Meredith was at the kitchen table when Luxor entered, and from the looks of the cold hot chocolate and tea, she had been there for a while. Predicting another long talk, Luxor sagged in the chair and waited for the next argument.
Will this day ever end?
"I know you've found the pouch." Meredith jumped right into the conversation.
There was no use denying it. From the front of her backpack, Luxor produced the velvet pouch and placed it in front of her and pulled the necklace from under her top.
"Is that what she gave you?"
"Wouldn't you know? I mean surely you've looked through it."
"I haven't touched it. The pouch is all your mother had on her when I last saw her the night she..." Meredith swallowed hard, her voice cracking.
“The night what? I know she died.”
Meredith slumped in the chair, her face took on another expression of remembering. "You're so much like her. Every time I look at you, with your hair and smile exactly the same as hers, it's as if she's still here." A solemn smile escaped her lips, and Luxor could see she was trying hard not to shed a tear. "She was so beautiful and full of life, but also stubborn. When she wanted something, she wouldn't stop until she got it, and don't get me started on her fiery temper."
Meredith nodded. “She died giving birth to you.”
Luxor choked on a sob. Hearing the words from Meredith all made sense. The coldness Meredith exhibited towards her. It was like she blamed her for mother’s death.
No, no, no. My mother died because of me. I really am a killer
There were so many questions Luxor wanted to ask Meredith, not only for her assignment, it had gone far beyond that. Questions that burned the back of her mind like, where's my father? But she couldn't and didn't have to.
"Your mother was only a couple of years older than you are now when she left for her summer holidays after she graduated high school. She'd always wanted to travel and being the free spirit that she was, she packed up and made her way to Europe." A stack of postcards was pushed forward. "I'd get constant postcards from Belgium, Greece, and England but after a while, they started slowing down. I presumed she was having such a great time, she didn't have time to write. Months passed without a word and I felt like something was wrong. And I was right."
Meredith flipped over the top postcard over which had a picture of the Eiffel tower on it. "That's the last card she'd ever sent me."
Luxor skimmed over the words, small neat cursive writing filled the entire underside.
My dearest Meri, just a short note to say... Bonjour!!
I am having the most amazing time, France is nothing like I've expected, it's so much better. The food, the culture, the men. I have met the most amazing guy who's also here on holiday. Oh, my Meri he's perfect, blonde hair, and these enthralling blue eyes which I swear sometimes appear aqua. When I come back I can't wait for you to meet him, and I have a little (then big) surprise for you.
Love, you a bundle and more, Astrid xoxo
After reading it a few times Luxor asked her the question that hurt the most. "Why did you change my name?"
"Your mother chose the name Luxor Lily," Meredith replied quietly.
"I know. She wrote me a letter."
"She was in agony yet adamant for the pouch to get to you. Towards the end, your mother was delirious and rambling all sorts of ridiculous things." Luxor thought back to the letter and her she thought she was destined for greatness. If she really thought that, she was seriously off the mark. "The name was an unusual name and nobody would believe I would have chosen a name like that. Your mother used to call me 'the sensible one.' Only a couple of people knew the truth, a doctor at the hospital forged the birth certificate. I didn't have anybody, except for your fath—Steven. He was moving up in the world, working at the biggest law firm in the state, a very family orientated company. We were engaged, and travelled interstate for nine months, and when we came back, everybody assumed we had a baby. So, I abbreviated it."
Luxor crossed her arms across her chest, opening her mouth to speak, but was rendered speechless. It confirmed what she knew all along. All Meredith was concerned about was appearances and fitting into society. She had done this so she could save face, and not be branded an outcast for naming her child an unusual name that wasn't appropriate for a socialite.
How selfish could she be? Wouldn't honouring your sister's wishes be more important than your selfish pride?
"How do you get Ellie from Luxor, they're not even close?" Luxor fumed, her anger building. Meredith leaned forward to grasp Luxor's hand but recoiled when Luxor moved away.
