Phantom Keys: by Vernon Scott (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt) 📕

loved the art known as pottery. My mother was a professional potter and my father was a policeman. One day my mother thought she should tell my father her biggest secret.
“Hello babe,” said my father as he entered into the room.
“Hey Roberto,” she replied. “I was thinking about something very important. It’s hard for me to say because I don’t know how you’ll react.”
“What is it that you want to tell me, my precious Kimberly?” he responded.
“See I’ve been holding a secret from you for so long but I don’t know how to tell you. It’s is one of those secrets that can drive a wedge between your heart.”
“Kim? Please don’t tell be you’ve been cheating on me,” he stated, almost near the point of tears.
“No honey, it’s not—”
“Thank goodness,” Roberto said with a sigh.
“Don’t feel so relieved yet,” said Kim as calmly as possible.
My father stood there trying to grasp my mother’s words. “But Kim? What can it be? Are you leaving me? Why are you so silent? Is it the kids? Answer me woman!”
Staring blankly at Roberto a tear fell down her checks. “Why won’t you answer me Kim,” he continued. “You know I love you. I would give the world to you if I must. Did someone close to you die? How can I help you honey? Do you still love me at all? Am I just a waste of your time?” At that point in time he began to tear up.
“Robby, I still love you,” said Kimberly. “It’s just that after I tell you my darkest secret, you might not look at me the same way. I don’t want to loose you at all. Do you promise that you won’t over react?”
“Yes. I promise that I will not go ballistic.”
She began to move slightly farther away from him. “See…throughout my family’s ancestry, most of them were thieves. What I’m trying to tell you is that I’m the mistress of the night that that most of the city know as…,” she then sobbed and stood silent for a moment, “as ‘Alas preciadas del Ángel’”
In less then five seconds, Roberto ran across the room and grabbed Kim friskily by her arm and threw her to the ground. “How dare you keep this from me!” he yelled. “How dare you think that you could just come out of no where and tell me this kind of foolishness? And I loved you! You make me sick to my stomach.” He then approached her semi-lifeless body and pulled her to her feet. “You know what I must do right? I place you under arrest on the account of burglary. Any thing you say or do will…”
As he read her the riot act, Kim began to think about her life without me and my brother. Roberto began to reach behind his back to get his hand-cuffs when Kimberly began to fight back.
Being as skilled as she was, she fought him off and hit him on the head with a frying pan. He had instantly passed out from the trauma. And at that moment she devised a plan. She had to protect herself. Kim knew that the man that she had come to love would never love her again. She had to protect her kids from what she has already done and what she is going to do.
She sent a letter to the police telling them of her next heist. She was to steal the “Grand Jewel of the Persian King”. But this time, the police were going to catch their culprit. Her plan was full-proof. No matter if Roberto was to gain consciousness or not her plan will still be perfect.
That night, she snuck into the Buckner Museum to attempt to take the jewel. She was successful. She had then made her way to an alley in which she new the cops would soon find. Roberto’s body was sitting on the outer railings of the museum. She tossed a line onto the next roof and jumped and made a scuff mark on the wall with Roberto’s right shoe. She placed Roberto’s body about a foot or two away from the wall. She had then yanked on her pulley and made the roofing fall to the ground. With quickness, some of the building’s roofing came down. The small bits of ruble landed on Roberto’s still body. And after doing all of that she soon made a quick escape.

...

