to stop playing, she smiled and took off the little apron she was using so as not to fill her clothes with flour. Mike returned with an extra pizza box, a bouquet of sunflowers, and a gift wrapped in fuchsia paper. He handed the bouquet to Lindsey and the gift to Sheryl. It looked like a book.

-          You sure are hungry. We'll open the gift after we eat, okay? - Mike said sweetly

-          OK!

The 3 of them sat at the table, Sheryl was very hungry, so she ate as fast as she could. Lindsey and Mike, on the other hand, ate very little, they looked at each other, from time to time their eyes met, they smiled and they continued eating.

-          Are you making a cake? - He asked, looking at the kitchen

-          Nope - Sheryl replied - we're making cookies - she said as she got up to look for the recipe book - look! These are the cookies that we’re making - she said pointing to the photo in the magazine

-          Wow ... they look a bit complicated, may I help you? – he asked

-          Mmm … fine, but you’ll make a special one for mom - said the girl with a mischievous smile

He just smiled and looked down, he already had already planned to give her something special. Lindsey stared at her daughter, as if telling her to shut up. The girl returned to her place and finished eating. The adults finished, too, and Lindsey washed the dishes.

-          May I open my gift now? - asked the girl

-          Of course - Mike said, handing her the gift

It looked like a book, Sheryl was a bit disappointed, but when she opened it, she realized that it was a beautiful diary, it had the figure of a Japanese cherry blossom in pastel tones. She tried to open it immediately, but realized that it had a rather peculiar clasp, it resembled the mark on her right hand.

-          ah! I almost forgot. That diary comes with this bracelet - Mike said taking out of his pocket a golden bracelet with a gold pendant in the shape of a butterfly - You must pass the bracelet over the cover every time you want to open it, there’s no other way to open the diary, so you must take good care of this bracelet.

Sheryl was delighted with her gift, she ran upstairs and put it on her nightstand. She returned immediately to finish making the cookies. It took them most of the afternoon, but they had a lot of fun. Finally, while waiting for the cookies to come out of the oven, they watched a movie. As the atmosphere lent itself to that, they decided to watch a romantic movie: “me before you”. By the end of the movie, Lindsey and Mike were hugging, Sheryl clinging to her teddy. All 3 had been moved to tears. They took the cookies out of the oven and Sheryl was in charge of tasting them. They were delicious and they looked beautiful, they were heart-shaped and the red candy in the center looked like a small window. The girl began to imagine what would happen when she gave them to Jair.

-          What if he doesn’t like them? - she asked to her mother

-          Don't worry, I'm sure he’ll love them - she replied, approaching to cheer her up.

Lindsey served 3 glasses of milk so they could eat with the cookies, but Mike realized that Sheryl was worried that they would run out, he went to his car and came back with a heart-shaped box of chocolates, the box was decorated with a silver ribbon and a red rose for a brooch and when he opened it, the chocolates smelled delicious. They ate chocolate with milk and it was time to go to sleep. Lindsey went to tuck her daughter in, Mike stayed to clean the kitchen and when Lindsey came downstairs, she thanked him for that wonderful afternoon, she also thanked him for all the gifts he’d brought them and they said goodbye.

The next day Lindsey and Sheryl overslept, they had both dreamed beautiful things, they didn't want to get up. But the alarm kept ringing. They rushed out.

-          Don't worry about the cookies, I'll bring them in the afternoon so that we can take them to his house - Lindsey said as she said goodbye to her daughter at school

When she got to the office, Mike was waiting for her with coffee and his quirky smile. It was a good day.

In the evening, Lindsey called Emma to ask if they could visit them, she told her that she’d be leaving in the afternoon and that, in fact, she needed someone to stay with Jair, she asked her to pick him up from school and she would stop by at night to pick him up. Lindsey accepted.

-          But is everything okay? - She asked - you sound very worried, did something happen? Can I help with something?

-          Don't worry, thank you… it's just, today I'll follow Anthony, I think he'll see that woman. He’s been glued to his cellphone lately...

-          But, I think she's traveling ... I'll call Paul to ask - she said putting the call on hold. She tried to call him, but the only answer she got was "the number you called is outside the coverage range" - I think they have already left, his cell phone is out of range ... - she said returning to the call with Emma

-          Mmm ... well, I'm sure he’ll see someone, I don't know if it's Melany, but I'm sure he will meet someone - she remained silent for a while and then continued - well, I must go now, please take Jair with you I'll pick him up at night

Lindsey headed to the school and picked up both children.

-          The surprise is at home. Jair will come with us - she told her daughter, who was worried since she didn't see the cookies in the car.

They came home and ate the cookies with milk. Jair told them that, indeed, his father was very strange the last days.

