What she encountered in the forest was magnificent. Audrina knew she should
tell someone about it. Secrets were bad. They were evil. They were the
workings of the devil. Yet it was such a rare sight. Who had time for
anything else after what she had seen? Thus she couldn't concentrate.
Exasperated, Arden threw his hands up in the air. "I quit! I quit! I'm sick and tired of taking care of you Audrina. Why in the world did you sneak off by yourself? You still have a small fever. Who knows...." He couldn't stop babbling on. Arden had just been so sick with worry. In fact, he had been in this constant state of negativity ever since Audrina became pregnant. She was the only person left in this world that he cared about. She was supposed to be his anchor, not the other way around.
He observed her anxiously.
Her eyes were glazed over. She couldn't hope staring over her shoulder. The dense green trees merged together. Oh yes, she knew they kept many secrets. Their innocent appearance did not stop her from pondering.
Papa glanced down at his nails. He was one of many emotionally drained house occupants. The male looked up again and appeared resigned. "After all you've put us through, the least you could do is explain."
"I-I saw something unusual." Audrina blinked rapidly. She licked her tongue and stared at papa. Once, he had cheated poor old women out of valuable stock market bonds. Who was to say he wasn't back to his cheating ways? He was the one most obsessed with the prospect of wealth. Was the large amount of money his? There was no way so much legal cash would be stashed behind a wild raspberry bush. Any sane person would invest any legitimate money in a bank or bond. Her mind stumbled over plans. What should she do? Should she confront him? Should she give him another chance?
Impatient, Arden tilted his head to the side. "What did you see?"
Audrina could wipe Arden from her list of suspects. She had known him since they were children. He had never put any large importance on money. Yes, she knew what had to be done. She would tell Arden everything when they were alone again. However, she didn't want papa or Maria to know.
"I saw these three boys walking on the trail," she lied. Audrina entwined and untwined her fingers. This was the perfect excuse for all her reactions so far.
Arden rushed over to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. His head moved into the crook of her neck. "Oh darling. I'm so sorry." Everytime this event was mentioned, he would apologize. Arden would never forgive himself for running away when she had needed him.
Papa let out a sigh. Was it a sigh of relief? "Maria, I'm sure Sylvia would like something to snack on before dinner." This was not something he wanted the help to overhear. He waited until she left the room. "Oh honey, that happened a long time ago."
She shivered. "Arden? Can you take me to b-bed? I'm feeling tired."
"Sure"
Guiltily, he put an arm around her waist and moved her out of the living room. Once they reached the top of the stairs, she looked behind her. No, papa wasn't following them. Good.
"I don't think he's changed," she murmured, looking over Arden's shoulder to make sure her father wasn't listening. Audrina hoped she was doing what was best for her family.
"He got rid of Clarria. Maybe--"
She shook her head quickly. "No! No! Not that. I think he's stealing from his clients again."
He stopped to look at her with a shocked expression. Then he moved her towards the bedroom in a rush. "What do you mean," he whispered confidingly.
Audrina leaned her mouth towards his ear. "I found a bag of money behind this bush. I was so shocked... I-I-I immediately came back here again." She covered her mouth with her dainty hand. "Do you think it was him who did it?"
Arden looked at the doorknob he was twisting. "Maybe it's his life savings."
"Oh! Don't be so naive. You know as well as I do that this isn't legal tender we're talking about."
He stared at her with a curved smile. It looked absolutely evil to Audrina. "Well, what do you want us to do? Personally, I think we tell the police. Let them deal with this. And if it's your dad, then it's his own damn fault!"
"Report him to the police? Report my own papa to the authorities?"
"I. Well. I. YES! We've already given him a chance. Besides, you used to say that if he ever did it again, we would put him in jail."
Audrina waved his hand in the air, as if he were hitting an annoying mosquito. "Let's not be so irrational here. We don't even know if it was him."
Arden's jaw jutted out. "I'm not being irrational! I'm just telling the truth."
When he didn't say anything else, she continued. "So do we tell Papa?"
"I don't know."
"Stop being so indecisive! Be a man for once in your life!"
He looked at her coldly. "Thanks for the suggestion darling," he drawled, "I'll remember that for future references." Arden took a deep breath. This wasn't the time to start a fight. He paused. "Maybe we could ask someone else regarding this."
