Secret Blessing

Chapter 2: Finding Demetria

Winter continuously pressed the doorbell of Victoria and Summer’s house. It’s not that she’s in a rush—no, scratch that, she is in a rush to find Demetria.

The gate opened, revealing Victoria wearing a robe with a frown on her face. “For God’s sake, Winchester, it’s 7 in the morning. What do you want?” she asked, leaving her at the gate.

Winter went after her as she closed the gate behind her. “Well, I can’t contact your P.I., does he have any other cases?” They went inside the house.

“I don’t know. It’s been a while since I last contacted him.”

“Then, do something. I need him. My P.I. is not getting anything and I’m suspicious,” Winter said.

“All right. I’ll call him myself,” Victoria said as she left her in the living room. She kissed her wife on her way to their bedroom.

“Hey, sis,” Summer greeted.

“Hi, Sum,” Winter greeted back.

“Why are you here?” Summer asked.

“About your wife’s P.I.,” Winter said. “He’s unreachable.”

Summer’s confused. “What about your own?”

“He’s not getting anything.”

“Not one?”

Winter nodded.

“That’s suspicious.”

“I know. I wonder if he’s working for someone behind my back. I was so focused on finding Tria I didn’t notice quickly.”

“Well, Vic’s P.I. is trustworthy enough, you won’t have to worry much.”

“I hope this time, I’ll be able to find Tria. I’ve waited long enough.”

Summer patted her shoulder. “You’ll find her.”

Winter nodded and smiled at her.

They heard Victoria descending the stairs. “Win, I’ve reached him. He’ll meet you today,” she said.

Winter sighed. “Thank Rao.”

“Who’s Rao?” Victoria asked.

“She hasn’t told you?” Summer asked, chuckling.

Victoria shook her head. “No.”

“She’s into Supergirl, it’s like Krypton’s God or something,” Summer said as Winter nodded.

“Why do I have a weird best friend?” Victoria asked.

Winter grinned. “You love me, anyway.”

“Well, I love you,” Summer said.

“Aww… Thanks, sis.” Winter went for a hug. “I love you, too.”

“I don’t love you,” Victoria teased.

Winter groaned. “I feel the same way.”

Victoria laughed.

Winter decided to stay for a few hours and have lunch there as they waited for Victoria’s private investigator.

“Hmm… You’re still a great cook, sis,” Winter complimented as they ate.

“Of course, I am.”

“Of course, she is.”

Victoria and Summer said at the same time. Summer kissed her wife as Winter smiled. “Thanks, babe.”

Victoria grinned. “No problem.”

Winter continued to eat as a press on the doorbell ringed the house. “Is that him?” she asked Victoria.

The latter stood up. “Probably.” She went outside to see.

Winter finished her food and put her empty plate on their sink and followed. She stood in the living room as Victoria went back with a guy.

“Okay, Win. Here’s who you need. All yours,” Victoria said as she went back to the dining to continue to eat.

The guy lends his hand for a handshake. “I’m Niall Anderson, at your service.”

Winter shook his hand. “Let’s get to business, Mr. Anderson,” she said as she sat on the couch and motioned for him to sit, too.

Niall sat. “Please, call me Niall.”

“Okay, Niall,” Winter said as she pulled out her phone and showed Demetria’s picture. “I want you to find her, Demetria Carlisle, my ex-wife.”

“Can you send me that?” Niall asked.

Winter nodded. “Sure.”

“Is there any new information you have about her?” Niall asked.

Winter shook her head. “No. All I know is she suddenly left without notice with her parents.”

“Do you want to know everything?” Niall asked.

“An address is all I need but I’ll appreciate it if you do,” Winter answered.

“Okay, you got it, then,” Niall said.

“We have a deal, then?” Winter lends her hand this time.

Niall shook her hand. “It’s a deal.”

“Though, in terms of payment, you can go to Victoria.”

“What? Why me?” Victoria shouted as she went to the living room.

Winter furrowed her eyebrows. “You don’t remember what you said the other day?” she asked.

“What did I say?” Victoria asked back.

“It’s free of charge…?”

Victoria’s mouth went agape.

“When you invited me to go to the bar,” Winter said as she winked. “I’m pretty sure you’re sober, you just forgot.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

Winter pumped her fist mumbling ‘yes’.

Niall stood up. “I’ll get going, then. Won’t waste any time finding Ms. Demetria. I’ll just call you when I have information.”

Winter nodded. “We’ll be waiting.”

Niall nodded to her and Victoria as a goodbye and went to the door.

Winter sighed. “I have a good feeling about this.”

“You sure do,” Victoria said. “What’s the deal with your P.I.?” she asked as she sat beside her.

“I don’t know,” Winter answered. “Should I have him investigated?”

Victoria shrugged. “If you want, just give Niall a call.”

Winter nodded. “Okay...”

Her phone suddenly rang and she answered it. “Hello, Dad?”

“Hey, Winter. How are you?” her Dad, William, asked.

“Still miserable, you know that,” Winter answered.

William hummed. “Can you come over?”

Winter furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “Why? Is there a problem?”

“No. It’s just that we haven’t seen you in a while,” William said.

