Dear Diary, part fifteen
June 8th
Dear Diary,
I've only been here a day, but I love it already. This house has everything you can need, including a cot for Vincent!
I had the most delicious bubble bath while he slept earlier, but what I really wanted to do was use the double shower. Though that would really only be fun if Damon were using it with me.
There wasn't much in the way of food here, just a few cans of soup, really, but oh, it hit the spot.
Because we had next to no food, I decided to be brave, and call the nanny to mind Vincent while I went to store to get some groceries.
I don't know why, but I just felt so uncertain about my looks today. Maybe it's because I'm in a new place, and I want to make a good impression. I'm not sure.
This nanny seems nice, though I'm sure that Yolanda would have something to say about her. Thinking that made me sad, but it made me smile a little, too. She has such an active imagination.
I hope I'm doing the right thing, leaving Vincent with a stranger. I'm sure her qualifications are impeccable, and I'm also sure that Alfred has no interest as Vincent isn't his son, but I can't help but be nervous.
I even worked up the courage to use the company car that's here. I think I did well with my driving, though it's been forever since I've been behind the wheel.
I just wanted to get out and about by myself for a while, it's been a really long time, and I wanted to enjoy it. And it's so pretty around here, so very different from home.
There are plenty of crazy tourists, too! I'm so glad I'm not one of them. As much as I'd like to see the world, that's not how I want to do it.
I really didn't think a small store out here would have what I wanted, but they did! And it wasn't that expensive, which was a nice surprise.
I really like it here, the locals are so friendly. I can't wait for Damon to join me, I'm sure he'll love it.
I called him just before, to see how work is going, and when he thinks he can get here. I'm surprised at how much I miss him, and it's only been one day!
He said that Kaylynn came over to get our mail, like we'd asked her to, and it was only then that he realised he'd forgotten to tell her he was going to be here for a few more days.
He said he thought it was a good thing he was there, because she was terribly upset. Apparently she and Darren had a huge fight, about how he wanted her to stay home with the baby, like she did with Dilbert. But she got a huge promotion not long before getting pregnant, and she really likes being back at work, and doesn't want to miss out.
Apparently it got really nasty and all sorts of things were sad. Kaylynn wanted to talk to me but she didn't want to spoil my holiday. Damon was a good enough substitute, I guess.
I hope that she and Darren will be ok. I'm sure they can sort it out.
I know a lot of it is that she's pregnant and all those hormones make you crazy. It's also been quit a while since she was like that, so she's probably forgotten. Unlike me!
Damon said she seemed happier when she left, so hopefully he gave her some good advice.
I think now it's time to sleep, and tomorrow, we might hit the beach. I hope Vincent likes it!
Z.
June 9th
Dear Diary,
Oh, this was a marvellous day. It wasn't too hot, and the breezes coming off the lake were amazing. I know it's not the ocean, but this lake is huge - you can't see the other side! So in my book, it's as good as the ocean, if not better - it's not salt water!
Vincent enjoyed himself on the blanket behind me, watching the trees, listening to the waves...rolling off and trying to play in the sand! He kept wriggling away from me, which he thought was a good game.
After a while, he fell asleep, and I made my first sandcastle. I didn't know I had it in me!
It was just so nice and relaxing to sit out on the beach, watching the waves, feeling the sun. I want to come back here once we get the kids back, I know they'll love it.
Z
June 10th
Dear Diary,
Damon called earlier, and said that he's not sure when he's going to be able to get here, or if he'll be able to get here at all. This pissed me off, I admit.
I understand that his work is demanding at times, but we needed this. For us. I wish he could've put this first.
Z
June 11th
Dear Diary,
Because I was annoyed at Damon, and because I didn't know when or if he's coming, I decided to do some of the touristy things without him. There are quite a few interesting places to go here, and lots of interesting people to meet. I'm not sure whether it was a good thing that I went or not.
I turned up late in the afternoon, but there were still plenty of people at this place called Axe and Flapjacks - how weird a name is that?
While there, I saw this adorable father and daughter playing on the log rolling. It looked so hard! She reminded me so much of Yolanda, it made my heart ache.
It also reminded me of better times at home, but I didn't want to stop and stare, and I thought I might cry if I looked at them too much, so I pretended to be interested in this large hunk of wood they had on display there.
What passes for good taste and art down here amuses me, I have to say.
