C31. Reflection

Juliette's POV:

It wasn't long before grandma Della was at the station. I had been sitting alone waiting for her. The police had went to get her well over an hour ago. She walked in and pushed hands off her arms. The police were trying to help her inside. The storm blew into the station and the guards had to fight to get the doors shut. "Grandma!" I took off my blanket to wrap around her shoulders. I'm glad she's ok! "Did you run into trouble getting here?" I asked in concern. I couldn't let anything happen to her. She patted my hands as she walked with me to where I had been waiting at. She sat down and crossed her legs.

"We dropped Carole off at the hospital before coming here," she explained. "Carole was all shook up. Poor dear," she muttered. "It's not easy loosing a mate. A child," she muttered and looked sad in her eyes. "That's where it gets you. I heard you were in a wreck with Edith. That's why she's in the hospital. I don't think you know yet but Edith is with child." I frowned as I thought back to how she was in so much pain earlier. I thought she broke a rib. What if she's at risk of loosing her baby?

"She should have said something," I muttered. I would have took her to the ER myself. "She was keeping it a secret from me. I don't understand... Why would she?"

"I'm sure she wasn't ready to tell anyone."

"How do you know?"

"I'm the grandmother. I know everything," she chuckled out as she took my hands in hers. "So, where is your mother?"

"She's dead too," I mumbled. "When Edith showed up at my house she was looking for her," I reminded. "We found her in her bathtub. No pulse... It's like she had been poisoned."

"We need to get home and sleep off this night. There's nothing we can do with the storm blowing in."

"There are rogues-"

"They told me," she said as she nodded. "Everyone needs to go home and let this storm blow over. We can't do anything in the conditions coming in outside." I nodded in agreement. She was right. We can't risk any of our pack mates' lives. She stood up as she started for the door. "Let's go back to your parents' home. We'll fish your mother out of the bathtub and dress her and put her up in the bed. Then we'll lock up the house and get some shut eye." She waved at some of the guards of standby. "Take us home. Give out orders for everyone to go home that's here," Grandma Della commanded. They nodded out of respect to her. She looked over her shoulder. "Come on, Juliette."

I got up quickly and followed her out. The wind outside had picked up. There was a light snow scattering into the police station. Luckily I lived close by and we would be home shortly. The storm was about to be dangerous. I didn't want to get caught in it. Grandma Della was safe and that's all that mattered to me for the time being. Tatum waved as he noticed us coming out. He had been talking with a few people about the tracks leading out back.

"Della," he said as he gave a huge smile.

"Take us home," Grandma Della told him. "There's something I have to say to you." Tatum gave an awkward smile as he motioned for us to follow and he lead us to his car. I slid into the back as the two got up front. He started to drive then.

"Your son... Have you heard from him?" She asked suddenly. I looked out the window as I searched the shadows forming in the alleys of the town. The street lights were cut off due to the storm.

"Zeke went off into the woods about two hours ago," he muttered. "Maybe more. I haven't heard from him since. Why do you ask?"

"He got my granddaughter pregnant. Matthew's girl... Edith. I want you to inform him as soon as you see him to go to the hospital to be with her." I could see concern written on Tatum's face as he heard the news. "You didn't know?" She asked softly and chuckled. "They were planning to tell her side of the family next. We were having dinner earlier tonight when it happened. They just dropped the news on us too." So that's why grandma was at Uncle Matthew's house tonight.

"Thank you for telling me. I think Edith is going to be fine. She's a strong girl." He sounded like he was trying to comfort my grandmother. Really it should be him we should be comforting. His son could be dead and we won't find out until the storm lets out in the morning. Better we don't tell Edith he's missing. It'll only worry her. Then again... Zeke is pretty strong... He's young... He could outlive this night. I'm sure he is smart enough to figure out what to do.

Tatum dropped us off at the house. He went inside and checked around for us first before declaring the place was empty. He ordered us to call him in the morning before he drove off. I took Grandma Della's hand as I guided her into mother's room. He took my hand and freed herself as she walked into the bathroom. I followed after her slowly.

"I thought you said your mother was in her bathtub," Grandma Della said. I pushed past her in confusion to find the bathroom empty. The tub was empty. The spilt wine bottle wasn't there. The wolfsbane ashes were gone.

"I - I don't understand," I mumbled.