-          He even yelled at mom, he never had before - he said with pity

Sheryl and Lindsey looked at each other, they remembered that something similar had happened with Paul. They didn't say anything, the girl hugged him to encourage him. Then they did their homework and began to play. Night came and someone knocked on the door, it was Emma, she was not wearing a coat, but you could see that she was freezing. Lindsey invited her in immediately, gave her some milk and cookies, and they began to talk.

-          what happened? Did you see them together?

-          Yes, well ... something like that, I couldn't see the woman’s face. First they were in a bar and then they took the car and were leaving the town, I don't know where they have gone. I tried to follow him in a taxi, but they disappeared around a corner, I think the woman realized that I was following them, I would swear I saw her eyes, but I couldn't recognize her, she had a terrifying look… it was very strange. Then I tried to call him, but he never answered - she said sighing

Lindsey approached, gave her a reassuring hug and told her that she could count on her. Emma thanked her and, she returned home with Jair.

They wouldn’t hear from Anthony for a week, and the following Saturday Emma got a call from the police, they’d found her husband dead.

-          Apparently he was driving drunk and couldn’t control the brake well, we found his car in the ravine. The approximate time of death ...

Emma had stopped paying attention, she was in shock, she couldn't believe it, they hadn't even said goodbye. She was somewhat resentful of the decision her husband had made, but she was very sorry that it ended that way.

-          Excuse me - she said interrupting the policeman – was he with someone?

-          No, he was alone in the vehicle, however, he left a note for you ... but, I must warn you that it cannot be read well, it’s somewhat blurred, as if someone had tried to erase it. You must come to recognize the corpse tomorrow from 8 am. Have a good day.

Emma still had a million questions to ask, but the call had already been ended. She was devastated. She crawled under her bedsheets like a child and began to cry. Suddenly, Jair entered her room.

-          Mom, are you okay? I heard a loud noise coming from here - he said pulling the sheets off her

She took a breath and tried to calm herself and assured him that everything was fine. Suddenly, the noise was heard again, it was a little bird crashing against the window. Jair ran to open it and the bird came in with a sunflower in its beak, placed it on the boy's hands, and left quickly, getting lost in the distance. The boy and his mother were very surprised, they looked at each other as if wondering "what is this for?" Suddenly, Jair remembered that Sheryl's necklace had a sunflower on it as a pendant.

-          You know ... whenever I'm with Sheryl a little bee usually appears ... I think a little bird ever appeared once - he said nervously - maybe she knows something. She told me that ... - he stopped, he didn't know if Sheryl would get mad at him if he told his mother

-          Yes, Lindsey also told me her story ... but I don't understand, what makes you think that they may have something to do with the bird?

-          Well ... Sheryl's necklace has a sunflower-shaped pendant and it's very strange, it changes color ...

Emma decided to call Lindsey, but she had no line on her cell phone.

-          We’ll go to her house, get ready immediately! - she said scared

Jair went to change, leaving the flower in his mother's bedroom. Emma wondered if everything Lindsey had told her was true. It sounded so crazy, but…. Would Melany really want to hurt them? why? She hadn't taken much interest in the story Lindsey told her, but now she wanted to remember every detail. She took the sunflower in her hands, she remembered the last time Anthony had brought her flowers, on her birthday, he had even brought her a serenade and they’d had to dinner at the most beautiful restaurant in town. She began to cry, she didn’t want to believe that now, the man she loved so much, was dead, and everything had happened so quickly that she hadn’t even had time to say goodbye. She could only think of his smile, his voice, his caresses; but all of that was gone, she could never feel his caresses, his honey-flavored kisses, or his delicate touches like cotton. She cried like a child who had just lost his favorite toy. Meanwhile, Jair was already ready to go, but as he went to his mother's room, he saw a black rose lying on the floor, it looked resplendent and alive, around it there seemed to be droplets of sap, as if it’d been plucked a few seconds ago. He wanted to pick it up, but felt someone pulling him from behind.

-          I’m sure it’s you, Ethan. Sheryl already told me that it’s because of you that something always happens when we’re together, I know you don’t want me to take this rose. She doesn't love you! She doesn't even know you, you can't keep separating me from her forever - he said screaming into the void. And he bent down again to pick up the rose.

