Alaska's Illicit

XLIV

Chapter 44 | A SMIRK, BLUSHING, AND THOROUGH CONFUSION

The rest of December and the first part of 2020 passed way quicker than I had thought they would.

The short, dark, cold days were spent like usual, doing a variety of activities ranging from chores to chess, and reading to cooking, with the occasional bonfires.

Vaughn is still the same Vaughn I've known him to be, though he does open up more to me once in a while, telling me small things here and there. However, they are always about his sister, or about Juneau. Nothing else.

And, I have a feeling he only opens up to me because that's what I've been doing to him, telling him certain things about how life was like before I went into foster care. 

But now, it is time for January's trip to the village, and like before, I will be trying my best to find out anything that could be useful.

I doubt I'll have any luck, though.

As Vaughn and I step off the trail and begin moving through the street, the first thing I notice is Thor stepping out of Luna's store. When he sees us, he immediately glares before he snaps his head to the side, walking off. A tad overboard, in my opinion, but then again...I might be a bit too dramatic, myself.

"What was that about?" I mutter.

Vaughn shakes his head, "Peter's just being Peter."

I forgot...that's his real first name.

"And what does that mean?"

"It means he looks like a man, but he's a child," he replies lowly as he continues on walking forward. He doesn't precisely walk super fast, but he does appear sure of himself, confident, as he moves down the street.

It's attractive, in my humble opinion.

The second thing I notice, though, is a family of three, standing outside a repair shop. I faintly recall seeing them before, when I first arrived; there's a father, a mother, and a daughter who hates mustard, if I remember correctly.

They don't exactly look like anyone I recognize, but they feel familiar, for some reason.

The way the woman and man are currently standing and their posture...

Faint, unclear memories of my parents acting the same way fade into my mind, and I realize why they feel so familiar to me.

Their body language and interaction with their daughter...they remind me of my parents, in some way.

It's strange because the first time I saw them, I didn't really pay them all that much attention. But then again, at the time, I was distracted and solely focused on finding the people my uncle told me to find.

It stirs up an odd, sad feeling inside me, and as we pass them, I can't help but feel like I'm missing and walking away from something important.

Instead of focusing on it, though, I opt to shake my head and try to ignore it. After all, we're now just reaching the tavern.