I checked her walk in shower with the opaque glass. Nothing. The towel closet. Nothing. I even checked the cabinets under the sink to be sure. I heard Grandma Della walk out and into the bedroom. I followed after her as I checked under the bed and in her walk-in closet. Nothing again! She walked out and together we went towards the kitchen.

"I don't know what you saw," my grandma Della said as she sounded like she wasn't believing me now. "I don't know what you girls think you saw but your mother clearly isn't home. And, she's not in the tub dead."

"I saw her dead," I told her as we passed the familiar hallway mirror. I checked my reflection to make sure I wasn't dreaming. This wasn't a dream. That was me there. She went into the kitchen and I followed after her. She checked the fridge before pulling out a bottle of wine. The same wine my mother was drinking in the tub. She poured herself a glass. Her eyes looked out at the dinning room. I followed her eyes to see the light on inside. I grabbed a kitchen knife off the magnet on the wall and slowly walked towards the dinning room. I felt myself gulping from the fear I was under. Someone came in here and removed my mother's corpse.

As I walked into the dinning room I was shocked as I saw my mother sitting at the table. She was on a tablet watching the news as a reporter was going on about the breakout at the police station. She was smoking a cigarette. There was an ashtray sitting on the table as well as a fresh glass of wine. She looked up as she heard me walk in.

"Juliette," she said as she suddenly smiled. "You're back. Did you take care of your cousin?" She asked me as she suddenly sounded worried. She paused her tablet. I heard my grandmother walk in from behind me.

"There you are," Grandma Della said as she brought her glass in and sat down at the table next to my mother. "You gave us a scare."

"You were dead," I muttered as I looked towards my grandmother. My eyes warning her to be on high alert. I don't understand what's happening. I thought I saw my mother dead. No. I know I saw her dead. This is bullshit. What kind of silly prank was that earlier? My mother folded her tablet up into it's cover.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Did you have a nightmare?" My mother asked. She looked at my grandmother then. "Where have the two of you been? There's a storm rolling in. I've been worried."

"We were down at the station," my grandma explained.

"I hope it wasn't because of your nightmare," my mother said as her eyes met mine. I frowned as I sat down at the table. What the hell? I saw her not breathing in the bath tub earlier. Plain as day! This doesn't make any sense. I eyed over her skin. There was no signs of strain from sitting in the tub for so long. No marks on her skin. It was like it never happened. Her skin was smooth with the scent of roses. She had lotion hiding her scent. She looked towards her tablet and put out her cigarette. I didn't know mom smoked. "I see... Your sister broke out with that rogue." Her fingers tapped the wine glass as she stared me down. Her eyes seemed different. They're not hers. They're the eyes of a stranger's. Those aren't my mother's eyes. A beaming blood thirsty red. It was the same color that glared me down when I saw the rogue from the street. I don't think it was the same rogue. I looked at my grandmother.

'Something's wrong,' I told her as I begged for her to listen to my plead. I wanted to break through and make her listen to me. This was not my mother.

"Yeah," my grandma said as she looked towards me. "Matthew and Zeke took off after them into the woods. Carole told me she couldn't feel her husband anymore. I think we'll be holding Matthew's funeral next."

"That's too bad," my mother's voice rung in my ears. I was searching for anything different. Anything to prove that this wasn't my mom. I needed an explanation. "You two should get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. How about you go up first, dear?" My mother asked me as she looked me directly in the eyes again. I hesitated as I slowly stood up. I looked at my grandma. I don't want to leave her here alone... "Go. I have things to discuss with grandma." I looked back at my mother as she gave me a sharp look. I had to follow orders. I looked at my grandmother before nodding slowly to her.

"Goodnight," I whispered.

"Goodnight dear," my grandma said as she reached out and rubbed my arm. "Sleep tight. We'll talk about everything in the morning." I gulped as I moved away from the dining table and walked out into the hallway. I felt rushed as I moved towards the mirror in the hall. Am I awake? I glanced at my image as I rubbed the paleness in my skin until it grew a red hew. I looked away as I made my way upstairs. That's not my mother. I know what I saw. She was dead in the tub. Does grandma think I'm stupid? Is she chopping this up to me being just out of a wreck? Does she think I'm wrong?

