Replacement

POV: Audrey

    The sinister scene before me made reflex tears stream down my tearline, ruining my mascara. I felt like my world was crumbling before me. Wanted to speak but I didn't know which felt heavier—my lips or my heart. Breathing suddenly felt like a crime.

    My parents stormed in immediately. Turning to my mom, I yelled,

   “Mom!!” My knuckles turned white from how hard i gripped my ruffle skirt.

   “This is some kind of prank right?” I inquired but my mom rushed past me into the bathroom. Crouching down slowly, she lifted Jimmie from the bathtub into a sitting position and touched her face lightly.

    Her face was elegantly dolled up and glistened in fine beads of sweat, her hair was packed into a loose messy bun, her locket sat prettily on her slender neck and, her blue sundress was stained at the waist hem, from the hairpin driven into her lower abdomen.  

    “My poor child!”

    “Who could have done this to you!” my mom sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

    My dad stood like a sculpture unmovng like, he just saw a ghost. Scared, my mom dropped Jimmie and ran to my dad, gripping his tuxedo pants,

   “What are we going to do?” But she was met with silence.

    “Hilary!” 

    “C'mon, say something.” 

    “I'm calling the police.” I said fumbling the contents of my purse in a frantic search for my phone when my mom grabbed it from me.

    “You can't do that Audrey.” 

    “What are you on about mom?” I asked curiously.

    “We can't call the police, Audrey.”

    “I mean how do we even explain this?” Her gaze was hard.

    “Mom!!” I called out.

    “What other explanation do we need for this? It was clearly a murder.” I shot out.

     My mom instinctively covered my mouth with her right palm.

    “Keep it down Audrey.” 

    “And not a breath about this to anyone.” She commanded.

    “For fuck sake!” I muttered amidst tears giving up.

    My mom paced round the room frantically, bitting the skin around her fingers desperately, like they would give her some answers.   

    “This won't do.” She muttered repeatedly.     

    While believing that the worst has happened, I stared into the thin air when my mom said something that made my blood run cold. The dizziness I felt suddenly vanished as my heart sank and my stomach clenched hard, turning my fear to fury.

    “You have to replace Jimmie.” my mom stated coldly.

    “What??” I yelled.

    “I said you have to replace Jimmie.”    

    “Come to think of it, The Royales haven't even  met her for a start, so they won't even know.” She said boldly.

    “This is so messed up!” 

    “How could you even think of that, mom?”

    “My sister was just murdered and what, I should replace her and supposedly marry her husband?” I scoffed amidst my utter shock.

    “That's impossible mom.” I finished plainly.

    “You know what?” 

    “I will actually pretend I didn't hear that to be honest.” I stated.

    “Audrey! You would do anything but disrespect me.”

    “The mom card isn't gonna work on me today mom.” I took my stand strongly.

    “Excuse me?” my mom was getting pissed off but I was not giving in.

    “No, seriously mom!!”

    “The only thing we should be doing right now, is taking Jimmie for an autopsy and probably calling the police, before it's too late…..!” I yelled at her; when she furiously grabbed my right hand and cut me off again.

    “Henceforth, you have to live as the Royales bride. We can't handle the consequences that would come with losing them, not after I just lost a daughter!” She said as she let go of my hand which had already turned red from her stronghold.

    “Your daughter?”

    “ I bet you think of us as tickets to get a luxurious life.”   

    My mom's selfish attitude shattered me. She would do anything to live a luxurious life, even at the expense of her daughter's life. I turned to my dad knowing that my mom had made her stance clear.

    “You are not even saying anything dad!”    

    But he just stared at me.   

    “You are in cohorts with mom?” my shaky voice asked. 

    “Audrey dear, your mom is right. We can't afford to handle what happened here.” He said gently with his eyes nearly blood red from tears.    

    For a split while, I lost my sense of speech which I found almost immediately.    

    “What was I expecting anyways?” 

    “The both of you are just selfish and evil.”

    “ I regret having you guys as my parents!” I blurted when my mom’s warm palm met my face. Its sting resonated through my heart and cheek.    

    I turned to her furiously.    

    “Did you just hit me mom?” I questioned intently.

    “Get it together Audrey!!” My mom screamed angrily.

    “Report it to the police and what next?” 

    “Do you really think Jimmy's killer is a mere personnel? He clearly wants to use our family to bring down the Royales family and we can't obviously do that. Not after they agreed to help us.”

    “Help?”

    “This is so crazy!”

    “Like mom!! For the love of humanity, this is so unfair, to Jimmie especially.”

  “And you mentioned help?!” 

   “This doesn't help mom! You are just selling us to fulfill your selfish desires mom!” I concluded as I slumped to the floor hopelessly.

    “I don't care whatever you may call it but, you are going to take Jimmie's place and that's final!” 

    “That's enough!” My dad cuts us short.

    “Audrey, you have to replace Jimmie.” 

    “So Jimmie gets no revenge?” I blurted.

    “If you want Jimmie to get revenge, your only chance is to marry her husband.” My mom concluded.

  Left with no other choice, I picked up the wedding dress and stormed into the dressing room.

******

THE DRESSING ROOM 

******

  

    I locked the door to the room and brought out the dress, carefully surveying its details.    

    It was a long red satin gown with a plunging v-neckline while, its back had an open cut style with a crisscross slender strap support. The skirt was fitted and flared from above the knee, elucidating luxury and sweeping the floor magnificently.    

    I put on the dress and it suited my body, perfectly binding to my curves.Picking up the jewelries on the vanity table, I layered the look by quickly retouching my makeup and packing my auburn wavy hair into a high ponytail, I left  out the bangs that nearly covered my eye.    

    As I gave myself one last look at the mirror, a heavy sigh escaped my lips, as it dawned on me that I had to live as Jimmie, henceforth.

   As soon as I came out from the room, a strong arm yanked me back, slamming me into a broad and unyielding chest. My body stiffened in shock as the strong mint and chocolate mix colonge hit my nostrils. 

 I smell a cocktail too.