Crossing Over

Chapter 7

She began printing everything she had found about the incident.  Almost every paper in the surrounding counties had mentioned it, but there just wasn't a lot of information. 

As the last of, almost a dozen pages was printing a door slammed somewhere in the house. The unexpected noise caused Andra to jump and sent her heart racing once again. She stood completely still, afraid to move until she smelled the scent of fresh coffee wafting up the stairs. She glanced nervously out the window and realized she could see the first rays of light shooting across the early morning sky. 

Working up her courage, she walked slowly to her bedroom door. It was so much easier to be brave as the sun was starting to break outside the window. It made her nightmare seem far away and ridiculous. Easing the door open, she was immediately relieved to see that everything was as it should be. Her bathroom door was standing ajar, and she could see the familiar glow of the nightlight her mother had left in the outlet just after they had moved in. Stepping cautiously into the hallway, she stood listening but heard nothing unfamiliar.

Her mother was singing to herself in the kitchen. The radio that sat on the counter played the intro for the morning show her mother listened to religiously. Deciding all was well, Andra headed toward her bathroom without a second thought. A hot shower and a cup of coffee were just what she needed to get her head together. 

She stepped into the shower, turning the hot water on full blast letting it ease her tense muscles. Standing there, under the spray, she began to feel a little more like herself. Once she was clean, she threw on her favorite fluffy bathrobe, and after towel drying her hair, she started back into her room. Dressing quickly in a tank top and her favorite jeans, she slipped quietly downstairs on bare feet. 

The smell of coffee, bacon, and cinnamon hung heavy in the air, and Andra's stomach growled with approval. She hadn't realized it until now, but she was starving. 

Her mother was standing in front of the stove, humming to herself, as she scooped eggs out of a pan and onto two separate plates. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she wore her favorite grey Mets shirt with a pair of faded blue jeans. Andra was always struck by how young her mother looked. She was forty-five but she could easily pass for ten years younger than that. 

"Something smells amazing," Andra said as she pulled her favorite big coffee mug from the cabinet and filled it. "Thanks." Her mom said cheerfully. "I didn't have to go to work this morning and I woke up feeling ambitious." She said, smiling, as she put the plates on the table. "We have eggs, bacon, and homemade cinnamon rolls. Come eat before it gets cold." Andra sat down across from her mom, tucking a leg under herself, she picked up her cinnamon roll, and tearing off a small piece, she popped it into her mouth and chased it with a sip of hot coffee.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Her mom asked. "Not a lot," Andra said licking icing off her fingers. "Cameron's coming by later but that's about it."
"You guys have been spending a lot of time together." her mom replied. Andra shrugged as she popped another piece of cinnamon roll into her mouth. "I guess so." 

"He seems like a nice kid." Her mom said, taking a bite of her eggs. "Momma, I love you, but you're about as subtle as a herd of buffalo. What is it exactly that you're getting at?" 
Her mother laughed and scrunched up her nose, making a face at Andra. "I resent that. I'm very subtle, you wouldn't believe the things I've gotten away with without your knowledge." Andra rolled her eyes as she laughed. "No, I'm pretty sure I would believe it. That still doesn't answer my question though."

"I worry about you baby," her mother said, taking her hand across the table, "And I just wonder where this is going with you two. I like Cameron. I just don't want you jumping into anything too quickly. We've only just moved here and you don't know many people. I just don't want you to feel pressured into a relationship."

"Then you will be happy to know that my relationship status remains very much single, at the moment. Cameron isn't my boyfriend I'm not sure what he is. So, you have nothing to worry about. We are stumbling around this slowly like the two very awkward teenagers we are." Andra said, fanning herself and adopting a southern accent on the last sentence that would have made Dolly Parton proud.

"Well, I guess that makes me feel a little better. It would help if you weren't so sarcastic about it though."
Andra smiled mischievously "Like mother like daughter." She said getting up from the table and dodging a small piece of cinnamon roll her mother threw at her.

Dumping her plate in the sink, she refilled her coffee cup. "Thanks for breakfast. I have stuff I need to get done, so I'm going to head up to my room for a little while." 
"That's fine." Her mother replied. "Don't mind me. I'll just be down here, cleaning the house...alone." 
Andra rolled her eyes as she started up the stairs. 

Back in her room, she immediately settled back into work mode. Setting her coffee down on the desk beside her, she began pulling pages out of the printer. Grabbing her highlighter and her notebook, she started marking pages and writing down names and times. Flipping to the last page, Andra realized it was the obituary she had printed out for Savannah. 

She read through the article, noting the few school accomplishments that they had listed, and the date and time Savannah's memorial service was to be held. At the bottom of the page, there was a picture of Savannah. Andra stared at the photo in disbelief before dropping the paper and scrambling backward, knocking over her chair and her coffee as she did. Her cup landed on the plush white carpet. The dark liquid spread slowly, leaving a large stain behind, as it soaked into the thick fibers. Andra stood with her back against the wall, now breathing heavily, watching the coffee spill reach the edges of the paper she had been holding. It had landed face up, so she could see the smiling picture of the girl in the photo. 

It looked to be Savannah's school picture. It was printed in black and white but Andra could see that she was wearing a light-colored button-up shirt. Her smiling face was turned toward the camera and her dark hair hung in long flowing waves down her back. Fear and disbelief washed over Andra as she stared at the image of that beautiful smiling face. She didn't need to print it in color to know that Savannah's eyes would be blue.  She had seen those eyes watching her from the top of a staircase. Savannah Miles was the girl from her nightmare.