"El is for Luxor and li is for Lily. Do you see it now? I still honoured your mother's wishes, just in a different way. I was waiting for the right moment to give the pouch to you when I thought you could handle it, but there has never been one.” Meredith intertwined her fingers within each other.
It was a white lie, but a lie all the same, and didn't make it right. In a strange way Meredith did what was needed to be done considering the circumstances.
It had never occurred to Luxor before why lilies were a strong fixture in her life. The architraves of her former bedroom were adorned with them, and on the wall, a lily was spread across taking up the entire space. On one occasion Luxor asked Meredith if she could change them to orchids because they were prettier Meredith simply replied, "the meaning of lilies is innocence and that sums you up perfectly." After that, she accepted them and eventually grew to love them. Especially now, as she held them the connection to her mother and her middle name was embedded in them.
"First was you almost dying in surgery due to complications from appendicitis, then three weeks later the gymnasium accident, where you lay there for months, all broken up. Things went from worse to catastrophic. Whilst you were in a coma I was dealing with the aftermath. We lost everything; Verity's father sued us and branded us outcasts, leaving us destitute. Without selling everything we would have been homeless. Steven didn't want the baggage that came with a child that wasn't his. His burgeoning career and position were more important than family."
Tears welled up in Meredith's eyes. Luxor retrieved the tissue box from on top of the microwave, and positioned it in the middle of the table. "I'm so so sorry I've never been there." She hiccupped and blew into the tissue. "You are my true family, and I let my resentment for you overtake me. I wanted a life where I never needed to struggle for money." She stood up and kissed Luxor's on her forehead, stroking the back of Luxor’s hair and left her to absorb the information.
Luxor trudged up the stairs in two minds on what to think. Should she be angry about Meredith’s superficial reasons, or grateful that she was finally owning up? For the first time in a long-time, Meredith showed she could be loving.
For the next few hours Luxor was left alone and given a free pass to miss school. Placing the postcards into three rows she absorbed every written word, her thumbs trailing over the words hoping to find a hidden meaning, but all it did was make the empty void in her chest widen. The only time she was interrupted was when Meredith brought in her dinner; tuna mornay, modified to suit her dietary requirements. She ate a few mouthfuls before putting it outside for Kitty.
Luxor shook out her fingers and jumped on the spot. She couldn’t relax. Couldn’t switch her mind off.
Her only outlet was to pound it out of her, just like Valencia had suggested.
Luxor dressed in a pair of leggings, a sports crop top and teamed it with a thermal jacket, zipping it half-way. She thumbed scrolled through her own extensive playlist on her phone. She'd put it in three categories, Ellie, Luxor, and Ballet. She bypassed Ellie and Luxor not bothering to listen to the rock, or music that was perfect for when she wanted to curl up in bed and cry. Instead she twitched on Tchaikovsky’s symphonic music, and channelled the mindset of her inner ballerina where ballet was her entire world. Luxor had started at three years old and from the age of eight she trained three days a week, only to increase to five
or six when she was older, until it had become an outlet to escape. Her dream had been to land the lead in Swan Lake before the accident changed her life.
Ellie was all pop and dance, sweet and synthesized music that brought a false sense of happiness. Luxor was certain Evie would scrunch up her nose and add it to her list of vomit enduring tunes.
Luxor hastily escaped out through the balcony doors, ready to release her anxiety before she would go crazy.
One of the great perks about the school was the lack of security. As she passed through the gates, the only person who noticed her was the maintenance man who paid no attention. Luxor dumped her bag in the middle lane of the track and started off with a light sprint. After the first lap, she increased the speed, each time she accelerated until her blood pulsated and throbbed through her veins until she couldn’t handle it anymore. Running always made her forget about everything, it was her own private escape where in a short while, her problems disappeared. Maybe it was the adrenaline and endorphins or maybe in a twisted way she transferred her inner turmoil and turned the pain physical. It was easier to deal with the physical. Luxor lost count after eight laps, her surroundings blurred as if she was a driver in a formula one car and her eyes couldn’t adjust. That was enough time to tell her to stop before she passed out.
