Chapter 5 Kaléo Coleman - Obscure – Part 2

Memories

Years ago...

The snow starts to fall. Today it's colder and grayer. I like the gray color in the sky; it's so beautiful! Whenever I miss her, I come to the window and watch the evening begin. The older kids always bother me because I like to stay here in the attic window, watching the street and people passing by. There's a girl who lives here who doesn't like me; she constantly bullies me, and I avoid her. That's how I discovered this place.

I enjoy contemplating the scenery, even though it remains unchanged. I like seeing people walking down the street, whether in cars, motorcycles, bicycles, on foot, embracing, pushing a stroller, holding hands, or even with children. I miss her, and I long to feel her caresses again, her cakes, kisses, hugs, the good nights with tickles, even when she yelled at me! I miss her scent, her "I love you, my life; mommy loves you so much." The longing is so immense that it hurts in my chest. That's why I come here to observe the world and try to fill my heart with the affection I see others receiving. Night has fallen, and I'm still here at the window, hugging my knees. I see a woman placing a cardboard box at the house gate, and I keep watching. I can't see her face because I'm too far away. After a while, she kisses her hand and puts it in the box. She looks at our house and then back at the box before getting up and running away.

I find it very strange. Did she put an animal in there? I leave the window, go down the small stairs, and run through the hallway. I descend the staircase, and Aunt Carmen calls me, but I don't stop and leave the house, heading towards the gate. I reach my hand through the gap in the bars and lift the lid of the box to see inside. When I do that, I get startled! There's a baby inside. She's sleeping, wrapped in a blanket, and I'm certain that the blanket isn't keeping her warm because it's very cold. Aunt Carmen calls me again, but I don't move. I turn around and see her approaching with a jacket in her hand. Ever since I came here, I haven't spoken a word to anyone properly. I would rather not speak to avoid getting beaten. I try to be obedient and endure everything the other kids do to me silently, even when Aunt Carmen tells me I can tell her who pushed me, hit me, or offended me! But I remain silent and keep quiet.

Aunt approaches, and as she gets closer to me, putting the jacket over my shoulders, I speak up: "Aunt Carmen, there's a baby inside here."

Right away, she stops, and tears well up in her eyes. "Aunt Carmen is really nice! I like her."

"Aunt, there's a baby here, and she's cold. Put the jacket on her."

I take off my jacket and hand it to her. Aunt Carmen looks at the box and puts her hand over her mouth. Then, Aunt Carmen takes the bunch of keys out of her pocket and opens the gate for us. She kneels and opens the box, picking up the baby, who murmurs. She seems to be in a deep sleep, not waking up at all, and Aunt Carmen stands up.

"Kaléo, grab anything you find in the box and bring it to me," she says.

I do as she asked, picking up the box with the paper inside, and she goes inside. I follow her, and she closes the gate. We walked towards the house, and I kept looking at the baby in Aunt Carmen's arms the whole time. She doesn't have anyone like me. We enter the house, climb the stairs, and go to her room. Aunt Carmen puts the baby on the bed and fusses over her. She places several pillows around her, then she stands up and strokes my hair. After that, she rushes out. It doesn't take long before Aunt Carmen reappears in the room. I'm in the same spot, and I feel something strange. I have to stay by the baby's side, so no one fights or harms her.

Several children appear, and she is standing in a corner, observing everything with those big eyes, just like the bird that always appears on TV. "Aunt Carmen says that she's clean." She gets up from the bed, comes towards me, and kneels in front of me, just like Mom used to do. She asks me what's in the box. I put it down on the floor and hand her the paper, and she starts reading, and I pay close attention.

"This baby is a little girl. Her name is Ayumi Clark, and she's two months old," she says, and the baby starts murmuring, waking up.

Aunt Carmen stands up and goes to the bed, picking up that baby who looks like a little package, so tiny and wrapped in a blanket. She sits down with Ayumi in her arms. I don't know why, but I want to be close to her.

"I'll protect her, Aunt, just like my mom used to do with me. I won't let anyone hurt her," Aunt Carmen looks at me and smiles. The baby looks at me, and her eyes are shiny dark brown, just like Mom's.

End of memories.

I snap out of my thoughts with a noise that alerts me to the arrival of an email. I open my inbox and see that it's from Mayke, with some videos of Carl and a profile containing his information, address, and phone number. I play the video, and he's crying, saying that Ayumi shouldn't have done what she did to him. I can sense that his tears are forced, everything about him seems contrived.

I look once again at the picture frame in my hand. Ayumi and I have been inseparable since the day I found her. Aunt Carmen adopted her, and it remained that way until the day I was adopted. I was eight years old, and Ayumi was four. I promised her that I wouldn't leave her alone, and I kept that promise. Every weekend, I would visit her, or she would come to my parents' house to spend the weekend. And it continued that way until Ayumi turned eighteen. She decided to pursue a degree in architecture. Aunt Carmen provided her with an apartment while she was still alive, and Ayumi got a job as soon as she finished college. She flourished professionally. Aunt Carmen was able to witness Ayumi achieve everything. However, she is no longer with us. She passed away almost six years ago. Ayumi gave her share of the orphanage to Amora, Aunt Carmen's legitimate daughter.

I am interrupted from my thoughts by my phone ringing, and I see that it's an unknown number. I decline the call, but the person is persistent. Just as I'm about to decline it again, I glance at Carl's profile and realize that the number calling me is his. What does he want now? Does he want a second round?

"What do you want, Carl? How did you get my number? Weren't the punches I gave you enough? Do you want more?"

"Kaléo!" I hear Ayumi's voice. It's as if my armor has fallen to my feet! How can it be her?

"Ayumi..."

"Léo..." her voice trails off, and I'm left with silence. I can't believe it's her.

"Ayumi, my God!"

"It's me..." she stops speaking, and I only hear the sound of her breathing. She's gasping for breath.

I hear a noise, and someone says something that I don't understand. Shortly after, the call gets disconnected. I tried calling several times, but it goes straight to voicemail. I don't know what to do.

Ayumi was with Carl all this time!