Searching for Eve

Letters

Letters

Drew

My phone rang. It was a sound I would usually ignore, but today, I answered it before the second ring.

"Hello?" I said, desperately hoping it was Eve's voice that responded.

"Hello, Drew. Are you mentally there today?" It was Shaun, my best friend.

No. My sister ran away, Mom's having an affair and Dad only cares about the business. "Yes, Shauny-poo. Are you?"

"Ask me after you stop calling me Shauny-poo. Only the ladies get that right."

"Maybe I hadn't told you everything." I joked.

"Girl, please. I know." He said, mimicking the voice of half the girls we knew. I could see him flipping imaginary hair.

I gasped, playing along. "Who told you? Was it Becky? I knew I couldn't trust her. She uses red ink pens."

"Red ink pens? Girl, you know what they say about girls who use red ink pens."

"Mmhmm. That's why mine are black. It's a classy color."

"Andrew Dalton! Are you calling me trashy?" It was his sister's voice. "Because I happen to love my red ink pens."

"I assure you, darling, that you are not trashy. We were joking around. You use your red ink pens in a very classy manner." I said, holding back laughter.

"Good. I almost called your sister."

And with that, the happiness was gone. "She would've loved to hear from you." I replied, my voice dry.

There was whispering on the other side of the line, then she yelled goodbye. "Seriously, D, I called to tell you I got a strange note the other day."

"You what?!" Had Eve sent him a note?

"Yeah, I didn't think about it until I reread it this morning. It's from a Sophia King, who I have never heard of, and it's like a business letter, telling me about a new company that's moving into the area--which I thought was strange. But there's this one line, and it's formal and stuff, but it's like I've heard it enough to make it familiar."

"What was the line?" I asked impatiently. He kept rambling on, but I needed an answer. I needed lots of answers. "Shaun, I need to know."

"Just...I'm on my way over. You need to read this one yourself."

His words made me think of Mom, sitting in the cabana and Dad in his office. "You're...no."

"What?" He asked in disbelief. It was only the second time I hadn't allowed him into our home, the first being the day I never wanted to remember.

You can't see what's going on here. "Meet me at the commons."

There was a pause, and I knew questions were forming in his mind.

"Just tell them that I need to have a private meeting with you over urgent business and that I have requested the Kinsley Room. If they argue, call me." I said, gathering my keys. "I need that note and some information."

"Aye aye, Captain." He said, hanging up the phone.

I prayed I could trust him.

I needed him more than ever.