I'm scared. I don't want to fall asleep tonight. I don't want to end up like my father. I got to my bedroom and pushed the door open. I checked under the bed and in the closet. I even checked my private bathroom before deciding it was clear. I slid my dresser in front of my bedroom door and locked it. I paced the floor as I tried to come up with what I saw. Why my mother was downstairs. What they were talking about down there? Was grandma in danger? I found myself hopping into my bed and hiding under the covers as the blizzard rolled in. The wind began to beat against my windows. It howled violently as the storm threatened to come inside. Eventually... I would drift to sleep.

Mother's voice echoed from downstairs, "I didn't sleep with him!" This was familiar. This was the dream again. I was having it once more. Mother's voice brought me to my senses. But, what stung in my heart was my father's voice.

"Jossie!" He shouted desperately for her. Of all the people he would call for... It was her. He didn't called for me. 

I was at home curled up in my white and blue star patterned bed sheets. I felt like I just was here. Did I fall asleep in these? I thought I would stay awake. Tucked under my arm was a rainbow lama plushie. I through it across the room as it occurred to me I've never seen it before. Jossie's toy. I wanted to get rid of it as it reminded me of something childish that I would never keep around. I threw the blankets back as I sat up straight. What's going on? I could hear downstairs something was happening. My parents were arguing... again. It was normal to hear the argue. They hardly ever got along.

I crept out of bed as my head throbbed from a morning headache. 'Jossie,' my wolf's voice echoed as I realized I could hear her footsteps out in the hall. I walked out to her only to find her sleepwalking towards the staircase. I put my hands against her shoulders to not wake her up and I took her back to bed. I tucked her in as I remembered... That rainbow thing really was hers. I would have to remember to give it back to her before she wakes up. She sure did love that stupid toy.

I walked downstairs and paused when I hit the last step of the staircase. 'Jossie?' Father's voice was there again. I couldn't help but to feel de-ja vu. This again? Didn't this happen before?

"Dad?" I asked as I eyed down the kitchen. "Mom?" My heart raced in my chest. 'Jossie,' he whispered out. "What is it dad?" I wondered as I walked towards the kitchen. I couldn't believe he was mistaking me for her once again.

'Don't go in there.'

'Don't go in there.'

'Don't go in there!'

I should have listened to the warning.

I passed down the hall leading to the kitchen. I wanted to see what was there. The kitchen seemed to grow farther away. I kept walking towards it but never reached it. My feet began to ache and I had to pause as I came across the hall's decorative mirror. There in the reflection...

"Jossie?" I asked in shock. No. I rubbed my eyes and tried to figure out what I was seeing. My mouth arched with a gasp as I looked at the girl in the mirror. My hair was done up with a fancy red bow to hold it together. I was in a silver cocktail dress. Red lipstick stained my lips. I was in matching high heels that stabbed the floor like needle work. My eyes shined my father's blue tint back at me. That's right. I had planned to sneak out. I had planned to go see a guy at a party. A party out by the frozen lake. I was going to go there and get drunk. I felt utterly confused. How could I mistake my reflection as my sister? There in my hands I was carrying a weapon. Why am I holding a kitchen knife? Did I take it from under my bed? My own hands felt light as a feather. It was only the reflection holding the knife. No... No don't be confused.

'Dearest Jossie...' My lips parted as I talked to myself. Jossie was sleeping upstairs. I knew that now. She was dreaming of me. She was in my head with me. This would all be a nightmare to her. She won't remember this. I cannot be confused.

The lights flickered on and off. On and off. On and off. Jossie's dreaming was affecting my head. The hall began to change to the kitchen. I must had walked there. There in front of me the mirror changed to my father's appearance. He stood in front of me now. His blue eyes widening as tears filled them. He lowered his eyes to look down. I looked with him. His hand touched mine as I realized I was pushing a knife into his chest.

"Bloody fucking Cromwell!" My mother's voice echoed. I looked towards her voice as it occured to me. Maybe I was in Jossie's head. Maybe I was the one dreaming the whole time. Did Jossie actually kill my father? Was it me? What is this frustrating dream? I found myself sinking into darkness. This was usually when I woke up. 

"Jossie you have to remember," I mumbled. "If you know something... You have to remember. Because I wasn't ever there." I knew it. I wasn't there the night father died. This was me in her dreams. She was the one that knew what happened. "You have to remember." I was the one that was gone that night. I didn't get to save her the burden of that fight. I had snuck out to go to a party. I had left her vulnerable. I am just as guilty as the killer. I wasn't there to prevent it. I don't think Jossie killed our father... She knows who did it. She saw it and can't remember.