The picture book
Chapter 4

I went to school like any other day but I was distracted by the picture book that was in my backpack. I knew I couldn’t wait until I got home to see what Oliva had left in there. It was becoming a habit for me not to focus in my classes. I hoped my grades didn’t suffer because of this whole thing with the ghost. Time dragged by until finally it was lunch time. I had planned on letting myself see the photo then. I sat down and rummaged through my things not noticing that Laura and Greg had joined me. I took out the album and began to skim though it.

“What’s that Ayita?”

Greg said. I looked up from what I was doing feeling a flush coming to my face. I hadn’t expected them to join me since usually I ate lunch alone. I wasn’t too sure how to explain it since I knew they wouldn’t believe the truth.

“Laura, this is Greg the guy I was talking about before. Uh this? It is just a project I am doing for one of my classes that is all.”

Greg grinned and looked over at Laura.

“Oh so you guys were talking about me? Is that why my ears were ringing before?”

The two chatted, the album forgotten for now. Relief swept over me. I started searching through it again and almost had a heart attack at the picture I saw. It was obviously a family photo. A man, woman and Laura and Oliva! Was that the reason why she had pushed me to become friends with her. I slammed the book shut and shoved it in my backpack.

“I...have to run to the bathroom!”

Hoping nobody was in there, I ran to the ladies room panting as I opened the picture book once more.

“Oliva, Laura is your sister? Do you know Greg too? Are you the girl that died in the fire!?”

The ghost didn’t seem to be appearing. I felt like whacking the book against the wall a couple of times. I closed it and washed my hands and face trying to calm myself down. I slowly came back to the table my limbs shaky. Laura and Greg looked over at me concerned. Laura spoke.

“If your sick, maybe you should see the school nurse Ayita.”

I took a breath.

“It was just something that got stuck in the wrong tube.”

Greg didn’t seem convinced.

“You look like you seen a ghost or something.”

I frowned. How wrong he was. I really wanted to see the ghost but she wasn’t showing herself. I was going to have to say something so they would get off that subject.

“Just some tough times is going on in my life. Don’t worry about me.”

Laura patted my hand.

“We are your friends Ayita, if you need to talk about it we are here to listen.”

I shook my head, taking out my lunch and grabbed a sandwich.

“I rather not talk about it. So how are you guys classes going?”

The whole lunch period as we chatted I kept thinking about the ghosts connection to the two friends I had. A shiver ran down my back. I wondered just what the ghost wanted from me? Did she want me to become her?

I was still working at the hospital, though with the stress of the last couple of days I mostly had been acting like a zombie and doing my job mindlessly. Laura came up to me carrying a load of towels in her arms.

“You been acting weird, though for all I know you act like this all the time. Maybe trying to volunteer here at the hospital is a bad idea?”

It looked like I was going to need to explain my behavior.

“I just found out my mom is pregnant and my sister is smoking dope. I feel like I am a part of some sort of soap opera”

I wanted to ask her about Oliva but I couldn’t think of a way to weave that into the conversation.

“Well the fact your mom is expecting isn’t too bad.“Laura said,seeming to look uneasy about the information I had given her.

I just shrugged a little bit not wanting to freak her out with the rest of the story. She bit her lip a bit starting to put away the towels on a cart.

“Something is bothering you I can tell. I know we haven’t been friends for very long but I felt like I known you for years. You remind me of someone. I can’t seem to put my finger on it. Please let me help you in your time of need. Nobody was there when my little sister died.”

I frowned at Laura a little bit.

“The child my mom is expecting is going to be a bastard.”

Laura paled a little bit at my words, she made no comment and kept on working. I sighed knowing I was acting like a jerk.

“Sorry I shouldn’t be so harsh, maybe talking after work would be best when I have calmed down a little bit”

Laura shrugged a bit giving me a helpless look.

“I deserved it, I was pushing you too much to say what is on your mind. Seeing you after work sounds like a good idea”

I eyed Laura with how submissive she was acting it seemed like she had a lot on her mind. Maybe I could get some information about Oliva from her with our talk. I started to help the patients feeling more focused on the job at hand than letting what was on my mind distract me. It was like me and Laura were meant to be friends it just took a little push for us to be together.