Luxor laid in the middle of the track and gasped, drawing in shallow breaths. But the closer her heart rate came down to normal, the images of last night came back. The crimson eyed monsters and the man who claimed to be her father. A man who couldn’t be human.
But if he wasn’t, what did that make me?
Luxor dusted grass off the back of her leggings and froze. Another pair of eyes were on her. Swivelling around she noticed Coach Davis with a stop-watch, a notebook by his side. She held her hands up in a “what the hell?” motion.
How long had he been watching me?
Luxor turned around for a moment to gather her possessions. She had no desire in joining the track team if that was the reason for his interest. She had to nip it in the butt before he would broach the subject. When she turned around again, he was gone.
When Luxor returned home the tension had uncoiled from her muscles and she was in a better frame of mind to deal with whatever headed her way. Dropping her back on the bench she opened up the fridge to reached in to grab the bottle of orange juice out. She paused mid-way and ventured into the lounge-room towards the familiar voices.
“There she is,” Meredith tugged on Luxor’s sleeve and stepped to the side to reveal Ayla and Evie.
“Surprise,” Evie chirped.
“I saw these lovely ladies in the Village and they said they waiting for you. Something about it being a half day because of a youth church get together." Meredith said flicking her attention to Evie. "Did you know her father's a pastor and her mother is on the church committee?"
"Yes," Luxor deadpanned. She figured with Evie’s anti-religious stance with her parents’ views being forced upon her they would have some religious based standing in the community.
Luxor edged in further to stand next to a near unrecognisable Evie. Instead of her usual rock attire, heavy eye makeup and coloured hair, her face was clean without a hint of mascara, her brown hair devoid of colour and set in natural curls. All this was teamed up with a flowing green skirt which ended at her knees and basic cotton white blouse where the sleeves had been rolled down to her wrists, all matched with sandals.
“And Ayla, what a darling. You’ve made some great friends.” She smiled wildly, exposing all of her teeth, something Luxor hadn't seen in a while.
Ayla grinned sweetly, clasping her hands in front of her baby pink sleeveless dress. She looked even more wholesome, if that was possible. “Oh, we’re elated to have Luxor in our group.”
Meredith beamed even wider. "Since you had already made plans you can't break them, can you?"
"Excuse me?" Luxor wasn't sure she heard correctly.
What plans had I already made?
"Promises aren't to be broken in this house, I allow you to go. Here's some spending money.” Meredith pulled out two gold notes from her purse. A hundred dollars. "Well I'll see you later.” She cradled a couple of potted plants with her. "Evie, Ayla, it was a pleasure to meet you," she said over her shoulder.
Luxor inadvertently breathed a sigh of relief as she pocketed the notes. It would only add to the stash she started under the mattress. It was a predictable place, but Luxor couldn't find anywhere else to hide them. Her mind led her to believe aliens had come down and switched the sensitivity chip in Meredith. There was no other explanation.
"How the hell did you do that?" Luxor asked once they hit the freeway, turning the vents to allow the icy blast in her face. It was great to be back in a car that had up to date features. "You just conned Meredith into letting me out."
"I'm very persuasive." Evie's bubble gum popped. “Besides anything church related and parentals fall for it.”
“Not an impressive trait,” Ayla said from the back seat.
It was very impressive, yet scary at the same time, how Evie could lie so easily. If ever Luxor needed an alibi, she would be the first person to call.
Thirty minutes later they had arrived into the heart of Mount Beauty. After searching for a while Evie spotted a vacant spot and reversed in almost hitting the car in front and the back, making Luxor jump. A heavy metal band screamed through the speakers, a mass of screaming and incomprehensible lyrics. It was a reminder to get in the car with Evie as little as possible if she valued her life, and ear drums.
