A way towards home (chapter nine)

Mr Victor is a close friend of Mae's dad, he often visits the family on a weekly basis. It was September 13 when his friend told him that the entire family will go on a vacation but Mr Victor is fully aware that the reason why Mae's family was going for a trip was to keep away of the baby maker. Mae was eight years old and this trip to the family rest house was her fourth time only, her mom was sitting next to her at the back seat. They arrived at the house at exactly five thirty, her mom came in to the house with her while her father carries all the luggage that they brought. The sun was orange and the sea breeze was cool and relaxing, little Mae went to the beach and watched the water as it goes waving with a subtle sound. The rest house was not big but it has four rooms, the kitchen was separate from the house and there is very little means of communication from the town.

Mae played in her room while her mom and dad was discussing something, out of curiosity Mae sneaked in the living room and hid behind the couch and she started to eavesdrop.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Her mom was asking her dad.

"We can't let that woman to keep on extorting money from us and besides i wont let her take Mae." 

"I don't want Mae to be taken too but she threatens every time, if this goes on then you will be ruined."

"It's a mans job to protect his family and for Mae you are her true mom so we can't just wait until she takes our child." 

"Can't we just go somewhere far away?"

"That woman is too clever and i don't want Mae to live a life where she needs to keep changing homes."

"But this will be too hard on our daughter, soon she will learn the truth and i cant imagine her calling me her mom if that day comes."

"I'm sorry but i promise that i will deal with that greedy woman so the two of you just stay here until i fixed the problem." Mae's dad was very troubled but little Mae can't understand what was going on so she quietly returned to her room.

Mae's dad left the on the day after that discussion with her mom so only her and her mom was let at the rest house, it had been a week since her dad left but she can hear her mom talking to him via cellphone. Mae was outside the house playing at the sand when a tall woman came to her and asked if her mom was in the house. Mae was wondering who the woman was but she still called her mom and told her that there was someone looking for her outside. Her mom was surprised and displeased by the woman and Mae was asked by her to go onto her room. Mae can't figure out why her mom sent her to her room but she can hear them arguing, their voices was loud and there was a commotion outside but Mae was very obedient whenever her mom asks her. The sounds got louder and there were plates crashing and breaking but all of a sudden the noises stopped and there was only silence, moments later her mom came into the room and told her not to go out and just wait for her inside. Mae's mom was very tense while she calls her husband telling him to return right away.

Her father came and Mae can hear them talking but she could only pickup a few sentences from them.

"What happened?!" his dad asked frantically.

"She just came in here and started to cause a commotion but believe me it's an accident i didn't want this to happen." Her mom was almost crying while talking.

Mae can hear some woods breaking and soil falling on the floor. It's been almost six hours since her  mom asked her to wait in the room and she fell asleep on the bed but she was wakened but the heat and the smoke, Mae can't see anything but she felt something very hot on her shoulder and from nowhere someone grabbed her. Mae's dad was carrying her outside and all she can remember  was a very blurry images and mumbling  sounds before everything went blank. 

 Mae opened her eyes and she saw Richard calling out to her and shaking her.

"Mae are yo alright?! Wake up now!" Richard was very nervous but Mae woke up and spoke.

"What happened? Why do you look like that Richard?

"Thank god! You were screaming and crying at your sleep." Richard was embracing her very tightly.

"I dreamed about the fire in our rest house, there were a lot of people but i didn't saw my mom but there was this woman who was looking for her."

Richard was speechless cause what Mae said was a part of what happened to her back then before her mom disappeared.

"Then what? Can you remember anything else?!" Richard was asking in a very tense voice.

"There were these loud noises and mom and the woman was screaming at each other the all of a sudden they stopped. After a while my dad came and they were talking about something but i can remember very little aside from woods breaking and soil falling on the floor. I went to sleep but when i woke up i was surrounded by smoke and fire, that's all i can remember."

Richard stayed silent for a while cause the woman that Mae was talking about maybe the baby maker and she found out where the rest house was and it can only mean she disappeared after the fire. He was still thinking about Mae's dream even after breakfast, Mae was outside the room and in the store assisting the customers while Richard was in the living room thinking deeply, he had the permission from Mae to browse through the documents in the cabinets and all he found was product deliveries and some none important files. A lot of papers were there but the receipts were nowhere to be found so he dug even further. He found an old case filled with yellowish old news papers but there was a marker in between, Richard pulled out the marker and an old plastic bag came out, it was tied and there was nothing written on it but a bundled up small papers was inside. He tore open the plastic and he found what he wants, the papers were receipts from a money transferring company and the name written on it was Emily Brook, the oldest was dated twenty one years before Mae was born and there was also some phone numbers. Richard thinks that this Emily Brook was the baby maker and he decided not to tell Mae about it so he hid the receipts inside his bag and called Noel.