"Like who?"
"Michael. He's the manager of the bank. Let's get the background information on the penalty of money thief."
Something suddenly came to her. "But what if he's the one who put the money in the forest? After all, think of his position at the bank. He has a lot of access to money."
"Oh my god. You're right." Arden started pacing once they got inside the door. There were a couple of minutes as he moved around to ease his tension. Just watching him made Audrina more anxious.
He stopped and turned to her. Arden's eyebrows were curved together and he was biting his bottom lip. "Let's just take the money and hide it somewhere in the house. Then when people come looking for it, we can get a clue about who's doing it."
Audrina took a second to think. Her heart pounded as she considered the different options and their consequences. Then she reluctantly nodded. After all, she wanted to give papa another chance. IF it was him. The third time's the charm. Three strikes and you're out.
***
She pushed a few annoying branches out of her face. They scratched her arms, leaving little angry red welts. "Wait up!," Audrina yelled to Arden. In an attempt to chase after him, she had ran into them.
They had left the house in a rush. Well, as quick as they could while they were trying to avoid any other house members. For now, the secret would remain between the two of them. And when he... or she came around looking for the money, their actions would be suspicious. Therefore, they would know who the thief was.
Arden quickly ran to her side. "Oh sorry. This is just so nerve-wrecking for me," he murmured, brushing a piece of hair aside. He's trying to be my hero knight but he's doing it less than perfectly, Audrina thought, looking at him.
"No problem."
"Are you sure you feel up to this? You could have stayed in the house, you know. You probably haven't gotten over your fever yet."
"I'm fine."
"Maybe you need a rest. I don't want to harm the baby or anything. Maybe you should go back to the house."
She looked at him sternly. "Really. I'm fine. This fresh air is good for me anyway. I was getting restless being couped up in there."
He looked out into the landscape. "Well if you're sure... How much farther is it?"
"Quite close. It's just a couple steps away."
She started twisting her head. Look for red raspberries. There couldn't be that many fruit trees this close to the main trail. Audrina broke away from Arden's side. Every bush she brushed aside to look for the bag. Her husband followed her course of actions.
When her back started to ache, Audrina relaxed her search. The baby was first in her priorities.
"I FOUND IT!"
Exasperated, Arden threw his hands up in the air. "I quit! I quit! I'm sick and tired of taking care of you Audrina. Why in the world did you sneak off by yourself? You still have a small fever. Who knows...." He couldn't stop babbling on. Arden had just been so sick with worry. In fact, he had been in this constant state of negativity ever since Audrina became pregnant. She was the only person left in this world that he cared about. She was supposed to be his anchor, not the other way around.
He observed her anxiously.
Her eyes were glazed over. She couldn't hope staring over her shoulder. The dense green trees merged together. Oh yes, she knew they kept many secrets. Their innocent appearance did not stop her from pondering.
Papa glanced down at his nails. He was one of many emotionally drained house occupants. The male looked up again and appeared resigned. "After all you've put us through, the least you could do is explain."
"I-I saw something unusual." Audrina blinked rapidly. She licked her tongue and stared at papa. Once, he had cheated poor old women out of valuable stock market bonds. Who was to say he wasn't back to his cheating ways? He was the one most obsessed with the prospect of wealth. Was the large amount of money his? There was no way so much legal cash would be stashed behind a wild raspberry bush. Any sane person would invest any legitimate money in a bank or bond. Her mind stumbled over plans. What should she do? Should she confront him? Should she give him another chance?
Impatient, Arden tilted his head to the side. "What did you see?"
Audrina could wipe Arden from her list of suspects. She had known him since they were children. He had never put any large importance on money. Yes, she knew what had to be done. She would tell Arden everything when they were alone again. However, she didn't want papa or Maria to know.
"I saw these three boys walking on the trail," she lied. Audrina entwined and untwined her fingers. This was the perfect excuse for all her reactions so far.
Arden rushed over to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. His head moved into the crook of her neck. "Oh darling. I'm so sorry." Everytime this event was mentioned, he would apologize. Arden would never forgive himself for running away when she had needed him.
Papa let out a sigh. Was it a sigh of relief? "Maria, I'm sure Sylvia would like something to snack on before dinner." This was not something he wanted the help to overhear. He waited until she left the room. "Oh honey, that happened a long time ago."
