The smell. It smelled like old rotten meat inside Amy's house. The two women quickly covered their noses against the unbearable foul smell.
"What's that smell? Bonnie don't close the door."
"I'm sorry Stella but I can't leave it open. We just have to bare it hopefully we don't have to stay long." Bonnie said and closed the door behind her.
"Suddenly I miss the fresh air outside and that old woman." Stella said with a pain look on her face. "I feel like puking my lungs out."
"Hold it in Stella we can't leave any DNA in here. You can take the living room and the kitchen I will search her bedroom." Bonnie said but Stella pulled her quickly back by the arm.
"You weren't serious when you said I will bake a cake for Amy? I cant bake anything even if my life depends on it." Stella said with wide eyes.
"Relax I know, look I will order her a cake and let them deliver it to her as soon as were done here so let's hustle before we both faint from the smell." Bonnie said and smiled behind her hand.
"Good and let's keep communication open at all times." Stella said.
Bonnie nodded her head and made her way down the hall to Amy's room. The room was small with one big window. Bonnie felt tempted to open the widows but decided to let it go. She just needs to search quickly and thoroughly and get the hell out.
She opened Amy's bedside drawers first. There was nothing in the first one. The second one had a letter in. A half written letter. There was no name or address on it. The letter only said.
I was going to write sooner but things on my side are not going so well. I can't say much just that my life changed for the worse. I love and miss you
"Love and miss who and why did your life change for the worse." Bonnie said softly.
"Did you find anything? What is that a letter?" Stella asked from the door.
Bonnie looked up and said. "A half written letter to I don't know to who maybe to her mother back in Canada. Did you find anything?"
"Six bottles morphine. Now I'm starting to wonder what Amy is doing with it. Way too much to be considered legal. She didn't look in pain to me when we met her."
"A half written letter to her let's say mom in Canada. And six bottles morphine. What does the two have in common. How does it fit into this bizarre story." Bonnie said deep in thought.
"We can discuss that outside and far away from this place." Stella said and swallowed the bile back in her throat.
Bonnie placed the letter back in the second drawer and closed it. "Your right let's get out of here. She walked to Stella but turn back again with a questioning look on her face.
"Bonnie what is it?" Stella asked with a worried look on her face.
Bonnie walked back to the small rug next to Amy's bed and looked down at it with a frown on her face.
"Bonnie? I hope your not taking time out to admire that ugly rug while we can faint any time." Stella said.
"Something is under this rug. I think its a trapdoor or something. I can feel a handle Stella." Bonnie said as she's trying to pull the rug that's seems to be glued to the wooden floor off.
The sound of a car honking outside made both women looked at each other with wide eyes. "Go see who it is." Bonnie whispered quickly.
Stella wasted no time running to the living room she peeked through the curtains and saw Amy waving Mike goodbye. "Shit." Stella said with wide eyes and ran to Bonnie who was still trying to remove the rug.
"I can't get it lose why would she glue a rug to her floor." Bonnie said as she's pulling the rug from left to right.
"I don't think that really matters now leave the fucking thing and let's make a run for it. Mike just dropped Amy off, Bonnie." Stella said with wide eyes.
"Shit. The window Stella you go first." Bonnie said and moved the rug quickly back the way it was.
Stella wasted no time. She opened the window and put her one leg through. Both women freeze when they heard the front door open. "Its Amy." Stella mouthed to Bonnie.
"I know just jump out." Bonnie mouthed back.
"Just jump? We are not in some fucking movie Bonnie." Stella whispered softly.
"Its either you jump or I push you out myself. Now jump." Bonnie said. They could hear Amy in the kitchen and it won't be long before she makes her way to her bedroom.
Stella took in a deep breath and jump with the brick in her hand the short distance from the window to the ground. She landed hard on her behind in the bushes. "Fuck." She said quietly. She quickly moved to the side when she saw Bonnie coming out. Bonnie landed gracefully like a cat on her feet and pulled Stella up. "I can't feel my ass." Stella said softly.
