Chapter Two

"Can you tell me a little about your mother?" Detective Johnathan asked me. His voice came out calm and measured.

A little, huh? How many? One? Two? How about none because I'm sure a few very 'nice' individuals already enlightened you. Maybe they even mentioned my beloved grandmother, Mabel, and the wonderful things she did to ruin my life.

I aimlessly twisted and kneaded my moist, red fingers here and there, stalling for no reason while pretending to not hear a word.

The detective sighed, and shook his head, maybe wishing to be anywhere else but here.

"Silent treatment, mmh?" He hummed, his deep, husky voice reverberating in the empty room. "Fine, I know an orphanage home that would give you a nice uniform to go with your attitude."

He stood up and was about turning to use the door when I quickly changed my mind about being rude. "No, please. I'll talk."

"Very well, then." The man exhaled, then pulled out his notepad from his jacket pocket and carelessly tossed it on the table dividing us causing it to hit the steal furniture with a light thud. The room we were in was empty with only a table, two chairs and a huge window on my right.

It took me a minute to think about the many things I already knew about my mother. Some of them were pleasant, others were quite disturbing so I chose to just tell him the recent events.

"Mom was not herself for the past two months." I swallowed and continued. "She has been getting late night calls and crying herself to sleep. I don't know why."

"Did you try to find out who the caller was?" He asked me, but I shook my head negatively, then he sat on the chair and scribbled something on the note pad.

"She was very secretive. She never wanted me to enter into her bedroom. I think that is where all the answers lie."

"Where is your father?" The detective changed the topic making me cringe at his last word. His blue eyes looked at me expectantly and I felt the urge to look away.

Father? What is a father? Who is a father? Oh! You mean the man that got my mother pregnant and disappeared from her life before I was even born? The man that was never involved in my life? Yep! That guy! He must be somewhere across the planet making some other woman's life dismal.

"I don't have a father." I harshly told the man before me and shifted uncomfortably on my seat.

Detective Johnathan frowned sceptically at me. His one eyebrow was raised Inquisitively. "Is he dead? Are you adopted?"

"I'm not adopted..." My dry lips snapped. "...and I don't know if he is dead or alive."

The blond detective scrutinized me with his hard gaze, poking me with his blue eyes for information, but I remained quiet and stagnant.

"Any other info?" He decided to press and I dug my brain for one last relevant knowledge.

"Mom has a younger sister." I meekly said.

"Alright then, come on, let us call your aunt."

It has been three hours since mommy's demise and I can feel my tummy gradually heading the same direction. I was in the detective's office, staring at the see through cookie jar on his mahogany table.

My appetite skyrocketed when I imagined how nice it would be to have whipped cream all over it. My tummy rumbled and I blushed feeling embarrassed that I was craving someone else's food. I was taught never to steal, but when I'm this hungry can my actions be justified?

This is a detective so what if he arrests me for stealing? Worst of all is that I'm in a police station. Agh! Stupid Hermione. Mother will be disappointed in you. Not even a day has passed since you learnt about her death and you are already thinking of stealing.

"You can have some."

I jumped from my seat with a bit of fright. My head shot to the intruder at the door. He looked like a younger version of detective Johnathan. Those sky-blue orbs and sandy blonde hair.

I sighed after feeling my heart beat back to normal. I thought it was the detective, I already don't like him that much, although I know he is just trying to do his job.

"Huh?" I asked, and my bad breath hit me once again today. I did not pay much attention to it from the time I started worrying about mother's whereabouts, and I don't know why I did not think of brushing my teeth this morning.

"They're my father's, you can have some of the cookies." He said, gliding over to his father's chair. He made himself comfortable and leaned back a bit.

I was about rejecting, but my moaning tummy made me pout, and so I slowly opened the jar to take out two cookies. I munched on them, satisfying my stomach a bit and closed the jar after grabbing a third cookie.

What was I thinking holding my hunger for two days till mother got paid?

"My name is Handsome what is your name?" The blonde asked me. A warm smirk tickled the corners of his lips. I frowned at him and wondered if he thought I was that daft to believe such a lie.

Who names their son Handsome anyway? But then again that was a stupid question because some parents give their children worse names.

"My name is Hermione." I softly mumbled after finishing my last cookie.

I avoided his eyes and studied his outfit instead. He was wearing black jeans, a white long sleeve t-shirt with a navy blue hoody over it.

Casual. Unlike me who only wore a black, over-sized, long sleeve T-shirt as a nightwear under my huge raincoat. I felt underdressed and uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"You have a beautiful name." Johnathan Junior said to me. He leaned forward, searching for my eyes behind my wet ginger curtain. "Why are you here, if I may ask?"

My dry lips pouted and trembled again when the image of my mother's pale, lifeless skin flashed in my mind. He got the message, 'Back off.'

