‘I bet you won’t miss my scruffy motel,’ Matthias said.
I’d packed up my stuff and was heading back home. The police had cleared the house. A part of me feared they would never give it up. Living there wouldn’t be the same without Comrade. This town wouldn’t be the same. I tried not to feel, but the grief was stronger than me. The minute I walked through the doors of that house I knew I would come crashing down like a plane snagged out of the sky.
‘I’ll kind of miss the place. Thanks for letting me stay.’ I offered him a small smile.
Matthias placed his hand on my bare thigh. ‘I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.’
I released a shaky breath. His hand on my skin riled up a monster in me.
‘Yeah, neither would I.’
Silence filled the vehicle. We were getting close to home. The neighbors would not like me coming back.
‘Addie… we have to talk about us eventually.’
I looked at the window at the passing buildings and the innocent pedestrians. ‘I can’t right now.’
‘You don’t have to just listen to me. I’ve never stopped loving you. I did what I did to keep you safe. I’m still going to do everything to keep you safe.’
‘Matthias…’ The word’s I never got over you were on my tongue, but damn pride is a snake. I love you too was bubbling in my belly, but shoot, I couldn’t push out the words.
‘It’s okay. Don’t respond yet.’
I really wanted to my body didn’t want to cooperate. ‘Thanks.’
‘Do we need to pick your mother from the hotel?’
‘Oh I—’ My response came when we pulled into the neighborhood. The police tape was gone. Laundry baskets and boxes hid the front door.
‘I think she’s already here. Good, I wouldn’t have gotten started without her.’
‘Will you call me if you need anything?’ Matthias asked.
I leaned against the seat and blinked at him, ‘I’m more likely to call if Swine arrests me again.’
‘He won’t be doing that any time soon.’
‘How do we catch the raiders?’ I asked softly.
He lifted a shoulder, ‘We don’t. There will always be more raiders we just have to keep fighting them off.’
‘That’s frustrating.’ I murmured.
Matthias picked up my hand and caressed the back of it. I shut my eyes. The leather squeaked which told me he leaned in. Matthias’ scent reached out and caressed my cheek. He left my hand and moved to my cheek.
‘Adele…’
‘Just do it before mom walks out.’ I whispered.
For a second I thought he would rebuff me. Instead, his lips covered him. It was so soft as if he wasn’t sure, but to me it was familiar, but we had to rediscover how to do this. He pressed his lips harder on mine, pulling my cheek closer. I reached out and grabbed his bicep. His tongue traced my lips, prompting me to open up to him. Matthias took his time getting reacquainted with my tongue. If it were up to me, we would have gone on for hours like teenagers. However, we needed air.
‘I have to go now.’ I said.
He pulled me back to his lips. ‘Did I get my answer.’
I laughed softly and opened my car door, ‘What do you think?’
‘Adele…’ he groaned.
I laughed, ‘Goodbye.’ I slammed the door.
‘I’ll be back for you.’ He said before he drove away. I was looking forward to it. Then I asked myself was I already over Axel? I wanted him to believe I wasn’t a murdered, capable of killing her own grandfather and sister in law for pete’s sake.
What I had with Matthias and Axel were two different emotions. Two different extremes.
‘Mama,’ I called.
I heard shuffling coming from the barrier of boxes and laundry baskets.
‘Not getting back together, huh?’
‘Mama! Were you spying on us?’
‘I couldn’t help it y’all were parked in front of the kitchen window.’
I was a grown woman but knowing your mother saw you making out was embarrassing.
‘Anyways—’
‘You’re really not going to tell me?!’
‘Mother!’
She shoved the boxes which tumbled over and burst open. Papers, which could be recites, old letters, documents of some sort. He had journals in there, newspapers, candles old socks and shoes. I pinched my nose.
‘What the heck is all this stuff?’
She threw her arms in the air. ‘Your grandfather was a hoarder and you’re following in his footsteps!’
‘I am not!’
‘Have you seen your room?’ Could have been the police, but I knew it wasn’t true.
‘Were you looking for something?’
She nodded, ‘For a suit to give to the funeral home. Found a lot of junk instead.’
I placed my hand on my hip. There was a lot to go through. Most of it had to have meant something to Comrade. I had a black plastic bag stuffing papers from another box that had been damaged by water while mom continued her search for a suit. I frankly wasn’t sure Comrade owned a suit. He preferred overalls like me.
‘Well, well look what we have here a gold digger.’
‘Watch your mouth—’ I gasped. ‘Andrin? Why are you here?’
‘I should be asking you. This is my grandfather’s house. Only family members are allowed and I’m the last of my kind!’
‘You’re such a drama queen.’ I scrawled.
‘Addie?’ Mom called, as she kicked useless papers and damaged boxes to get to me.
Andrin threw his hands up when mom materialized on the door frame.
‘Perfect, two gold diggers.’ He rolled his eyes.
‘You must be sick in the head, Andrin. She’s our mother.’
‘Whatever, I didn’t even come for y’all.’ He lifted his chin.
‘Where’s Maybelle?’ Mom asked, placing her hand on her chest.
I hadn’t thought about her wanting to see her granddaughter. Maybelle was only a baby the last time mom saw her.
Andrin scoffed, ‘She’s none of your business. So don’t come anywhere near her.’
I ought to hit him on the head to fix whatever’s wrong in there.
‘Like I said I’m not here for any of you. I’m here for what my grandfather left me.’
‘You want this house too?!’ I blasted. We hadn’t found Comrade’s will and I wasn’t sure if he left it in the hands of any lawyer. I wasn’t like my dad’s will didn’t leave our house to mom. That didn’t stop Andrin.
‘I don’t care about this rickety old house. I want my inheritance. I want the heirlooms. That’s what you’re looking for isn’t it?’
Mom’s face went pale as the blood drained from my face and I lost feeling in my hands. How did he find out about them? I knew Comrade wouldn’t and didn’t tell him.
‘Andrin, what are you talking about?’ Mom asked.
‘You know what I’m saying. You want to keep me away from everything just like they said.’
‘Who?’ I exclaimed. The people that killed Comrade? The same ones in communication with Swine?
‘That doesn’t matter. Hand them over! You’ve been here this entire time Addie. You know where Comrade kept them.’
I swallowed. I did know the hiding place, but all Comrade wanted was for them to be hidden,
‘You should leave Andrin.’ Mom said, before I could flat out deny Andrin’s claim. My voice would have cracked and given me away.
Andrin shook his head, ‘I’m not leaving until I get what I came for.’
Mom narrowed her eyes, ‘I’ll call child protective services then. You left that child home alone, didn’t you?’
Andrin growled, ‘You want to play this way? Fine.’
Andrin shoved his hands in his pants and stormed the other towards his truck parked two houses away.
‘Mom? How did he—’
Mom grabbed my shoulders and suffered me inside the house. We abandoned the clutter outside and locked the door.
‘Is he gone?’ Mom asked.
I couldn’t see a call and I was certain he hadn’t walked back.
‘Yes, how did he find out?’
Mom picked up a piece of brown paper on the coffee table and held it out for me. I received it and unfolded it.
‘It’s a map.’ My heart rate picked up. Comrade wrote down the directions to where he hid the heirlooms?!
‘We have to burn it. Andrin and who ever he’s working with must never find it.’
I was about to agree when I scrutinized the map further. This lead to the other side of town east of where Comrade took me that morning.
‘This can’t be right. This isn’t a map to our family heirlooms.’