After work me and Laura headed for her house. She took some soda from her fridge and put them on the table. I sat down and drunk the who can in one gulp and let out a loud belch. Laura gave a little laugh at me but seemed to be having a hard time relaxing.

“Well what should we talk about?”

For the moment I just wanted to talk about something besides my whole messed up family.

“Well what did you think of Greg?”

Laura leaned back in her chair. seeming to start to relax.

“He reminds me of one of the friends my younger sister used to have. I think she was friends with all the children her age in the neighborhood. I was so jealous of her way with everyone we met.”

I gulped feeling myself tense up at the mention of her sister. Since it seemed the conversation was going in that direction already I decided to push it a little and see if I could get any information out of her.

“Tell me more about your sister. I am really curious about her.”

Laura blinked seeming somewhat surprised at that statement.

“She was pretty much the average annoying little sister that seemed to be able to work her way into everyones hearts.”

I chewed my bottom lip, not wanting to push her.

“Sounds like my sister, though she is an annoying big sister and her popularity was based on drugs not her personality.”

Laura took a deep breath, then sipped at her soda.

“I can remember the day she died. It seemed so vivid in my mind. Oliva she went upstairs to go play with an old doll house though our uncle who was storing some things up there told everyone not to rummage around in there. There was a scream, and some thumping noises. I ran upstairs seeing flames spurting out from under the door. I tried to open it but the handle was too hot. I heard a scream. I ran trying to replace something to break down the door. By then Mother had dialed 911. My mother grabbed at me telling me it was foolish to try to open the door, since I might get burned. By the time the firefighters arrived it was too late.”

I tried to hide my feelings when she spoke Oliva’s name. There seemed to be a mystery about how she had died. How did that fire start in the first place? What was the uncle keeping in the attic? Why was Laura’s mother letting him store things up there?

“How old was your sister at the time?”

Laura was now starting to cry out of control. I put an arm around her.

“Don’t blame yourself for her death. Something seems a little bit funny. Why did the fire break out in the first place? Was your uncle keeping flammable objects in there, a lighter?”

She groaned a bit and downed the rest of her soda.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

I shrugged feeling rather awkward unsure of what to talk about now. Laura looked over at me.

“So how did your mom get in a situation of having a fatherless child. I guess her and your dad are divorced?”

I nodded a little bit, this subject wasn’t much better than the last but at least we were talking.

“Yeah, mom caught him cheating shortly after she had me. But it seems she is still in love with him. She really needs someone to get her mind of my scum of a dad.”

Laura looked thoughtful.

“Maybe I can set her up with one of my uncles. Not the one who was keeping his stuff upstairs of course. That guy is creepy”

Me and Laura made plans for a dinner outing with my family and hers in which her favorite uncle would just happen to be there. As the time came for me to come home I knew I would have to try to research on Laura’s family. I had a feeling the answer to my dilemma with Oliva was that uncle.

I felt sick as I headed for home.

Not wanting to deal with my mother right now I started to head up to my room. I paused on the steps. I knew if I didn’t get it out of the way then I would probably never get it done. All I could hope for was that mother wouldn’t just blow the family outing idea out of the water. I turned back starting to look around the house for her. I found her sitting on her bed holding an old stuffed animal in her arms. As she saw me she thrust it underneath the sheets.

“Sorry to barge into you like this but with how events had turned I thought you could use something to cheer you up. Me and my friend Laura thought of having a little family outing. Dinner, a movie of maybe some miniature golf or something.”

Mother sighed a little bit, rubbing her temples.

“I am not too sure if I can handle that right now.”

Kneeling down on the ground, I gave my best puppy dog look. I was mostly trying to get her to laugh and forget about her troubles for a little while.

“Come on, just dinner. We don’t have to do anything else. You really need to meet some new people mom. I know you really hadn’t made any friends since father left you.”

Mother had a look on her face as if she was trying to replace an excuse to get out of it.

“I have been feeling morning sickness lately. I don’t think going out to dinner is a good idea.”

What did I have to do to get her out of this rut she was getting herself into?

