Chapter 24

Her birthday was drawing near. It's already few months away. Granny has gotten better. The doctor said she'd be discharged in two weeks' time. Dawn, her mother has not moved or talked. She remained lifeless but the doctors kept insisting that she was not dead yet. Everyone in Juana's family has almost given up on her. But they were still praying and believing that a miracle would happen. Today is a sunny day. A Saturday, and Juana is at the ranch working hand-in-hand with Colin. Her dad was not there. She didn't know where he was, or when he'd be back. He'd been away for four days. When she called him, he refused to tell her anything.

After work, Juana sat in one of the rooms of her dad's summerhouse and began to write. It was a quiet moment toout later write:

"It all began a day after Colin and I decided to spy on dad to see if he was cheating. He was there at 7:00pm exactly and a lady walked up to him five minutes later. She kissed him and took his hands. Colin and I were sitting near them but well hidden from their view. We heard her talking about taking him to an hotel. He shook his head, and I was almost rejoicing that dad refused her proposal but then she said " My place then?" And he nodded yes. I was furious, but unable to do anything. I told Colin to let us walk up to them and sit with them just to distract their plan, but he said it was a foolish thing to do. So dad and the lady, a tall blonde with ample bosom and straight legs walked away from their seats about thirty minutes later. I captured them without them knowing. Dad looked happy and she was even more excited. She was actually all over him. That night, dad didn't return home. He gave me an excuse that he was sleeping over at an old friend's but I didn't wait to hear all of his explanation before I hung up. He has broken my heart, mom's especially. He was cheating on her. The next morning as early as 6am, dad was back home. He went to the bathroom straight, and this was when it began-his quietness. He remained quiet and didn't talk to me. I caught him that day hugging mom's makeup box and clothes and crying but I didn't pity him, it made me more furious like "Stop pretending you cheated by mistake, you planned it after all" . He left home a day after without telling me where. He took a travel box and some shoes and left. The only thing he said was 'I'll be back' but I didn't look at his face. I assume he must have guessed that I knew his folly already. I am happy he left. I don't want to see his face, even so it breaks my heart that my family has to tear apart this way. I miss him but I am so mad at him right now. I called him but he's refused to tell me where he is. He comes to see granny and mom sometimes but never comes home. I don't want to tell granny about the new development because she's still sick, though better than she was. I've told Colin all about it, he's all I've got in these trying times. Of course I got God too. Colin got me a new phone. I lied to him about what happened to my phone. He doesn't still know that I visited the haunted house, that it was where Ella loved with her grandmother and brother, and that it was where Helen had died. I found that our myself but I'll never tell Colin-not yet anyway. I don't know why I feel like it butmy instincts tell me Jason knows something about the past of that haunted house. I mean he has something to do with it. I don't exactly tag him Helen's killer but if he isn't, he must have known her killer. He says I must prove my trust to him, prove that I can keep his secrets and that he can always trust me with them, but I don't know how to do that yet. I'll have to figure that out later. I've not still seen his face clearly, he's refused to show me until "you prove that you're not a traitor", like he said. I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm entitled to protecting Jasonand so I can't tell Colin about him. When he asked me who I saw that day at the Sydney park, I lied to him. I said it was Ella's boyfriend. He wasn't convinced I could tell, but he didn't push it. I did feel bad for lying but even so, I keep covering my lies with more lies. I hate to deceive him because he's the youngest sweetest guy I know in the whole wide world, and I love him. I don't think God would even want me right now.

Dear diary, I hope I find a way to prove to Jason that he can trust me. And if he actually is Helen's killer, dear diary, I'd find it hard to hand him over to Colin. I feel like Jason is in pain. Like he's regretted all he did, and he's trying to make peace with his past, it wouldn't be fair to punish him for it anymore. He looks(acts) miserable already. I know if Colin finds out about this, he'll not hesitate to inform the police about him. So I'll not tell him.

Dear diary, I can see Colin coming up towards me. I can see his smile from the window. I don't want him to catch me writing. So I have to stop here"

That night, she slept on the ranch. She texted her dad goodnight on messenger but he didn't reply. He only spoke to Colin and Juana was getting used to it already. She broke into his room and searched his things for clues about Selena when he left home. She did find out some information about her. She saw the pictures her dad took with her when they were in High school. They seemed very close, in fact they might have been besties. She realized her favorite colour was the colour of the new curtains in her father's room, in fact she had bought the curtains for him. She had masterminded the idea of changing the curtain. She was a pest, Juana knew that for sure and she was ready to find the best pesticide to get rid of her before she entered their lives and destroyed it. She decided on many things to do, such as locating her residence and going there to warn her seriously to leave her dad alone, but then Colin told her it was a bad idea.

"What's a good idea then? I can't be watching all these crisis unfold before my very eyes" she told him

"Just be calm. Wait for your dad to get back home, and then talk to him about it"

Juana just sighed. Colin was too cool with everything and it annoyed her. He was too patient for her liking, she told him this many times. He didn't take risks like she did. He took risks in a technical way, and with close scrutiny on the area he was working on. He told her that she took too many risks at once with out thinking and that that was not okay, it was just dangerous. They argued about this sometimes.

