Remembered

by E. D. Brady

  After a week passed and all remained quiet, Annie sent the twins into town for some much needed supplies.

  She and Kellus were excited to have a few hours alone, which gave her an idea. She asked Kellus to go up to the little forest, behind her house, to bring food to a stray cat that lived there. It would take him at least ten minutes, which gave her ample time to implement her plan.

  As soon as he was safely out of sight, she fetched her little yellow slip from the wardrobe and put it on.

  Before she had finished tying back two pieces of hair with her favorite hair clip, she heard the front door open quietly. It didn’t occur to her that this was unusual, that Kellus would come in the back door instead of the front, but she should have registered that the footsteps were heavier than his.

  Suddenly, a hand was over her mouth and nose. A bitter smell filled her senses. She tried to struggle, but the bitter smell made her dizzy.

  Everything went black.

  Annella Kir

  Chapter 15

  Annie sat on the floor of the cold kitchen with her back against the wall. She looked down at her black and white converse sneakers, and the tight, ankle-hugging bottoms of her skinny jeans that she had purchased for her trip to London.

  How was it possible that just yesterday she had no memory of the only man she would ever love, just odd, haunting dreams of a supposed stranger?

  She pushed up from the floor and went to the bedroom that she’d shared with Cora almost all her life, searching in the closet for something more appropriate to wear.

  Her eyes fluttered to the bed—the last thing she saw the day she was ripped from her world, her husband, and her family.

  The sadness inside was quickly replaced with rage.

  All those lonely years spent in New York with no family, knowing deep inside that something very important was missing, had been the result of a terrible crime committed against her.

  She wiped tears of anger from her eyes. There was no point in succumbing to that now. Now was the time to find her family and to try to put her life back together.

  She pulled on her light-green, gauze and satin skirt—the same one she’d wore to the spring festival over eight months ago—and a long, thick, loose fitting wool sweater with a hood. She placed her jeans, sneakers, and sweatshirt in the bottom of the wardrobe, and then sat on the edge of the bed to tie the laces of her calf-length, black boots.

  She took one more look around the house then walked out the front door.

  Walking down the steps, she sighed at the beautiful scenic view of West Vistira from the top of the hill, drinking it through her eyes, able to appreciate it now that her panic to find the twins had passed. She gazed at the majestic, jade and tawny mountains, the cerulean sky marbled with billowy clouds, the turbulent waves rupturing against the Cliff of Porser.

  She cut down the path, to the little walkway that led to the Ocean Road, and strolled past the cottages that faced the beach, recalling every person that lived in each one.

  The wind blew cold off the ocean, causing her to pull up the hood of her sweater, and to cover her distinguishable hair in case anyone should recognize her. She sucked in the smell of saltwater and seaweed.

  She walked on as the road wound to the right, bending to accommodate the shape of the shoreline, far past the outskirts of town.

  After more than an hour, she turned at the fifth left as directed, and saw a large, beautiful, three-story building on top of a steep hill. It fit Mr. Wellum’s description perfectly.

  She began her track to the top of the hill, unsure of what awaited here there.

  Two young women sat on a porch swing wrapped in blankets, their heads together, bent over, reading from the same book.

  She slowed her pace, not eager to interrupt them.

  One young woman looked up briefly and stared in her direction. She glanced back down, but a look of recognition crossed her face. When she looked up again, Annie’s eyes met hers.

  She was the most beautiful girl Annie had ever seen.

  Annie’s hands began to shake, blood pounded in her ears, her knees threatened to give out, but she ran towards the girl. “Cora!” she cried out.

  Cora’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widened with shock, and she rose to her feet.

  The other young woman—whose straight light-brown hair cascaded beautifully around her shoulder’s—stood up and placed a hand on Cora’s shoulder, looking in Annie’s direction. The unknown girl seemed to discern the situation and wrapped her arm around Cora’s shoulders protectively.

  Cora walked away from the pretty young woman, down the porch steps, and approached cautiously—as though she was approaching a ghost—then she began sprinting down the path.