Winter laughed. “If you missed me, you could just have said so.”

William chuckled. “Okay, we miss you, can you come over?”

Winter smiled. “Okay. Sure, Dad,” she agreed.

“We want to catch up with you, too,” William said.

Winter shook her head. “There’s nothing new, anyway.”

“Even so.”

“I’ll see you later,” Winter bid goodbye.

“Okay, see you, Winter.”

Winter hangs up.

“Was that Uncle?” Victoria asked.

Winter nodded. “Yeah. They miss me. I haven’t visited them in a while.”

“You better get going, then. It can be a good distraction,” Victoria said.

Winter shrugged. “I guess…” She stood up. “Where’s Sum?”

Victoria shrugged as she stood up, too. “Cleaning the dishes...?”

Winter furrowed her eyebrows. “She’s taking so long.”

Victoria smiled in amusement. “I know. She’s pretty meticulous.”

Winter enlightened. “Oh, yeah. She likes to clean things.”

Victoria nodded.

“Anyway, I’ll get going. Just tell her I left.”

“Be careful,” Victoria reminded her.

“I will. Thanks.” Winter went to the door and her car.

Her parents’s house is a 30-minute drive away. Thankfully, there’s not much traffic at the moment. She can’t help but remember Demetria again. They always do things together, even visiting her parents. She would always pick songs to play and sing along with them and if Winter knew the song, she'd join her.

She wiped the tear that came out of her eye. Memories of her make her emotional. She has been like this for years; it’s making her tired, but she has to be strong because she wants Demetria back and she has to wait.

She arrived at the house. She composed herself before knocking at their door. Emma, her Mom, opened it.

“Winter!” She gave her a hug, which she reciprocated. So comforting, but she felt more than that when it came from Demetria. They pulled away. “How are you?”

Winter smiled. “Dad asked the same thing but I’m good.”

Emma smiled back. “Come in.”

Winter nodded as she came in. She looked around as if it was her first time at the house. “It’s been a while,” she said.

Emma nodded. “Yeah. We missed you.”

Winter sat on the couch. “I’m sorry, I haven’t visited.”

Emma sat beside her as she waved her hand. “Oh, no, it’s okay, sweetheart. We know it’s been hard for you with Demetria leaving and all.”

Winter looked down at her hands. “I miss her.”

Emma rubbed her shoulders. “We miss her, too.”

Winter nodded and looked up. “Where’s Dad?”

“ In the backyard, watering his plants,” Emma said and stood up. “I’ll go get him.” She left.

Winter looked around again as she waited. Her eyes caught the picture frames; her parents, with her siblings, her siblings’ weddings, and hers with Demetria. She decided to walk closer to pick up the certain picture frame. It was their post-wedding photo. Demetria had her white gown and Winter had her white tux, both had big smiles on their faces.

We were so happy. What happened? Winter thought.

“Win!” William called.

Winter put back the frame to where it was. “Dad.”

William hugged her. “We missed you, son,” he playfully said.

Winter laughed as she pats his back. “I missed you, too.”

William pulled away. “Do you want anything?”

Winter shook her head. “Oh, no. Don’t bother, Dad. I’m fine,” she said as she sat down on the couch again. Her parents sat beside her.

“Still not over Demetria?” William asked.

Winter shook her head again. “How could I?” she asked. “She’s my true love.”

“But it’s been years…,” William said. “Have you tried seeing other girls?”

“No. I don’t plan to. Tria’s the only one for me,” Winter answered.

“I heard from Summer that you’re trying to find her.”

Winter nodded. “I want her back.”

“What if she doesn’t want to come back?”

Winter remembered Victoria asking the same thing. She closed her eyes as she sighed. “I’ll be by myself, then.”

William’s ears perked. “What?”

Emma, who’s been listening, has a feeling that this will not end well.

“Why?” Winter asked. “I have you by my side, anyway.”

“Yes, but we want someone for you to grow old with.”

“Tria is the only candidate for that,” Winter said.

“What if she already has someone else?” William asked.

“Honey,” Emma called. William looked at her and she shook her head, giving him a sign that he shouldn’t have asked that.

Winter crossed her arms and looked at William. “Why can’t you just support me on this?”

“You’re holding on to something that is already gone. You have to let go.”

Winter stood up and looked at him, frustrated. “I’m not going to let her go. Never,” she said as she went to the door. “I’ll come back soon, Mom. I don’t want to be here right now.”

As she walked outside, she dialed Niall’s number. “Hello, Niall?”

“Ms. Winter,” Niall greeted her as he was going through a file on his laptop.

“Oh, just call me Winter,” she said. “I have a follow-up.”

“What is it?”

“I want you to look into my P.I., Henry Dales,” Winter said. “He didn’t give me any information about Demetria.”

“Actually, Ms. Victoria told me and I decided to start with him if that’s okay,” Niall said.

“No, it’s fine. He’s suspicious. I think he knows everything,” Winter said.

“Then, I’ll get to it.”

“Okay, thanks, Niall.” Winter hangs up.

Meanwhile, Niall played CCTV footage on his laptop. It was Henry going inside the house of Winter’s parents from five years ago.

“Hmm. Interesting.”