Chapter 5: Once Upon Your Worst Nightmare
“Come in!” Cindy yelled when the doorbell rang. The door creaked open and a woman with bright red hair popped her head in the door. Cindy walked into the hallway from the kitchen and flung her arms around the woman’s neck. “Jennifer!”
“Hey big sis!” Jen said kissing her on the cheek. “Wow! I can’t believe it’s been a whole year! How are you?”
“I’m good. Hanging in there is more accurate, actually,” Cindy said laughing.
“Where are those kids of yours?” Jen asked anxiously.
Darien and Jacey were hiding on the stairway, waiting to jump out and surprise their unknowing aunt. “Now, Darien?” Jacey whispered loudly. He shook his head. Jen heard Jacey and giggled. “Now?” she whispered again only seconds later. This time Darien nodded and the tow of them rushed down the stairs and into the front hallway.
“SURPRISE!” they shouted in unison.
Jen jumped back in mock surprise. “Wow! You guys sure scared me. I had no idea where you were!”
“Aunt Jen, we missed you,” Jacey said holding out a sweaty palm full of dandelions.
Jen ran and scooped up the two kids. She lightly kissed Jacey’s head and then laid a big wet one on Darien’s cheek, leaving behind a mark from her coffee colored lipstick. “Oh, Cindy!” she smiled. “You’ve got the greatest kids ever. I want five just like them!”
“Be careful what you wish for!” Cindy laughed. Jen put down the kids and linked her arm with her sister’s. “You have to tell me how New York is doing,” Cindy said guiding her into the kitchen. “You said you went to visit Grammy and Pop-pop back in Ireland. How are they?”
Jen sighed, “Home’s just like it always was. Rolling green hills, sheep, rain, cows, sheep, and did I mention rain?” she said in her mix of Irish and New York accents.
Cindy chuckled, “Wow, New York’s really changed, hasn’t it?”
“Shut up!” Jen laughed sitting down. “It hasn’t changed a bit. People shoving, smog, pizza, more smog.” She fiddled with her napkin for a while. “Cind, Grammy wants you to take the kids out to see her in Donegal. She’s only seen them once. And she’s so sick; I’m worried about them.”
Darien and Jacey listened outside the door. “Where are we going?” Jacey asked her brother.
“Aunt Jen wants to take us to Ireland to see our Great Grandparents. We were there when you were really little. I hardly remember it.”
The tiny Jacey grabbed his leg. “I don’t want to go!” Darien calmed her by stroking her hair. “What about Mommy and Daddy?”
Darien’s eyes smiled down at her and he brushed an unruly patch of hair out of his eyes. “Aunt Jen would never take us away without Mommy and Daddy. Don’t you worry, I’ll always be with you, anyway.”
Feeling better, Jacey hugged her brother and ran into the kitchen. Jen scooped up the toddler and bounced her on her knees. “Cindy, you really should visit New York and Ireland this summer when the kids get off of school. I’d love to have you at my place.”
Cindy paused then picked up an apple that sat on the table. “You know,” she said biting into it. “I think I will. I mean we all will. The kids are struggling a bit in their English, so it might be good for them to be in an English-speaking environment for a while. And besides, you called Ireland home, something has to be up.”
Jacey clapped her hands and picked up a banana that she handed to Jen to peel for her. “It’s settled then!” Jen exclaimed giving the pieces of the banana to Jacey. “You and Jon and the kids are coming. And there’s no changing your mind, do you understand?”
Cindy nodded and saluted her little sister. Jacey finished her banana and got down from Jen’s lap. “Have you seen Gramma yet?” Jacey asked.
“Not yet, sweetheart,” Jen said laughing at the adorable way Jacey smiled. “But we’re going there for dinner tonight. We all get to see Gramma Marie.”
***
“Jennifer!” Marie shrieked when she opened the door. “My baby! Oh look how much you’ve grown!”
“Ma!” she hissed. “I looked exactly the same the last time I was here.”
“No, you definitely got thinner. But we’ll put some meat on those bones with a good Irish dinner.” Marie whisked Jen inside and closed the door behind her. Jen glared at her mother. “Either way,” Marie shrugged.
Jen wandered into the living room. “Daddy!” she said throwing her arms open for a hug. George ran and scooped up his youngest daughter.
“Babydoll! It’s good to see you. How’s life been treating you over in the Big Apple?” George said putting her back down. He walked over to his recliner and sat down.
Jen took a seat on the couch next to it. “Things have been fine. My job at the paper has been hectic, but hey, what are you gonna do?” she said.
George laughed, “That’s my girl, always using that old Irish motto!”
“Dad, that’s universal,” she said rolling her eyes.
“Anything good comes from Ireland!” he said throwing his hands up.
“Put a sock in it George,” Marie said coming in from the kitchen. She turned to Jen, “By the way, where’s your sister and her family?”
Jen looked at the ground. “Well,” Marie glared at her. “They have to go to a parent/teacher/student conference. They’re dropping Jacey off in a while.” Jen peered up.
Marie’s eyes were wide with shock. “That breaks my heart, Jennifer. Tonight of all nights.”
Jen looked up. “Ma, they’re over here more days than not. What’s the big deal?”
“You’re here!”
“No, Ma. That’s just an excuse. You’re really mad because I moved a. . .”
The doorbell rang. Marie stomped off to answer the door. “Hey everyone!” Jon said stepping in and shaking out his rain-soaked umbrella.
