Page 4 of Dark Moon Secrets

“I don’t want to leave her alone.” Memories of my parents’ deaths filled my mind, but at least they had each other when the accident happened.

“You’re shaking.” Mia reached over, pulled a crochet throw from the sofa, and wrapped it around me.

I didn’t feel any warmer, but a calmness did wash over me. It was like how I felt after I chatted with Maria.

I was going to miss our monthly get-togethers. I couldn’t help thinking something more was happening here, but I didn’t know what.

“Hey, miss, let’s get you outside,” a young ambulance attendant spoke to me in such a way that I listened to him.

On my feet, my knees gave way, but Caleb caught me.

“Lean on me,” Caleb said gently while wrapping an arm around my waist.

I had no choice since my legs seemed to have lost all control. Caleb helped me outside, leaving the ambulance team to attend to Maria.

I sat on the edge of the raised brick garden bed, the blanket wrapped around me. Mia and Caleb sat on either side of me. I was sandwiched between two people I trusted while they wheeled out Maria’s body and into the ambulance.

“Miss, we’re taking your mom away,” said the ambulance attendant.

My throat constricted for a moment. Memories of being told when my parents had passed flooded my mind, blurring my vision. I’d been home alone when the police informed me of the accident.

“I’m sorry, it’s too much right now…”

The ambulance attendant placed a hand on my arm. “I understand.”

I inhaled slowly, using my breath to push the memories best forgotten away. “She’s not my mom,” I whispered hoarsely.

“Oh, next of kin?”

I shook my head. “A friend. I live upstairs.”

“A good friend. Do you know who we should contact to let them know what has happened?”

“She has no one.” She had no children. The man she married died in the Vietnam War. She’d been into New Age things after that, but I couldn’t say what since I’d always rushed away. How I wished I had stayed now.

“No one at all?”

Then I remembered Maria had told me about a brown A4 envelope in the top drawer of her bedside table I was to open if anything happened to her.

I had to do that for her now.

Maria had pleaded with me to do this for her.

And I had promised.

I got up, swaying slightly before Caleb and Mia helped to steady me on my feet.

“You should sit down,” Caleb spoke with concern.

“There’s a letter I have to get,” I insisted, pushing their hands away.

“What letter?” asked Mia.

Determined to complete my promise, I staggered inside. The place I enjoyed coming to once a month now felt foreign and no longer welcoming.

I paused where Maria had laid on the floor. It was almost like I could see her, a ghostly form on the brown carpet, an arm reaching out toward her bedroom as if she were indicating for the letter she wanted me to open.

Not wanting to stay longer than I had to, I hurried into the bedroom. The drawer caught, and I tugged at it, desperate to open it quickly.

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