Once the sun set, I realised I'd had about as much as I could take of axes being thrown into wood, and slowly waddled my way back to the car.
I saw that little girl again, though by now she'd gotten dry and changed. She was so cute, about Yolanda's age. Again, I didn't do much more than smile and look away, I really felt like I was about to lose it.
I just wanted to make it to the car. I knew I could cry there. Once there, it'd be ok. But not out in the middle of the park.
I thought I heard someone call out to me, but it was hard to tell. There was a lot of loud conversation all over the place, and I was just so focused on making it to the car.
Seeing that little girl, so happy and lively, just broke my heart.
I did break down once I got to the car, I couldn't help it. I just needed to let it out, so that I could get in the car and get away from there.
As I drove away, I could see her with her father, but I had to wipe the tears and look away.
I miss my family.
Z
June 13th
Dear Diary,
Oh my god, I'm so upset right now. I'm on the plane home, trying not to cry. I can't believe it. I just can't.
Just after sunset, I was in the kitchen, making dinner. Vincent was asleep, and I was pottering about.
Then I looked out the window, and saw someone on the back deck.
She looked like a typical tourist, who perhaps had got lost, until I saw her help herself to the drinks in the bar.
Just as I was about to tell her to get out, when said something that froze me in my tracks.
"My name is Agent Hannah Roberts, and I'm with the SCIA. I'm looking for your children, and I think we've found them."
She showed me her badge, and it looked real enough to me. I would've listened to her, no matter what she showed me.
I asked her what she meant, and she said they'd received a call from the local police, who had been contacted by the manager of a hotel nearby. A maid had found some cards and receipts under the bed in one of the rooms, and looked like it had fallen out of someone's pocket without realising.
The names on the paper were Alfred's.
His name hadn't been on the registry, and the name they had for his room was for someone from Bluewater Village, a town only a few hours from home. Because there was a credit card in the items they found, the manager thought they might have been stolen goods, so they contacted the police.
When they ran Alfred's name through their system, they came up with our report. They contacted the police back home, who spoke to Damon, who gave them my details for here. Because Alfred had already checked out, and from what they can tell, left the Three Lakes area, they can't find him and bring him in for questioning. This information is being passed on to the police in Bluewater Village, who will hopefully find them soon.
This was just so much for me to take. Alfred had been here??? At the same time as me? What were the odds of that? And that girl that I saw...who reminded me of Yolanda. What if that was her? She was blonde, so it was hard to tell. And it's been months since I've seen my baby.
Even now, the more I think about how I think I may have seen my daughter, how I was so close to her, how I could've held her, and taken her with me...it makes me sick to my stomach.
But when the agent told me this, well, I fainted.
She brought me around by throwing her drink on my face. She explained she had to approach me undercover, just in case Alfred hadn't left the area, and that he knew I was here. If she came in uniform, it would be announcing her arrival to everyone, and that could disrupt other local investigations.
I booked the next flight out of there, but couldn't leave until this morning. I have to go speak to the police at home, and make sure they're upping the surveillance on Dina. She has to know where Nina is! Bluewater Village isn't that big a place, they'll have to be found soon!
Z.
~*~*~*~
June 9th
Dear Dinky Finky Diary,
Daddy and I are having so much fun!
We've been taking lots and lots and lots of photos, mostly of ME, of course.
But we've gone and done lots of other things too. Like we went for a hike in the woods, and we went on a boat out on the lake and went diving, and there's still so much more we can do! Daddy didn't really want to go hiking, but I got the guide to talk him into it, and he really enjoyed it.
But the best best best thing we did was when we went out to this place the guide said was a secret burrow, whatever a burrow is. Because that's where BIG FOOT lives. I didn't think Big Foot would live in a HOUSE! Daddy said it was just a really hairy man who didn't shave and didn't like people. But it wasn't! This was really Big Foot!
And he was so nice to me! He let us borrow some of his fishing rods and he taught us to fish. I told him all about our holiday, too.
And I caught a fish! I let Big Foot keep it, because fish guts are yucky.
Daddy didn't say much, but Big Foot and I talked a lot so he didn't have to.
He even gave me a hug, he liked me so much! That's when I saw that that penguin was here. This place is WEIRD. I wish Mama had been here, so I could show them both to her.
Daddy even managed to catch this really pretty fish, and he gave it to Big Foot too, who said we could call him Jay. Yeah right. How could Big Foot's name be Jay?
