Arriana's Return

Arriana's Return - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Mom everything looks really good. Have you been cooking all day?"

Arianna was looking hungrily at all the food on the table. She loved when her mom made big dinners.

"You know I make nothing but the best for my best. Plus, you have that big meet tomorrow so I want to make sure you get enough to eat." Marianna said smiling, hoping that Arianna didn't notice her glassy eyes.

"Thanks mom. You're the best!" Arianna replied giving her mom a big smile as she piled the food onto her plate.

Marianna and Scott watched as Arianna dug in. Dinner that night was quiet. Nobody was really in a talking mood. The usual 'how was your day, what did you do, did you do anything new in school' chitchat was all that emerged from the small family. The doorbell rang as they were finishing up. Arianna jumped up and ran to get it. Something she had been doing since she was a child. Scott and Marianna heard the door creak open and Arianna squeal.

"Danni!" She shouted in glee.

"Hey kiddo, how are you?" The raven-haired woman smiled at her little sister.

"I'm great! Where are the kids? What are you doing here? I've missed you!"

"Calm down. They're in the car. John's helping them out. We both had a few days off from work, so we decided to take a weekend trip to grandpa and grandma's house." She laughed.

"Danni, honey! Oh, it's so good to see you." Marianna said hugging her eldest daughter.

"Mom! Dad!" Her smile was quickly wiped off her face when she they were hiding something. She always knew when they were faking a smile, "What's wrong? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah everything is fine. It's just so good to see you, that's all." Marianna said hugging her again.

"Grandma, grandpa! Aunt Arianna!" Two small children ran into the living room and wrapped their arms around the older couple.

"How are our munchkins?" They asked picking up the little boy and girl.

"We're doing really well. Guess what grandpa." Jacob said.

"What Jake?"

"I got an A on my spelling test. Mrs. Brown gave me a gold star!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Were you surprised to see us? Were you? Huh?" Marissa asked.

"We were so surprised and so happy!" Scott said giving the little boy a squeeze.

After the kids and Arianna were settled into bed Scott, Marianna and Danni sat down to talk about everything that was starting to happen. Danni had known about her sister from the beginning. Whenever they had finished telling Danni everything that had been happening she sat in silence trying to think. Her thoughts had become a jumbled mess. They hugged goodnight, headed towards their own rooms and went to bed wishing they knew what was in store for the young girl who was asleep down the hall.

Arianna woke early the next morning, looking out the window next to her bed, it was still dark. Groaning, she swung her legs over the side trying not to disturb Beau. She walked over and pushed the curtain to the side. Gazing over the snow-covered world below, she saw the outline of a man leaning against the big oak tree in the front yard, staring at her.

"Who the hell is that? I'll bet it's that creepy guy from earlier," she said into the empty darkness of her room.

She wiped at the window where her breath had fogged the glass and stared back at him. He never moved. Keeping her attention on the man she reached down and felt for her fuzzy slippers. Arianna slipped them on and quickly, yet quietly, crept down the hallway to the stairs. She snuck down those very same stairs since she was old enough to walk; she knew which steps to avoid so as not to wake anyone. She turned off the house alarm and crept out the front door to the tree. He was still standing there.