Finding Aeryn

Chapter Three

As my parents finished with their moment, my father left to go visit with the council and bring them an update. Before I could ask mom who the council was, Salem came bounding gracefully down the stairs with a bunch of things piled in his arms. Perhaps gracefully isn’t a good word because seconds later he tumbled over halfway down, dropping everything he was holding. Stifling a giggle I ran over to help him pick up the mess, I bent down to help him up and everything went quiet.

~

In the blink of an eye, Salem was gone and so was mother. I glanced around the quite living room and didn’t see anyone.

“Mmm mmmm mmm”

Someone’s. . . humming? I follow the tune into the kitchen where I see a woman with her back turned towards me, reaching into the oven. As she stands upright the most wonderful smells hit my nose, making my mouth water. I step closer and the woman turns around and goes to the fridge. It’s a younger version of my mother. She couldn’t be older than 25. I walk to the counter by the oven and sit on top, watching her as she finishes up the best meal I’ve ever smelled. It seems like clockwork for her and very therapeutic. As she’s about to put away the various spices a loud bang is heard from the living room. She quickly drops what she is doing and runs towards the noise.

I hop off the counter and follow the worried mother. I turn into the living room and at the bottom of the stairs are two tiny children covered in mud, giggling as they’re tangled together from slipping down the stairs. I look over at mom and she struggling not to join in on the laughter.

“W-what happened guys?” She questions as a chuckle escapes her lips.

The little girl stands up and exclaims, “daddy got us all muddy and was gonna throw us in the lake!”

The young boy finally stands, slipping a little, “it’s twue! Daddy and uncle Mac came home awll muddy!”

Mom is now covering her mouth as laughter erupts.

“Mommy! This is serwious!” The boy shouts, “He’s ouwtside!”

Just as the boy says that the front door flies open and a man stands in the opening, completely covered in mud with a huge grin on his face. It’s my dad. Mom started laughing harder as the children ran behind her for protection.

“You b-better not c-come in here with all that mud Alaric.” She tried to say with a straight face.

“What’s that hunny? I couldn’t quite hear you.” Dad steps inside and goes closer toward her with a s**t-eating grin.

“Oh no. This is not what we’re doing.” Mom starts walking backward away from him and the muddy children.

As soon as she said that Dad and both the little kids ran towards her with arms wide open. Mom tried to make a run for it but was caught by Dad who held her in place as they all three gave her muddy hugs, in turn making her muddy as well. Giggles erupted out of everyone and mom was placed back onto the ground.

~

As reality zones back in I am still bent over about to help Salem up, but he and mom are giving me a worried look. I straighten back up and hold my head, feeling a little dizzy.

“Sis, are you alright?” Salem worriedly asks.

“I-I’m fine. . . I think.” I turn to go sit down on the couch again. “I keep having these weird. . . I don’t know. . . flashbacks? Maybe?”

They both make their way to sit with me. Salem next to me and mom across from me, leaving the clutter on the floor.

“Could you explain what happened in them?” Mom sets her hand on my knee, comfortingly.

“Well, they all have happened here in the house so far. Once in my room, I had seen the girl from the picture before I learned that was me. She was sitting by the window, nonstop crying and you came to comfort her, mom. You had said that she had been there for at least a couple days. Something terrible must have happened. Do you know?” I look to mom for answers.

“I’m sure we all remember those weeks. That was a couple days in, you ended up being there way longer. However, you never mentioned why you had become so sad. You were up there, hidden away for a few weeks. We could barely get you to eat, let alone speak.” Mom says.

“I remember the immense pain I was in, but that was all that was given to me.” I took a pause, regathering my new thoughts. “The second was much happier though. You were cooking an amazing dish, I don’t think I’ve smelled anything so good! Then two muddy children slipped down the stairs trying to get away from dad who was also muddy.”

“I remember that!” Salem looked so happy “Uncle Mark and Dad had just finished their training and came home super muddy. They found us playing in the rain outside and ‘wrestled’ us in these huge mud puddles nearby. They were gonna throw us in the late but we ran as fast as we could home. Then dad and us made mom all muddy too!” He giggled.

“Ha! Yes I remember that day! You two turned on me so quickly!” She gave a joking glare as Salem and I giggled.

Silence consumed us for a few moments after. So I am getting my memories back? But why is it different each time? I sat and thought about it for a moment. This is a good thing right? I just don’t understand why I feel so disconnected from them, shouldn’t I resemble some sort of remembrance?

“Who is Uncle Mark?” I remember him being brought up by Salem.

“Mark’s our adopted uncle! Dad found him injured while scouting one day and brought him home. He’s stuck around ever since.” Salem grinned.

“Can I meet him? Well re-meet I guess?”

“Of course! He should be back in a couple days. He had business to attend to in another pack, he was hoping to be here when you woke up.” Mom smiled at me. “Well I think it’s time for that amazing lasagna that you finally remembered!” Mom clapped her hands together excitedly.

“Yes!” Salem shouted. “It’s been so loooong.”

As Salem expressed the last word, his stomach growled loudly making us giggle.

“That would be really great mom.” I said, excited for my first meal.