  Annie could hardly see through the tears that flooded her eyes. Her arms reached out for her sister as they ran towards one another.

  “Annie!” Cora cried.

  “Cora!” Annie yelled again.

  “I can’t believe this,” Cora gasped, throwing herself into Annie’s arms. “Annie, is it really you?”

  “Yes, Cora, it’s really me.” Annie sobbed into her sister’s neck.

  “Annie…” Cora broke down completely.

  After a few moments, they pulled away from one another, nervously laughing through tears.

  The young other woman stood beside them, moisture gathered in the corner of her eyes. Annie looked at her cautiously.

  “Annie, this is your sister-in-law, Zifini,” Cora explained through broken sobs.

  “Zifini…” Annie echoed quietly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you finally,” she added, realizing how insignificant that greeting seemed after her disappearance.

  “Annella…I’m at a loss for words,” Zifini said, dragging the cuffs of her sweater across her wet cheeks.

  Annie walked forward and hugged Zifini affectionately.

  “Zifini, Cora, what’s going on?” An attractive, older woman with light-brown, shoulder-length hair stood at the front door, looking inquisitively in Annie’s direction.

  “Mother, Annella is back,” Zifini called out, her voice breaking with emotion.

  “What are you saying, Zifini?” the older woman asked, slowing walking down the porch steps, assessing Annie as she moved.

  “Sara, this is my sister,” Cora interjected, sniffing loudly.

  Sara stopped short and looked Annie up and down twice—hard. Shock colored her face. “Oh, child,” she cried and began jogging down the hill towards the younger women. She reached Annie and pulled her into a tight embrace. “Oh, Annella, this is a miracle…an absolute miracle,” she said, rubbing Annie’s back. She pulled away from her and placed both hands on Annie’s face, her eyes flying over her features. One tear rested on her cheek. “You are every bit as beautiful as my son said.”

  Annie stiffened. Was he here?

  “Come inside, child,” Sara urged, “Come into the house and make yourself at home.” She scuttled back up the hill in front of the younger women, mumbling something about miracles and the most joyous of days.

  Annie grabbed Cora around the waist. She was going nowhere without her sister.

  Cora threw her arm over Annie’s shoulder and led her up the porch steps, through the front door, and into a large, extravagant living room. Two plush velvet couches sat face to face in full view of a fireplace surrounded with a marble mantle and frame, large enough for a person to stand in. All around the room were tiny tables and pedestals with vases and other expensive looking ornaments.

  The four women stood in a square, three sets of eyes gazing at Annie in wonder.

  “Where’s Max?” Annie asked, looking around as though he would appear out of nowhere.

  “He works on the farm with Markum,” Cora replied. “They will be back before dinner time.” She threw both arms around her sister once more and buried her face in Annie’s neck. “I can’t believe you’re really here,” she sobbed.

  Annie rubbed circles into Cora’s back for a long moment then gently p
ried her away. “Sara,” she said timidly, turning to face her mother-in-law. “I cannot thank you enough for taking care of Max and Cora. From the bottom of my heart, I am forever grateful.”

  “It’s been a real pleasure,” Sara said, dabbing the end of her nose with a white handkerchief. “They have both been enjoyable additions to our family.”

  Annie nodded, registering how Sara referred to the twins as family.

  “My son had an obligation to them when you went missing,” Sara explained. “He was their closest living relative, and they are not yet fully adults. We would not have left them alone.”

  Annie felt her eyes sting. “Of course,” she replied. She knew that they were still considered children, although older than she had been when she became their guardian. Of course, Kellus would do the noble thing.

  “Welcome home, Annie,” Zifini said out of the blue, making a wide, circular gesture with her right arm and smiling warmly.

  “Thank you,” Annie replied, feeling humbled by the warmth and kindness radiating from her sister-in-law.

  “What can I do for you?” Sara asked. “I cannot begin to imagine what an ordeal you’ve been through. Is there anything you need right away?”

