Little Do They Know

Chapter 35 - Information Overload

"Jackie?" I asked, looking at her, confused. What did Harry mean? What was he talking about?

"I'm just as confused as you are," Jackie said, looking at me sincerely.

"Now, Jackie," Harry said, "are you sure? Think about it for a second, and let's see if you can remember."

"Remember what though?" Jackie questioned.

"How did you know it was Willow? Out of every single person in this entire world, you were able to piece together that Bradie is Willow. How did you do it?" I looked at Jackie again, bewildered. I never had thought about it too much. I just assumed that she recognised my face, but how was she the only person that did?

"Jackie?" I said again.

"I'm not sure," Jackie said, "I just knew. I just knew it was her."

"Now, Jackie, we want to know the truth," Harry added, looking at her intensely. Jackie placed her head into her hands and looked down at the ground. She didn't want to make any eye contact, and I was very tempted to stand up and walk away. But I didn't. I wanted to hear what she had to say.

"When I saw you, at the World Cup, and you bumped into me," Jackie started to say, "I just knew it was her. I knew it was Willow. You had the same walk, and stature. Your abilities were just how I remembered them, when we were kids."

"But how do you remember that, from when you were only 10 years old?" Harry asked. I could tell he knew the answer. I knew exactly what Harry was trying to do. He was trying to make Jackie tell me, so he wouldn't have to.

"I'm not sure," Jackie replied, seemingly distressed.

"Jackie," I said, looking at her, "it's okay. Just tell me the truth."

"My Dad," Jackie started to reply, "and your Dad, worked together."

"Really?" I replied, not expecting this answer.

"Yeah."

"And then what happened," Harry prompted.

"And I think my Dad did something bad."

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"I think my Dad gave your parents," Jackie started to say, "the wrong information."

"Jackie," I started to say, worried.

"And I think it was all my fault."

16 years earlier

Jackie Groenen was running around her back garden, when she saw Willow Meyer's Dad in the living room of her house. She knew it was her Dad as she always saw him at her football matches, cheering his daughter on. They had been in Amsterdam for about a year, and ever since Willow starting rocking the league with her abilities, Jackie loved watching her play. Her dark hair, and blue eyes made her stand out. She was a phenomenal player, and even though Jackie was only two years older, she was able to recognise immense ability when she saw it.

"Pa! Kom met me spelen!" Jackie called out, asking her Dad to come outside and play with her.

"Ik ben met een vriend! Wacht even!" Her dad called back, telling her to wait as he was with a friend.

Jackie was annoyed that her father didn't want to come outside, and rushed back to him, interrupting the conversation.

"Pa!" Jackie said, nudging on her Dad's arm.

"Jackie, even geduld aub!" Her dad replied, asking her to wait again. But, Jackie was only 10 and wanted her dad's attention. As tears started dripping down her face, her father rushed the end of the conversation with Noah Meyer and soon picked up his daughter.