"Where can she be hiding? She sure does know how to hide."
Rhénee silently giggled as she stared at her grandmother who stood a few feet away from where she hid. She had taken refuge behind the tall green plants in their clay pots and was careful enough not to make a sound. She heard a rush of footsteps coming into the greenhouse.
"Any sign of her, grandma?" Ryan asked as he came to stand next to her with Zoey right alongside him.
"Sorry, Ryan," Emelda shook her head. "I haven't seen her. I was pretty sure she was around here somewhere. The door to the greenhouse was left open."
"Boy, she sure does know how to hide," said Zoey repeating what her grandmother had said moments earlier. "I feel this will go on forever."
"I'm not giving up this time," said Ryan. "This is the last place we haven't looked."
"You can look around," said Emelda. "I'm afraid my eyes aren't as good as they used to."
"She's got to be here. I'm sure of it."
"Ya, ya, less talking, more searching, tough guy," said Zoey as she started to search the other side of the greenhouse.
Ryan and Emelda broke away from each other, looking for Rhénee. The little girl hidden behind the plants couldn't help but laugh silently. She knew they weren't going to find her. She had managed to stay hidden for a long time. They would soon have to surrender. She could hide from them all day long if she wanted to.
"Zoey, Ryan," came their mother's voice. Rhénee saw her mother slowly come into view. "What are you all doing in here? And where's Rhénee?"
"That's who we're looking for," said Emelda as she came to meet her daughter-in-law. "That girl really knows how to hide, I can guarantee that."
"And you think she's hiding in here?"
"She's got to be, mum," said Ryan as he also came into view. "Where else?"
"Well, okay. Once you find her, please come to the kitchen. Miss Griselda prepared you chocolate cookies."
Rhénee felt her stomach growl. She loves chocolate cookies and now felt hungry when her mother mentioned them. But she can't come out of her hiding place now. The others have to admit defeat first.
"Okay," said Ryan. "But can we just eat them all? We can't find her."
Rhénee almost shouted, but she quickly covered her mouth.
"That sounds like a great idea," said Zoey as she came to join Ryan. "Let's eat them all. In that way, she'll feel bad for trying to hide from us for so long."
"None of you is getting a cookie until you find your sister," their mother warned. "What if she's gone missing?"
"You can't go missing while playing hide and seek, mum," said Ryan. "She's around here somewhere."
"Really?" Rhénee saw her mother fold her arms. "Do you remember that one time you played this game she actually went outside the gates to go hide at the bakery store? You couldn't find her and it was getting dark when Mr. Smith called to tell me where she was."
Ryan and Zoey shared a look. Rhénee, smiled. It won't be long, she thought.
"But she can't have left the house, can she?" Zoey asked.
"I don't know," said Emelda. "But your mum has a point. Rhénee's unpredictable."
"So what do we do? Continue looking for her or give up?" Ryan asked, sounding frustrated. "I really want to eat those cookies."
"It's up to you," said their mother as she turned around to leave. "But no one is getting those cookies unless the three of you are present."
As soon as their mother walked out of the greenhouse, Ryan and Zoey turned to look at each other with looks of frustration.
"Darn it!" Ryan muttered loudly, stomping his right foot onto the ground. "Why does Rhénee always have to make things hard for us?"
"Maybe it's because she's the last born and they tend to be like that for everyone," Emelda answered.
"I agree," said Zoey. "She brings about so many problems, yet everything is always in her favour."
"Look at you talking all grown-up." Emelda looked impressed.
"I just speak the truth," said Zoey as she shrugged her shoulders.
"And you always have, dear." Emelda smiled at Zoey. "Now, what do you think we should do about your little sister, huh?"
"Give up."
"Are you nuts?" Ryan asked. "I'm not doing that!"
"Then good luck trying to find her. By then, mum won't even allow us to have lunch or supper. Think about it. You know I love cookies, and you do too. Do you really want to starve?"
Ryan snarled. He knows his sister's right. Once again, Rhénee has put them in a tight corner. It isn't the first time, and it definitely isn't going to be the last. He had to admit, he felt hungry too. And those cookies were calling out to him like a beacon. He swallowed. He was pretty sure today that he wasn't going to lose to her again, but now, he's left with no choice.
"Fine, I give up," he said, looking down at the floor with his hands clenched into fists.
"That's the way to go," said Zoey. "I do too."
"Well, it's about time," said Rhénee as she finally stepped out from behind the plants.
"What the-!" Ryan and Zoey jumped in fright. Rhénee laughed.
"You should see your faces," she said. "It's like you've seen a ghost."
