After lab, I met up with Camryn for a quick coffee. She had insisted.
She met me with a huge hug, “I am so happy for you.”
I hugged her back. “Thank you?”
She laughed, “I told you he was crazy about you.”
I picked up my coffee and waited for her, “Yeah, I think he really is.”
“So, it’s serious now?” She asked, picking her cup up, and heading out to the patio to enjoy the thin warmth of the early spring sun.
“Yes, it’s serious.” I opened the door, “I even met the ex-girlfriend.” I giggled as I described Alexis.
“She sounds terrible.” That was so Camryn, always having my back.
I laughed again, “Yeah, she is pretty terrible.”
We chatted about her, and track and the drama happening with Crystel and her girlfriend. “I don’t know if they are going to make it. It’s sad. They’ve been together since like sophomore year.”
I frowned and took a sip. I felt bad for Crystel. It would be really hard to go through a breakup, now that I understood how deep those feelings could run. “Well, I hope they work it out, if not I hope they both find happiness.”
“Look at you, all light and sunshine. You are a regular Pollyanna! Love looks good on you.” She took a drink, "I am going to have to head out, class, trainer session, and then I got practice. Want to do dinner?”
“Yeah. Sounds good,” I smiled.
“Tell Tyler he can come if he has too,” she winked and walked away. I smiled watching her. I my whole world had really changed since I got here.
“Savanah?”
I looked up to see a face I hadn’t seen in a long time, “Leah, how’s it going?”
“Good. Really good, actually.” She looked at the empty chair.
“Sit down,” I said, gesturing to the chair. She pulled it out and sat a small distance from the table. “So, how’s your semester going?” I asked taking a sip.
“Really good. I changed my major to Environmental Studies with Geology as a minor. I have really gotten into the conservation club. We have a great time.”
I smiled, wondering how anyone would have a great time studying how dirt moved. “Leah, that is awesome. I really am happy for you.”
“So, how about you? What’s up?”
Ahh yes, the constant gossip. “Well, school is going really well. I have gotten pretty close with my roommates and things are good.” I took a sip of my almost empty cup.
“So, how is the boyfriend department?”
“Tyler and I have been dating for a while now. Things are great.” I instantly remembered why I didn’t hang out with her as much anymore. I always felt like she was interviewing me for a gossip column.
“Really? So, is it serious?”
Ugh really? We haven’t talked in months and she goes all high school immediately?
“Yeah, I would say it is. Things are good.” I took the last swallow of my coffee.
She cocked her eyebrow, “So what would Tyler think?”
“I think he would be pretty happy I said we were serious.” I stood up, “Leah it was great seeing you, I gotta go.”
Her face fell a little, “Oh, ok. Sorry didn’t mean to make you late.”
Ugh, the guilt. “I’m not late yet, it was really good to see you. Take care of yourself, ok?”
She smiled as I walked away. I liked Leah, and without her, I would have never been able to make it that first little bit here, but things had changed. Her words from months ago floated through my brain, ‘life lifed us.’
She was right. That was exactly what happened. And I would value the time I had with her, but I knew it was ok that we went our separate ways.
I took the stairs slowly, pulling the large door open. I listened in the building, wondering if anyone was here. “Hello?” I called out.
“Where have you been?” Elizabeth’s little face appeared out of nowhere, pierced with hurt.
I went to the sofa, sitting down gently. “I have been looking for information on your mom.”
She sat down next to me, and I had to focus again on my grounding. It was so much easier that it used to be. “Where is Momma?”
“Well, that’s the thing Elizabeth, I can’t find her. I found some aunts of yours, and an uncle, but I can’t seem to find out anything about your mom. I am so sorry. Are you sure you don’t know where she is?”
She shook her head, lips tight.
“Are you absolutely sure? I can’t find any information as to when you died either. I wonder, did she die here? Is that why you stayed?”
She stomped her foot. “You are not nice; I don’t want you to come anymore.”
“Elizabeth,” I spoke sternly, trying to embody a parental sound. “Stop! Now tell me what happened.”
She looked down at her feet. “I don’t know where Mama is.”
“Did you die at this house?”
Elizabeth nodded her head.
“And your mother still lived here then, is that right?”
She nodded slower this time.
“So, Elizabeth, I’m confused, you should have been here when she died too, right?”
“I don’t like you anymore.” Elizabeth stomped her feet and faded away.
This made me think.
Maybe Elizabeth knew more than she was letting on. And maybe I had another way to figure out who her mother actually was.
Off to the library, more research…
Chapter Twenty-Two
I searched through records, search engine results still coming up empty. How
