Saving Mona

Chapter 30 🚪

 I woke on a Thursday morning feeling lazier and more tired than usual. I had stayed awake the whole night before, talking to Dwayne and had only shut my eyes at the early streaks of dawn.

I rose up from my bed and stretched, brushing away the stray hair from my face. Yawning loudly, I padded to the kitchen where I grabbed a quick slice of bread and orange juice. I was somewhat awake by the time I was done with my light breakfast, so I scanned my surroundings.

The silence could either mean mother was still asleep or wasn't in. My eyes strayed to the pink calendar taped to the standing fridge and I took note of the circled date. The date confirmed my theory, mother wasn't in.

It was Thursday which meant that she had gone for her three to four hours of spa treatment with her friends. I lifted my eyes heavenwards at that and plopped down the kitchen stool to head back to my room.

Before I rounded the corner that led there, I however noted something my previously sleep-addled mind had failed to notice.

Mother's room was left unlocked. I halted in my steps as I stared at the ajar room door pensively. I had never been in her room simply because I had never had any reason to and it was always shut. But seeing it open wide without anyone but my conscience to stop me made me wonder what was beyond the door.

What other skeletons did she hide in her closet?

I hesitated for a while, awaiting my mother's familiar voice as a final attempt to dissuade me from my plan but when no such thing came forth, I tiptoed into the room.

The bedroom was an accurate reflection of mother; beautiful, elegant, opulent, and perfect. I closed the classic double doors behind me and walked into the luxurious design before me.

It was a basic white and steel grey bedroom with some tasteful golden accents; pillowcases, gold insets in the wall and ceiling, gold touches on the furniture with a show-stopping posh gold chandelier in the middle of the room. Beautiful white Louis XVI seats were placed in a square formation, in front of the fireplace which on top, hung a beautiful painting.

Behind the impossibly large bed were a koi fish decal and headboard backlights that added unnecessary drama to the setting. A pair of gorgeously crafted laps were situated at each side of the bed with patterns of light grey on the floor and edge of the ceiling. Beneath my feet, I felt the plush softness of the deep crimson Moroccan rug.

And I thought my room was luxurious. I was almost afraid to check the bathroom out.

I quickly got to work, checking her drawers. I wasn't sure what it was I was searching for, but I looked out for any odd item that didn't quite fit into her opulent bedroom.

If I was mother, where would I hide a secret? I wondered out loud and scanned the room. I spotted a white door and I opened it to reveal a large closet.

"I'm so screwed," I groaned and began my search. An hour later and I had found nothing. I had searched every nook and cranny and had taken special care to put everything back into its place when I had thoroughly checked it.

Mother could be arrogant, but she wasn't cocky to the point of leaving whatever she wanted to keep hidden in broad sight with the reasoning that no one would dare search her room.

I was already frustrated and about to give up and go back to sleep when I tripped on an article of clothing I had forgotten to put back.

"Oww!" I cried, rubbing the sore spot on my butt with which I had landed on. My cries slowly came to a stop when I discovered something.

My unexpected fall had put me in the direct sight of something odd. Among the cabinets reserved for her display of limited edition designer shoes was a sneaker box. Mother never wore sneakers. Heels and shoes that gave her the confidence of feminine wills were what she went for. So what was a Nike sneakers box doing among her fancy shoes?

My curiosity peaked; I abandoned my hurting butt and reached to grab the box. Setting it on the polished floor, I carefully opened the box to reveal what was inside.

Nothing prepared me for what I saw. Excitement and apprehension filled me as I looked through the old photos and documents. Most didn't make sense to me, but the last photo hidden at the end of the box made me gasp out in horror.

In the picture, were three women. A pretty woman with a bright smile and two Carmen.

Mother was a twin!