"It is ok, you don't have to tell me." He said, feeling bad for even asking. "I did not mean to make you feel-"

"Derick, get your butt off my chair..." The detectives deep voice scolded the guy before me. "...and how many times should I tell you to stop flirting with the victims?"

Derick. That is a way more appropriate name. I would never have called him 'Handsome', even though he is undoubtedly charming.

"Wow dad, thanks for exposing me." Derick chuckled, getting out of his dad's seat. "It was nice meeting you, Hermione." He winked at me and I nodded, not so sure as to how I'm supposed to react to that.

"Your aunt is here." The detective muttered, pointing at the window exposing all the other workers.

A woman with wild curly, ginger hair that was bouncing on her shoulders, made her way to the room we were in. Her flashy, yellow, sleeveless, mid-thigh dress with a choker decorated with diamonds was grabbing all the attention as her blood red high heels clicked with every step she took. She had her animal print fur coat on one arm and her purse in the other hand.

I was about leaning forward to ask detective Johnathan a few questions about that lovely orphanage he suggested earlier when the door to his office was unceremoniously pushed open, causing both of us to glare at the rude intruder.

Aunt Courtney gave a short glance at me as if to confirm if I was the one she was here for before she turned to the man opening files and writing something on them.

"Detective Johnathan." She nodded in greeting, "I'll take it from here."

"I'd like you to sign a few papers first Mrs O' Brian." He gave her the file he was holding in his hands and she signed it without reading or sitting. "We will call you in for questioning." He told her then she left, and I quickly stood up to pursue her.

When we were outside and away from prying eyes, she asked me, "What did you do this time? Rearrange somebody's face?", while unlocked a crimson BMW Seden close to the front door of the police station and I blinked.

I looked at her with disbelief clouding my vision, she still thinks I'm that bad after all these years? Well, I don't blame her.

"I did not do anything." It is true, I did not do anything. I just let mom go. It's all my fault. "Mom's dead." I could feel my tears burning the brim of my eyelids again.

"WHAT!"

Just when I thought this day had gotten rid of the worst, nope, aunt Courtney made sure it got even worse.

We were flying on the road, picking up rainwater with every turn and causing a havoc for the other vehicles. If not for my seatbelt, I would have been tossed left, right and centre while she overtook cars on the highway.

"How could this happen?" She gritted, then hissed at the traffic lights that were about turning red.

Thinking she would stop, I let out a suppressed sigh until she picked up speed to zoom pass that red light. I whimpered, hanging on to whatever my hands could grab for dear life.

This woman was planning to kill us both. We were lucky the police weren't tailing us, otherwise my life would've ended.

"NO, NO, NO! DAMMIT!" She exclaimed, hitting the steering wheel with rage after an owner of a small van thought it was cool to slow down in front of us.

"Maybe its best we drive slow-"

"Shut up!" She seethed, her grey orbs shooting lasers my way. I shrunk in my seat hoping to avoid another sharp U-turn that would throw me against my window as punishment for opening my mouth. She spat a few colourful words before turning to a different lane and speeding away.

After two whole hours of almost getting us killed, Aunt Courtney turned to a quiet street and released the accelerator. We drove in silence while I gawked at the most beautiful mansions I have ever seen. I couldn't believe my eyes. These houses must have belonged to celebrities, extremely rich politicians and businessmen.

Suddenly we made a stop in front of two black electronic gates that opened before us. The house was breathtaking, even after climbing out of the car I couldn't take my eyes off that magical building.

The front yard was massive, with five cars parked on the left and a beautiful garden on the right, adorned with colourful flowers. A majestic staircase, lead to white double doors which we were walking towards while cherubs guarded the entrance. The triple story building had been painted gray with tiles and sculptures on parts of the wall.

Wow!

"Are you going to keep gawking till your jaw falls off or are you coming in?" Aunt Courtney snapped and I quickly followed her obediently inside.

If you thought the outside was like a castle then the inside was heaven. There was a huge space after the entrance, the floor was marble and the roof held a gold heart shaped chandelier. The place was shimmering with gold and silver designs. A large, white staircase welcomed the guests with its green carpet. Everything was at the right place and had the perfect colours.

We entered a room to the left, and I heard another door open somewhere.

"Mom, you back early. What..." His voice trailed off when he strained his neck to look beyond Aunt Courtney.

Rich gray eyes that resembled today's dark sky, light brown hair ruffly tossed back, perfect tanned skin... its been years since I set my eyes on him.

"Maya?" He called out my nickname and my stupid tears made yet another appearance. If I wasn't so emotional, I would've smiled, he knows I would've smiled.

"Ken." My voice cracked and he rushed to me, engulfing me in a bear hug. He inhaled the scent of rain on my messy hair and sighed.

"You're home." He whispered.