"Than its a good thing because we're climbing the fence." Bonnie whispered.
Stella looked up at the sky and said. "Lord give me strength."
Bonnie helped Stella over the fence as quickly and quietly as possible. Bonnie had no trouble climbing over. Now in the old woman's yard the two women quickly pulled themselves together and walked to the front door of the old woman. Bonnie slipped the key under the door and together she and Stella quickly walked down the street where their cars were parked.
Germany
Zoe followed obediently behind her caretaker Hannah who is just two years older than her to her sleeping quarters. She will be sharing a room with three other girls for the week.
"Du sprichst sehr gut Deutsch Zoe Salvatore." (You speak German very good Zoe Salvatore.) Hannah said to Zoe with a smile on her face.
"Nicht so gut. Ich lerne immernoch." (Not that good. I'm still learning.) Zoe said with a shy smile.
"That's good enough for me Zoe. I think the two of us are going to get along just fine." Hannah said over her shoulder to Zoe. She stopped in front of a green door and knocked on it.
A beautiful olive skin girl opened the door and smiled when she saw Hannah. Hannah greeted the girl and stepped inside the room with Zoe under the curious eyes of the girl. Inside was two more girls busy unpacking their stuff.
"Girls this is Zoe Salvatore from America. She will be your room mate for the week. If there is anything that you girls need or don't understand don't be afraid to ask for help. My room is just down the hall." Hannah than turned to Zoe and said. "Enjoy your stay and welcome to Germany Zoe."
"Danke Hannah." (Thank you Hannah.) Zoe said softly in German.
Hannah tipped her head at Zoe and walked out and closed the door behind her.
Awkward silence settled in the room after Hannah closed the door behind her. Zoe stood there with her two bags in hand.
"I'm Adelpha Castellanos from Greece." The olive skin girl greeted Zoe with a friendly smile. You can have the bed by the window its the only one left."
"Thank you Adelpha. Its a pleasure to meet you." Zoe said with a grateful smile.
"Do you speak German?" It was a skinny ebony girl asking Zoe this.
"I have it as one of the four languages in my school. I'm still learning it." Zoe said with a soft smile.
The ebony girl smiled brightly and said. "Hi I'm Aurora Abara from Ethiopia. Its my very first time in Germany. Its my first time being overseas."
Zoe shook the girl's hand sand said. "Pleasure to make your acquaintances Aurora Abara."
"You should count yourself lucky Aurora. Not many third world people get that kind of opportunity." The third girl said.
Aurora's smile quickly faded from her face. Adelpha gasped out loud.
"Its true. Anyway I'm Giorgia and I'm from Italy the best swimmer in my school so you girls can all go dream about that gold medal because it belongs to me around my neck."
Zoe smiled and said. "Pleasure to meet you too Giorgia. I just love a challenge."
Giorgia followed Zoe to her small closet and said. "My father says that you Americans you think you own the world and you think your the best in everything."
Zoe closed her closet door and turned back to look at Giorgia. "Your father is a very wise man Giorgia but we are not the best in everything. But that will soon change. Did you know we discovered life on Mars and soon people will be send there to live. The world is already over populated so who knows we might ship you and your father off to Mars first as test subjects." Zoe said with a sweet smile.
Aurora and Adelpha quickly covered their mouths and laughed softly.
"How dare you insult me and my father. My father is a minister. A very important man in Italy." Giorgia said with heated eyes.
"My father too Giorgia. He sells snow to Eskimos in Antarctica. That's how important he is." Zoe said calmly.
Giorgio gasped out in shock and said. "You are mocking me."
Zoe took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "Look Giorgia let's not be mean. I'm sorry okay but you shouldn't have said that ugly things to Aurora. I'm sorry I offended you can we be friends?"
"You wish American." Giorgia said and walked back to her bed.