“Well what about we just have some soda and tea together?”

She seemed to confider my idea for a moment.

“No I don’t want to burden anyone.”

I felt like yelling, swearing and hitting her. Though I knew reacting in the way Denise probably would in this situation would make any chances of this happening become nil. I took a deep breath in order to calm myself.

“Me and Denise will be there. You are not a burden to me or anyone else. If you just shut yourself down during this pregnancy it will be not good for the child growing within you. You need other peoples support more than ever right now mother. Please do this for me, and not for me for the one that is growing inside you.”

A deep sigh escaped from my mother.

“You win Ayita, I will go to your little tea party since you want it so much.”

I gave her a tight hug.

“You have no idea how happy you made me! Well there is some homework I have to do. Will you be alright by yourself?”

Mother nodded slowly. I slid out of her room. Well a part of my plan was working out. Now I was going to have to figure out how to casually get information about Laura’s shady uncle somehow.

“Do I really have to wear this?”

Denise yelled from the top of the stairs. It was the day that we were to have the little family get together and my nerves were rattling around like a can of Mexican jumping beans that were sitting on a hot sidewalk. I had picked out Denise’s outfit since I had a feeling that she would wear something that wasn’t appropriate for the occasion. With her protests I was guessing she didn’t like what I picked out for her.

“Come on Denise, is it really that bad? Your only going to have to wear it for one day!”

She clacked downstairs, wearing a dress that was too big for her. Since my sister was not the kind of person to wear dresses I borrowed one of mom’s for her to wear.Denise frowned at me shaking her fist.

“Come on, this dress doesn’t fit me right. At least pick out something in my stash that is nice for me to wear.I rather not look like a mushroom!”

I sighed a bit but agreed, since having Denise being uncomfortable through this wouldn’t be very pleasant. I started to rummage through her things picking out something that would be decent to meet Laura’s family with.

“I should drag you to one of my parties and make you wear something you hate!”

I made a face, I rather have to scrub toilets with a toothbrush that I would have to use the next day than to go to one of her parties.

“No way! Come on you want mother to meet some people so she won’t be sitting in the house all day don’t you?”

Denise nodded a little bit.

“Yeah. Come on Ayita. I will take you to a party that doesn’t have any drugs in it. Stop being such a homebody!”

Mother happened to be walking by with a load of laundry, and dropped it as she heard what Denise said.

“What did you just say?!”

Denise turned pale, I was laughing inside since it wasn’t my fault that mother had found out about this. It was her own big mouth that was to blame.

“I said I would protect Ayita from thugs.”

Mother’s face turned red.

“I know what you said young lady. You been taking drugs haven’t you? I thought I smelled pot but I wasn’t going to point fingers since I trusted you Denise.”

Denise shuffled her foot.

“Mom I couldn’t get into the cool crowd without doing it. Besides shouldn’t we be going to Ayita’s little party now?”

Mother started yelling at the top of her lungs, for a second I thought she had turned into a dragon.

“Your not going to get out of trouble that easy! I don’t know what to do with you. Your a little too old for spankings but your not going to get out of this unpunished. We are going to do a little shopping before the party and buy you the most fancy frilly dress they got. After Ayita’s get together, well I will figure something out to make you learn that doing drugs is just not cool no matter what all the other kids are doing. Get it?”

Denise nodded quietly giving me an evil look. I shrugged back at her helplessly. I was glad that mother found that out so quickly.

We went to a quick trip to a dress shop where mother pointed out the most ugly dress I ever seen. I couldn’t help thinking that it must of been meant for a bridesmaid or something. Denise was muttering as she looked at herself in the mirror. I looked at my watch.

“Come on everyone it’s time for the party!”

As mother drove, Denise whispered in my ear.

“I am going to kill you.”

I licked my lips and shrugged whispering back.

“It isn’t my fault she found out about it.”

Denise looked like she was going to argue, but just sighed and leaned up on the seat mumbling about how much she hated her stupid dress. I could hardly hold the laughter that was bubbling up in me at this situation.

The cups on the table seemed to be having more of a conversation than us.

