“Gideon Michael St. James. I know what I need to do and I don’t need my son telling me. I’ve been in this life a lot longer than you have. Now go take Mr. Franks to the Penthouse. The sooner he finds his team the better.”
Gideon paled, then stuttered. “How did…”
Aunt Sylvia smiled beautifully, lightly patting her son's face. “Go away Gideon. You are annoying me.”
After she shut the door to the vehicle, she ordered, “Thomas. We can go now.”
The driver pulled out of the hanger, leaving a stunned Gideon standing there watching us leave. I couldn’t help myself and turned, waving goodbye to him.
I still didn’t know why I was staying with my aunt. But something she said earlier nagged at me.
“Aunt Sylvia?”
“Yes darling.”
“Earlier, back at the airport, you said you’ve been in this life. What did you mean?”
My Aunt Sylvia looked at me and replied, “I will explain everything when we get inside.”
The drive from the airport to my aunt’s home took about an hour and when we finally slowed, pulling into the large gated, heavily patrolled compound, I relaxed a bit. I thought the Valentinetti family had guards but my aunt’s place was unreal. Every few feet, I saw men patrolling around. All were dressed in black gear down to the black combat boots they wore. Each wore earpieces in their left ears and every single one of them was heavily armed, ready for anything that might come at them.
The vehicle continued down a long drive until the road curved, taking us straight towards a garage, where the vehicle pulled to a stop. When the engine turned off, I squeezed Lorenzo’s hand and shifted closer to him.
The back passenger door opened as the driver reached for my aunt’s hand. “Ma’am.”
My aunt smiled, took the driver's hand and got out of the vehicle. “Thank you, Thomas.” Following suit, I stayed by Lorenzo as we were ushered through a door and into the house.
Looking around the place, something felt off.
I couldn’t explain it. It was as if I’d been here before. A memory surfaced from deep within my mind.
I was running, laughing as I tried to get away from them. My sister and Gideon chased me down a long hall. The house was big, with many places to hide.
I tripped, falling and scraping my knee.
My sister rushed to my side, trying to soothe me.
“Make her stop, Penny,” Gideon said, urgently looking around.
“I’m trying,” my sister replied, holding me close. “Come on Donnie. It’s not that bad. Want me to kiss it? I can make it all better.”
“I want mommy!” I cried, alerting my parents who came running along with my aunt. Seeing daddy, I cried harder as he picked me up, hugging me close.
“What did you two do?” Auntie Sylvia shouted, making me cringe.
“Nothing,” Penny stood next to mommy. “We were playing and she tripped. She scraped her knee. That’s all.”
“Liar!” my aunt shouted, then slapped my sister across the face.
Mommy grabbed Penny who was now crying. “You ever touch my daughter again; I will kill you.”
“Then keep that useless brat away from her. She is too valuable. Gideon go to your room!”
Just like that the memory vanished.
None of it made sense. That memory was of me in this house.
That was impossible. I’ve never been here. After my mom and aunt Sylvia had that fight back when I was six, when we lived in Maryland, I never saw her again. That was the only memory I had of my aunt and Gideon. Yet, looking around the large place, I knew I had been here before.