Big Foot even took a photo of me! It was so funny.
What else did we do? Oh yeah! The shower flooded the bathroom, but before they could fix it, I managed to make a huge mess splashing in it.
Daddy was very cranky with me when he found what I'd done, but it was so much fun. Besides, the maid will clean it up!
So Daddy took me outside to hunt for bugs. Creepy crawly bugs that I could put in a jar!
But I didn't catch any, they were too quick. But it was fun!
But THEN I got chased by some yucky bugs that tried to sting me. Daddy said that we'd had enough of the outdoors and he let me go back inside.
Landy Foot
June 11th
Dear Diary Pants,
I think I saw Mama yesterday. I'm not sure.
Daddy took me this place where we could do log rolling, which was really hard but lots of fun. He kept spinning me into the water, but it was fun, so it was ok.
After a while, he wanted to play with the axes, and I wanted to look around, so he said I could as long as I didn't leave the park.
That got boring, and by then it was dark and I was hungry so we got some flapjacks.
Daddy then started feeling sick, and he went off to throw up. He said he'd be a while, so I went to wait at the flapjack counter.
And then I saw a lady who looked just like Mama, but was really really pregnant. She had a huuuuuge baby belly. I don't know if she saw me. I don't know if it was Mama or not. It's been so long since I've seen her, I think I'm starting to forget what she looks like.
But if it was Mama, why didn't she say hello? Why didn't she hug me? Doesn't she know it's me? Only my hair is different, I still look the same!
I hate being blonde.
I ran out after her, and called out to her, but I don't think she heard me. I knew Daddy couldn't hear me, he was too busy being sick. I could see she was crying, but she was outside the park, and I didn't want to get into trouble.
So I took a photo of her. I don't know why I did, really, but I hope it was her. She was so sad, I just wanted to run up and hug her, even if she wasn't Mama.
I sat up on a park bench and waited for Daddy, but I watched her as she left. I'm really really sure it was her. Maybe she doesn't want me, like Daddy said.
I know that's what he'd tell me, so I didn't tell him what I saw.
But then today, Daddy said we were going home, and back to Mama Nina and the babies.
I don't want to go back, I want to go find that lady again and see if she really was Mama.
Landy.
~*~*~*~
June 16th
Dear Diary,
I am so glad to be home, but it hasn't been easy.
Damon made sure he was home to meet us when we got there, and I've never been so glad to see him. There hadn't been any new information since the police spoke to us last, but I was feeling so much more hopeful.
But what was new, was when Kaylynn came around to see me. Damon had told her what had happened, so she wanted to make sure I was ok. She seemed very distant while she was here, but I guess that's because of her problems with Darren.
She left quite quickly, too, which made me sad. I really wanted to spend time with her. I needed her support.
Especially once I checked the mail. Oh dear god, I was not expecting this. I don't know how much of a coincidence it was, but this floored me.
It was a letter to Dina Goth, from a "Veronica Colemak", with no return address, just postmarked from Bluewater Village.
There was a short note attached, which read, "I thought it best that you should read this. You need to know the truth."
After reading it, it's clear that this Veronica is Nina, and that she really is an evil, horrible woman.
I'm keeping a copy for myself, but I've handed it in to the police. I'm sure this will help speed up their investigations. I'm also sure it was someone in the Goth family who sent it.
Z.
June 11th
Dear Dina,
You were so right, it was the best thing to do, even though it was a huge risk for me to come back to Pleasantview. I don't think anyone else recognised me, so I'm feeling pretty safe. Please thank Alexander and Chris for their support for me when you get this. I'm sure my sarcasm will become apparent by the end of this.
I know that you had to twist their arms a bit to get them to agree to it, but with them scouting the restaurant out first, we were able to make sure that we were safe, and undetected.
I know it was a huge risk for me to come out there, and to meet up with you, but I just had to. After everything that's been going on, I needed to see you. Talking to you on the phone just doesn't cut it.
It was so great to see you again, and I know I told you then, but I'll tell you again - you look fantastic! I know it was a wig, but holy cow sis, brunette really suits you! I don't mind how I look blonde, but I can't wait to go back to red. I'm sure you feel the same about going back to blonde! And your dress! I am SO envious. I am so ready to ditch this frumpy look. I need to wear something sexy again.