"Noel it's me Richard."

"Yoh bro! It's very unlike you to be calling me.. so whats up?" 

"I found some receipts that was dated twenty one years ago and there was a name Emily Brooks can you check it out for me?"

"Does Mae knows about this?"

"NO. But i want to keep it from her until we are sure about this Emily and besides, i think Mae remembers something from when their house was burned."

"Ok bro. Can you give me some of the receipts and tell about what she remembers, i don't think it's best if we talk about this on the phone so I'll meet you up at school."

"Got it.

        Noel had been going around on his own and he's been asking some people about Mae's parents but it seems no one other than Mr Victor has any useful info about them. He was walking down town when Mr Victor called him at the other side of the road.
"How have you been kid?"
"I've been well"
"Where is you friend? I have something to tell him."
"Richards been staying with Mae for now, someone was scaring Mae and we all decided that he should be at her side for the time being. If it's ok i can tell him what you want to say."
"It's about Mae's mom i found her."
"What?! That's great news we need to tell Mae" Noel was excited but Mr Victor has a very worried expression.
"Come with me for a sec and i'll tell you all the details."

        Richard was making some coffee for him and Mae but he his head was almost about to burst whenever he tries to think of anyone that might have a clue where the baby maker was. He can find the people who threw rocks into the store but his main objective is to piece together what really happened that night. It was a headache just by thinking about it when his phone rang and he saw that the caller was his mom.
"Hello."
"Richard.. How are you two doing?"
"We're fine. So why did you called?"
"I'm just checking up on you. Where is Mae?"
"She's in the store and don't worry i don't think those guys wont be coming back today cause there are some police patrolling the area."
"That's good. Just call me if anything happens ok."
Sure I'll do that.Richard hung up his phone and took the coffee to Mae.

      Noel can't believe what he had just heard from Mr Victor but if it was true then Richard must know of it and perhaps they then can make decisions. Things are happening now and people are getting involve so Noel decided to make his move and allow Richard to make the first steps to find all the missing pieces of Mae's life. Noel went to small subdivisions at the north side of town, his purpose for coming her is to talk with Rena so he rang the bell and her mom came out.
"Oh it's you Noel is there something you need?"
"I'm just here to tell Rena something and i'll be on my way."
"Why don't you come inside."
"NO thanks mam cause I'm in a hurry but i appreciate your offer."
"Ok then I'll call Rena." minutes later Rena came out.
"What do want Noel." Rena was not very happy to see him.
"Oh come on.. Is that a way to greet a guest..?"
"I don't want to waste time Noel. What do want?"
"Something happened at Mae's store i think you're involved."
"I was here all the time so why am i involved.?"
"Don't be cute Rena.. I did warned you. You may have not left the comfort of your home but those little underling of yours are roaming free."
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"You made the first move Rena but in this game i'll be the one to say check mate.. I'll see you in school and don't worry, Richard does not know of this yet." Noel walked away and Rena immediately went inside her house.
Noel called Luke and told him about what will happen.
"Yoh rusty! The pawns have been moved and i hope you're ready for the game."
"I'm ready anytime but don't forget your promise Noel"
"I never back out on my own words rusty."
"So when will we start?"
"This coming week has the Friday the 13th, why don't we ourselves deliver bad luck to those naughty kids.?"
"So it's Friday huh? ok then i'll make the preparations."
"Thanks rusty."
"Are you sure about this? You're going the extra mile just to apprehend Rena's gang."
"You'll understand why soon."
"Ok, I'll meet you at the place on Friday good luck to you."
"I'll see you then bye."

     Tomorrow is Sunday and there will be a fire works display at the river side, Richard plans on taking Mae to watch the fireworks and ease her mind a bit but before he take her he will meet up with Noel and discuss what they have found. The shady person who peeks inside the store won't be coming today cause of the police. He will finish up every problem before they leave but Richard has a slight fear about the things that he and Mae might find out after talking to Mr White. Emily Brooks be a name that the baby maker have but if anyone would know then Mae's mom and dad are the only ones that has the missing pages of the story.

    Mae looks at Richard from inside the store and she can see how worried he is. Ever since she met him a very warm and comfortable feeling blankets her. Richard never tells her what she wants to hear but his actions shows how important she is to him. On the fast few days Richard became more caring towards her and Mae knows that staying in this town was the very best choice that she had made in her life.

   "No one can do everything alone"