We’re all silent for few minutes, trying to figure out what has happened. She never told me about that boy in the picture, even once! Or had she mention him by any chance and I wasn’t listening? No, no, that is not possible. And she seems to always be tough and brave and why did she cry? Or have we just crossed the limit? Is that her deepest secret ever?
Feeling responsible for her, I automatically climb down to chase her. “Wait Sugar!” Ian’s voice passes my ear as I run down the hall, back to the library. I come to a halt and the others have paced up with me. “Let’s search for her together.” Ian says.
“I’m the one who made her cry, I’ll search for her. You just stay here.” Hayley says.
“No. we search together. We go to separate ways, ok?” Jeremy says, followed by nods from me, Ian, and Hayley. “But we have to close the secret access first.” I say.
“I’ll do that. You all just separate.” Ian says, running back to the narrow aisle.
The rain doesn’t stop as we search for Vi and the thunder rumbles outside in the dark sky. I search in the bedroom, library, and every possible room on the 2nd floor. Ian searches on the backyard, porch, and kitchen. Jeremy searches in the 3rd floor and Hayley on the first floor.
It’s almost noon when we finally decided to gather in the living room for that our efforts are unrewarding. There’s no sign of Vi anywhere, but her coat, phone, and suitcases are still in the bedroom, neatly fold. She must not been there.
“Where is she?” I ask worriedly. My feeling says that she’s not far from the mansion. She’s sometimes nuts, but not that nuts to go out in the rain and run away. She’s not that type of girl. But then, where’s the possible place?
Horse stable?
Is it possible?
But it’s raining outside!
“Should we search in the horse stable?” I say, without much thinking. My feeling says so!
“What? That’s not possible! It’s raining!” Hayley cries.
“But she’s nowhere in the house! Where else could she possibly be?” I say, a bit stressed out.
“Sugar’s right. There are lots of possibilities.” Jeremy says. “Come on.”
We wear our coats and shoes then open the backyard door and run as quickly as possible, avoiding the rain and mud splash against my legs. The horse stable isn’t that far from the backyard but this time, it feels really far and the rain blurs our sight. When we finally reach the horse stable, there’s nobody there. All the horses are terrified by the rain but they’re safely covered.
“See, she’s not here!” Hayley says. And as we’re going to go back to the mansion, Ian shouts, “Is that her?”
“Where?”
“There!” he says again, tries to speak above the falling rain. His finger points at a small wooden building far between the wild grasses that grow on the right side of the horse stable.
“Come on!” Jeremy says.
Ian holds my hand as the 4 of us run towards the small wooden building.
The building seems like a comfortable place for us, even just to shelter ourselves from the fierce rain. As we come closer, I can see 2 figures sitting on the porch. “That’s her!” Jeremy cries. We run even faster to the wooden house with Vi and Mr. Badge sitting on the porch.
“What are you doing?” Vi stands up as she sees us, all wet and tired.
“Searching…..for…..you!” I say in a stutter, catching up with my breath.
The air is pretty cold and wet when we leave the mansion, dragging our suitcases and backpack unwillingly. The rain has turned into a breezy drizzle and all the maids and staffs are standing in a row, waving at us in the terrace. This is the end of a wonderful week at
Vi hasn’t said anything since the lunch time. She was so shocked that we found her in Mr. Badge wooden house. She clearly was in the middle of a conversation cos Mr. Badge said that she can call him anytime she wanted to tell him more. What “more”? She surely was telling him something. And I don’t know it.
We ended up in Mr. Badge cozy living room with cakes and tea and Mr. Badge’s wife was also there, she was so happy to meet all of us and she talked a lot about when Vi was little. And we didn’t mention about the picture, not even once.
Mrs. Freyson came down when we had our lunch and she’s thick with make up to cover her sad face. And although her lips are bright red, but her eyes tell everything. She’s not in a good mood, pretty terrible actually.
“So, are you guys ready to go back to the States?” Mrs. Freyson asks as the Lexus purrs up to
All the people on the street seem so peaceful, wearing colorful rain coats and umbrellas. I wish I can join them. Or that group of girls of my age, pounding their feet with ice creams on their hands and laughs in their face.
“Quite.” Vi mumbles.
“Yes! Totally!” Hayley says eagerly.
But they’re
It’s summer holiday and people are coming to the States.
“How bout you, Sugar?” Mrs. Freyson’s voice comes alive to my head.
“Oh…yeah…actually, I prefer staying here than in the States.” I say honestly.
“Really? Why?” she asks again.
“I don’t know. Here people seem to be happier.” I replies, looking outside the window, watching all passerby as the car comes to a halt due to the traffic.
“Not all.” Mrs. Freyson says in a sad face but then in a switch she covers it with a big grin, “well, we should go back to the States, whatever happen, right? And won’t you spend you holiday with your family somewhere?” she asks.
“I don’t know. Mom’s pretty tight with her wedding planner schedule and Dad’s busy too. You know, businesses are busier during holiday season.” I say.
Mrs. Freyson nods understandingly, “Yes, yes, that’s right.”
We’re silent as the car drive along the highway, drown in our own thoughts as the sun rays shines through the clouds, casting away the dark sky after the heavy rain.
“Have you informed you dad that we’re leaving now?” Mrs. Freyson asks.
“No. but he knows that I’ll leave today. Anyway, why don’t you tell him?” Vi asks. But Mrs. Freyson’s silent, pretend like she doesn’t hear the question at all.
We arrive at the airport, 30 minutes before the boarding and so we scurried to the check in gate, get our boarding pass and wait in the Executive Lounge. Lucky that we’re traveling with Mrs. Freyson, she got heaps of credit cards and just by showing them, we can easily get in the Executive Lounge to grab some late snacks before the flight.
“Hayley, we should get in touch when we’re in the States, ok?” Vi says when we’re getting inside the plane.
“Sure.” She says, smiling.
We arrived at about 8 at night with all sleepy and lazy feeling after taking a sleep. After taking our own baggage, we separate without much talk. Hayley has to go to her Mum’s house, Ian’s mum and dad have been waiting for him, and Jeremy’s been picked up by his own driver.
“Well the….it’s such a memorable week, isn’t it?” Ian says. We look at each other and can’t help let out a giggle and tears at the same time.
“I don’t want this to end!” Vi says abruptly.
“Me too!” I say. And we all hug each other, scared to be separated by the harsh American life.
The familiar buzzes of American accents hits me as I drag my suitcases across the airport building, and as I turn my head around, wow! I’m in the States! Can’t quite believe it somehow.
All the black business suits, all the typical “busy women”, all the advertisement on the boards, all the yellow taxis line up in front of the airport building, all the Burger King and McD ads, all the black skin girls and guys, all the making-outs-in-public-places couples.
And above all heads, suddenly I spot 2 familiar heads.
“Sugar!!!” both of the heads calls me as they run towards me. I run towards them and hug them tight. How I miss my twin brother!
“Hi guys!” I say, hug them tight. Mum and dad have come towards us, dad in his yellow shirt that I told him not to wear and mum in her pink cardigan and jeans. We all come to a family hug. Dang, my family is the greatest thing on earth!
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