Chapter 12: Strange Visitors
While Dave and the boys went to go see Simon, her sisters brought her to Dave's home. Jeanette had been understandably upset since the police dropped her off. For most of the day, the three sisters sat together, while looking after Brittany and Alvin's twin boys.
Not long ago, Brittany decided to go to the grocery store, shortly after; Eleanor got a call from her restaurant on an emergency. Both girls felt guilty in leaving Jeanette alone, but she assured her sisters that she would be fine.
Nothing much to do, Jeanette checked the twins that was set down for their afternoon nap. She looks around at the familiar room. She remembered it was once the room Simon and his brother's grew up in. Though it has been changed over the years, and currently is been used as the twin's bedroom, some items remained. Photos sat at shelf at the end of the room. It took her a moment to realize that the area was once where Simon's bed lied.
She walked over to look at the pictures, and her heart sank. Some of the images were of Simon, Theodore, and Alvin as young kids, but she stopped at one with Simon and four faintly familiar chipmunk teens. The bespectacled chipette picked up the picture and sighed.
It was not fair that his friends met with a premature death. The situation nearly ended Simon's life as well, but two detectives saved him.
Her memories drifted back further to when Simon was taken, and then when he was returned. She then let out a quiet sob when she thought of her three kids.
A knock on the door broke Jeanette of her sad thoughts. Without a second thought, she headed downstairs with the photograph in her hand. She got all the way downstairs when she realized that she was still holding the picture. Before walking up to the door, she placed the picture on a small table beside the stairs.
"Who is it?" She called out, while looking through the peek hole on the door. She spotted two chipmunks that were about her age. One was a female with long blond curly hair and square glasses on her face, her companion, a male with hazel brown eyes. Both wore suits, much similar to the two detectives that saved Simon years ago. An eerie feeling crept in her mind that these two chipmunks seemed familiar somehow.
"Mrs. Seville? May we come in? We have some questions to ask that relate to the abduction of your children." The blonde chipette asked in a thick English accent.
"Oh," Jeanette pondered a moment if she should open the door to let them in, with on more look through the peek hole, she felt she would be able to trust these chipmunks. "One second."
With a turn of the knob, Jeanette unlocked the door before opening it to usher the visitors inside - the moment the two chipmunks walked past Jeanette, she got the same familiar feeling about them. However, the feeling was safe, it was also sad too. This made Jeanette fell somewhat confused. Looking up at the blond chipette's warm smile broke Jeanette out of her thoughts.
"Thank you, Mrs. Seville. I understand this can be troubled times. I am Somerfield, and this is my partner, Collins." The chipette introduced her and her companion in a pleasant tone.
"Ma'am," the male chipmunk nodded.
Again, the painful feeling of knowing these two chipmunks somewhere before poked her in the back of her brain. Before she had the chance to think of where she could possibly know them, her thoughts were interrupted by the blond chipette.
"May we sit down to talk?" Somerfield asked.
Jeanette shook her head back into reality. "Uh, o-of course," she muttered. "I was about to make some tea." Holding out her hand to address the living room, she continued, "Please, make yourselves comfortable. I will be right back." She finished as politely as she could before turning to the kitchen - leaving the visitors alone.
The blond chipette was the first to head into the living room. Her footsteps seemed light and did not make a sound. The young male began to follow then stopped when something caught his eye. He smiled once he spotted the old photograph; his smile grew wide before glancing back to his companion.
"Hey, Brenda… Remember this?"
Somerfield turned around to see what Collins was pointing at, and smiled when she too spots the picture of the five teenage chipmunks. With a cocky smirk, she glanced back at Collins.
"Brian, my love, we are not here to reminisce the old days…we are here to help a soul to stay calm during this time of crisis." She instructed.
Brian turns back to the picture and suddenly looks sad. "Hopefully the mission will be a success tonight."
Brenda nodded in agreement. "Knowing our friends, they will not rest until it is over. They must succeed, generations to come depends on it."