"You scared us, Rhénee," said Zoey as she approached her sister. "That's so not funny."
"Ya, and you two still failed to find me," said Rhénee with a huge grin on her face. "Am I the master of hide and seek or what?"
"No, you aren't," said Ryan, who still stood beside his grandmother.
"Really? The last time I checked, I've won more times than you can count."
"If you're counting the time you left the house to hide at the bakery store, then you're mistaken," said Zoey as she folded her arms.
"Even if we don't consider it, I still have won more times than you two. And I've just won this one. What can you say about that?"
Zoey and Ryan turned to look at each other, knowing that Rhénee's right. The last thing they want is for her to remind them of all her victories.
"Okay, my dears," said Emelda, trying to ease off the tension. "Can we all go and have some delicious cookies?"
"Ya, this whole hide and seek has made me hungry," said Rhénee.
"Well, you shouldn't have hidden yourself too well in the first place," said Ryan.
"But I won, didn't I?" Rhénee asked as she happily walked out of the greenhouse. "That's what matters."
Rhénee heard her brother mutter something and she knew she had struck a nerve. She really loved troubling her older siblings in anyway she can.
As soon as she walked out of the greenhouse, she turned and saw the others following slowly behind her. She looked up at the sky. It isn't noon yet, but she realised how hot she had felt hiding in the greenhouse.
Rhénee turned to look back at the house and before she could make a run for it, Ryan called out to her.
"Rhénee, wait a minute!"
"What now?" Rhénee asked turning to look at her brother, who soon stood beside her. "Are you going to suggest that we've another game of hide and seek?"
"I hope not," said Zoey as she came to join them.
"No, we've had enough of that game for one day," said Ryan. "I just don't want you running off because mum said we're supposed to be seen together if we're going to eat those cookies."
"Fine," Rhénee muttered as she rolled her eyes.
The three children heard their grandmother chuckle behind them. They all turned their heads to look at her.
"It's good to see that despite your little arguments, you somehow manage to get along," said Emelda.
"We're siblings," Rhénee answered, giving her a smile. "It's not right for us to fight. We've to stick together no matter what."
Emelda gave Rhénee an encouraging smile and said nothing more.
"Come on, let's go," said Ryan as he lead the way to the kitchen door. Zoey held Rhénee's hand and followed their big brother. Emelda also followed.
Ryan opened the white wooden door to the kitchen and the lovely smell of chocolate baked cookies hit the children's noses quicker than they had expected. As they entered the kitchen, they quickly rushed over to the round white table in the middle of the room where there lay a plate of cookies.
Zoey let go of her sister's hand as she sniffed the air with her eyes closed, taking in their warm, sweet smell.
"Hmmm," she murmured and then opened her eyes. "I can tell they will taste delicious."
"No touching those cookies without washing your hands first," came Miss Griselda who stood by the sink. She had been washing a few dishes and was now drying her wet hands with a cloth.
"We weren't even going to try," said Ryan as he approached the sink to wash his hands.
"Where's mum?" Zoey asked as she approached the sink, asking Miss Griselda.
"She's in the livingroom talking to your father," Miss Grielda answered. "I see all three of you are together."
"Mum told you, didn't she?" Ryan asked after washing his hands.
"Of course, she did. You know how strict she is concerning your younger sister."
"I beat them in hide and seek again," Rhénee announced as she happily made her way to the sink.
"No doubt you did, dear," Miss Griselda beamed at her.
"She's just super lucky," said Zoey as she washed her hands.
"I'm just super good," said Rhénee as she jeered.
"Before you three start fighting," said Emelda, "you better eat them cookies."
"Do we get to have them with milk?" Rhénee asked as she looked up at Miss Griselda.
"As always," answered Miss Griselda. "Now wash your hands."
Zoey made way for Rhénee to wash her hands by the sink. Soon, the three all settled at the table.
While the three talked, Miss Griselda was by the stove pouring the hot milk that had been heating up on the stove into three mug cups beside the counter. Emelda kept her grandchildren company as she sat at the table with them.
"Do you think dad is going to take us for the picnic like he promised?" Zoey asked.
"Well, he has to," said Rhénee. "A promise is a promise, right, grandma?"
Emelda smiled. "I'm sure he will. He's just been busy with a few things."
"We're supposed to be on a holiday," said Ryan, "but he's always busy like he is back home."
"Don't mind that. Yes, he's busy, but he does spend time with you when he can, doesn't he?"
"He does," Ryan answered as he shrugged his shoulders a little, but in a doubtful way.
