Fiona's Magnum Opus

Fiona's Magnum Opus- Sariah Thompson (West Port High School 11th Grade)

“Fiona, you will starve. I promise you, trust me.” Opal didn’t even try to hide the pleading note in her voice. “Dinner’s ready.  I’m hungry. And I haven’t eaten since this morning.”  

“You don’t have to listen to Jackie, you know. Plus, she feeds you slop anyway. It’s no wonder you haven’t eaten since breakfast”.

“Opal, I’m going. It won’t kill me. You’re being ridiculous.”  “Suit yourself,” she taunted. 

Fiona pushed around her food, licked the corners of the plate. Her pink lemonade remained untouched, more than half-full. Jackie waited for a few.  Her phone buzzed suddenly while mid-chew. 

“Oh honey, it’s from the office. I’ll be right back. 15 minutes tops. Sorry.” She abruptly pushed back the chair, hurrying to her room.

“Hmm, interesting. She really wanted to get away from you,” Opal laughed bitterly. “I mean, I don’t think so.” Yet Fiona wished she felt more confident in saying it.

“Come, let’s go for a walk. We need to get out the house anyway,” Opal decided. “I don’t know…” 

“It’ll be fun. It’s better than here anyway.” And with that, Fiona hesitantly shuffled out of her seat and walked out into the misty evening. 

Shire Lake came into view, up the road from the abandoned Cottera mansion. He’d shot his wife the previous year. His infant daughter Melissa unfortunately witnessed it all. 

“Feels great to get out that cage, right?” Opal felt like she could sing up on the rooftops right then.

 “I mean, it is nice out. It almost feels like summer,” Fiona smiled timidly. “Even better. Like paradise. We shouldn’t have stopped coming here.”

“We should get going soon though. Mom will worry.” “Oh, just forget her for one second, jeez. She won’t miss your pretty little head.”  “Alright, fine. Just for a little longer,” Fiona gave in, sighing heavily. 

They dipped their toes in the lake, watching in utter delight as miniscule tadpoles circled around. They skipped a few rocks in the stream not too long after. “You know tomorrow’s the day, right?” Opal suddenly reminded.

“Can we push it to next week? Please?”  “You said that last time and the time after that and the time after that,” Opal was growing  irritated. “Opal, I’m not backing out on that. Next week. That’s final.” 

“You’re lucky I like you, Fiona. My little spark. Just for you, next week it is.”  

Fiona breathed a bit easier inside. 

Jackie appeared at the door once she arrived back home. Stashed tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes. 

“I don’t know where you go lately. 

Well, I have an idea but I just don’t know what’s going with you Fiona. I miss you. Something’s going on with you. I’ve been waiting for you to tell me.” She looked into her daughter’s eyes, searching for…something. 

Fiona shuffled into the house without a backwards glance. Two blue mugs rested on the coffee table, peacock coasters nestled underneath. Opal scoffed. “Kinda pathetic if you ask me. This isn’t a romantic makeup.” 

“Alright, spit it out, Fiona. You know I love you. I’m your mother, my gift. I need to know.”  “It’s just school stress. You know, the usual crap with Arianna and her queenies.”  “It’s a little more than that, that I can see as much.”  “You know, tween still has the word teen in there. I’m growing up, Mom. I can fight my own battles.” 

Without another word uttered, she paced upstairs to her room, softly closing the door behind her. She let out a sigh, flopped onto the bed. “Ok, change of plans. We’re doing this now. In the morning, first thing.” 

“That’s what I’m talking about! I knew you weren’t entirely stupid. Let’s get this show on the road,” Opal riled her up. 

Backpack in hand. Granola bar stash. Two bottles of water. A leftover cupcake from the neighborhood block party last month. Charger, wallet, purse, spare cream blouse and tennis skirt, vial of Dad’s cologne, his iconic gray beanie.

“And?” “I don’t think there’s anything else.” 

 “Uh, hello! You don’t want the FBI called on you, right?” “Oh, yeah, you’re right. The most important part.” 

Pen to paper. In her most elegant handwriting, she crafted the letter. 

Around 6:30, she opened her window, made her way onto the backroads within seconds. 

She passed by Big Mocha Coffee Shop, Lottie’s Diner and Maverick Watch and Jewelers on her way. 

