Chapter 4
Chapter 4
In the study, a knock on the door startled Cherise from her reverie. “Come in,” she called, and Dennis entered, his expression somber. “Dennis,” Cherise greeted with a gentle smile.
“Ms. Leach, today you turn 20,” Dennis said, his voice heavy with the weight of Amelia’s last wishes. “Ms. Garcia was supposed to give you the password to the secret room, where something important is kept. But with her passing, the password has been lost to us.” The secret room, hidden behind a vase in her grandmother’s study, had always piqued Cherise’s curiosity.
Her grandmother’s strict prohibition had kept her away, but now, with a mix of excitement and unease, she said, “I’ll see if I can crack it.”
Dennis’s face brightened. “You’ve always been sharp, Ms. Leach. If you can figure it out, Ms. Garcia would be very happy.”
Cherise had quickly surpassed the school curriculum and continued her education with guidance from her grandmother and the insights of the townspeople, but Dennis was largely in the dark about the breadth of her learning.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Dennis said, his step lighter as he added, “I’ll go help Bella with dinner.”
Cherise approached the vase, twisted the base, and the wooden door behind it swung open.
She stepped into a hidden room, her eyes immediately drawn to a tarot-themed iron door. The door’s centerpiece was a raised design featuring all 22 Major Arcana cards, each capable of movement a nod to the rich tapestry of tarot culture. Her grandmother’s passion for tarot flashed through her mind, and Cherise knew she was on the right track.
The Major Arcana cards were like a map of life’s journey, and Cherise thought about the ones that symbolized feminine power.
She tried the High Priestess card, hoping it would be the secret to opening the door, but it didn’t work.
‘Not that one?’ she thought, her brow creasing as she considered other options.
Cherise’s thoughts raced back to her grandmother’s tarot tales, recalling the Strength and The Magician cards as symbols of courage and intellect. She placed them at the pattern’s heart, and the door clicked open.
Inside, she found a cramped space dominated by a towering bookshelf, crammed with volumes.
Inside, she found medical journals, religious texts, ancient scrolls, and some works that were thought to be lost to history.
She picked up one of the volumes, the pages filled with her grandmother’s handwriting in seal script, indicating she was more than just a teacher.
Cherise browsed through the books before her attention was drawn to a photograph atop the bookshelf.
It depicted her grandmother, from a time long past, standing beside a young girl who looked to be around ten years old her mother, Claire Garcia.
On the photo’s back, her grandmother’s note read: “My dear daughter, I miss you dearly. May you find peace in heaven. Though I am unable to pursue justice for you, I promise I’ll watch over Cherise, ensuring her happiness and well-being.”
Cherise’s thoughts whirled as she absorbed the message. ‘Mom’s death wasn’t from a bombing? Are there more secrets? Why did Grandma write this? Why was I only allowed in the secret room at 20? Did Grandma pass away before she could remove this photo?’ Her mind was a whirlwind of questions, creating a brief turmoil. Swiftly, she pulled out her phone and located a contact labeled ‘Crow.’