After Meredith’s openness about her mother and the postcards she had kept hidden, going to some small church thing would be okay no matter how much she detested religion.
"Why do you call your mum by her first name?" Evie said turning off the ignition.
"She says mum makes her feel old," Luxor replied as if it's the most natural thing to do.
"Your mum is so cool, mine's too uptight. I mean look what I was wearing,” Evie said and pinched her skirt."Wanna swap?"
Luxor would switch in a heartbeat, having an absentee mother was lonely. After Meredith revealed the postcards and explained things about her mother, maybe guilt had finally troubled her. Or maybe she was trying her hand at the fake mother of the year award. Whatever it was played on Luxor’s mind. Her trust issues were still imbedded and she wasn’t sure how long it would take to disappear, or at least subside so she didn’t have to second guess everything.
Evie jumped between the centre console to the back seat and un-zipped her backpack pulling out her regular clothes. Ayla and Luxor jumped out to give her room and privacy.
“Let’s go, it’s time to get our fun on.”
The main street of Mount Beauty was transformed into a wild inferno. An explosion of multi hues of red. Even though it was her favourite colour she felt uneasy. Passion and fire. And blood. It had become a visual living nightmare.
People swarmed stalls, the music and rides giving it the feel of a wonderland, illuminated to a vibrant crimson. The vendors and rides were in the main areas where if the crowd was any indication, the visitors spent the most time. Joy suffocated the air, red roses were handed to patrons by a man in a Cupid suit as they passed. Couples walked hand in hand, the guys holding over-stuffed toys they'd won for their girls.
Luxor felt like a wet blanket souring the atmosphere, because out of everything she'd learnt in the last few days, being alone depressed her the most.
What were Evie and Ayla thinking bringing me here? No actually what was I thinking for agreeing to come.
“This is a youth churchy thing?” Luxor asked.
“It is if anybody asks,” Evie replied and placed a finger on her lips.
“I’m going to Hell for your lies,” Ayla said.
The food wafting from the vans had Luxor salivating; hot dogs in batter, jam doughnuts, multi-coloured popcorn and red velvet cupcakes with lashings of strawberry frosting. There wasn't a place she found that had anything she could e
at.
“We definitely need sugar to keep up with Evie,” Ayla said. “I’ll be over there.” She pointed straight ahead to a candy stall that sold rainbow swirl lollipops and pink fairy floss spun like a web around a stick. Luxor gave her a thumbs up.
“Ohhh, the hurl and twirl,” Evie bounced up and down to a ride resembling a hamster wheel, the name summing it up perfectly. “Let’s go on it.”
Luxor snorted. “Pass, I love my food on my insides.”
“Do you mind if I go? Then I promise I’ll stick by your side all night?” Evie said. “I need to go on it, my buzz awaits.”
“Go, go.”
“Wait for me below?” Evie said.
“More like to this side.” Luxor had no intention of risking a vomit shower.
“Coolies,” Evie squealed and ran to join the mile-long line.
Luxor searched her surroundings to pick a quick activity she could do to pass the time. It was sensory overload with flashing lights and screams from the adrenaline inducing rides, to ring tosses and guessing games where the winners ended up with an over stuffed toy which most likely would end up at the bottom of the wardrobe. Children giggled on airplane rides or threw tantrums thrashing in the dirt, embarrassing their parents who had anguished expressions.
“Oi, Angel.” A whistle blew. Luxor turned around to a smiling Hunter striding in her direction. It seemed he had resumed his habit of not saying hello. “It’s quite a show.”
“Which part? The puking girl or the kidlets?”
“I find it sweet,” he said and Luxor raised her eyebrows. “The boy holding his girlfriend’s hair, not the feral children.”
“It’s not a carnival unless you experience that.”
“Hmmm, experience. Where’s your gal pals?”
“Evie is over there,” Luxor pointed over to Evie who was stuck in the line, her hands waving before giving two thumbs up after Hunter had turned his back. “And Ayla is getting food.”
Unveiled: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Page 27