When my mother told me that story I was shocked. After all of those years of lying to us about our father she finally chose to tell me. I blame guilt. But I couldn’t blame her for her actions. I think she did what she did for the safety oh me and Giovanni. But if I were in her shoes, I would have thought about shooting him first. How dare he put his hands on her! But she did say she loved him. He should count himself lucky.
“Excuse me ma’am. Can you tell me which one of these flowers is tulips?” questioned an old lady.
“Sure,” I replied. Why must customers always come in here asking questions like that? It’s not like the flowers aren’t labeled. While pointing, I said, “Ma’am these are tulips. The flower that you’re holding in your arms is the white rose.”
“Oh. Thank you dearly. This plant is so beautiful. It is more beautiful than any rose I’ve ever seen.”
“Thanks so much. I find them quite amusing as well. I grow them in my personal garden. They’re like a pure soul absent of any sin, and untainted by any outside forces.”
“Who would have known?” asked the little old lady.
“What do you mean?” I questioned.
“Who would have known that a person can be so poetic due to a flower? You are one strange person.” She paused for a moment and continued by saying, “I can see the care that you have for all of these flowers, yet you sit the white rose on a pedestal. Is it your light?”
“My light? I don’t understand your question, ma’am,” I stated, with a blank expression on my face.
“I was asking, is the white rose your guide.” Seeing that my blank expression was still placed upon my face, she put things into perspective. “A person’s light is the thing that guides you through the darkness. It represents all of your goodness. It shows the true you. In truth, the white rose is your guardian.”
“I understand now. I guess it is. Excuse me, may I have your name. You are a very insightful woman.”
“Sure,” she said as she began to reach into her purse. “My name is Meredith Chambers and here is my card.” After handing me her card she left my flower shop.
I took a look at the card and it read:
Meredith Chambers. Owner of Máscara. If you need a mask, come down to my shop and your life’s journeys will finally begin.
The card seemed weird to me. It’s as if it was calling out to me. Telling me some unknown truth to myself. What could it be?
While I was pondering on Mrs. Chambers’ business card, my cell phone began to ring. It was my brother. He sent me a text message telling me that he had left work early today and will take to me tomorrow because he had some type of epiphany. Why must he send me these text messages? Why not call me instead?
What would have caused him to have an epiphany? I’ll find out tomorrow. He probably thought of a new song or something like that. Or he could have found out when and where our annual Halloween party is going to be. He could have also found a great costume arrangement for us.
As I sat there wondering about my brother and his epiphany, my new boyfriend walked through the door. He was carrying a box of chocolate. Like my mother, we both share the same interest in our types of men.
“What can I do for you detective.” I called out to him.
“Hey Gwen. So what should we do tonight?” he asked.
“I feel like having some Japanese. What about you?” I questioned knowing what the answer was.
“Anything you want. Because just having you in my company will feel me up. My stomach is a big as my eyes and the thing in my sight is too much for any man. I love the way you fill me up, both body and soul Gwen,” he said romantically.
With a giggly smirk on my face I replied, “Marcus, you always no what to say. I’m going to close early so we can leave right now”
I surely did know how to pick them. He completed me. I’m going to enjoy having him within my grasp. He truly completed me.
As we left my flower shop, he kissed me on my check. He told me where a great restaurant was located and told me that he’ll be waiting for me. I was to show up around ten, which fit my schedule perfectly. I still had to pay Gigi a little visit.
As I drove toward Gigi’s house I noticed his car wasn’t in its normal spot which ant he was out. So I continued to drive past his house to Mrs. Chambers’ business to see what she was so important.
When I arrived, I saw Gigi’s car leaving. That was quite weird to me. I wonder if she paid him a visit as well. Did she help him come to his great epiphany? Too many questions with no answers.
As soon as I walked into the store Mrs. Chambers greeted me. The way she greeted me made me feel as if I were family. She is somewhat strange. Did she have some elaborate plan going on here?
“This is a great place you have here,” I said to Mrs. Chambers.
“Why thank you, dearly,” she replied.
“I was stopping by to see what your business. It looks as if you have many visitors,” I said as if I was trying to hurry up and leave.
“I made something for you. I think it’s beautiful,” she said while leaving the room. When she returned, she was holding a mask in her hand. “This mask is quite magnificent. It is made out of glass and I’m sure it’ll fit you perfectly. Go on, try it on.”
I slowly put the mask on my face. As she had stated, it really was a perfect fit. “This is wonderful! How were you able to make it so that it fit my face perfectly? I don’t even need a string to hold it to my face. Did you say it was made of glass?”
“I did. The art of making masks has been in my family for some time now. But to make a mask from glass is quite difficult. But I learned a way to perfect my talents, but that’ll always be a secret,” she had then retreated behind her counter. “I’m known for my wonderful mask making, just ask