"I knew I was going to regret this," Carlisle grumbled as he readjusted Reyona again while she strained to open the door with the self-fashioned lockpick.
She ignored him and focused on her task.
It had been easy years ago when she had to watch how to do it online when she lost the key to her dorm room.
She could still remember how she did it, but there must be something she was doing wrong.
The door didn't budge.
So, she tried again.
Gladys returned to sit in the car after declaring that she couldn't recognise Reyona.
"The Reyona that I know wouldn't even think of such a thing," she muttered before closing the door firmly behind her.
Toria was the one on the lookout for whoever might be coming.
She was taking her job seriously as she swung her head from side to side, even though there was no sound of any car approaching.
Thankfully, the neighbourhood has their houses set so far apart that there was no neighbour to call the cops on them.
Despite that, Toria declared, "Just so you know, Rey. I want no part of this in case someone calls the cops on us. I am too beautiful to be arrested."
Reyona rolled her eyes as a sheen of sweat trailed down her temple, and she began to admit to herself that this might be one of the most foolish things she had ever tried.
What more? It wasn't working, and she was sure her dad might call her bluff soon and toss her down right there.
Still, she said, "You are on the lookout, girl. That makes you a perfect accomplice."
"I was forced," Toria said with feeling.
In amusement, Reyona was about to tell her dad to take her back to the car as she laid her hand on the door handle and gave it an annoyed twist.
To her surprise, the handle turned easily, and it jerked open, so suddenly, just as Toria started shouting, "Someone is coming. Rey, someone is coming. We are getting arrested for sure!"
It all happened so fast that Reyona would have nosedived if not for Carlisle's surprisingly quick reflex as he adjusted his grip and held her tightly.
Even at that, Reyona's hand was still firmly around the handle when it was pulled, so she was pulled along with it and would have caused herself and Carlisle considerable damage, if not for the blur of ginger who swore loudly and steadied them.
Gladys jerked the door of the car open and ran to them with a shout of "What happened? Are you okay?"
Just as the bike man parked behind the car and gaped at the scene in confusion,
He immediately recovered from his shock and slowly drew out his phone to capture the awkward position that Reyona was in at the hands of her dad and the person inside the door.
"Try it, and that phone would not be the only thing you would lose," Toria said behind him.
He sheepishly pocketed the phone and said, "Someone from this address ordered this. Here, I need someone to sign."
Toria saw Reyona's details on the small package that the man stretched forward, so she stepped towards him to sign it.
"So, do you want to explain yourself now, or do you prefer to do it at the police station?"
Reyona blew the hair from her face as the frosty voice ahead of her gave her pause.
"Good going, Reyona," she thought to herself. "From the hospital to prison, why not?"
She smiled at the beautiful, ginger-haired woman dressed in an orange-patterned sundress with thick glasses covering her eyes.
Then, before she could say anything, she shifted in their arms and said "Dad, I think you should put me down now."
"Dad? You brought your family to steal from me?" the woman said in a confused voice, devoid of the earlier frostiness.
Then she saw the splints on Reyona's legs, and looked behind her to see Gladys and Toria walk towards them as the bike man rode off.
"Okay, whatever in the hades this is, you had better explain fast. You have two minutes before I call the cops." With that, she didn't let go of Reyona.
Instead, while Reyona was still in that prone position, she helped Carlisle bring her inside and lay her on the couch.
Reyona yelled in pain as they settled her down.
"I should say it serves you right," the woman muttered. "A sensible person wouldn't even be on her feet with those nasties on your leg."
"I told her the same," Gladys chipped in as they entered.
"Thanks, Mom," Reyona said with a roll of her eyes as she sucked in her breath.
The woman shook her head as she brought a pack of ice forward and handed it to Carlisle, who promptly went to work gingerly, placing the pack close to Reyona's splintered legs to ease the ache.
She folded her hands and nodded towards Toria. "I assume that is your sister too." Before Reyona could answer, she folded her hands and said, "Now explain yourself and tell me why you're breaking into my home with your family."
Reyona sucked in her breath when Carlisle touched a sensitive place, then she opened her eyes back and raised her head from the couch as she attempted humour to cover the embarrassment she was feeling at that moment, "Can you please stop using words like "break into and steal?" It makes me nervous. My sister is too beautiful to go to prison."
The woman only narrowed her eyes and said, "You have one minute left."
Reyona looked at Toria. "Toria, tell this nice lady why you brought me here in the first place." Then to the lady, she said, "By the way, I learned that I used to have a key to this place. I must have lost it, hence the reason for this." She raised the lockpick.
"You heard? You don't know that you have a key to my place? You heard?" The woman's voice was taking on that frosty edge again.
"Yes, my sister told me," Reyona said simply. Then she added, "I have amnesia," as she pointed at her legs as if that should naturally explain things.
"Oh," the lady said softly.
Then Toria explained how they ended up picking her locks in broad daylight.
"That was her idea, though," she said while pointing her finger firmly at Reyona. "I only brought her here and forgot about the key. I didn't tell her to go full Houdini."
"Thanks for that irrelevant addition, dear sister," Reyona said sarcastically. Then to the woman, she said, "I assume you were the one I rented this place from?"
"Well, technically yes," the woman said as she removed her glasses and hung the edge at the neck of her dress.
Her mesmerising, green eyes have a light of amusement in them as she says, "You made an arrangement with my agent. I returned last week, and he informed me that he couldn't reach you. I tried to get in touch too when I realised your things were still here. I couldn't find any Beatrice Dexter anywhere."
"That is because it is not my official name," Reyona said.
"Ah, I see," the woman said as if she understood why a woman would rent a house for a short period under a different name.
"Yeah," Reyona said without elaborating. "I guess that agreement is all over now. I will just get my things and...
"No, actually, you can stay if you want. Of course, you would have to draft another agreement with my agent." She smiled as she said, "He likes things nice and tidy, and you disappearing on him didn't sit well with him, she said with a tinkling laughter.
"How can she stay though? You are back now, and you will need your place again," Gladys said.
"Oh no. Actually, I was on my way out when I saw what was happening at the door. I have another commission, and I will be gone longer this time. By the way, you might have ended up at the police station if I had left earlier. That lock would never budge, and there is a trigger linked to the police station. I had to disconnect it while I watched you perform your wonder out there." She laughed again as Reyona closed her eyes in embarrassment.
She checked her watch and exclaimed as she stood up. "Oh my, I would be late for my flight," she said as she hurriedly went towards the orange travel bag close to the door.
"By the way, I am Sylby," she said as she grabbed her bag. "Make that arrangement with my agent today. He will get you a new key."
"Uhm, I don't have his details again."
"I will send it to you on my way to the airport. I assume that is your new phone." She nodded to the package still in Toria's hand.
"Yes," Reyona answered.
"Good," Sylby answered as a car honked outside. "My ride is here."
"Thank you very much," Reyona said as her family expressed their gratitude as well.
"You are welcome," Sylby said. Then, before she stepped out of the door, she asked, "So, will you tell me?"
"What?" Reyona asked automatically.
"Your official name."
"It is Reyona. Reyona Dexter"
Sylby smiled and said, "I love it. It suits you."