"You'll definitely go on that picnic," said Miss Griselda as she came over to the table with the mugs on a coffee brown tea tray. She laid it on the table and distributed the cups to the three children.
"And it will be so much fun," said Rhénee as she took her mug with both hands.
Before the children could start to partake in the cookie feast, a loud sound of something breakable hitting the floor caught their attention. The noise came from the living room. Everyone in the kitchen looked at each other, wondering what's going on.
"What's that?" Emelda asked as she stared at the closed door that lead to the living room.
"I'll go and check," said Miss Griselda as she made her way to the door.
Before she could reach it, Mrs. Johnson shouted at the top of her voice.
"How dare you!" she exclaimed. "Who gave you the right, huh!"
"Who could she be talking to like that?" Miss Griselda asked as she stood a few feet away from the door.
Emelda stood up from the table. The three children hadn't said a word, as they looked at each other, shocked to hear their mother shout like that.
"I'll go and take a look," said Emelda. "You three stay here."
"Are mum and dad alright?" Rhénee quickly asked. "Are they arguing with someone?"
"No, dear, they probably aren't. Is someone there, Griselda?"
Miss Griselda looked at Emelda in a certain way. The three children looked at the two women. They seemed to be communicating with their eyes as there appeared a certain expression on Emelda's face. Almost like she's terrified.
"Stay here with the children, Griselda," said Emelda as she went round the table and quickly made her way to the door. "I'll handle this."
"Who is here, Miss Griselda?" Rhénee asked as she turned to look at her. Her grandmother had already disappeared behind the door.
"No one, dear," said Miss Griselda as she approached the table. "Let's have cookies, okay?"
"I don't feel like having any," said Rhénee as she laid her cup back on the table and folded her arms.
"I can eat them all if you two don't feel like it," said Zoey as she turned to look at her brother next to her. Ryan in reply threw her a look.
"No one isn't eating any cookie until the matter in the livingroom is solved," said Rhénee as she stood up from the chair and started to make her way to the door.
"Rhénee, wait!" Miss Griselda quickly stopped her by laying her hand on Rhénee's shoulder.
"But Miss Griselda-" Rhénee looked up at her.
"Didn't you hear what your grandmother said? She'll handle it. Now, please sit back down and eat your cookies."
Rhénee knew she couldn't do anything. She's only just a girl. And whatever's going on, she couldn't do anything about it even if she tried.
The little girl silently sat on her chair. She stretched out her hand to get a cookie and ate it in silence.
Her other siblings also followed suite. Miss Griselda stood there watching over them like they needed to be kept an eye on.
They heard muffled sounds of people talking on the other side of the door: Emelda and Mrs. Johnson. Rhénee wondered where her father was. She hadn't heard his voice. Was't he supposed to be there?
Zoey had just taken the last cookie on the plate when the door to the kitchen suddenly flew open, that it roughly hit the wall. Everybody else in the kitchen turned to look, startled.
"You should calm down," said Emelda as she followed Mrs. Johnson into the kitchen.
"How can I calm down?" Mrs. Johnson asked as she turned to look at Emelda, sounding very upset. "You've no idea how pathetic that is. And what makes it even worse, is that you agree with him."
"You got it all wrong, dear. Let's not talk here with the children around."
Mrs. Johnson turned to look at her children with a perplexed and scared look on her face. In the end, she looked embarrassed, as she ran her hand down her face.
"Is everything fine, mum?" Rhénee asked as she shifted on her seat to look at her mother properly.
"Ya, mum, you seem upset," said Zoey.
"Uh-" Mrs. Johnson hesisted for a bit as she sighed and looked at the floor with one hand on her hip. She shook her head. "Don't mind me, okay? I'm fine."
She didn't say anything further as she walked over to the back door and went outside. Emelda followed her.
"Maybe you should go upstairs and play there," Miss Griselda suggested to the children.
"But mum looks upset," said Ryan.
"Your grandmother will calm her down. You just go upstairs, okay?"
The three children all muttered in approval, but didn't sound enthusiastic. Seeing their mother so upset made them feel uneasy.
They got up from their seats and headed for the door that lead to the livingroom. Just as they were passing through, they noticed a broken white and blue china vase on the floor. That's what they heard break when they were in the kitchen.
"Who could've done this?" Zoey asked as the three paused to look at it. "Grandma really liked that vase."
"I know," said Rhénee. "Was it mum? Maybe she was upset that she threw it."
"Mum isn't one who can do such a thing," said Ryan. His eyes flew away from the vase as he quickly made his way out of the livingroom.
"Ryan, where are you going?" Zoey called out, and in doing so, followed him.
"Wait for me," said Rhénee, also following them.
