Chapter 3: Lockets of Memory

The police arrived at the house and asked her questions she didn’t know how to answer. All the while, Caroline sat on the couch, staring at the blank television screen with Felicity on one side of her and Mrs. Bennett on the other. When the officers finally left, the three of them walked out onto the porch to watch them go. Caroline suspected they didn’t know what to do next any more than she did. 

“No way,” Felicity said quietly, looking up. Caroline followed her gaze and saw the first of the snowflakes floating down towards them. She took no pride in her correct prediction—it felt more like an omen, and a chill ran up her spine, causing her to shiver. Mrs. Bennett and Felicity offered to stay with her for the night, all of them wanting to believe that everything would be fine in the morning, and her mother and brother would return like nothing had happened. 

There was no sleep for Caroline that night. Instead, she sat on her bed, watching the snowfall outside her window as Felicity slept peacefully beside her. She toyed with her locket, the joy she’d felt celebrating her birthday seemed like a distant dream. Despite the cold, the locket felt warm—almost hot—in her hand to the point where it became uncomfortable to hold, and she let it fall back against her chest, where it reverted to its normal, cool state. Rubbing her eyes, she yawned and allowed the lull of sleep to drag her down onto the pillows. All she wanted was to wake up and find this was all a bad dream.

***

The sound of voices woke her up, and Caroline groaned, not wanting to her open her eyes as she stretched out and rolled over. Sitting up with a start, everything from the day before came rushing back to her, and she leaped off the bed, telling herself the voices had to be her mother and brother. Following the voices towards the family room, she skidded across the tiles as she stopped suddenly. Mrs. Bennett had her back to Caroline. She was facing an unfamiliar woman standing there, and the front door still open behind her. The woman stopped talking the moment she saw her, causing Mrs. Bennett to turn. Caroline didn’t move as she stared. There was something familiar about her, yet at the same time, she was confident she’d never seen her before. The woman was very tall and slim, with high cheekbones and wide green eyes. Her black hair fell in a curled bob that sat just below her ears. Her neck was long and graceful, and she held herself in a way that made Caroline think of a ballet dancer. She wore a black dress buttoned to the neck, with long sleeves and a long skirt that brushed the tops of her pointed black boots. A long leather coat was folded neatly over one arm. Mrs. Bennett walked over to Caroline and placed her arm around her shoulder.

“Caroline, honey. This is Marguerite Destine. Your aunt.”

“How do you do?” The woman said with a clipped, lilting accent Caroline couldn’t quite place. She looked from Mrs. Bennett to her aunt and back again. “My aunt lives abroad. In Europe somewhere.”

“That is correct. I live in France, in a charming chateau in the countryside. I apologize that we haven’t seen each other for some time, but my job is quite demanding, and I rarely venture from home.”

“Have you never heard of email? What about a postcard?” Caroline scoffed, and she felt Mrs. Bennett gently squeeze her shoulders. Her aunt simply cleared her throat, smiling tightly as she tilted her head to the side as though inspecting her. 

Caroline stood her ground, staring back while trying to find any similarities between them. Of course, she knew of her aunt. She was her father’s twin sister, though she was as good as a stranger. Caroline had a vague recollection of seeing her at her father’s funeral, and even though she was only five at the time, she thought it strange, the woman hadn’t shed a single tear. There’d never been any form of correspondence, any birthday cards or Christmas wishes. Nothing in eleven years. Until now.

“So, what do you want? Caroline asked. Her aunt gestured toward the family room. 

“I’ll go and make us all some coffee.” Mrs. Bennett said, giving Caroline a gentle nudge before she turned and walked down the hall. 

Reluctantly following her aunt to the couch, she perched on the edge of the seat. Her aunt sat opposite her, carefully laying her jacket over the arm of the chair before clasping her hands in her lap. “I have a team outside waiting to come in and collect your belongings. You’re going to come and stay with me for the duration.”

