Darkness at dawn

　　The door bell rang twice before Mia finally stopped chopping the vegetables and and heading to the living room, she wondered who could have called at this time to beckon for her attention at this hour. It was rather weird that someone would chip into their home at 10 pm. It was odd.

　　Her brows had been twitching violently in the past few days, she had brushed it off as she couldn't make sense of the sickening feeling she had felt. Perhaps that was just a reminder that her moon period was just around the corner.

　　Peering through the small hole in the door, she twisted the knob and gently opened the door.

　　Alas and behold, a man as tall as a sycamore tree was standing there with his hands behind the back, maybe that explained why she had failed to see when she had wanted to see who it was that had paid such unwelcome visit at this time of the night.

　　"Are you Ava Claine?" The man said lifting his gaze to the woman before him, he pulled out his police badge from the jacket and raised it for her to see. Mia wondered why a cop would pay them a visit at such a tiring time in the night.

　　She couldn't feign the despair that was starting to crop. Something bad was about to happen.

　　" No sir, but why you wanna see her?" The middle aged woman closing the door behind her and crossing her hands on her ample bosom.

　　"A woman earlier was involved in an accident and died on spot, a hand phone was found in her hands."

　　The man paused with emphasis and then gazed at his partner who was waiting by the porch, "Ava was the last person she had called." Still in shock, her mouth fell open as fat tear drops ran down her chubby cheeks.

　　"Sh-she........is dead?" She said sinking to the ground. Without holding back anylonger she busrt into a hysterical wail which startled those that were around her.

　　"Ma'am please tell us if Ava is here because we need her for the investigation" the tired cop glanced at the wailing woman and a tinge of pity surged through him.

　　Two hours later the police left the house and headed back to the office, Mia wondered what the now late Sidney had wanted to tell Ava.

　　According to the police, the call had only lasted a minute, now that was shady. Ava was in Montreal for her last year of practice and so had not been in the country when the tragedy had befallen her mother.

　　She was now very worried. Apart from the rest of the family, it was only her who actually knew the identity of Sidney's husband. Had something come up and that was going to ruin their blissful life? She had been the one who had raised the three siblings.

　　And even when Sidney had left for another man, she had stayed and mothered her children. What she didn't understand was the sudden death after reuniting with her ex for only a month. This was totally weird and darker than what she saw on the surface. Maybe it had not been an accident and there was more to this. If her doubts were right, she had to protect the children at any cost. She would surely find out the truth.

　　Ava had to return home fast before things could get out of hand. She just couldn't wait any longer. Ethan and Samantha who had left a week earlier for the annual college summer camp, would also have to return!