Chapter 7 Venus and Saturn
Lydia's Point of View:
I paid attention as the young sister introduced herself as Yanni. She had heard about my amnesia, so she carefully told me all I needed to know about my life. According to her, I was a graduate of a big university, and I had a good remote job. She didn't know much about my relationship with Justin and Harridan, but she confirmed that I attended the same high school with them, and they were from wealthy and reputable families.
Yanni said that I had a huge crush on Harridan, and I used to talk about him all the time, before we had a falling out. She said Harridan was the reason I left the town five years ago for college.
About Justin, she said he was a playboy, and she was even surprised to hear that he stood by my side, because I had always complained that he was teasing me and trying to teach me bad stuff in college.
Yanni was sweet, really sweet. I had come back to town because she was ill, and I had helped nurse her back to health. She called some other sisters, and they all spoke to me gently, assuring me they'd nurse me till I was alright. They also showed me pictures of my younger self. I believed them; they had no reason to lie, and Yanni's smile showed me she was worthy of my respect.
“What about my parents? And siblings? Did they travel or did they abandon me?” I asked this question because most of the pictures Yanni and the sisters showed me, I was either with them or some other child, who also grew up in the orphanage home.
Yanni took a deep breath and sat down beside me. “Your parents loved you, they'd never abandon you, Lydia. I remember how your father used to take you out on every break he got, you were his jewelry, and he never allowed anyone to bully you,” A tear dropped out of her eyes, and she paused to clean her face.
“You were your mother's favorite, she loved you more than she loved herself, and she'd readily lay down her life for you. So no, they didn't abandon you,” Yanni explained with a melancholic tone.
“My mother loved me the most?” I mumbled absentmindedly, and a teardrop dropped from my eyes. Not remembering my parents’ face or their touch hurt me so much that my heart ached.
“What happened to them? Why aren't they here?” I asked with furrowed brows. But if only I knew that I wasn't ready to know the truth, maybe I wouldn't have asked.
Yanni looked unprepared to answer, and she turned to face the other side, as if she couldn't bear to look me in the eyes. “They died, Lydia. Your parents were involved in a ghastly accident that unfortunately took their lives.”
My face twisted. “An accident? When? How? Why?” I asked a series of questions at once.
Yanni didn't reply, she just stood up and straightened her body. “A long time ago, but they left you in Sister's care, and I have been your sole guardian,” she said.
I could sense that she wasn't telling the whole truth, something was missing, she was holding a detail back.
“You look like a thirty-two-year-old woman, and I am maybe in my early twenties, so how are you my caregiver?” I asked with arched brows, eyeing her curiously.
“You are twenty-two years old, I will give you your birth certificate and some other important documents. As for me, I'm thirty-eight years old. I was probably twenty years old when your parents made me your caregiver,” she explained with an unusual glint.
I kept quiet for a moment, enjoying the quietness. “If my parents immediately died in a car accident, how did they make you my caregiver? Did they know they were going to die before the accident?” I asked, after carefully thinking about her words.
Yanni's eyes widened, and she looked cornered. “Well…they…. they just made me your caregiver,” she blurted out, and sighed deeply.
She obviously didn't want to talk about it, meaning something must have gone down, and my parents’ death was suspicious. Just like my accident.
I didn't want to push her. I was sick and wasn't in the mood to talk or do anything about it, so I left the conversation. Promising to come back to it later.
“Why are you suddenly interested in your parents' death? You were never really interested in the past, so what changed?” Yanni asked, looking at me with raised eyebrows.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I should know how they died, they are my parents, and I deserve some clarity,” I answered with a grimace.
“Argh!” A sharp pain suddenly passed through my thigh, and I felt numb. I closed my eyes, allowing the pain to pass through.
Two nurses entered, and they gave me dozens of pills to swallow. Soon after my eyes closed, and I allowed the darkness to take control of me as I dozed off.
