The Livingstones

Chapter Four: The Yellow House on Kingspin Avenue

"We ain't from the girl scouts, miss," Audrey reasoned.

The woman pursed her lips, "Well, you can scram."

"Please, we need help," Cameron said.

The woman looked up at his height and snarled, "Not for you, you don't. Shoo."

Sighing, Audrey felt utterly defeated. "Let's go, Cameron. I think this is the wrong house."

Shoulders hunched, Audrey and Cameron Stainsbury began to trundle away from the bitter woman. Audrey's hopes had tumbled down a hill until another woman came to her aid.

"Lenna, who was that?"

"Foreigners looking for directions, I suppose," the Hispanic woman grumbled.

The door slowly opened and it was not the cold Lenna who opened the door, it was a dark-skinned woman with a slim smile.

"Yes?" she beamed. "How can we-"

"You," corrected the woman named Lenna.

"Lennie, shush!" chastised the dark-skinned woman. "How can we help you two?"

"Thank you, miss," Audrey breathed out and lunged forward. "My name is Audrey and I..."

"Well, my name is Deborah," the woman cut her off by pointing pompously at herself, "she's Lenna," the woman in dark clothing snorted, "and I think you should come inside."

"Thank you, miss," breathed Audrey.

She followed Deborah inside the house, avoiding Lenna's scornful glare. Cameron followed not far behind only to be blocked by Lenna.

"She told me to come in," he said.

Lenna waggled her finger feverishly and remarked, "Tut, tut. She told your girlfriend to come in. Besides, we don't admit entrance to men."

Cameron gritted his teeth and tried not to punch another face. Lenna crossed her arms and stood at the door looking fairly like a mini bouncer.

With his height, he peered over her shoulder and eyed them as Audrey sat on a velvet sofa with Deborah across her in a leather chair.

The insides of the house was exceedingly simple, not like what she had seen outside. Floral-print wallpaper was plastered on the walls. A tall green plant was set beside the table in front of the window, covered in white blinds and checkered curtains. There was a fireplace - unlit - and a mantle with all sorts of iron trinkets forming some of the world's famous monuments on it. The table was made with cherry wood, and all sorts of books were thrown on it; it was a pity Audrey never learned to read, she thought all the books looked awfully interesting.

The pictures on the walls were framed beautifully in wood and glass caskets, showing bright smiley faces of different women. In the middle-left of the wall, she spotted a juvenile picture of Deborah. Wearing a black dress revealing her dark shoulders, Deborah sparkled through her grin. On the very far right, she saw Lenna; definitely younger, but there was no difference at all. Her lips were curled in a half-smirk, eyes heavily lidded, lips the shade of raspberries in springtime and the exact same haircut. In the very middle, on top of the mantle, was a very ancient woman whose name was not shown, but to Audrey she looked very wise indeed. Her kind eyes seemed to look straight at her as she gaped at all the pictures, wrinkles overtook her face but there were still hints of a youthful soul inside of her. Who was she?

Deborah shifted her rather large bosom on the seat of the chair and cleared her throat.

"What was it you came for?"

"You see, miss, me and my boyfriend, Cameron, we're looking for this house."

"And?"

"Do you happen to know the Livingstones by any chance, miss?"

Deborah exchanged a look with Lenna and threw her head back in raucous laughter. Lenna cackled with her, holding on her knees for support. Cameron and Audrey stared at the two for a while when heavy footsteps travelled down the stairs. Deborah and Lenna now stopped laughing but were still coughing vigorously.

The woman coming down the steps had a small bulge on her lower stomach, meaning she was pregnant. She was quite young actually, with her stawberry-blonde hair cut short just below her shoulders, her body would be a perfect fit for a slender ballerina if she wasn't pregnant.

"Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing," she said in a sleek English accent, "but you were looking for the Livingstones house?"

"Yes, miss. But why is it so funny?"

The pregnant woman chuckled and spread her arms in a warm welcome. "You came to the right house."