Silently, the two chipmunks walk into the living room, and wait patiently for Jeanette and the tea.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Jeanette stared blankly in space while she waited for the kettle to finish boiling the water. Her thoughts drifted to the visitors waiting in the other room. She wondered if they would like cookies to go with their tea.
Deciding she would serve the tea with cookies, she reached over to the cupboard and instantly found Dave's favorite chocolate chip cookies. Jeanette figured that he wouldn't mind she borrowed a couple of cookies for her guests.
Her focus were still on her visitors as she nervously placed the cookies on a plate that once the kettle started to whistle, she leapt up with a surprise, causing five cookies to fly out of the bag and all over the floor.
Subconsciously, Jeanette grasp at her chest as if it would help ease her speeding heart rate. With a few steady breaths, she managed to calm herself down. Mrs. Seville placed the half-empty bag on the counter before grabbing the kettle and pouring the hot water into the teapot. As she did so, she wondered why she was suddenly so jumpy. Ever since the visitors came to the door, she has had an eerie feeling that caused chills to crawl up and down her spin.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Several minutes passed before Jeanette returned to the living room with a tray carrying the teapot, three cups, and a plate of cookies.
"I'm sorry that I don't have more to share with the tea, but I thought some snacks were necessary, so I brought some cookies.
"Awesome, I feel as if I hadn't eaten in years!" Collins cheered with delight as the plate appeared in front of him. He reached out for a cookie, but his hand was slapped away by his female companion.
"In all the time I have spent with you, did I fail to teach you some manners?" She barked in her perfect English accent. "Besides, this is not why we are here."
Collins rubbed his hand before glancing up to Jeanette. "Sorry... I meant to say, thank you, you are a gracious hostess."
"Oh, you're welcome…" Jeanette blushes as she fidgets with her apron.
She paused as she noticed a stain, a stain she got when she once had an argument with Simon - an argument that now she thought about it, seemed rather silly. Jeanette had spilled some tomato sauce on herself when she turned away from the stove to look at her husband.
It was at that moment, she would give anything to have him with her right now to comfort her until their children are found.
Brenda tilted her head to Jeanette. She looked at her as if she was reading her thoughts. Brenda began to smile warmly at her, and said, "I would not worry about your husband, Mrs. Seville. He's fine."
"What..." Jeanette looked up with puzzlement to the blond chipette's comment.
Without skipping a beat, Brenda responded. "My colleague and I were on our way back from your home in San Diego. Your husband is safe with his brothers and father. He is as worried as you are about your children."
"Well, I'm not surprised. He loves our kids very much." Jeanette murmured thoughtfully.
"Yes, we've noticed." Brian mused.
Jeanette paused. The same creepy feeling sprang in her mind. She raised her eyebrow in suspicion. "You know I can't help but to think that you two look awfully familiar to me. Have we met somewhere before?" She asked.
Both chipmunks looked at each other briefly. Then with a smirk, they brought their attention back to their hostess.
"I can safely say that we have never met in person before, my dear." Brenda chinned.
"Are you sure?" Jeanette asked, wary if what she heard was correct.
"Positive," Brian nodded an affirmative.
Nervously, Jeanette picks up the teapot and begins pouring it in each of the three cups.
"Um, you mentioned you had some questions about my children?" She wondered.
"Yes," Brenda nodded. She pulled out a pad and pen then prepared herself to write down notes. "Do you remember any details last night during the time they were been abducted?" She asked.
"Vividly, Mrs. Somerfield," Jeanette murmured as she picked up her cup and began sipping slowly.
"Please, go on." The blond chipette urged her to continue.
"Well, I remember my daughter getting upset when the officer pulled us over for what I thought was speeding." Jeanette began, staring down into the tea she held tightly in her hands. She instantly felt she was repeating herself, since the officers that picked her up as similar questions.
"My daughter, she seemed upset, not because we were pulled over for speeding, but from the man that pulled us over." She continued.