Emma heard her son scream, she left the room immediately, but it was too late, she found him lying on the floor, with the rose in his hands. A thorn had pricked his finger and all the "sap" that was around the rose had turned into blood, it wasn’t from Jair, but the ground was muddy with living blood. She screamed in despair, she didn't know what to do, she had no idea what had happened. She wanted to remove the rose from his hands, but something stopped her, she felt someone pull her back, she didn't know if "that" was trying to help or it would be the same thing that hurt Jair. She tried to take the rose once more, but this time with a handkerchief. She withdrew it and put it on the dining room table, she was going to carry her son to take him to the car, but something pushed her towards her bedroom, the little bird was again at the window. She opened it and let it in, it took the sunflower with its beak and put it in her hands, then it went out and perched on a nearby tree, made the gesture of hugging something with her wings and left. Emma had understood, she must take that sunflower with her. She put the flower in her hair, carried her son and was hurried to the car. She didn’t know whether to take him to the hospital or go to Lindsey's house, she was beginning to despair, but a flock of birds appeared in front of her, she followed them and soon arrived at Sheryl's house. She knocked desperately on the door, her child in her arms. Then Lindsey opened it, but you could see that she was worried too.

-          Come in please, leave him on the sofa, what happened to him? Why is he like that?

-          We were at home and I received a call from the police ... – she started telling her story

-          Mommy! Where are you? - Sheryl shouted interrupting her

-          Daughter, come quickly. Something happened to Jair - Lindsey replied - sorry ... what happens is that she's scared, a while ago she saw Melany, or well ... she thinks it was Melany. Please continue

Sheryl came downstairs with the diary that Mike had given her in one hand and hugging the gray teddy Moon with the other, she was trembling and her eyes reflected the terror she felt as she took each step.

-          it was trembling as if it wanted to open up - she said terrified, interrupting Emma again before she could speak.

-          In a moment we'll go over it, now come and sit next to Jair while I talk to Emma

Seeing him unconscious, Sheryl ran to him worried. The 2 mothers went to the dining room to be able to talk quietly. Emma told her everything that had happened, she was afraid that she would take her for crazy, but that didn’t stop her from saying every detail she remembered. They were very surprised, Lindsey remembered that she’d gone through something similar, although she was sure that Paul was still alive.

Sheryl, on the other hand, was crying next to her friend, she was still scared by the recent sighting of Melany, but the concern for Jair was even greater. She saw that his gestures were changing, at one point he seemed to be angry, then he seemed to want to escape from something…. At that, the diary began to shake even more violently, so she decided to open it, passed the bracelet that Mike had given her over the lock and the notebook opened immediately. She could see that the sheets were blank, but suddenly, in front of her eyes, they began to fill with words written with the golden ink that she already knew: "You must call Mike, he’ll know what to do" said the writing.

-          Mom, we should call Mike! Quick! - She said as she ran to the dining room.

-          Easy Sheryl, he doesn't know anything about this...

-          No mom, look! - she said showing him the first page of the notebook

-          Where did you get gold ink? - She asked somewhat annoying - Can't you see that it's not time to play?

-          No mom, you don't understand. I opened the notebook and wrote that appeared by itself ... I think it's Ethan, it's the same ink that was on the school note.

Lindsey hesitated, but there was no time for insecurities, she knew her daughter wouldn't play with something like that. She called Mike immediately. After 20 minutes, he knocked on the door, they took him immediately to the sofa where Jair laid unconscious. He took from his pocket a silver key ring, it had a single key that seemed to be very old, but, on the top it had a sun-shaped ornament, in the center there was something shiny, it looked like a tiny diamond. Mike took it out and put it in the boy's mouth, then asked Sheryl to put her hand with the heart-shaped petal mark on his forehead. Immediately, the boy calmed down, stopped changing his gestures every second and seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

-          Let him rest for a few minutes, he’ll wake up soon - Mike concluded.

Lindsey was surprised, she had no idea that he knew about the strange things that happened to her. Mike explained that Ethan met him in the cemetery a few years ago, when he was crying for his mother.

-          Do you remember when I asked you whether I should accept the promotion and go to the city? Well ... that night I went to the cemetery to talk to my mother, I’ve always liked to think that she can hear me and she still accompanies me. Anyway, I was telling her everything that happened that day. I didn't want to leave, but I felt devastated, I felt that I no longer had the strength to keep trying, so I asked her for a sign, I asked her to tell me something, anything. Suddenly, a voice answered me, but it was not my mother's, it seemed like a child, I was very scared at first, but then it explained who it was and told me some things that I shouldn’t repeat for your safety ... he told me that he’d been watching for a long time and I seemed like the ideal person. I was very surprised; I didn’t know what I could be useful for. He told me that, from that day on, I’d be in charge of protecting them, both you and your daughter - he said taking Lindsey's hand - that's why I stayed. He explained to me that he cannot come nor be by her side. However, he loves Sheryl very much, he’s always taken care of you two, since she was born, he’s been watching you and taking care of you. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to you, that night he gave me this key ring, he told me to take good care of it and that that little pill would work someday. He didn't tell me what it is exactly, but I know it’s useful against the girl who seeks to harm you.

By this time, Jair had already woken up. The first thing he did when he opened his eyes was to hug Sheryl and his mother, then he started to cry and through tears, he tried to tell about everything he’d seen.