  Annie shook her head; emotion and exhaustion engulfed her. “Maybe I should lie down for a while. I’ve had an overwhelming morning.”

  “Of course, dear,” Sara replied, touching Annie’s cheek. “Cora, would you please show Annella to her bedroom?”

  Cora put her arm around Annie’s shoulders again, Zifini grabbed her hand, and together they led her from the living room.

  “I have a bedroom?” Annie asked, walking up an opulent, oak staircase centered in a grand foyer.

  “Yes, of course,” Zifini replied, “my brother’s bedroom …well…Kellus and yours, I suppose.”

  The thought of sharing a bedroom with Kellus again sent goosebumps racing to Annie’s arms.

  They led her up two flights of stairs to a long hallway with four doors.

  “Your bedroom is at the bottom, next to the bathroom,” Zifini said. “This is Max’s room,” she pointed to a door on the left, “and Markum’s is the one facing his.”

  “Where do you sleep?’ Annie asked Cora.

  “The second and third floors are laid out exactly alike,” Cora replied. “Tol and Sara’s bedroom is directly under yours. I have the room below Max’s, and Zifini’s is under Markum’s.”

  Zifini pushed into Kellus’s room ahead of Annie and Cora.

  It was a large room with a big double bed centered at the far wall. A green and blue comforter adorned the bed, with six pillows in matching design, all complementing a thick, lush, green and blue carpet. A wooden desk sat in the far left corner, and a large set of drawers was stylishly angled between the desk and wardrobe. Up against the wall to the right, between two bay-windows, was a bookshelf filled to capacity with books.

  “We have other duvets and covers you may prefer,” Zifini said kindly as Annie slowly looked around the room. “Perhaps you would like flowered patterns, or something more colorful and feminine.”

  “No, this is perfect,” Annie replied. She sat down on the foot of the bed, noting the extraordinary quality, and continued to let her eyes take in every detail.

  “We also have pretty lace curtains that no one is using,” Zifini persisted.

  “Kellus must prefer the room the way it is,” Annie answered.

  Zifini and Cora shared a nervous glance, and then Zifini looked down at the floor while Cora bit on her thumbnail.

  “What?” Annie asked, looking back and forth between both girls. They were both obviously reluctant to say anymore.

  “What?” Annie asked again, this time louder and more forceful.

  “Annie…Kellus doesn’t live here,” Zifini replied quietly, regretfully.

  Finally, she could ask the question that burned on her tongue since she walked into the house. “Where is he?” she inquired, feeling a wave of panic hit her. She tightened her muscles against the impact of the news she would hear.

  “He went back to the Citadom,” Zifini answered softly.

  Annie’s heart sank right to her feet. Kellus was, once again, off limits to her. She stared at the blue and green carpet and felt tears stinging her eyes.

  “What’s the matter?” Cora asked, worried.

  “I hoped that he’d be here and that he would still want me after our time apart,” Annie said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

  Zifini sat down on the floor in front of her sister-in-law. “What are you trying to say?” She placed both hands on Annie’s knees, looking very confused.

  Annie was now sobbing. “I just wished that he still loved me.” She tried to make her voice as audible as possible through the sobs.

  “Oh no, Annie, no, no, no,” Zifini said. “You misunderstood me. He went back to the Citadom, after you disappeared, because it was too hard on him here. Nordorum came here personally and convinced him to go back. It was suggested as a way to try to take his mind off his grief.”

  Annie wiped her tears with her cuff and smiled sadly. “But…” she trailed off, shaking her head.

  “Annie, Kellus does still love you,” Zifini added, smiling sadly. “He will always love you.”

  “Really?” Annie asked, feeling a spark of hope.

  “Annie, this is Kellus we’re talking about, correct?” Cora piped in, rolling her eyes. “How the hell could you ever doubt that?”

  “I’m sorry,” Annie said, gasping for air. “I’ve had the strangest day. I feel like I’m going to explode.” And then the floodgates really opened. The sobbing turned into uncontrollable wailing; the effects of the day finally taking its toll. The shock of her true identity, the fear that she’d lost the twins, the realization that she’d been married to the man of her dreams, all came pouring out of her.

