Skeletons in the closet (Secret of the Unicorn Queen Fanfic)

Three

           

The cardboard box was carefully taped. Across the top in Dr. Reit's chicken scratch was her name.

"In the Will he specified that this box go only to you. If you couldn't be found, then it was to be incinerated." Kevin was frowning at the box but when he looked up at her his face brightened. "You can imagine our curiosity. Do you have any idea what might be inside?"

Clenching her trembling hands, Sheila kept her eyes on the box as she forced herself to shake her head. "No. No idea." Except that she did.

Suddenly she was transported back to this very room, standing nearly in the exact spot she was now. On the floor, between her and Dr. Reit, was a duffle bag. "I want you to destroy this. All of it."

It was late. The room was lit by the soft glow of a single light bulb in the corner. She'd snuck over, using her newly gained magic to keep her hidden from sight. It was a risk to visit him.  She'd caused him enough trouble.

"Sheila, I can't. Someday—"

"No!" her voice was louder than she'd meant it to be. It wavered with barely controlled emotion. "No. It's too hard. I need to get rid of it, but I can't do it myself. It hurts too much."

His white hair stood around his head like a cloud. Sheila didn't think she'd ever seen it tamed or combed down. He had a penchant for running his fingers through it when he was thinking. Just like he was now, his hand dug into the thick tangles, his fingers threaded through the strands. The lines of his face were deeper now. She supposed that being charged with statutory rape could do that to a person. Especially when the person responsible sneaked into his house and was making demands.

Her stomach churned. The doctor said she had an ulcer, but that she couldn't take the medication for it while she was pregnant so she needed to stay away from stress. God, she was pregnant! From just that one night with—no! She flung the thought away and focused on the present. "Please, Dr. Reit. It's too hard to think of them."—of him.

His shoulders hunched and he looked like a deflated balloon as he agreed to do what she asked. Only, he hadn't. He'd kept it instead.

Part of her was furious, but a larger part was relieved.

Her thoughts were pulled back to the present as Kevin kept talking, he eyes drawn again and again to the plain box. "We've all been taking wagers as to what's inside. I'll be honest, I thought about opening it a thousand times."

Sheila arched an eyebrow.  And what would he have thought about what was inside? Would the contents have shocked him? Would it incriminate his uncle even more? Or would he have just been more puzzled?

Stepping closer to the bench, she reached out and ran her fingers along the taped seam.

"Are you gonna open it?" His voice was expectant.

Very gently, she slid her hand along the smooth cardboard before letting her finger trace over the scrawl of her name. "Do you mind if I have a moment?"

Disappointment rolled off of Dr. Reit's nephew. With a heavy sigh, his shoulders fell forward but then he recovered quickly.  Meeting her eyes with a forced smile he nodded, "Of course. Take all the time you need. I'll be working at the back of the house. If you need anything, just ask."

She watched as he turned and left the room with his hands shoved into his pockets. She listened to the retreat of his footsteps and when she was certain that he was indeed at the back of the house, she let out the breath she'd been holding.

Now, how did she do this? Did she take the box home to open at her leisure? Or should she open it here and now. Ripping open the pain quickly like a Band-Aid?

With one hand still on the box, she let the other sneak into her pocket where her fingers curled around the pocket knife she kept on her at all times. Her decision made, she snatched the box off the bench—it was heavier than she'd expected—and carried it over to the window. Hopping up on the bench, she curled up in what had once been her favorite place and set the box between her legs.

Her heart sped up as the knife cut through the packing tape easily. Slipping her fingers between the slats, she pulled them apart.  First the two outer followed by the inner, tucking them against her legs so they stayed down. Her mouth had suddenly gone dry and she swallowed thickly before leaning forward to look inside.