This was going to be a long day.
"We really need your help, ma'am, you have to tell us everything you know for the sake of Hannah Archer". Her expression softens but she still refuses to say anything.
"For her good heart and kindness" she looks back at us and says "You are just like your mother" She sniffs and continues "beautiful, smart and gets what she wants"
Leah looks at me and holds my hand in hers
"I am the Alwood you seek and I used to work at your home". I brushed away the tear that was about to drop from my eye with the back of my hand happy we were about to get somewhere.
"What do you want to ask?, I'm all ears" she looks at us.
"We want to know everything about what happened in the mansion twenty - one years ago". I tell her with eyes full of anticipation.
"Twenty-one years ago?" She stands up and says" I should make you two coffees" She smiles "How do you like it?"
"We would prefer just water" I reply to her. She enters the kitchen and comes out after 45 seconds with three glasses of water.
She sits on the couch and drinks from her water before continuing " I used to work at your house as a housekeeper and I was really close to your mother, she was a nice and sweet soul. When she gave birth to you, some things started happening which I really don't know much about but her relationship with your father suddenly became strained." She looks at me to see my reaction.
I clean the tear that was about to drop from the corner of my eye with my hand
"What happened to cause that?" I asked her
" I really don't know. Probably about a mistress because I once heard your mother mention that during an argument with your father and on a night, your father raised his hands to your mother. Your mother knew I saw what happened and called me to talk to me." She stops again and takes a sip of the water.
"She told me to ignore what was happening and that I should start taking care of you. A lot of the staff working in the house had been fired by that time including your nursemaid who was taking care of you then. When you became 8 months old your mother fell sick and was saying something which everyone ignored. She was later taken away by your father and a new woman whom I used to see with your mother, I think they were close. Two days later, your father asked me to leave and gave me some money to start all over." She gauges my reaction again.
"Later on, I heard all the remaining staff had been fired except Rebecca – who used to care take of your mom when she became sick and also assisted me with you. That is all I know". She says before taking a big gulp from the glass water.
Rebecca was the nursemaid who told us about Mrs Alwood and gave us her address.
"Thank you ma'am, but you must know something about some of the things that happen..."
"I have said all I can and will say no more." She cuts me off my sentence
Leah and I stand up to leave
"Thank you" I smile but she stops us outside the door and goes back inside. A few minutes later she comes out and brings back a letter.
"When you get back, kindly give this to Rebecca" she places it in my palm before saying "I'm sorry I can't help you any further." She enters her house.
I turn toward Leah and hug her. We stayed like that for like a minute
"It's okay, we are going to find your mother and what happened those years ago." she pats my back "let's leave now or we might not get the bus back home."
~~~~~
Leah got down at her stop, mine was still fifteen minutes away so I brought out my phone from my bag and saw I already got a text from my boyfriend — Mathew. I tried calling but it didn't go through so I checked for other notifications— none.
I got home around six in the evening —the home I used to love and rush to in excitement now feels unfamiliar, strange and heavy. Just the staff and my sister (oh, I meant my half-sister, Sophia, I recently discovered that ) were around. Then I remembered the letter and asked for the nursemaid from one of the kitchen staff but no one had seen her that day, so I put the letter in my bedside nightstand, took some cereals and went to bed as I was so exhausted from the stress of the day.