Rhénee found herself stopping in her tracks after leaving the livingroom as something caught her attention in the foyer down the hall. Ryan and Zoey were also looking in the same direction.
Their father stood there in the open doorway of the front door with his back to them, looking outside. They heard the faint sound of a car driving down the asphalt outside. The children didn't say a word as they continued to observe their father.
After what seemed like a few seconds, he stepped into the foyer, closing the door. The three children continued to look at him until he turned around and noticed them. Their father paused. He had a blank expression on his face.
The four looked like they had just entered a staring contest as none of them said a word nor blinked. Rhénee looked at her father and noticed lines across his forehead. He looked frustrated. Or was he just tired? The white t-shirt and black slacks he wore looked scruffy. But what has made him this way, she wondered. And who was the person who drove out just now?
Their father soon took a step towards them and the three children grew startled, their hearts in their mouths. It's like they had been staring at mannequin only to find that it can actually move. He continued his approach, but the three stood looking at him, contemplating whether they should go up stairs to their rooms or not.
Rhénee gave her father a good look and noticed his left hand. She thought she had seen a glimpse of a red stain on the inside of his palm, but it was hard for her to see as he slightly swung his arms as he approached. Is that blood? She couldn't tell.
She felt Zoey, who stood beside her, fidget a little, almost like she was shivering. Rhénee could guess why. Their father didn't seem to be in a good place right now and he gave out such a gloomy aura it could chase anyone away in an instant. Maybe it's best that they leave immediately.
"I'm going to my room," said Zoey as she quickly turned around and headed for the stairs.
Ryan and Rhénee remained. They gave each other a look. Ryan gestured with his head that Rhénee should follow Zoey. Rhénee nodded, but she nervously looked back at her father who now stood a few feet away from them.
"Are you going to run away from your own father too?" he asked with a croak in his voice.
Ryan and Rhénee didn't know what to say. Rhénee had her mouth open to say something, but she couldn't utter a single word.
A smile appeared across his face and it wasn't a funny one. To the two children, it looked almost frightening. It's as if any second now, their father might just burst out laughing like a lunatic.
"It's not like that, dad," said Ryan as he came to stand beside his little sister and held her hand. "We just want to go upstairs and play."
"Oh, is that right?" their father asked as he chuckled.
Ryan and Rhénee quickly nodded their heads. Their father continued to chuckle and the two were afraid that he might end up losing it.
"Come here, you two," he said as he beckoned to them with his right hand. "Come give your dad a hug."
"Ummm...," Ryan hesitated as he looked at his sister who didn't want to hug him. Not in the state he's in.
"Come here," he said as he slowly approached them. "It would be wrong of you to deny your father that, wouldn't it?"
"Maybe later," said Ryan as he held his sister's hand tightly. "Come on, Rhénee."
"Hey, you two," their father called to them when they turned around to leave. "Don't walk away from me."
Rhénee turned her head to look at her father while Ryan dragged her with him. She noticed his left hand, finally, and saw a deep cut on the inside palm of his hand. He was trying to reach out to them with both hands outstretched when she saw it. She now noticed the tiny trail of blood on the floor behind him. She wished she had seen that earlier. Maybe that's why Zoey had fled.
"Hey, come back," their father called out to them as Ryan dragged Rhénee up the stairs.
Lucky for them, he didn't follow them up as he made a detour to the livingroom. Rhénee looked at him when she reached halfway up the stairs with her brother. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
"Don't worry," said Ryan when they reached the landing. "He's having those funny episodes again."
"Is that why mum is so mad at him?" Rhénee asked.
Ryan shrugged his shoulders as he let go of her hand. "Who knows. But I bet there was someone else here too. We just don't know who."
Rhénee remembered the look Miss Griselda and Emelda shared back in the kitchen. Not to mention the car that drove away from the house just now. Who could it be that caused such havoc in the house on a peaceful day like this?
"Hey," Zoey called down the hall, standing in the doorway of her room. "Dad isn't coming up the stairs, is he?"
"Nope," said Ryan. "He went back to the livingroom."
"He looks so scary, as though he doesn't scare us enough when he's normal."
"Grandma doesn't like us talking about dad when he's like that," said Rhénee.
"Ya, you're right," said Ryan. "Come on, let's go play snakes and ladders in Zoey's room."
"I call dibs on rolling the dice first," said Zoey as she entered her room, leaving the door slightly open for her other two siblings to come in.
"Mum and dad are going to be alright, right?" Rhénee asked her older brother.
He smiled at her with so much assurance. "Of course, they will," he said. "Now, let's go before we find Zoey taking more than ten steps in the game."