I know you understand me, and even if you don't agree with all that I've done, I know you still accept me. That's pretty hard to come by here, where I really only have Alfred, and he's not the most reliable guy around.
It was so great to forget about all the shit that's gone on, and to catch up with the gossip from home. I can't believe that Alfred's stupid ex is still with her philandering husband, and that she's pregnant again. You seriously have ears and eyes everywhere! I'd love to tell him about her, but then he'd want to know how I knew, and that's not a can of worms I want to open up.
And after our...incident...I think I can have him firmly in hand. He has to know that if he breaks up with me, I'll turn him in. No matter how much I love the bastard, I'm not going to let him sink me. He's already got a history of abuse, I can sob like my heart's broken at the drop of a hat, as you well know! I can cry poor victim and wiggle out of any mess he tries to get me in.
I know, I know, I should leave him and his filthy children anyway. I know that's what you keep telling me. I should take Bethie and just go, start a life by myself, somewhere new. I've been stashing some of his money away, which was easy to do while he was in prison. I can make a nice life somewhere else. But I miss you so much. And Don. That man can fuck like no other. But I'm sure you know that! And as long as Cassandra doesn't find out how we know, it's all good.
I know Chris is your daughter in law and all, but she's quite a bitch. I know she knows who I am, and what I've done, but you can't marry into the Goth family and be an innocent. I know she's spent time turning tricks over Downtown way before Alexander 'rescued' her. She doesn't have any moral high ground to stand on. She pulled me aside and begged me to turn myself in. I don't think so!
This was Alfred's plan, I was just along for the ride. And the sex! Ok, and the money. Mostly the money. Sex I can get anywhere!
I told Chris to back off, that she didn't know all the details, and she should learn that family comes first, even step in laws.
I think she's been trying to get Alexander to see "reason" as well, because once you went downstairs, he tried to tell me the same things his wife did.
In fact, he said he WAS going to turn me in, that he had enough dirt on us that he could sink the lot of us. Nice boy your husband has. I thought Mortimer would've taught his kids more about keeping family secrets, seeing how many skeletons he's got hidden and all. And that wasn't very smart of him - you don't tell someone you're going to turn them in. Why give them warning? It gives them the edge, not you.
So I did what needed to be done - I seduced him. Which was easy to do, seeing how much of an ice maiden Chris is, and even more so now she's pregnant again.
I gave him what he wanted in the men's room with the promise of more the next time I was in town, or if he wanted to come visit me. I'd be all over that, just to stick it to Chris. She's turned into such a prissy bitch since she gave up turning tricks. Alexander said she won't do most of the stuff her johns paid her to do before.
It's not the first time I've done that, and I know it won't be the last. Men are so easy to control. I know you know that!
I had to get out of there fast, after that. That's why I left in such a rush, and couldn't tell you what happened. I didn't want to risk annoying Chris any more, though I really wanted to tell her how easy it was for her perfect husband to cheat on her. She can try to create the façade of a happy marriage, but once a hooker always a hooker.
And as for what's going to happen with me and Alfred...well, after he what he did, I do want to see him suffer. But I'd rather do that on my terms, than let the system get him. Because you know that if they get him, they'll get me. And I know that you don't want that.
As always, please burn this after you've finished reading it.
Love you."
Notes:
- Chris is Chris Jones, who turned up in my Kibbles Bluegacy (Which I will get back to soon!). She met Alana on a trip Downtown (who invites a kid out on a night on the town?), moved into Alana's place, ran away as a teen, moved back until she was and adult, and then left again. There was the implication that she'd worked the streets after she'd run away. After she moved out, she married into the Goth family and tried to make an honest man of the ever bed wetting Alexander.
- I think I'm probably a bit crazy for playing all these stories in the one neighbourhood. Everyone keeps lapping over.
- I really love how Dina looks now!
- Yolanda wants to bring Big Foot home. I'm not sure how well that will go down, but as you would've read in the notes from the previous entry, Alfred liked him too!
- In the spirit of soap operas everywhere, this won't be resolved in the next update! Progress will be made, but there's more to come!
- Massive points to anyone who noticed the last names.
Previous entries:
[ part one][ part two][ part three][ part four][ part five]
[ part six][ part seven][ part eight][ part nine][ part ten]
[ part eleven][ part twelve] [ part thirteen] [ part fourteen]
[ family tree]