The Hidden Fortune: NYSSA
Did she say-
Did she say, my Mother?
I wanted to stand up from the couch and leave, but where did I know I was goin’? “Take me back home, Ariadne,” I looked at the woman who didn’t move one bit. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”
“Listen, child,” the so-called woman sounded. “You can’t run away from the truth. It’ll keep callin’ and reachin’ out to you at the end of the day, and you must be ready whene’er it comes. This is one of the many truths you’ll find out, and I’ll love it if you sit still and listen to none other than me.”
Truth?
I wanted to stand up again, but I thought ’bout it. “What kind of Mother are you? In what way? You must be fast ’bout it ’cause I don’t have all day for a moment.” I snapped and looked at Ariadne who moped, sayin’ nothin’. “What do you mean by she is my Mother, Ariadne? What kind of Mother if I may ask?”
“This is the woman who birthed you, Nyssa,” she repeated. “I have brought you to a place where you would meet with the woman who brought you to this world, and not only that. For all that I know, she is the answer to all your questions.”
“What questions do you refer to?”
“What other questions if not the answer to your healin’?” She laughed.
“This is the answer to your healin’, Nyssa. The least you could do for yourself is listen to her and do what she asks you to do. I’m sure you know a Mother will brin’ no harm to a child she birthed, even the one she hates. Violet loves you, though.”
I looked at the woman.
“What answers?” I asked. “And where have you been since my accident?”
She chuckled.
“If you couldn’t recognize Ariadne, why did I think you’d recognize me?”
She looked at the woman who didn’t speak, leavin’ me to wonder who in reality Ariadne was and what connection I might have with her. “You don’t have to ask who she is, ’cause I can’t provide answers to that yet. There is a task for you to accomplish and I need you to listen. Not the normal way but attentively.”
“What truth?”
“What task?” I rephrased.
“Your family, which is my family, used to be one of the most influential families on the face of the earth during a year time,” she explained. “But ours isn’t the same as it used to be ’cause of the accident that took away your way of reasonin’, almost your talent too.”
With a smile, she said these words and looked up. “There are so many fortunes we painted in the name of art, so many that can’t even be counted. It was your grandmother’s when she was still alive, but she gave them to you before her passin’.”
“Where are they?”
“Not so fast, honey-”
She laughed and got on her feet.
It was now that I could see her stature. A not-so-tall woman who had a bright smile, like I do. She was pretty but I didn’t see a resemblance on our faces. Maybe ’cause I didn’t sit to think ’bout it, but concentrated more on gettin’ the art pieces she was talkin’ ’bout.
“These pieces of art-” takin’ a seat, she said. “When they are found, you’ll have all the dreams you should have. Dreams that should brin’ back all the memories you’ve had, startin’ from the moment you were born, right to the last moment of your accident. And also from the moment of your accident, when you came awake, down to the very last moment, it would be before the dream had happened.”
“That’s a lot.”
Ariadne chuckled. “I know, Nyssa. I know. But this isn’t like a risk. The only difficult part of this is gettin’ all the stuff you need that’ll lead to the fortunes of art pieces. This is somethin’ you knew you were goin’ to do before the accident happened, so we couldn’t get you to do it anymore. It’s very important: not just ’cause you need to regain your memories, but ’cause you also need to know the future, your future as one of the best artists Mother Nature would ever produce.”
I was becomin’ very confused. And even at that, there was nothin’ I wanted to do if not to lay hands on the art pieces. “Where are they?”
Mother stood up.
It sounded weird that I would call her that all of a sudden, but I didn’t care or mind for one moment. I trusted Ariadne who brought me here. The woman who would do anythin’ at all to see me standin’ on my feet once more, so why couldn’t I do this?
Where was she goin’?
Violet was walkin’ away and I was lookin’ at the woman who brought me here.
“Where is she goin’? I thought you said she was my mother and she said she could help me. Why is she leavin’ all of a sudden?”
Sittin’ up, my tone didn’t get any better and Ariadne who obviously couldn’t put up with me, heaved a sigh and made a sign, askin’ me to keep shut.
“She’d be back before you know it!” Her tone raised also, before relaxin’ back on the chair.
And just as if she knew, the door Violet walked past, opened and she was in the livin’ room once more. Ariadne looked at me with a sigh, the kind that expressed how annoyed she was becomin’ at me.
“Sorry for keepin’ you waitin’, my child.” Violet, my ‘Mother’ took a seat on the same couch “But I went into my room to brin’ all the answers to your questions. They are in this treasure hunt book. This would brin’ you to all the answers you need and you’ll start figurin’ things out on your own the very moment you lay your hands on the pieces. It may take some time, but you must be patient at the same time.”
“How do I go ’bout it?”
“With your husband,” she let out. “I know he’s been in and out of the country and can brin’ back to life what was lost, so we should use ‘im to our benefit. Your benefit, since it has almost nothin’ to do with me. Do you have questions? Anythin’ to ask me.”
“No,” I shook my head. “I want to get out of this house as soon as I can.” I couldn’t help but confess, standin’ on my feet. “Thank you for your help, but I need some time to get used to what has just happened. How I have a mother and the rest of this moment. I’m sure the pieces I would find will give me all these answers.” I was smilin’ genuinely, imaginin’ also what Kazmir would say when I told all of these to ‘im.
As if Ariadne understood what was goin’ on in my head, she got on her feet. “I’ll let you know how it goes, Aunty. I’m sure that my friend will let me know how it goes at the end of the day also.”
In the car, I couldn’t stop thinkin’.
Over and over and over again, I blinked my eyes to be sure it wasn’t a dream. The nightmares I have had in a long while weren’t even compared to this. I didn’t know which was worse and couldn’t place a hand on what was happenin’. The words to say to Ariadne didn’t also exist, at the same time.
“Are you okay?” Breakin’ the silence, she asked me who snapped out of my thoughts. “I asked you to trust me, and I expect you to. I want to believe you trust me enough to embark on this journey, Nyssa.” Her smile radiated in the car, and I was still short of words.