Chapter Three: Unexpected Visitor
She sighs deeply, reading through the book that was in her hands. She winced slightly as she read a part that was too intense that she felt would turn the book completely around and leave this story on a cliffhanger. She swallowed hard, bitting her nails just pages away from knowing how this story would end. The main character was standing before the antagonist, wishing to bring back his wife from the tragic accident that took her life and bring back his friends from Hell for his life. She hoped that somehow her favorite character would somehow escape this trap set up for him.
She turns the page, seeing that there was just one more page before the end. She taps her foot against the wall, anxious and worried about his decision. Thankfully she had the next few books hiding around her room that Emily let her borrow. She was finally on the last paragraph. She felt her heart beat quickly and anxiously as the final choice is dwindling in a few sentences. She read faster, much faster than usual until finally it was down to the last few words. His answer.
She reads.
He said-
Knock Knock Knock.
Leah snaps out of her book. She looks around the room and shrugs her shoulders, looking back at the page. She re-reads the last paragraph again to build anticipation for her reading. Finally it was down to what he says.
He said-
Knock Knock Knock.
Leah puts down her book on her chest. She listens and hears the knocking again. "Oh c'mon," She sighs deeply, hoping that maybe they could go away. They knock once again, Leah groans, putting the book to her side trying to get up but feeling a little bit of pain on her back. She winces in pain, rubbing it gently.
"Seth," She calls her brother out.
No response.
"Seth." She calls out again.
No response.
"Seth!" She sternly calls out, clearly annoyed by her brother not responding.
Knock Knock Knock.'
"Oh come on...," She grumbles, sitting up, holding her back still. "Seth!" She shouts. No answer. Leah rolls her eyes, getting up from her bed, steamed. She opens the door and storms down the hall, grumbling certain things under her breath about how much she wants to hurt Seth for making her walk. standing before Seth's bedroom. She opens the door and sees her brother sitting in front of the television with his headphones on, playing Xbox.
"Seth."
He doesn't hear his sister's call and just focuses on the game. He sits there in front of the TV, talking to someone and screaming curse words for moves that happen. Leah stands back, giving a face with this behavior. She hasn't seen her brother react this way since the last video game craze was released about two years ago. She never understood how everyone, and by everyone she means those individuals who have two heads, north and south, were so obsessive of these games. All these war games that not only makes the boys raging men and threatening to make them phase at will but she could practically smell their brains melting from where she stood.
She looks up at the screen and notices two other players, talking to her little brother aimlessly. She squints her eyes and makes a face when she realizes who they are. Embry and Quil, the biggest game-a-holics next to her younger brother on the entire reservation. She wonders why they haven't told her brother, or even noticed her in the first place. Maybe it was just that great of a game that they didn't acknowledge anything.
She was able to hear the music from where she was standing and the two other wolves talking to her brother about some codes. She didn't bother understanding what they were saying. She tapped her brother on the shoulder. He didn't even flinch or respond to her touch. She stood there in awe, "You gotta be kidding me...," She barked, this time slapping Seth. Leah was known as the hardest slapper/puncher on the entire reserve. Hence the term was. She rubbed her hand gently from the impact and how hard her brother felt last time she ever hit him, which was months ago.
Knock Knock Knock.
"Ugh, forget it." She shouts, knowing that he wouldn't hear her.
She ran down the stairs in a pace. She stopped over at the couch to pick up her blue hoodie to put over her tank top. She creased the wrinkles and walked over to the door slowly, one hand inside the pocket. She turned the lock off and opened the door where she was shocked to see who it was.
A woman stood before her. Someone she knew and seen before. "Hello there." The woman greeted, flashing her perfect teeth to Leah in a beautiful smile that she had ever seen. The woman stands there in a red, business like dress, what appeared to be Steve Madden black heels. Her hair reaches her shoulders, dark and flowly, incredibly healthy and piercing beautiful green eyes.
"Hi," She replies, trying to come across friendly, even though she was failing gracefully, still trying to figure out who in the world this woman could be and why she appears so familiar.
