Memory Gates

Jane woke up to high voices coming from the sitting room, downstairs. After taking two more cups of sweet cream, she had gone inside for a short nap once the got back from the Nova. She waited for a minute, yet the voices didn't stop. Carefully, she came down from the bed and started climbing down the stairs to the sitting room.

Placing her right hand on the smooth railings of the stairs, she climbed down the staircase gently. Getting to the curve of the stairs, she saw Priscilla Noman having what seem like a heated argument with Ignas and Clara.

Jane had an idea what could be the cause of argument. Ignas had let Clara touch a half dead woman at what seemed like a crime scene and of course, Priscilla would obviously not have it.

"Mum please, it was me, all me." Clara pleaded.

"Would you go sit your stupid ass over there and allow adults argue in peace." Priscilla scolded.

Jane cleared her throat sharply, announcing her presence. "Good afternoon ma'am." She greeted.

"How are you darling?" Priscilla asked rushing to the foot of the stairs to help Jane down. "And how are you little one?" She asked, blowing a kiss at Jane's bump. "Come sit down Janey." She removed the throw pillow on the cushion, creating space for her to sit.

"Mum she can climb down the stairs. Jane is pregnant, not paralysed."

"Excuse me, I'm not complaining." Jane shot at her. "As a matter of fact, I love it. Thank you so much mum."

Priscilla smiled sweetly at her and turned to Clara with a hard glare. "I heard Clara and Ignas took you to a crime scene and a hospital against your wish." She asked Jane.

"Oh no, I wanted to go too. The poor woman looked lifeless, and we were all grateful that Clara could help. Although we lost her, but it feels good to know that we tried our best." Jane replied, happy as a toddler.

Priscilla looked from Ignas, to Jane, to Clara and back to Ignas. Please don't put my daughter in harm's way ever again." She warned Ignas who nodded.

"So, has the family approved her autopsy?" Jane asked no one in particular. She went over to the kitchen, demarcated from the sitting room by a wooden counter. Pouring a handful of cereal into a plate, she took hold of the milk can and almost emptied it's content into her plate of cereal. "Sorry, I just feel like taking a lot of milk." She said over the kitchen counter.

"Let me help you with that." Priscilla offered, and took the plate of cereal to the table in the sitting room. "You can take as much milk as you want. That's what the baby want!" She giggled happily.

"Yeah, as long as I don't get a shopping list asking me to get more milk." Clara whined.

"Oh come on Clara, if only you can make out time and go on real dates, you might get yourself a man, a marriage, a pregnancy, and finally a baby. But hell no, you are always busy. I'm not getting younger, I need a grandchild sweetie. Can't you consider giving some good man a chance?" Priscilla said with a doleful face.

"If you consider yourself old, then what about me? I know for a fact that I'm not old. Am I old?" Ignas asked nobody in particular.

"No, of course not, never." They all replied simultaneously, afraid to state the obvious truth.

"I'll get married at the right time." Clara replied, wishing not to discuss marriage at that moment.

"Ignas, the autopsy?" Jane interrupted, shoving a large chunk of cereal into her mouth.