Chapter 28 - The Mysterious Woman
~ At the Laranca residence ~
Me: Home sweet hom---
Mum: Nabi, this is not an island, we are back to "shhh, it's nighttime."
Everyone else laughed.
Me: Mum, you didn't have to say it that way. I just got home!
Mum: What did you say, child?
Me: No-nothing mum.
Mum: Please make yourself comfortable the Smith Family.
Amy: Thank you.
Me: Mum, why don't we have a sleepover, right guys?
John and David: Cool!
Cianco: Sounds good to me.
Mum: Okay - no problem.
Amy: Yeah, I mean we live a few blocks down the street so that's great.
We were all shocked by what was said.
Me: A few blocks down the street?
Becca: Yeah, you didn't know?
Me: No. Guys?
Them: Nada.
Becca: (giggles) Oh well, now you know.
Cianco: Let the sleepover begin!
Me: Good night guys!
Mum and Dad: Good night kids.
Amy and Ace: Good night.
I opened the door to Biance and I's room.
Becca: Wow, it's so big!
Biance: You think?
Becca: Yeah!
Me: Thanks Bec! Please feel comfortable.
I then went flat on the carpet in the room.
Me: I missed the carpet's soft texture.
Biance laughed at me.
Biance: You are hilarious Nabi.
Me: Thanks B!
The three of us laughed.
Me: Now that I am home, I don't want to sleep you know?
Biance: I feel the same way!
Becca: Me too!
Me: Yeah, let's watch something! Are you a fan of comedy or horror?
Becca: Horror - NO. Comedy - we are like best friends.
Me: I know, it just has that comfort effect attached to it.
Biance: Speaking of comedy, all jokes aside sis, are you really okay?
Me: Yeah! Why?
Biance: You went with an "Aunt" who has a two-sided personality, I have to make sure that she didn't hurt you.
Becca: Yeah, well that was another side of Aunt Holly I never saw.
Me: Yeah, speaking of her - I have this funny feeling but I'm sure it's nothing.
Biance: What do you mean it's nothing, I also had the same feeling but I too ignored it.
Becca: Woah, what are you thinking?
Biance and I: Aunt Holly is not our real Aunt! (looking at each other) YOU THOUGHT THE SAME THING?!
Becca: (gasps) Really?!
Me: Really. From the way she would act and has acted, she was the "different" type of Aunt that I never saw from our mum's and dad's side.
Biance: Couldn't explain it better.
Becca: Then we need to tell our parents, and get this matter investigated.
Me: I think so too, but that will be until morning.
Becca: Of course.
Biance: Is anyone feeling sleepy, cause I am.
Becca: Same here.
Me: I am with you on that.
The three of us looked at each other as we smiled.
Biance, Becca, and I: (unison) GOOOOD NIGHT!
David's POV:
Me: Wow, surely the girls are happy to be back home.
John: I share in their excitement.
Me: Speaking of which, do you like gaming?
John: Yeah - which ones do you play?
Me: Roblox, Minecraft, and mostly Fortnite BUT...
John: But?
Me: I get forced to play Fortnite festival.
John: (laughing) By who?
Me: The one and only Nabia Laranca!
John: Oh, so Nabia does gaming too?
Me: Big fan - she has so much free time that she doesn't even know what to do with it, so she does gaming a lot.
John: We should meet up again and play then!
Me: What do you mean? The meet-up is today!
John: Huh?
Me: I mean we can play today. This is a sleepover and this morning will mark the (yawns) first day.
John: (yawn) Oh yeah, thanks, bro.
Me: We need to sleep.
John: I'm with you.
Me: Good night.
John: Good night.
End of David's POV
~ 10 hours later: 11:00 am ~
We all woke up to delicious meals being put on the table.
Me: Haven't felt alive in ages! Morning!
Mum and Dad: Morning!
Ace and Amy: Morning kids.
Becca: This feels like life.
Dad: Right?
Becca: Yeah, I mean the island was great for its view and environment but when you are not used to it, you pretty much...
Me: Feel homesick?
Becca: Yeah!
We all laughed.
David and John: Morning everyone!
Us: Morning!
Mum just finished with the last dish and then we all sat down to eat one huge brunch. We dug in like there was no one else.
Mum: Woah!
Dad: The food is not running out.
Me: Oh, sorry Mum and Dad, it's just the meals are so amazing that we can't stop digging in.
Becca: Sorry.
Mum: No, it's okay, I just had to make sure you are all okay.
Us: Thank you!
Mum: (giggles) Kids...
~ Few minutes later ~
Dad: So kids?
Me: Yes Dad?
Dad: How was life on the island?
Me: Mmm (in my thoughts) We had to deal with someone who called herself our Aunt, nearly took us captive, and then kidnapped me asking for information on our family.
Mum: Nabia!