  Cora and Zifini looked on, horrified.

  “What can I do for you?” Cora asked, her voice breaking as tears began to gather in her eyes again.

  “I’ll be fine, Cora,” Annie answered, trying to sound reassuring. “I just need some time alone to absorb all that’s happened to me.”

  Both girls hugged her, one more time, before departing.

  The afternoon wore on as she lay in Kellus’s bed alone. She cried until the tears ran dry, until she began to feel pure joy replace the shock. She drifted off into peaceful sleep.

  After some time, she became aware of a man’s voice coming from two stories down.

  Eager to see Max, she got up and made her way to the stairs. She could hear the conversation clearly from the second floor staircase.

  “Do you know where she’s been?” The man asked.

  “No, we didn’t want to push her, not knowing how traumatic it was,” Cora answered. “I’m sure she’ll talk when she’s ready.”

  “Is she ill? Has she been mistreated?” Annie suddenly recognized Tol’s voice.

  “She’s not ill,” Cora replied. “But I can’t answer the rest of your question. She was more distraught than I’ve ever seen her when we left her to sleep.”

  “Poor child,” Sara piped in.

  “She gave no indication of her condition?” Tol pressed.

  “All we know is that she is eager to see Kellus,” Cora responded.

  “Does she know that he’s back at the Citadom?” Tol asked.

  “Yes, I know,” Annie said, walking into the kitchen.

  Tol stiffened. “Annella!” he exclaimed. He stood absolutely still and stared at her, his expression filled with emotion. “Annella,” he said again. He crossed the floor, gathered her to his chest, placing one hand on the back of her head. “I cannot begin to convey my joy,” he pulled her back and kissed both her cheeks. “You cannot imagine how wonderful it is to have you home, finally,” He added, his eyes watering.

  “Thank you, Tol,” she replied bashfully.

  Sara stood next to her husband and ran her fingers through the top of Annie’s hair. “My poor child,” she said wi
th tears in her eyes.

  Overcome with emotion, Annie grabbed on to her mother-in-law and hugged both her and Tol together.

  Sara glanced at the kitchen window and addressed Cora. “Max and Markum are arriving. Go break the news to him before he sees her. The shock may be too much.”

  Cora darted out the backdoor.

  Annie let go of Tol and Sara and walked to the back of the kitchen. She stood on the tips of her toes to get a look at Max through the window. His curly hair was long and tied behind his neck with a string, as usual, but his shoulders seemed fuller, and he was definitely taller. Like Cora, he no longer had any features that were childlike, no semblance to the boy she had raised alone. Max was a man.

  He put his hands on Cora’s shoulders and leaned forward, listening intently as she spoke. Seconds later, he was running towards the house.

  Annie ran to the kitchen door to meet him, and they collided into each other. They embraced in the doorway. Once again, Annie felt tears flowing.

  “Annie…” Max trailed off saying nothing else, he simply held on to her, stroking her hair, sniffling into her ear. She could feel his chest heaving with silent tears.

  After a long moment, she pulled away from him and turned to greet who could only be Markum. He was very like Kellus, but an inch or two taller, much more muscular, and with darker hair, almost black.

  He glared at her with a combination of disgust and suspicion, causing her to recoil slightly. “Hello,” she said shyly, sure that she must have misinterpreted his expression.

  “So you’re Annella,” he said without the pretense of being polite. “I suppose I should welcome you home.” He looked anything but welcoming. It seemed Annie’s brother-in-law had taken an instant dislike to her.

  She observed Tol and Sara share a troubled glance. They had noticed her less than cordial reception.

  Sara quickly asked Markum to help her retrieve dishes from the top shelf—Annie was positive that it was meant as a distraction—and asked the others to go into the dining room for dinner.

  “May I help you with something?” Annie questioned.

  “No, not at all,” Sara replied. “Tonight we celebrate your homecoming. You will be the guest of honor for the evening.”