Fake Me To Church

Chapter 10.2 - The Nut House

- AHMED -

"I really hope we didn't get Audrey in trouble," Irina said once we'd gotten in her car and pulled out of Molding the Way's parking lot.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

Irina sighed. "Her boss looked so mad." She sniffled. "And I wish she hadn't been so harsh with GiGi."

"I'm sorry, Irina," I said after hesitating. "I feel like this is my fault—"

"It's not," she interjected. "It's not your fault, Ahmed; it's mine. I was the one who insisted we come here. It was my decision to try and find out if I had a sister." She exhaled. "Mission accomplished, I guess."

I turned my attention to the road in front of us, dull gray speckled with strips of white and yellow that sped past at a steady rhythm. My eyes fell from the windshield, landing on that same solitary blond hair I'd seen Thursday on Irina's dashboard. "Hey, Irina?" I spoke up.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think maybe GiGi knew something about Glenn Clather's death?"

"If she didn't, I'd say she at least knew who he was. And honestly, at this point, I'd say anything is possible." Irina shook her head. "...She just kept calling me that name—Lane."

I hesitated. "Was that...was she the girl you thought you remembered earlier? The blond one who always gave you skittles?"

"It's gotta be. Lane and my sister knew each other. I'm convinced of that, but...it does make me wonder. If GiGi's been stuck in Molding the Way all these years, where's Lane?"

"Maybe she's in Molding the Way too. I mean, we never checked. And we don't even know if we can take anything GiGi said seriously."

"Ahmed, I don't know. Yeah, she's probably clinically insane, but what if all the things she was screaming were just...memories? Really foggy, chopped up memories of something awful that happened to her?" Irina gulped. "What if she was remembering the day she lost it, the thing that caused her to snap?"

"I wish it was that easy." I sighed. "And I wish we'd had more time with her." I lowered my head as we drove on for a bit, eventually looking out the window and spotting the familiar ivory porch of the Heavenstate home—my home. When Irina parked, the two of us stepped out of the car and strolled up the pavement to the front door, where I fished out my key and nuzzled it into the lock.

I slid open the door, and Irina followed me inside.

"Ahmed, there you are," Katherine greeted us the moment we walked into the kitchen. "Oh, Irina! How are you, dear?"

"I'm well, Mrs. Heavenstate." Irina nodded. "How're you?"

"Well, I've been better. That's for sure." Katherine fanned herself with her hand. "I'm trying to put the finishing touches on the funeral service for Glenn and Caroline tomorrow. James is out running errands, and I just can't seem to stop worrying. This whole thing's got me all over the place."

"I know what that's like." Irina's voice grew low.

Katherine sighed. "Can I get you two anything? Some water? A coke maybe?"

Irina shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Same here," I echoed.

Katherine smiled briefly. "Right. Well, if you change your mind, I washed all the glasses this morning, and they're in the cupboard closest to the fridge. Water and sodas are in the pantry." She turned and walked briskly from the room, hurrying off to whatever task awaited her.