Shadows Sing Side-Stories Ch1. Part 2

I continued to sit at the kitchen table with a cup of green tea in hand, not moving. I should consider myself lucky that I hadn't spilled any on my pale blue evening robe. Occasionally I would swirl the liquid inside while trying to comprehend my thoughts and feelings.

“It’s not fair. You’re only eighteen years younger than when we lost your mother,” I said to myself.

“She was only thirty-six years old when she died. Where are you, Roxanne? Why would you go missing? Does this have anything to do with your father? Were you that unhappy living with us? Please, someone, explain.”

Yet the room remained silent. Not even the tree’s branches moved on the kitchen window. It's as if time was frozen. It must have been over thirty minutes of just sitting there, mindless to the world around me when I noticed that there was a knocking sound from the front door. I only saw how much time had passed from the clock hanging next to the kitchen door frame. When my husband left the room, it was 10:07pm. Now the time read 10:37pm. 

I felt flustered by this. Whom in their right mind would be visiting at this hour? Anyone who knew them would know that this was a family that went to bed at nine o’clock on the dot. Most of the people my husband and I know have already visited earlier. Perhaps it’s Roxanne or someone who has some news about her. I felt hopeful for a moment as I got up from my chair to go answer the door. Yet when I opened the door, I was surprised and disappointed. 

It was not Roxanne or the officer. Instead, a young man at the door took me aback. Only later did I feel ashamed by my surprise. I pity the thought that he must get the same surprised response from people for merely how he looked. He was albino. The color of his eyes made that clear. They were pink with red pupils. The man's hair was also a very fine white with a pale complexion. Despite his biological appearance, he looked well cared for and wore a white suit with silver threaded detail. 

"I apologize for disturbing you at this late hour, Mrs. Smith,” The young man said. "Please excuse the late introduction. My staff knows me as Mr. White at the Night's Spring Club. I have only recently been informed of your niece's disappearance by her friend and our former employee Bruce.”

"You're a manager there?" I asked. I tried to make sense of his position and connection to the club. 

“No, Mrs. Smith. I am one of the co-owners of the Night's Spring Club. My mother is my business partner. She started the business so that I may have as much of a normal life as I could. I have some medical problems being exposed to a lot of sunlight. It makes finding work hard. So, a business that operates in the evening hour seemed an ideal opportunity to be more independent," Mr. White said. 

"Your mother sounds like a thoughtful woman," I said. I could have sworn I saw Mr. White flinch a little before smiling at my response.

“I hate to change the topic suddenly on you, but I did not come to talk about myself or my family. I came to see if I could be of help. I am sure that you have many questions about what happened that evening. I admit that I don't know everything that transpired that evening. However, I can and would be willing to share with you what I know. If it can help provide some comfort,” Mr. White said.