"I'm not sure if you remember me but me and my husband visited the reservation a few weeks ago," She says to Leah, her smile still on her lips.
A few weeks ago?
"During the campaign with the elections and searching for voters," She adds, her smile still there.
Leah thought hard about this. Did she mean the mayor elections or the presidential elections? She remembered people passing through for both, trying to coax people to vote for the party that was superior with bribes and broken promises that couldn't be fulfilled.
"My husband and my sons were with me," She adds, trying to help jog Leah's memory. "One was blonde, the other was dark haired like mines," She runs her fingers through her long hair, revealing her diamond stud earrings that caught Leah off guard. "Mayor Jansen?"
Leah thinks about that name and it hits her hard like a run away train. She remembers her now and now relaxes. "Yes, now I do," She extends her hand out to the woman and smiles genuinely this time. "How are you Mrs. Jansen?"
She smiles warmly, "Excellent," She replies, shaking Leah's hand.
"Congrats on the victory," Leah congratulated, "I'm sure your husband is happy to have won."
She blushes, "Thank you sweetheart, he is overjoyed," She starts giggling, "Almost doesn't stop reminding me and my children every hour." She smiles, analyzing Leah. "I'm sorry but I don't think I have your name. What is it?" She asks politely.
"Leah Clearwater."
"Well, Ms. Clearwater, I'm so glad to have visited you first," She bends down and picks up a basket. Leah opens the door wider, looking at this basket that appeared out of no where. "Me and the other wives who helped in my husbands campaign made small gifts for you," She pulls out a small statue from the basket, "In gratitude for all of your votes that helped changed our lives."
Leah takes the statue from Mrs. Jansen's hands. She holds it in her hand and examines the small object in her hands. She is in awe at how brilliantly this was constructed and painted. She runs her fingers over the smooth edges, taking in the small wolf like statue that reminds her of the totem poles from the Lakota tribe she visited long ago. The beige wolf reminded her of Seth for some reason, since he is the only wolf in the household minus Jacob, from the large eyes that seem to stare back at her.
"Do you like it?"
Leah snaps out of the little statue's gaze. She meets Mrs. Jansen's eyes, how happy they appear with her smile. "Do you like it?" She asks, obviously overjoy for some reason.
Leah nods, "It's absolutely beautiful," She forces enthusiasm to her voice. "I love the way it's made."
She giggles, "Yes," She walks up to Leah and stands right next to her. "We have a native as one of our friends and she's not from the Quileute tribe, per say, but she's from the Lakota tribe and she designed this beautiful little piece," She informs Leah, smiling at her, "My husband wasn't quite sure on what to give all of you so he thought this was the best thing."
"She's very talented," Leah commented, still gazing into the miniature wolf's eyes. She felt something staring back at her, looking into not only her mind but also her soul. She felt something reach out to her and try to grab something that belonged to her. "Thank you for the gift."
She smiles, "You're welcome."
Leah smiles back, hearing someone approach the front steps. She looks forward and sees Jacob before them, looking between her and Mrs. Jansen.
He smiles at the woman and gives her a small wave, "Hello Mrs. Jansen," Flashing his amazing smile towards her, making Leah melt inside. She loved the way his smile just lit up a room and just perfect it was. "Dropping off the gift for this house?"
She nods, "Yes, Mr. Black, did you put yours in a safe place?"
"My dad put it in his room." He replies.
"That's good," She says, she turns her attention back to Leah, "Well, Ms. Clearwater, I must go and finish handing out the rest of these to the others." She puts her hand on Leah's shoulder. She winces slightly, looking down at her hand, noticing how perfect they are. Long, nails painted french, and very elegant. "It was nice meeting you."
She nods, "It was nice meeting you too."
She walks past Leah, smiles up at Jacob, going down the steps and heading over to the next house next door. Jacob turns his attention to Leah, who is still gazing down at the small statue. Jacob scrunches his face, "Leah?"
She looks up at him. "Yeah?"
"Everything ok?"
She nods. "Yeah," She looks down at the small wolf again, staring into the dark eyes that stare back at her. "Everything's ok."