"Colin I'm scared" she told him one afternoon

"Why?"

"I'm scared that dad might never come back"

"Why not? He'll surely come back. He just needs some time to himself I'm certain"

"What makes you think so? Maybe he's planning to get married to her and start a new family somewhere. He's not even talking to me and as it is now, mom is not showing any sign she'll make it out of there. He might as well have written her off"

"Your mom will survive, your dad will come back and everything will be fine again" Juana sighed. How can he be so optimistic and calm when she was so troubled inside?

"I feel hopeless" she said

"That woman- Selena is a threat. I don't know why someone would want to trouble a troubled family. I hate her"

"Just leave her to God. Don't take law into your hands" he said

"How can you say that Colin? How can you be so unsympathetic? I expect you to bring up ways I can confront that woman and protect mom's home but you're here giving me theoretical advice" she flared up

"It's not your job. There's little you can do to save your mom's home. As a matter of fact, if you keep thinking this way, you'll raise more troubles in the near future. You worry too much" he said matter-of-factly

"I can't believe you can talk like this. Remember the dream I had? I have to save all of them as they're so helpless right now, but hey Colin you're not even helping right now. I wonder what happened to your thinking. You used to be considerate"

"I tell you, Juana, you're thinking so wrongly. Going to Selena's house to warn her or burning her properties just coz you're angry is a bad idea. What if she gets you arrested? Besides, it won't change anything. The deed has been done. Besides still, what evidence do you have that they're seeing each other-your dad and her, that is?"

Juana didn't wait to listen to all of it. She walked away from him angrily and went home. She was determined to do something on her own if he was not helping. She was not going to keep waiting for nothing.

The next day, she decided to look for her dad. She went to his friend's place, but he wasn't there. He wasn't at the golf field either. He wasn't at his usual gymnasium either. She wondered where he was. She was already tired but was determined to find him. She didn't walk too far away from the gym when she saw his reflection at a bar near the gym. She wouldn't have believed it was him if not for his hair and the blue shirt he wore that Juana knew so well. It was one that her mother liked to see him on. She walked up to him and looked closely at his face. His eyes were closed and there were three bottles of alcohol on the table before him. The bar was not overcrowded but it was not near empty either. Juana didn't notice his eyes were closed at first. "Dad"

"Dad what are you doing here drinking? I've never seen you drink, what's this all about? Should you be here at all?"

He didn't say anything. That was when she noticed that his eyes were shut tight. She went closer to him, and realized that his hands were clasped tightly around something. She forced his palm open and saw many pills, many tiny pills.

"Daddy"

She was scared. She ran to the coffee section and talked to the man there. He was not the owner of the place, he was actually a customer but he listened to her, and followed her after some seconds to where her dad sat. His head was drooping and he had drool coming out of his mouth.

"What's wrong?" The man asked. He didn't look disturbed. He looked like he could handle the matter. As a matter of fact, Juana realized the question he asked was rhetorical.

"I don't know. He's my father. I met him here like this." She had answered before she realized

"He needs to be taken to an hospital" the man tried to lift Baron's head but then he vomited on the man's clothes but did not open his eyes. It was a pathetic state.

"I'm sorry sir." She begged "I'm sorry" but he didn't look angry

He seemed to know what was wrong with Baron. He went to a room and returned with a big blanket which he wrapped her father in. Juana just watched him. She thought he was crazy. How could he think he was cold?

"He wants to throw up again, let's make him throw up. Looks like he's finding it hard" Juana said in case the man did not notice.

"No we can't do that. He could choke" he said

"Is he unconscious?" Juana asked. She was scared but she trusted the man.

Just then, Baron's hands stretched towards one of the bottles on the table, it was half empty. The man stopped him quickly and quietly whispered "Don't do that. We are here to help you. So please listen. Be patient with me, i don't mean any harm. You'll be taken to the hospital for treatment now and I'm about to touch you now, okay?"

Juana wondered if all those words were necessary but she didn't talk. She just watched the two men.

"Get me some water" he turned to her.

"Huh?"this was even crazier. Water?

"Quick" he said. So she ran back to the coffee counter and asked for water. When she returned, he took the cup of water from her and raised it to her father's lips, making him to slowly drink from it. He also tilted his head so that he leaned forward and wiped the drool from his lips. He took the pills from his hands and dumped them in the trash can.

"Call 911" he said to her again and she obeyed quickly.

"He's likely to be suffering from alcohol poisoning" he said.

In few minutes, some emergency medical technicians came by and carefully took Baron away to an hospital. Juana and the man followed them. In the vehicle, he kept talking about how many bottles Baron drank, the name of the pills he found in his palm, his symptoms and his response to first aid and Juana marvelled at his accuracy and fluency