“What? No way! I’m not going anywhere! I’m staying right here to wait for Mom and Justin to come home. We’re going to find them.”

“That may well be the case, but given your age, the police require you to be with a guardian, and I’m your only kin. Now, like I already said, my job is demanding, and I’ve already been gone too long.”

“So leave. I’m not keeping you here. I can go and stay with Felicity and her mom, they won’t mind.”

“That will not do. You are to come with me. It’s already organized. I can give you two hours at most to gather your things.” Caroline felt hot tears sting her eyes, and she jumped off the couch and stormed out of the family room and back into her bedroom. Felicity was half-awake, and she sat up sleepily as Caroline stormed in.

“I heard voices. Does that mean they’re back? Are they okay?”

“It’s not mom and Justin. It’s my aunt.”

“Aunt? What, aunt?”

“Right? What aunt. I haven’t seen her since I was five and I’m just expected to pack up my things and go with her. Mom and Justin could come home at any minute, and I need to be here when they do.”

“Wait. What? What do you mean pack up your things?”

“She’s taking me back to France with her against my will. Apparently, I don’t get a say in any of it. This is stupid!”

“Can’t she stay here with you, you know, until they come back? Wouldn’t that make more sense?”

“It does to me, but she said she has to get back to work. I even said I could go and stay with you for now, but she won’t have it.”

“This is so unfair,” Felicity stated, kicking off the blankets and getting up to hug Caroline. “What are we going to do?”

Caroline felt the tears spill on to her cheeks and just hugged her friend, unable to speak.

***

The drive to the airport was slow, hindered by all the fresh snow. Caroline refused to say a word, but her protest seemed to go unnoticed as her aunt focused solely on her phone, reading and replying to emails, answering calls, and issuing instructions. There was nothing left to do except to stare out the window at the unseasonal weather and wonder where her mother and brother had gone.

When they finally arrived at the airport, she leaned forward as they drove right past the international terminal. “We’re going the wrong way.” 

Marguerite finally looked up from her phone, her eyes raised, “You didn’t think we’d be flying commercial, did you?”

“How else would we get there?”

“A private jet, my dear niece.” There was a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she returned her attention to her phone, as though amused by Caroline’s naivety. It made Caroline scowl as she wondered what her aunt did for a living—and how loaded she must be to fly them in a private jet. The car pulled up onto the tarmac, and she felt a wave of nervousness as the door was opened for her, and she stepped out, staring up at the sleek jet before them. Her aunt walked briskly ahead of her, “Come now, no time like the present.” 

Caroline walked behind her, clasping the locket around her neck for comfort as men scurried around them, unloading boxes and suitcases from the two town cars that had escorted them, and loading them onto the plane. Following her aunt into the front of the plane, she was greeted by the pilot and two hostesses before she was shown the way into the main cabin. She couldn’t help but gape at her new surroundings. She’d only been on an airplane once, and it’d looked nothing like this. There were wide leather swivel chairs and glass side tables, a large television screen, and all the luxurious appointments of any five-star hotel.

“If you would like to rest or sleep, there are sleeping quarters and private bathrooms in the rear. The flight will be approximately ten and a half hours.” One of the hostesses instructed, her hand gesturing towards a closed-door beyond the sitting area.

“Uh, I’m fine, thank you.” 

The hostess nodded and stood back, clasping her hands behind her back as though waiting for instruction. The attention made Caroline feel uncomfortable, and she self-consciously walked over to one of the seats and sunk into it. Her aunt barely looked at her as she took her seat, withdrawing a laptop from her bag and opening it up on the table in front of her, jumping straight back into her work.

The hostess offered Caroline refreshments and a set of wireless headphones. She absently accepted both and placed them on the table beside her. As the plane took off, she watched through the small window as her hometown grew smaller beneath them, unable to ease the sinking feeling that she would never see it again. Leaning back against the chair, Caroline closed her eyes, feeling like she was going to cry. She suddenly felt more tired than she had in her entire life.