She shivered. "Arden? Can you take me to b-bed? I'm feeling tired."
"Sure"
Guiltily, he put an arm around her waist and moved her out of the living room. Once they reached the top of the stairs, she looked behind her. No, papa wasn't following them. Good.
"I don't think he's changed," she murmured, looking over Arden's shoulder to make sure her father wasn't listening. Audrina hoped she was doing what was best for her family.
"He got rid of Clarria. Maybe--"
She shook her head quickly. "No! No! Not that. I think he's stealing from his clients again."
He stopped to look at her with a shocked expression. Then he moved her towards the bedroom in a rush. "What do you mean," he whispered confidingly.
Audrina leaned her mouth towards his ear. "I found a bag of money behind this bush. I was so shocked... I-I-I immediately came back here again." She covered her mouth with her dainty hand. "Do you think it was him who did it?"
Arden looked at the doorknob he was twisting. "Maybe it's his life savings."
"Oh! Don't be so naive. You know as well as I do that this isn't legal tender we're talking about."
He stared at her with a curved smile. It looked absolutely evil to Audrina. "Well, what do you want us to do? Personally, I think we tell the police. Let them deal with this. And if it's your dad, then it's his own damn fault!"
"Report him to the police? Report my own papa to the authorities?"
"I. Well. I. YES! We've already given him a chance. Besides, you used to say that if he ever did it again, we would put him in jail."
Audrina waved his hand in the air, as if he were hitting an annoying mosquito. "Let's not be so irrational here. We don't even know if it was him."
Arden's jaw jutted out. "I'm not being irrational! I'm just telling the truth."
When he didn't say anything else, she continued. "So do we tell Papa?"
"I don't know."
"Stop being so indecisive! Be a man for once in your life!"
He looked at her coldly. "Thanks for the suggestion darling," he drawled, "I'll remember that for future references." Arden took a deep breath. This wasn't the time to start a fight. He paused. "Maybe we could ask someone else regarding this."
"Like who?"
"Michael. He's the manager of the bank. Let's get the background information on the penalty of money thief."
Something suddenly came to her. "But what if he's the one who put the money in the forest? After all, think of his position at the bank. He has a lot of access to money."
"Oh my god. You're right." Arden started pacing once they got inside the door. There were a couple of minutes as he moved around to ease his tension. Just watching him made Audrina more anxious.
He stopped and turned to her. Arden's eyebrows were curved together and he was biting his bottom lip. "Let's just take the money and hide it somewhere in the house. Then when people come looking for it, we can get a clue about who's doing it."
Audrina took a second to think. Her heart pounded as she considered the different options and their consequences. Then she reluctantly nodded. After all, she wanted to give papa another chance. IF it was him. The third time's the charm. Three strikes and you're out.
***
She pushed a few annoying branches out of her face. They scratched her arms, leaving little angry red welts. "Wait up!," Audrina yelled to Arden. In an attempt to chase after him, she had ran into them.
They had left the house in a rush. Well, as quick as they could while they were trying to avoid any other house members. For now, the secret would remain between the two of them. And when he... or she came around looking for the money, their actions would be suspicious. Therefore, they would know who the thief was.
Arden quickly ran to her side. "Oh sorry. This is just so nerve-wrecking for me," he murmured, brushing a piece of hair aside. He's trying to be my hero knight but he's doing it less than perfectly, Audrina thought, looking at him.
"No problem."
"Are you sure you feel up to this? You could have stayed in the house, you know. You probably haven't gotten over your fever yet."
"I'm fine."
"Maybe you need a rest. I don't want to harm the baby or anything. Maybe you should go back to the house."
She looked at him sternly. "Really. I'm fine. This fresh air is good for me anyway. I was getting restless being couped up in there."
He looked out into the landscape. "Well if you're sure... How much farther is it?"
"Quite close. It's just a couple steps away."
She started twisting her head. Look for red raspberries. There couldn't be that many fruit trees this close to the main trail. Audrina broke away from Arden's side. Every bush she brushed aside to look for the bag. Her husband followed her course of actions.
When her back started to ache, Audrina relaxed her search. The baby was first in her priorities.
"I FOUND IT!"