She did her best to suppress her tears. “You better not start with the waterworks now. Might as well turn back now.”  

“Get off my back. I’m still getting over my grief, you know,” she managed. “Get to stepping, how about that,” Opal shot back. Fiona muttered under her breath but shuffled onward. 

She soon boarded Denglo Subway Station. The conductor went row by row, collecting last minute purchased tickets. 

“FIONA! WAIT!” Shock instantly overtook her body. She felt as if she were underwater in that moment.

In the nick of time, Jackie made it through the sliding mechanical doors, hair matted to her forehead, her face flustered and splotchy.

“Mom, what-”  “What the hell is wrong with you?! What are you trying to pull? I almost called the police!”

“Ugh, dramatic much?” The eye roll was present in Opal’s voice. “We were going to see Dad,” she hung her head, crumpled in the seat.

Jackie stopped dead in her tracks. Fresh hot tears pooled down her cheeks. 

“Who’s we, Fiona?”  “Me and…Opal.”  “Way to make an introduction. You nailed it,” The disgust was laced in her voice.

“I-I can’t deal with this right now. Look, you’re coming with me right now, we’re gonna drive back home, eat some bagels and carry on with the day. I don’t know what’s been going on with you but this has gotten out of hand!”

She made a grab for Fiona’s arm.

 She pulled away, looking fiercely into her eyes. “Mom, I’m not jumping off a building. Or running off to Canada. I’m going to see my dad, your husband, who you barely talk about anymore and seem to care about less and less each passing day.”

Fiona felt a sharp strike across her face. Jackie recoiled, staring at the red mark on her hand in pure terror and bewilderment. 

The conductor arrived right then. “Ma’am, I’m gonna need you to calm down whatever commotion this is here before I alert the authorities.”   Jackie flushed brightly. “Yes, sir. I apologize.” 

Fiona shifted in her seat. Jackie slumped in next to her.   “See, it all worked out,” Fiona imagined Opal had a gleeful grin on her face right then. 

The train stopped at Henringrod. Fiona and Jackie briskly shuffled off. It was a bit of a ways to Rosenwood. 

As soon as the wrought iron gates appeared before them, Fiona made no hesitation to enter, scanning the various headstones and markers. She’d almost missed it, stumbling right on top of it. 

Jackie ‘s wracked sobs escaped her body as her eyes rested upon his headstone. 

IN LOVING MEMORY OF GABRIEL MATTHEW LONTONI

1-12-1961 - 6-23-2018

LOVER OF ALL

ENEMY OF NONE

YOU WERE MY FUSCHIA, FIONA

“You must’ve been a special one, Fi,” Opal said admiringly.  “What were you so scared about, Mom? He wasn’t an underground drug dealer, was he?”  

Jackie let out a small chuckle. “Oh, that mind of yours. But, of course not, sweetie. You’re taking this really well. I thought it would’ve been too much for you.”

“Well, you’re not a baby anymore. You haven’t been for years,” Opal sniped bitterly. “Hush up for once, Opal!” Fiona blurted. Her hand quickly flew to her mouth. “Fi, who are you talking to? That’s mainly what I’m concerned about. I’m overjoyed you’re able to preserve your father’s memories but I know there’s something deeper going on. So we are going back on that train and you will tell me, before I have to force it out of you.”

“Ooh, I’m shaking in my boots,” Opal barked sarcastically. Fiona hung her head down, allowing her mother to take her hand and guide them back towards Denglo.

No hot cocoa waited on the table. The fireplace crackled half-heartedly, the firewood beginning to char. Jackie sat beside the coffee table. Fiona perched on the armchair. 

“I wouldn’t even know how to explain it to you.”  “Start talking, I’m only listening.”   Fiona saw no other way out. 

She spilled, all the comfort yet queasiness she felt adopting this angelic companion, the late night walks, scoping out train routes, researching Rosenwood, mounds of drawings of her father, of their old home, the rows and rows and headstones, heaven itself.

“And that’s the gist of it basically.”  Jackie stared at her for a few, then a few more. She was truly dumbfounded. It was nothing she could’ve ever thought of, nothing of her wildest dreams. 

“So Fiona, honey, there’s no easy way to say this. I think you have schi-”  “No, you don’t!” Opal jumped in.  Jackie folded her hands in her lap. “I think we should head to Dr. Martona.”