"You're daughter has a powerful insight to the 'unknown'." Brian remarked quietly, however Jeanette heard him, and looked up from her tea.
"Excuse me?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at the chipmunk.
Brian turned to Brenda that had her own eyebrow raised to him in an annoyed manner. He then cleared his throat and spoke up to Jeanette.
"Urm, what I meant to say was I heard of this sort of thing before - a child having insight to odd and strange phenomenon." He felt pride on himself for coming up with an excuse so quickly. However, Brenda did not look impressed with him, which made him lose his proud expression.
"Oh," Jeanette absorbed the information Brian explained to her. She then nodded. "Yes, Mary does say she sees things that are not there, and sometimes she can predict an event that hasn't happened yet."
"Sounds like you have a very special daughter indeed," Brenda commented, while giving Brian a look that said 'close one, idiot'. She then returned her focus to Jeanette. "Is there anything else you remember that you can tell us?"
"Well..." Jeanette paused for a moment, unsure if she should say anything in fear she may sound crazy. She was sure the officers that questioned her thought she was. Her eyes fell back down to her teacup. "His eyes..."
"Ma'am," Brain leaned forward, encouraging her to continue.
Jeanette darted her eyes up at her guests. She let out a small sigh before deciding to explain further.
"This may sound crazy, I don't know, maybe it was because I was really nervous and stressed at the time, but I swore the fake officer had glowing yellow eyes."
"I knew it..." Brian grumbled. Brenda nudged him with her elbow to silence him from saying anything more.
"What else can you remember, Mrs. Seville?" Brenda asked.
Jeanette thought for a moment, then raised her head to look up at them and said, "I do remember one thing before I passed out. He said something about 'going to an island' to my kids. I have no idea what that means though."
"I think we have an idea, Mrs. Seville. Thank you, you have been most helpful." Brenda announced before shoving her note pad and pen into her pocket and standing up.
"Wait, you haven't drunk your tea, or ate any cookies." Jeanette pointed out, addressing the two cups in front of them.
"That is ok; I guess we weren't as hungry or thirsty as we thought." Brian chuckled, standing up beside his companion.
"Well, then I guess I will walk you to the door then." Jeanette said in a soft tone.
"You are too kind." Brenda bowed her head. She and Brian followed Jeanette to the door.
Jeanette opened the door and both Brenda and Brian stepped outside. Brenda paused, and then turned to face Jeanette with a warm smile.
"I would not worry, Mrs. Seville, I have a feeling your children will be returned to you before the evening has passed."
"Um, ok, thank you." Jeanette nodded. Strangely enough, she felt reassured by the blond chipette's comment.
Brian reached over and touched Jeanette's arm.
"In the meantime, why don't you get some rest, hm?" He chirped.
Without warning, Jeanette began to yawn. "That does sound like a good idea. I will thank you."
She waved her visitors off and closed the door. Tiredly she turned towards to living room, but before she walked in, something caught her eye. The picture she had brought down from the room upstairs. Jeanette leaned in and got a closer look at the four teens with Simon. With a loud gasp, she instantly recognized two of them.
The names Brenda Somerfield, the chipette from England, and Brian Collins from Canada rang in her mind. Both died within a few months after returning from Founder's Island.
In lightning speed, Jeanette rushed back to the door and opened it. She jumped outside and looked up and down the street. Her visitors are nowhere in sight. Surely, they could not have gone disappeared in the time they left to the moment she realized the photograph. Even if they drove, they would have parked not far from the front door of the Seville residence.
The same chill ran up Jeanette's spin again. Slowly, she backed up into the house, closed the door and locked it. As the click of the lock sounded, Jeanette began crying - not of fear, but of gratitude. She felt somewhat relieved that Simon's friends are looking out for their children.
Feeling more tired than she was before, Jeanette went back to the living room. She lied down on the couch and fell asleep almost instantly.
