V. The Package

                           I was about ten minutes from reaching Nikai’s place. Good thing too, because Annabelle was getting hungry and definitely needed a diaper change. I dialed Nikai’s number again. It rang three times and I almost hung up thinking she wasn’t going to answer yet again, but then she actually answered. “Hey sis! I tried calling you this morning.” She said in a bouncy tone like always. “I know I have had a busy morning, I tried calling you back, but you didn’t answer. We need to talk Nik are you home?” I said as I turned on to her road. “Yeah I am home. Does this mean you are stopping by? I cannot wait to see Belle! You received a package this morning too! You can open it when you get here.” I could hear her doing something in the back ground. “Yes actually I just pulled on your street. You said a package? I will be there in a few minutes. Belle will be happy to see you; she has a package for you also.” I said with a little hint of sarcasm. “Oh, nice! I can’t wait to see what it is! See you in a few!” We hung up the conversation and I just giggled to myself. Nikai was so gullible.

 I pulled in her drive and she was outside waiting for us. As soon as she seen my car she hurriedly threw what looked to be a cigarette on the ground and squished it with her foot. I turned off the ignition and just sighed. The girl was supposed to quit months ago. I am not going to nag her about it though. She is a big girl now and can make her own decisions, being 22 and all. Before I could open my door Nikai was already half way to the house with Annabelle. I just smiled and shook my head, got to love it. I grabbed the bags and headed in myself. I walked in closed the door and turned the corner to place the bags in the guest bedroom. I could tell she spiffed it up a bit right before we got here. That must have been what she was doing on the phone. I noticed a picture of our mother on the dresser. I picked it up and lightly touched her face as I thought of how wonderful and beautiful she was. She loved everything in so many ways. I never seen her mad or upset. I don’t know how she could do it. I would love to have her here right now to help me with what I am dealing with. I let a tear well up in my eyes and placed the frame back in its spot. I wiped the tears away and left the room. 

 I found Nikai and Belle in the living room sitting on the couch. Nikai was smothering Belle in kisses and “Auntie loves you”. I sat on the love seat perpendicular to the couch. “So where is this package at Nik?” I said as I watched her change Belle. “Oh, it is in the kitchen on the counter.” She said gasping for clean non- stinky air. I just giggled and got up to walk to the kitchen. I saw the package on the counter. It was an average looking package. Standard cardboard box all taped up. There of course was no return address. I grabbed a knife from a drawer and cut it open. It was so stuffed with Styrofoam peanuts I almost missed what was in the box. It was a small wooden ball. It had beautiful flower and vine carvings all around it. It didn’t make sense to me. What was this thing? Who would send me a pretty carved up wooden ball?  I looked closer at the carvings on it. They were definitely hand crafted and it looked really old. I noticed on one of the vines it had some writing:  Fatum est in pila fati. Quod petis, gubernans te in via.  I couldn’t tell what it said; it was in a different language. I went into the computer room and pulled up Google. I typed in the words and hit search. They came out to be Latin. I don’t even think we are Latin. This is getting so strange for me. I read the translation aloud, “Your destiny is in the ball of fate. It will lead you on the path you seek.” Okay well, if it is in it how do I open it? I googled ‘ball of destiny’, of course no suggestions.

 I went to the living room to find no one there. I looked around a little baffled. Then I heard a door close. I turned around swiftly and seen Nikai shutting the guest room door with a monitor in her hand. “She is out like a light! She must have needed a nap. Did she sleep at all on the way here?”  She said as she turned the monitor up on high and set it on the counter. We sat down at her little island counter in her kitchen. “No, actually this is her first nap today. We have had a long morning, let me tell you. This package, did you ask where it was sent from?” I asked as I got up and started some tea. “Yes actually. I asked the postman where it was sent from when I noticed there wasn’t a return address. He said it was sent all the way from the Cayman Islands! How exciting is that! Have you visited there and didn’t tell me? What was in the package?” She said with so much excitement I could hardly understand her. “No Nik, I haven’t ever been there. I do remember mom saying something about the Cayman Islands at one point in time. Just how she visited there once and it was quite an adventure or something like that. I wonder if it was from her a long time ago and it just got to us.  I don’t know. There is Latin writing on it that says ‘Your destiny is in the ball of fate. It will lead you on the path you seek.’ I am not sure what this means yet or how to open it. I tried to find similar balls like this one online and there is nothing.” I poured us both a cup of tea and sat down. “Nikai, I have to tell you about this morning. Then maybe you will understand a little bit more on where my head is right now.”  

She sipped her cup of tea and set it on the counter. She gave me this very concerned look and said, “What’s really going on Eden? Silly stuff aside. You seem really stressed and then you get this strange package. I am starting to get a little worried.” I took in the steam from my tea through my nose and savored the fragrance. I took a sip and looked at Nikai. “My house was broken into this morning…”

Author's Note

This is chapter five.