Denise gave a little yawn, covering her mouth with a hand. When we cam in they made a fuss about her dress and made comments about how they should of wore something more appropriate. We explained it off by making up a story about how Denise was supposed to be a bride maid in a wedding afterwards. Picking up the cup she makes a glance at Laura’s uncle.

“Do you always come to family functions? I don’t see any of my uncles except on Christmas and stuff like that.”

Laura made a face, and so did I. It seemed like we should of thought of that question coming. Laura opened her mouth about to respond for her uncle, when he looked over at her with a cocky sort of smirk.

“Do you always wear dresses like that at a simple get together? You could of just changed after this you know?”

Denise grunted and looked over to mother to save her. I groaned inwardly. If that guy was going to act like that than the chances of him and mother getting romantically involved was slim to none. Laura’s uncle was cute but he was giving a bad impression of himself. Mother piped in.

“Actually this is just a punishment for her. Denise hates dresses. This is just the beginning. I have no idea how I am going to teach her that taking drugs just isn’t cool.”

Wow mother was certainly acting more forceful than normal, I picked up my drink looking over at my sister who was turning a bright red and looking like she wanted to sink into her chair.Laura’s uncle nodded a little bit.

“That can be a difficult subject. Did you take any drugs while you were in high school?”

That was bold of him to say. I checked mom for signs of anger but she seemed calm and relaxed. I was beginning to wonder if someone had traded in my mother for a pod person. By the way that mother was looking at Laura’s uncle I could see she was attracted to him. Maybe that is why she was being so lenient?

“Yes. I almost died because of an overdose. That is why I want Denise to stay away from them. I wish I told her about this before so I wouldn’t have to be punishing her like this.”

Like nobody else was in the room, Laura’s uncle leaned over and gave my mother a gentle kiss. I dropped my soda on the floor. Everyone else was staring wide eyed at what they saw before them. Denise started to turn a strange shade of green.

“Your disgusting mother, making out with someone you hardly know in front of us like that. I replace it hard to believe you ever took drugs either. If this is some warped way to get me to stop, forget it. I rather go and live with dad than to give up what I got right now.”

Mother pushed Laura’s uncle gently away from her blushing a little bit. Then glared over at Denise. I thought they were going to start to fight in front of everyone.

“We didn’t set this up Denise. If you want to go and live with your father, fine. Maybe you will learn something about what doing drugs does to people. I met your father at a party and he was the one that gave me my first puff of pot. I became addicted to drugs, and to him”

Denise looked at her, mumbling to herself as she sat down again, looking ready to throw up at any moment.

“Maybe dad will be cooler about it. I don’t believe you let that guy you barely know kiss you like that!”

Mother blushed softly.

“It has been a while since anyone has been tender to me Denise. It really isn’t your business who I kiss and who I don’t. You act like you don’t want me to move on in my life!”

Laura’s uncle coughed.

“Ladies, please. I am sorry about my forwardness. I rather not see you ladies fighting.”

Denise looked about ready to slap him.

“Can’t you see it has nothing to do with you that I am so angry?The idea of mom being with anyone else with dad disgusts me. How dad ran off with another woman. And all because mother had to have a baby when dad didn’t want to have another kid. I hate her! And now she is going to have another brat who is going to ruin everything from me. I thought drugs would make me happy, to escape from reality. But they aren’t helping me. I just want things to be the way they used to be. Just me mom and dad together, happy!”

Mother blinked a little putting a hand on Denise’s shoulder.

“You know as well as I that your father was cheating way before Ayita was born. It isn’t fair of you to blame her” She looks over at the rest of the room.“Sorry about this. I guess some things that been held in too long are coming out now.

Laura’s parents just nodded, through the whole thing they didn’t say much. They just sat there with sad looks on their faces. Laura’s uncle walked over and put an arm around my mother and sister, who really didn’t look very happy about being touched like that.

“Don’t worry. We are all healing here. To make up my bad behavior can I take all you three ladies to dinner?”

Me and mother agreed to that, but Denise just grumbled a little before finally going with it.

As we headed for home something occurred to me. I forgot to ask questions for the mystery with Oliva. Though I felt like nosing around Laura’s house was the wrong way to go.