“So how long are you staying? Five seconds? Or will you grace us with ten?” Marie said begrudgingly.
Cindy took off Jacey’s coat. “Mother! You are being so difficult! This is for school for Darien.”
“That’s what I was trying to say, but nothing’s good enough from the girl that went to America!” Jen said folding up her arms against her chest.
Marie’s mouth dropped, “Well, if you’re both teaming up against me then.”
“I’m ignoring you, Mother,” Cindy said. She bent down to hug Jacey. “We have to go out now, Sweetheart. Mommy and Daddy and Darien will be back in a few hours.”
Jacey’s eyes grew wide and terrified, but her grappling at her mother was ignored in the raucous. She knew her tugging at her mother was getting her nowhere, so she sucked in her breath and screamed, “No!”
Everyone in the room turned to look at the distressed child. Cindy kneeled down in front of her again. “Sweetie, I told you, we’ll be back before you know it. I promise.” She kissed Jacey on the forehead and stood up. Cindy tried o walk into the foyer, but Jacey had latched onto her leg. “Jacey, let go!”
Darien came over and patted Jacey on the head. “Its okay,” he coaxed. Then he frowned a bit. “As your big brother, I can’t let you come.”
Jacey lost her grip on her mother and sat on the ground. “Something bad! Very bad!” she choked. Her eyes began to water, “If I don’t go, you don’t.”
“No,” Darien said. Cindy, Jonathan and Darien quickly said goodbye to everyone and left the room before Jacey could protest anymore.
At the sound of the car starting, Jacey flew to the front door and pulled at the knob to get it open. “No, no, no!” she cried. The rain had picked up with a clap of thunder and Jacey fell to the ground in despair.
“I don’t get it,” Marie said. “She’s usually fine being left here.”
Jen walked over and picked Jacey up. “There, there. Hush now, everything will be fine.” She sat Jacey in a chair at the dinning room table and took a seat herself. “Gramma’s going to have dinner ready soon. So let’s sit here and wait.”
***
“Thanks for dinner, Ma. It was good to see you. I’ll call tomorrow and maybe we can go shopping,” Jen said as she stepped into the still pounding rain. She held the blank and hollow Jacey in her arms.
She ran to her rental car and put Jacey in the back seat. Then she climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “Don’t worry, they’ll be home when you wake up tomorrow morning.”
Jacey said nothing throughout the entire car ride and all while Jen put her to sleep. But sleep came easily and she dreamed a horrifyingly real dream.
***
“Are we almost home, Mom?” Darien yawned sprawling out in the back seat.
“Almost, Darien, almost,” she whispered, kissing her fingers and touching his forehead. Darien yawned again and closed his eyes in deep sleep.
The rain, sheeting down on the windshield, made Jon’s visibility almost non-existent. The winding mountain road at 11:00 at night was pitch black. “Cindy, how are you doing over there?” he asked making small talk.
“I’m alright, but I just want to get home.” Just then, a huge bolt of lightning came down from the sky.
***
Jacey tossed and turned in her bed. Her forehead glistened with sweat. “No, no, no! Be careful,” she whispered clutching her pillow to her chest.
***
The lightning struck a tree branch a few feet in front of their car. As it fell to the ground, they swerved to avoid hitting the firey ball of brush.
The car skidded out of control on the slick road and plowed through a guard rail and over the side of the mountain.
Jonathan and Cindy screamed and shielded their faces as the car hit the base of the mountain. Though Darien was stirred by the screaming, he was never fully awake for the accident.
***
Jacey heard a deafening roar in her ears and she snapped back to consciousness, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Jen came running into Jacey’s room, wielding Darien’s baseball bat. “I’M COMING JACE!” she screamed.
Jacey quickly latched onto Jen, hysterical. Jen put down the bat and sighed. “Jace, do you know what time it is?” Jacey shook her head. “It’s two in the morning! Now what’s wrong, sweetheart?”
Jen picked up Jacey and brought her over to the bed. “I had a bad dream,” she sobbed. Jen sat on the bed and Jacey curled up in her lap. “It was about. . .” The phone rang.
Jen nudged Jacey aside and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right back,” she said, her face etched with concern. “Hello?” she said as she picked up the phone. “Yes, I am. Yes, yes. Oh my God. No, no you can’t be serious! This isn’t funny. Tell me the truth right now!”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Monroe, Cindy and Jonathan Chiba have passed. There was a boy, too. He survived with minor injuries,” Jen breathed a sigh of relief at this. “But he has complete amnesia. He claims his name is Darien, but he seems unsure of it.”
Jen sniffled. “When can I pick him up?” she asked.
“Well,” the man said. “You can’t. We have certain laws and policies. You have to come in for an evaluation of the family tomorrow. We know there’s a daughter.”
“Yes, Jacey,” she said. “My sister and Jon left the kids to me, I think. I want these kids.”
“And we’ll do everything in our power to get them to you,” the man said. “Stop by around 3 o’clock with the girl tomorrow. We’ll talk more then.”
“Alright,” Jen said and she hung up the phone. She laid her head against the wall and began to cry. “I just can’t believe it,” she whispered to herself.
Jacey shuffled into the kitchen. “My dream came true?” she half asked, half told.
“Did your dream include a car crash and your parents being gone?” Jen asked. Jacey nodded. So did Jen. “I’m sorry, Baby.” Jacey ran into Jen’s arms and they both began to cry. “Don’t worry, you’ll always have me.”