Me: Mm?
Mum: Your Dad is waiting.
Me: (sighs) Well, Dad, it was okay-ish.
Dad: What was with the sigh?
Me: Um, the thing is Dad, we met with someone on the island.
Dad: (worried) Like who?
Me: A woman named Aunt Holly.
Dad: Aunt Holly?
Me: Yeah, she said she got married to Aunt Tim and---
Dad: Do you have a picture of her?
Me: No, we don't have one.
John: Not even my spy camera could capture her face.
Mum: Spy cameras? Who were you spying on?
Me: "Aunt" Holly.
Dad quickly went to his phone, into the PeopleLink app, and typed her name there.
Dad: Is she the one?
Dad showed us a picture of her to us.
Us: Yes!
Dad: Oh really?
Me: Yeah, I just wonder why her face and hair look different. Dad, were there other accounts you found with the same name?
Dad: Yeah, here.
Me: That's more like her, right guys?
Them: Yes!
Dad: So, how did you meet her?
Me: She sent David mysterious messages on how to survive the island. We followed her steps which led us to her house. Surprisingly enough, she knew our names and knew her.
Dad: How?
Me: According to us, she looked a lot like Aunt Holly.
Dad's expression got even more concerned.
Dad: Don't you remember?
Me: What?
Dad: Aunt Holly, she passed away.
I felt like my heart left my body. Why didn't it come to mind?
David, Cianco, Biance and I: OH....
Mum: Wait, you really forgot?!
Me: Yeah, but now I remember.
Cianco: Then it feels strange then.
Me: Yeah.
Biance: Because this Holly had the very same appearance as Aunt Holly.
David: But then now remembering that our Aunt Holly has long passed, how did we get into the influence that she was our Aunt?
Dad: While you were still at her house, did she offer you meals or drinks?
Me: Yeah, some fruit drinks, right guys?
Becca: Not us though.
Dad and I: Huh?
Cianco: Yeah, we got hot chocolate instead.
Mum: Oh no!
Me: How did you feel afterward?
Becca and Cianco: We felt okay.
Me: Okay, well everything doesn't have to be drugged but one can just be drawn or hypnotized by someone.
Biance: Like deja vu?
Me: Exactly.
Dad: Um guys?
Me: Yes Dad?
Dad switched off his phone and looked at us as we were all still seated at the table.
Dad: Aunt Holly she called herself to you guys, her name isn't Holly.
Me: What?
David took out his phone and went onto PeopleLink.
David: Yeah, her name is...
David and Dad: Alicia.
We were all shocked by what Dad and Dave told us.
Us: ALICIA?!
Dad: Yeah, and she even owns a company but it has no name.
Me: Speaking of company, Zayn did tell me that she does have a company but it deals with the spying of her targets.
Dad: Like who?
Me: Like us.
Dad: What?
Me: Yeah, she asked me about us - Laranca, especially the inheritance that we still have.
Dad: Mm?
Me: She feels as if she inherits a part of it.
Dad: Did you tell her?
Me: No, I didn't.
Dad started smirking. I started smirking too...
I knew where this was heading and I loved it!
Dad: Kids, you ready?
Me: Born ready!
David: For what?
Biance: Read the room boys! I am in!
David: Like I said I didn't - I am joining in the fun.
Cianco: Oh right! Operation Get Holly/Alicia is on the go!
Dad: Great kids.
Dad: I am so sorry for putting you into this Smith Family.
Ace: Not at all.
Amy: In fact, the kids would love to help.
Dad: Thanks for the offer but wait - did you also have interaction with Holly?
Them: Yes.
Dad: Well, if it won't be too much work for you.
Ace: Don't worry, it will be good, there are a few things that I would like to ask her when we catch her.
Amy: You know her?
Ace: No, she seems like a person on the country's wanted list.
John: Like a con artist Dad?
Ace: Yes.
David and I: Then let's jump onto it.
Dad: Not too soon. We still need to gain some intel on her before can officially get a lead.
Me: Okay Dad.
Dad: Anyway, investigations aside, kids, feel free to have fun.
Me: Thanks, Dad.
David: Hey sis!
Me: Yes Dave?
David: Let's play a game together.
Me: I'm in! Which game are we playing?
David: The obvious.
Me: Fortnite! Yes! But...
David: But?
Me: Let's play your favorite game.
David: Really?!
Me: Of course! Let me guess, Roblox?
David: You know your big bro very well!
We all laughed as we went to the gaming room in the house. I stood back as everyone Biance, David, Cianco, John and Becca went into the room.
It surely has been a crazy ride with the whole Holly, time-ticking survival island scenario, but we got through it all.
Cianco: Sis! (taking my hand) Come inside, we are about to start the game!
Me: Okay then, let's go!
This is just the beginning...
Of another adventure.