I rummaged through my bag looking for the photo album, but it seemed to be missing.

Running downstairs I barged into Denise’s room trying to backtrack to where I last had it. Right now my mind was fuzzy do the last thing I remember was having that discussion with her.When I entered, she pushed me out the door and slammed the door in my face! Well now that was rude, though I guess I shouldn’t of just ran into her room like that.

“Come on Denise, I am missing my photo album you gave me. Have you seen it?”

Slowly the door opened.

“I haven’t seen it since I gave it to you. That seems like so long ago. I never did get to see what you did. I think I should start back on my path of photography again.”

I frowned a little bit, knowing she must of stopped because of the drugs but didn’t say anything.

“I must of left it at school! What if someone replaces it?”

Denise laughed a bit.

“Well it would easy to tell who it belonged to!”

I wasn’t amused. I headed downstairs wondering what would happen if someone else opened it and found the ghost. I was beginning to think of her as mine. How would it feel to have someone else be able to solve this mystery that’s been chasing me since I found it. I wouldn’t be very happy that is for sure.

Lost and Found.

Right now it was the pile of hope. Digging through people’s belongings tossing them and hoping to replace my missing album. I never realized things could be important. As I looked at everything I was rustling through I kept wondering the significance these items held to the person they belonged to. Unluckily for me the album wasn’t there. Just who could of found it? I started to look at the messages on the board just in case someone wrote about replaceing it.

I grabbed something off it from a stack of pamphlets about a workshop for people who had used drugs and wanted to stop.

Maybe Denise would go with me. Nab the problem before it came out of hand. I stuffed the flier in my backpack in the front zipper so it wouldn’t get lost. The day that my album got lost was replaying in my head. I took it out of my backpack, then ran to the ladies room. I didn’t notice that it was gone until I got home. It must of gotten lost in between those areas.

At lunch time I looked around the cafeteria. It might still be there. I slowly backed up trying to remember if I carried it into the bathroom or not. Just then I bumped into Greg.

“Um are you looking for something Ayita?”

I stood up straight quickly, with a flustered look on my face. As I gazed at him he seemed rather scared. Was Greg the one that found it? I bit my lip so hard that it started to bleed. Greg leaned up a napkin to my lips to dab the blood away. As he did I slowly nodded my cheeks flushing.

“Yeah I misplaced a photo album that is really important to me.”

Greg reached into his bag pulling it out, he had a strange look on his face as he returned it. I wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment or what.

“I sort of was looking at it when you went to the bathroom, and I didn’t want you to see that I had it so I threw it in my bag before you would notice it.”

I looked around then slipped it into my bag, whispering.

“Did you see anything weird when you opened the book?”

He looked around a bit.

“I saw something. I need to talk to you after school.”

I gave a slow nod, sweating a little bit. It seemed Greg saw the ghost of Oliva. Just what had she said to him?

As my classes passed by the realization that working in the hospital any longer was going to be impossible. With all this stuff happening I could barely focus on my classes. Maybe a tutor would help me out so I could catch up.I knew that thinking about this in class was counter productive but my mind was busy thinking about what Greg had to say. Thinking about school was just to distract me from those thoughts. My mind sure had been busy lately.

I thought the bell would never ring. I raced out of the room being careful not to run into anyone.

There was Greg standing in the doorway of the school.

“Hello. So what did you see in the album?”

Maybe Oliva gave him a clue that she couldn’t give me? No that was silly, this wasn’t like my dream. I remembered what she was like when we first met. She didn’t even give me any clues that hr death was so suspicious. As I was lost in my thoughts it seemed Greg was talking. I better start to pay attention! I didn’t had most of what he had said.

“...and so I was wondering if you would go out on a date with me.”

What did this have to do with th photo album? Wait why was that the first thing in my mind. I was becoming too obsessed with the ghost that stayed within there. My heart bat quickly wishing I could of hard the other things he had said.

“I would love to Greg, but because of recent events I need to catch up with my schoolwork. Maybe in a month?”

He looked shot down. I didn’t man to sound like I was blowing him off, but I was sure with how much trouble I was having concentrating lately my grades must be suffering.