Rhénee smiled at her brother and they both ran into Zoey's room.
***
"What are you looking at, Rhénee?" Miss Griselda asked as she stood beside her.
Rhénee hadn't heard Miss Griselda enter her room that she almost jumped at the sound of her voice.
"Oh..., this," said Rhénee as she had a white dice in the open palm of her hand.
"A dice?" Miss Griselda sounded surprised.
"I haven't really taken much of my stuff out of the suitcase, so I was looking for something when I found this," said Rhénee.
Miss Griselda looked at the open suitcase on Rhénee's bed and there were a few things scattered around. Rhénee sat at the edge of the bed in her purple bathrobe. She had already taken a shower, but hadn't had the time to dress up.
"You better dress up before you start to feel cold," said Miss Griselda as she noticed a towel on the bed and used it to dry Rhénee's hair.
"I wonder how this got in there," said Rhénee as she continued to stare at the dice.
"Do you have any idea?"
"No clue," Rhénee held it with her index finger and thumb. "But this reminds me of the time when I used to play board games with Ryan and Zoey."
"You guys loved such games," said Miss Griselda. "Hide and seek, too."
Rhénee chuckled. "And I used to win almost all the time. We haven't played board games since we were little. We loved playing them a lot when we came here for the holidays."
"And your grandmother would always want to join in."
"Ya, she did." Rhénee continued to stare at the dice. "She loved hanging out with us every second of the day."
"You were her grandchildren," Miss Griselda dropped the towel onto the bed. "You still are."
Rhénee put away the dice into the pocket of her purple robe and stood up.
"Have the others left already?" Rhénee asked as she turned to look at Miss Griselda.
"Malcom and Greta left a few minutes ago. Kevin's still downstairs. He won't leave until he sees how you're doing."
Rhénee found herself blushing for some reason as she quickly walked past Miss Griselda, heading for the closet. Miss Griselda folded her arms as she followed Rhénee with her eyes.
"I know what happened back in the forest," Miss Griselda said, staring at Rhénee's back. She had now opened the closet to look for her clothes. "How you shot the man who could've killed Malcom if you hadn't intervened."
Rhénee stopped rummaging through her clothes on their hangers as she paused, remembering the moment when she put two bullets into the man.
"I wish it never came to that," said Rhénee as she stared down at her feet.
"I know, dear," said Miss Griselda as she slowly approached Rhénee. "The others are really worried about you. They think you killing someone will have a toll on you."
"But you know that that can't happen."
Miss Griselda sighed as she stopped in her tracks. "I wish you had told Malcom and Kevin. That way they wouldn't be so worried about you."
"Why didn't you tell them yourself?" Rhénee asked as she pulled out a white long sleeved cotton shirt from the hangers.
"It's not my position to say anything. You're supposed to tell them."
"I just wish they wouldn't worry about me so much."
Miss Griselda scoffed. "Tell that to Kevin. He's the one that's super worried about you. Apparently, so is Malcom."
Rhénee also pulled out black cotton slacks folded on the side shelves along with the others. She turned around to face Miss Griselda.
"I don't think I'm that open with them to talk about such things."
"I know. You can take your time if you want. But you'll have to tell them, eventually."
Rhénee walked up to her bed to lay her clothes there. "I know I should, but that subject is quite sensitive. Not even my closet friends back home know about it."
"But how long will you hide it? I bet those two were really suspicious with the way you handled that gun."
Rhénee stared at her clothes on the bed, her mind elsewhere. She looked up at Miss Griselda and realised there's no denying what she had said.
"If you want these guys to help you out with this, you've no choice but to tell them that at least," said Miss Griselda. "It will prove to be very helpful. In that way, they won't doubt you over anything."
Rhénee folded her arms. "This is why I never wanted them involved in the first place. Now I've to start telling them about my past."
"Don't sulk, dear. If you're going to make it through this, you will need friends. It will be a whole lot easier if they trust you. You don't have to be secretive with that important issue."
Rhénee rolled her eyes. "Okay..., I'll try. But I can't simply tell them right now."
"Of course," said Miss Griselda with a smile. "But don't let it be too late."
"Ya, I get it." Rhénee went back to looking at her clothes. "I need to get dressed now."
"I'll leave," said Griselda as she turned for the door.
"And tell Kevin I'll be down there soon."
Miss Griselda smiled to herself before saying, "sure thing. It will be nice of you to see him off yourself."
Miss Griselda left the room, closing the door behind her. Rhénee stared at the door and she could've sworn that Miss Griselda had a cheeky smile on her face just now.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