Zoe sigh and turned back to her closet. She missed her family. Her mom, her dad, Alex, Kenzie and Dylan. She missed the twins and their baby smell and Aslan. And there was Cayllum. Her heart ache when she thinks about him. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"She's just trying to get you to snap. I think its part of her game plan to intimidate us. She hates competition." Adelpha said softly.
"We heard about the mermaid girl from Mystique Lake." Aurora said with a sparkle in her eyes. "Are you really that good? Can you hold your breath for thirty minutes under water."
Zoe looked surprised. Where did they hear all of this. She looked at the two girls who looked at her as if she was some demi goddess send to the waters of the earth. Even Giorgia were waiting for her answer.
The Salvatore Home
Jack came back and gave Damon all the details what he suspect went down in Sam's apartment.
Damon ran a hand over his face and said. "I don't want Alex to find out." Damon said to Jack
"Don't let Alex find out what dad?" Alex asked with a raised brow behind them. He was standing in Damon's open study door with a questioning look.
Damon was speechless as he looked at Alex.
"Is there something I must know? Or will you keep this a secret from me too." Alex said with a hard look in his eyes.
Damon cleared his throat and said. "No, no more secrets. I will tell you."
"Good I'm listening." Alex said and folded his arms.
"I just told Jack I bought that apartment in Boston that you are paying rent for. I bought it for you Alex. I want you to have a place to live in without worrying where you will get the money for the rent let me at least do that for you because I love and care for you. No matter what you will always be my son. My first born. My heir." Damon said with a pleading sad look in his eyes. He was not lying. He did buy the apartment for Alex. He really loves Alex but he just can't tell Alex what happened with Sam. He will lose it completely.
"I told you I don't need your money. I can make it on my own or do you think I'm not man enough to make it on my own?"
"Alex I believe in you one hundred percent and more. I just want the best for my children." Damon said.
"If you want what's best for me than stay out of my life dad." Alex said and walked out slamming the door shut behind him.
Jack looked at Damon who had tears in his eyes. There was just something about a weak vulnerable Damon that touched something in him.
"You know what to do Jack." Damon said softly.
Jack nodded his head. He knew what Damon wanted and that is to get rid of Sam's body in the trunk of his car.
The Henderson's Home
The three women were sitting around the table in silence in Kate's kitchen each with a hot cup of herbal tea. Bonnie and Stella just finished telling Kate everything and now they are giving her time to let it all sink in.
"Wow have you two been busy." Kate said.
"I literally put my ass on the line today." Stella said and moved gingerly on her chair.
"You did great partner." Bonnie said and patted her arm softly.
"Ouch I'm still very much sore from that embarrassing fall from grace." Stella said.
"Hey it can happen to anyone." Bonnie said with a smile.
"So what do you guys think what's under that trapdoor in Amy's bedroom?" Kate asked with a concerned look on her face.
"The kind of stuff nightmares are made of. I'm thinking of a slithering moving torso with no head. The decomposed legs are also moving by itself kicking and crawling aimlessly." Stella said and took a bite from the delicious muffins Kate had made for them. "I must give it to you Kate you sure know how to make a mean muffin.
Kate choked on her tea. "You are saying that and yet you take a bite from that muffin like its nothing?" Kate managed to get out in shock.
Bonnie shook her head with a smile and said. "Stella did you fall on your head too?"
Stella shook her head no. "My ass break the fall so my head is fine."
"You could have fooled us." Bonnie said and laughed softly.
Kate looked at Bonnie and smiled softly. "I too have something to share." Kate told them about what was said between Jade and Damon and how she didn't like the smile on Jades face in the meeting and the way she looked at Damon. She also told them about her run in with Jade at the mall.
Stella smiled like she just received the best news ever. "My girl. I am so proud of you right now. I can promise you this when we go for Jade you can have the first go at her I'm sure Bonnie wont mind. Just give the bitch a right and a left and than finish her off with a upper cut right under her chin and than step back and watch the bitch go down to the floor." Stella said.
