T H E M A I D<> J G

twenty nine

"This is your old house?" Jack asked, as we stood at the white gates.

"Yes" I smile to myself remembering distant memories.

Sighing inwardly, I opened the gate and walked up the walkway.

I knocked on the door hesitantly.
Breathing out heavily.

"Hello?" A younger girl said, part of her body hid by the door.

She seemed shy and a bit scared.

I kneeled down a bit and waved.

"Are your parents here, honey?"

"My-my name is Dahlia" she whispered, unaware of the pet name I called her.

I chuckled and as I was about to respond a man pulled her back softly.

"Can I help you?" He sent us a small smile as his daughter clung to his side.

"I'm Adrianna, I used to live here" he nodded his head for me to continue.

"My mother left something in the attic, it's under the floor board" I explained, hoping he'd catch on.

"And you'd like to retrieve it?" He smiled.

"Yes. It's very important to me sir" he nodded and stepped aside.

"Come on in" I stepped in and Jack followed behind me, muttering a hello.

The man led me upstairs and I walked behind him.

I knew this house like the back of my hand.

I missed it so much, it still looked the same.

The brown wood floors, the cream colored walls.

"I'll leave you to it" the man smiled as, he pulled the stairs down.

"Thank you"

I walked up the stairs, catiously, the creaking noises a little frightening.

"You know where it is right?" Jack said behind me, I nodded and walked into the attic, crouching down a bit.

I stepped on a piece of wood, it creaked loudly and I kneeled down.

"This is it"

So much anxiety was shooting through my veins, I was so nervous.

Whatever is in this box determines so much.

My name, my life, who my dad is, basically who I am.

It's all so nerve wrecking, what if I'm not who I wanted to be?

What if he was really my dad?

It all hit me again; I killed a man

His blood is on my hands, I shot him.

My chest was puffing up and down and I breathed ragged and uneven.

"What if what's in this box isn't what I want it to be? What if I never know who I am?" My eyes welled with tears and I sat down refusing to open the box.

"I'm so scared! This box is the only piece of me I have left, Jack. I don't know about this, maybe we should leave " I rambled, standing up quickly

"No, Adrianna. You need this closure. I can't watch you cry anymore, babygirl" Jack's hand rose to glide across my cheeks.

"I can't keep doing this, Jack. Maybe I should just give up. I can't anymore " I shook my head, burying in his chest.

"No, you're so close to finding yourself. You've been through way too much, I've put you through way too much. You deserve to know the truth, it's all in that box" his hands rubbed my back and I pulled away and nodded.