Shift | Complete ✔️

5 | Beyond the Veil

My first day at Sophia's was spent unpacking, napping and getting familiar with my new surroundings. Granted, I didn't yet leave the guest room that she'd kindly offered me, but I still found enough in the room that piqued my curiosity.

It is amazing what you learn about people from their home. I could tell for example, that Sophia was sentimental like me. On the timber dresser, there was an old porcelain water pitcher. I imagined that in the spring it was used a vase, I could see the native flowers that would fill it and bring life to the room. The curtains too spoke of other worldly charm with the floral patterns embroidered within the lace.  The curtain rods were brass, the intricacy of each end were evident with hand crafted swirls and patterns. Perhaps they once belonged to her mother or grandmother?

I was filled with a sudden melancholy from the thought. I didn't have anything from my birth mother. In fact, I didn't even know who she was. Would she have lived in a cabin like this? Had she been madly in love with my father, or was their relationship something more sinister?

Pulled from my thoughts, I was startled by a knock at the door.

"Mind if I come in?"

I turned to see Sophia peeking by the door frame. "No, of course not. Please, come in."

Smiling at her, I turned before she sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for me to do the same.

"I bet you've got so many questions. Phelan explained how you got here, briefly."

I let out a huge breath I didn't even know I was holding. When I first decided to follow the notes, I was filled with a sense of adventure, a belief that everything would fall into place. But the truth was, now that I was here, I didn't know what to do about it.

"Yes, I don't know what compelled me to be so impulsive."

I couldn't explain why I trusted Sophia so. It may have been that I felt I owed her an explanation due to her hospitality, or the fact that I just sensed that she was someone I could trust. Perhaps it was a combination of the both.

She didn't say anything. Her silence an invitation for me to talk. Lacing my fingers together in my lap, I felt stupid, but figured I really didn't have anything to lose.

"My biological aunt- she told me I would find the answers I need here in Haven..."

My nervousness grabbed at my throat, making it hard to swallow. "I know it has something to do with my mother, did she live here? It's such a small community, surely someone here knows something..."

I felt myself rambling, my thoughts spewing out disjointed and erratic as I continued. "I mean, what, there's like a few hundred people here, odds are you know who she was... do you?"

I watched as Sophia tucked her hair behind her ear, rolling her lips together tightly as if preventing herself from divulging too much too soon.

"Edie. Your aunt was right. Your mother was born and raised here. We knew her daughter... you- would come looking for answers, and here you are. It's quite surreal, I'm still wrapping my head around it..."

I felt myself become hostile.

"Surreal?! How is that you, and apparently everyone else in this town knows more about my mother than I do?!"

I felt a rant coming on as my tongue lashed like spit fire. "And seriously! If you knew who I was, why didn't anyone come looking for me! I could have had my answers long ago!"

Standing up, Sophia put her hands in front of her in an effort to subdue my irritation. "Had it been in your best interests to do so, we would have Edie. Things are complicated, but now you're here, you are safe."