Kate looked at Bonnie who was trying to keep it together. "Bonnie I'm sorry maybe I just saw something that wasn't there." Kate said to Bonnie and touched her hand softly.
"Nonsense Kate. You saw it right. I say let's go fuck them both up." Stella said with heated eyes.
"I'm fine. Jade will always be after Damon. I know she still has feelings for him but Damon will never act out on it." Bonnie said and looked down at her hands trying hard not to cry in front of Stella and Kate.
"Bonnie let it go don't hold it in. We won't judge you." Stella said and touched her shoulder.
"True friends don't judge. You cry we cry. We are all here for each other." Kate said.
Tears welled up in her eyes. "He loves me. Damon loves me." Bonnie said in tears.
"Of course he does and he will always love you. He may be the most desirable man in town." Kate said. But Stella just snorted at that. "He wish." Stella said.
"But he loves you Bonnie and that is something Jade cant take away. Your love is strong and grounded and beautiful."
"Damon is an insecure obsessed crazy fucker who thinks he can flirt with everything on the menu even with a lobster. A very ugly lobster and when Bonnie just greet her ex he loses his shit in public! Ouch!" Stella said when she felt a hard kick from Kate under the table.
"You can be so sensitive sometimes Stella." Kate said.
"I'm just telling facts but with all that, that he is. He really loves you Bonnie." Stella said softly.
Bonnie smiled through her tears and said. "Its great to have friends like you guys."
"Group hug and than Kate can get us more muffins." Stella said cheery.
Kate laughed good-heartedly. "Stella if you keep eating my muffins you won't be able to fit into your wedding dress."
"Honey I can fit into anything. I just suck it in." Stela said. They all laughed happily at that.
Dr Henderson entered the kitchen with a smile on his face and said. "You guys sound all cheery in here. Hi Bonnie, hi Stella."
"Hey Hendy. Its good to be together after a hectic week." Bonnie said with a smile.
"You can say that again." Kate said.
"Hey doc." Stella said. "I was wondering if you can help me. I'm in pain."
"Is it a migraine? I can give you some pain meds for that Stella." Dr Henderson said with a friendly smile.
Stella shook her head no. "Not my head doc. Its my ass. I have pain in my ass can you help." Stella asked looking all innocent.
Dr Henderson spit the water out of his mouth that he was just about to swallow down. Bonnie quickly looked away her shoulders shaking with laughter. Kate just shook her head and smiled.
"Uhm you know objects are not suppose to go in there without the proper care and lubrication." The good ole doc stuttered out with red cheeks and ears.
When Bonnie heard that she quickly covered her mouth.
Stella fake confusion on her face and said. "Hendy what are you saying? I fell on my ass now my bum is hurting."
"Oh Lord." Dr Henderson stuttered out in horror.
"Can you help?" Stella asked with a sweet smile.
"Dr Stephen and I are off. Dr Smith is a very good doctor or go to the hospital." Dr Henderson said with a red face.
"I'm not going to let a stranger touch my ass." Stella said.
"We'll I'm not touching it like I said I'm off for the day now if you will excuse me I'm going back to my garden where everything makes sense." Dr Henderson said and quickly walked out.
Bonnie, Stella and Kate doubled over with laughter. "I'm sorry Kate I just had to tease good ole Hendy. Oh man did you guys see the look on his face. It was priceless."
Bonnie laughed and said. "Okay guys time to call Care bear we got a lot to share with her."
The Salvatore Home
It was around six o clock in the evening when Bonnie came home. She found Damon in his study sitting deep in thought behind his desk. When he saw her he quickly got up from his chair and walked to her. He took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. "Babe are you fine?"
"Yes I'm fine." She said against his chest.
"Jack told me what happened. He handled it." Damon said and kissed her on her head.
"Let's go out tonight. All of us. Me you Stephen, Stella, Jack, Kate and Hendy. The whole gang let's get drunk tonight." Bonnie said with a reckless look in her eyes.
Damon looked at her for a second. "Get dressed. I'm taking you to the wildest club in town."
...