——
“She cannot know the truth! She mustn't! Please, Yanni, don't tell her!” I heard a soft plea in my head, and I saw a five-year-old girl hiding under a bed patiently listening to the two older women's conversation.
That girl was me, and the women were sister Yanni, and sister Kate.
Yanni shook her head, unconvinced. “What do you expect me to tell her then? She asks for her parents all the time so what should I tell her? That they travel? I think she deserves to know how they died and what they left behind. It doesn't have to be now, maybe later in the future.” She explained with a stubborn voice.
Sister Kate shook her head, tired of talking to Yanni. “Her parents died in a car crash, if she asks you make sure to tell her this. We must respect her parents' will and prioritize her safety,” she informed her with a strict warning.
Five-year-old me was starting to feel cramped under the bed, so she tried coming out, making a squeaky sound that immediately caught the sisters’ attention.
“Who is there? Is anybody there?” Sister Kate asked with a sweet voice, her steps slow but steady as she moved toward the bed.
Little Lydia began to shiver, and nervously put her palm over her mouth. But the sisters didn't stop. Sister Kate, who looked scary and ruthless, bent down to look under the bed, a menacing smile on her face, and I watched as my younger version's blood ran dry.
“I caught you, naughty girl!” A melancholic voice echoed in my head, and when I finally opened my eyes, I met deep blue eyes.
My eyes slowly got familiar with the hospital room as I tried to remember my dream. The person with the blue eyes introduced himself as Venus, my college buddy. Beside him was Saturn, my college roommate. They had both left the city to visit me when they heard about my accident. I didn't know what to say to them, so I kept quiet, enjoying the silence.
“You've changed, you look really sick and tiny,” the guy named Venus said to me with a worried expression.
I furrowed my brows, wondering how close we were. “Emmm, in case Sister Yanni forgot to tell you, I've lost my memory, so I don't remember your faces,” I politely explained to my two supposed college friends.
“She told us, but I don't believe it. I think you're pretending, trying to get me to forget about the money you owe me,” Venus said, and I furrowed my brows, wondering why I'd do that.
Saturn raised her brows suspiciously. “Oh really? She owes you? How come I wasn't aware?” She asked with a grimace, and Venus quickly winked at her.
“Lydia, you owe me half a million. Do you remember now? Can you recall your memories?” Venus asked me with a smirk.
With the tiny glint in his eyes, I could see that he was lying and trying to get me to remember, but it didn't work.
Sister Yanni entered the room, and there was a look of familiarity between the three of them.
“Oh my goodness! Lydia, they are your college friends. I called them with no assurance that they'd come,” Sister Yanni informed me with an excited voice.
Venus and Saturn stood up and greeted Yanni.
“I'm so honored to have you here. If only Lydia remembers you, she'd also share in my joy,” Yanni said with genuine happiness.
“We understand, sister. With time, we're sure she'll remember,” Saturn replies politely.
“Hum, sister Yanni, he said I'm owing him money, do you know anything about that?” I asked my guardian, and Venus looked like he had been caught cheating.
Yanni's face twisted as she turned to face Venus and Saturn. “How much is she owing you guys? I'll pay,” she volunteered, while I kept quiet, listening to their conversation.
“Don't bother, sister, we dash her. She was involved in an accident. This is the least we can do,” Venus said with an anxious smile.
Saturn and Venus looked nice, so nice that I began to wonder if they were really my friends. They were nothing like me, and they looked wealthy too.
“Hmm, give us a minute. We'll settle your hospital bills and get the gifts we brought for you, then we'll talk,” Venus informed me, and before either Yanni and I could tell them not to bother, they left.
I lay on my bed, and my nightmare replayed in my head, making me restless. “Sister Yanni, what about Sister Kate?” I suddenly asked, and Yanni froze.
“You've remembered?” She asked with a calm voice.
I knew saying no might make her twist the truth, and I couldn't afford to lie to her, so I kept quiet.
Yanni took a deep breath and sat down by my side. “Fine, I will tell you the truth. But remember, you asked for it.” She said with a grimace.