Chapter 47: A Dead Night

Chapter 47: A Dead Night
All I hear is faint beeping around me and frantic movement. I try to move, open my eyes but my muscles seem to not get the signal from my brain.
I hear muffled words.... instruction.....
I smell blood in the air and something similar to death
Yes, death has a smell
I know that because I've died before, Years back when I was stabbed.
Flashback
The house was quiet after Mum and Dad's arguments about sending Renae to live in Greenwood. Mum claimed it was unsafe to raise Renae around me, a child she swears is a reincarnation of her psychopath Grandfather but Dad wasn't buying her silly claims.
He believed she was paranoid and needed to see a doctor instead of bothering an innocent child over her past trauma.
" My fear is not irrational, do you see the way she looks at her siblings?" Mum argued
Dad let out an exasperated sigh "She looks at her siblings like every other sibling would Gisele. For God's sake give the child a break"
" I will send Renae to be raised in Greenwood whether you like it or not " Mum's word was final and Dad could not do anything to change her mind.
My mum did see through me, she always caught the smile on my face when my brother was getting punished for hitting me or pushing me. She understood my little antics and games.
"I know what you are"
"I can see through you" were her usual words
Even our next door neighbour Mr Whitehall occasionally told mum that my presence made him uncomfortable.
When Dad picked up the keys to leave the house, I asked him to take me along with pleading big eyes.
" I'm just going to get milk " He said pinching my cheeks softly.
I knew he wasn't going to get just milk, he was going somewhere else too.... whenever he came back from getting "milk" I could smell olive clinging to his shirt and I hated not knowing.
Mum stepped out of the kitchen with a hand towel dropped over her shoulder and plates in her hands
" where are you off to? " She asked
" To get milk " He replied flatly
" Don't stay out too late like you always do whenever you're going to buy milk " She said staring him down before going back into the kitchen
He replied with a sad smile "I will be back before 11pm"
Mummy didn't see that smile but I did. I sprung into action immediately. Grabbing his legs, I cried softly; something I'd gotten good at over the years.
" Take me with you Daddy "
Daddy picked me up from the floor " I can't sweetheart but I'll be back soon, okay?"
" No " I cried even louder, triggering sleeping Renae's cries.
Mum stormed out of the Kitchen, her face a cloud of storm
" I just put this child to sleep " she said glaring at me, " Just take her along with you for fuck sake"
Just as I'd planned.
" alright " Dad reluctantly agreed
Our first stop was at the grocery store to get the milk and just as I'd suspected, Dad didn't drive back home immediately. We stopped at a Magnificent guest house just outside town after a three hours drive.
When we walked into the lobby, we were greeted by a lady dressed corporately. Her name tag had Lora
" Welcome Mr Green. There's a reservation for you already " She said with a smile
"Usual suite?"
She shook her head in disagreement "rooftop sir"
He nodded once then instructed me to stay in the lobby before heading to the elevator.
I was right afterall, Dad had a secret. I kept myself busy with my doll for about 10 minutes before pressing my hand to my abdomen and whining.
" Are you okay? " Lora asked
I nod yes while still clutching my abdomen
"Are you sure? Or I can go get your guardian to take you to the hospital
I shake my head immediately "No need, my Daddy has important work " i stressed the word "Daddy"
" I think I need to use the bathroom " I said, " I'll be fine afterwards"
She nodded before leading me to a room 35 on the second floor.
We're greeted with a faint smell of Olive oil and warmth indicating that someone was in here not too long ago. This is definitely "The Usual" Dad was talking about.
After spending 10 minutes in the bathroom smiling at my reflection, I flush the toilet and follow her back to the lobby.
Dad showed up a while later, the familiar scent clung to his clothes. While he tucked me into my seat at the back, I saw a reddish spot on his collarbone similar to the one mum has whenever Mr Whitehall sneaks out of the house.
"Mummy will be pissed at us for coming back late" I casually said
He nodded " When she asks just tell her we stopped by Uncle Winifred's okay?"
Surprisingly Mummy did not yell, she encouraged daddy to take me out of the house more.
" You're not mad at us for being late?" I asked innocently
She shrugged " Winnifred already called me to inform me that you guys were at their place, so No"
I went back to playing with my toy while Mum and Dad moved to the corner to discuss something important.
" You seem so happy, what's up? " Dad asked
" Whitehall was appointed Mayor today, he's moving with his family by weekend " Mum said in hushed whispers
" you can start writing a proposal for the seed as planned. When you forward it to Nothernham it'll pass the approval stage and by the time it gets to the development stage, Renae would've been old enough to get married...."
"Married?.... that's ridiculous Gisele...."
"No, it's not " Mum cut him off, " It's easier to navigate things through marriage you know, of the Colbert family and Our family are tied in union, it'll be easier to promote and distribute the seeds."
Dad laughs sarcastically "You're joking right, their boy is 11 years old."
"Age is just a number. I'll make it happen, you just watch"
"Gisele, let the child grow first and decide if that is what she wants or not"
Mum scoffed "I know what's best for her. I have her life planned out already"
Mum glared at me as she made her way back to the living room
" And please take this child out more often "
And just like that, i went out often with my Dad to get milk and meet his secret lover. When Renae was sent off to live in Greenwood at two, we switched from going to get baby milk to going to get cereals.
One day we arrived earlier than we normally would. Dad went to the Suite while I played in the lobby then the scent.....
A man walked past me to the receptionist. His voice was smooth like silk and when he looked at me, his eyes were green like emerald.
He smelled like Olive and pumpkin spice.....