The Devil's Sweetheart

Not a word came out of Leena's mouth as she watched Callison's teary eyes. Leena can count in her fingers the number of encounters she had with uncle Callison but never saw his smile fade away from his face, but today she witnessed it.

''How was she?'' She gently asked. Is that the reason Devin evades the topic when she asks?

''She was lovely,'' Callison said, a smile formed on his face as he remembered his daughter. He then opened his mobile and showed the pictures he has captured from the albums. ''She is my daughter. Her name is Aurienne.'' 

''Her name is pretty just like her.'' Leena traced the pictures on the mobile and smiled. Aurienne! She repeated the name in her mind again and again. She was a carbon copy of Uncle Callison, except her eyes. She must have got it from Aunt Sharon. ''She is bubbly cute in this picture.''

''That was when Auri was 15 years old. It was the last picture I have taken of hers.'' Callison said, his eyes prickling with tears.

''How did she...'' Leena didnot had the courage to speak up the last word. ''I am sorry if I offended you asking about her, uncle.'' She apologized.

''Don't be, Leena. Infact, I was the one who initiated it.''

''Auri is a travel freak.'' Callison started. ''When she was 15, she went on a trip along with her friends to Khumbu glacier icefall. She didnot return home.'' Callison paused, taking a moment to process that his daughter would never come back.

''We didnot find her even after multiple searches. Sharon and I believed she was alive, but after three years, when the Everest glaciers started melting, the National Mountain guides association witnessed dead bodies buried under the snow. W_e found Aurienne's dead body buried deep in the snow.''

Callison's eyes welled with tears. It was not only him. Leaning over the wall, Sharon's lips trembled as she cried when the happy memories she had with her daughter started appearing in front of her.

Leena was shocked hearing the news. She could understand the pain uncle Callison underwent. When she got into an accident, her Francy was in an irremediable sorrow. Fifteen years of spending time with his daughter and losing her would be an emotional breakdown for Uncle Callison and Aunt Sharon. ''I am sorry for making you remember her,'' Leena whispered. 

''Don't be sorry, Leena dear.'' A voice entered behind her, and Leena snapped back to see Aunt Sharon coming into the kitchen with a smile. ''Auri always remains in our hearts forever.''

''I see my Auri in you.'' Sharon took Leena's hands into her as she spoke. Her daughter's death had made the family devasted, but they slowly realized Auri would never come back. She wiped her tears and looked at Leena. ''Alright, we had enough crying, let's talk something else. When are you giving us a grandchild?''

''We haven't thought of it yet.'' Leena scratched her forehead feeling shy. She thought of enjoying her life for two more years with Devin, but it looks like these oldies have turned into sugar patients. Her mom is a step ahead of them. She wants a basketball team as if she is a breeding cow.

''Don't make us wait long,'' Callison patted her head and then handed her a Bruschetta snack which he made earlier. ''What a coincidence? Almost all your favorites are Devin's favorites.''

''What?'' Leena's eyes wide-opened in surprise. That idiot never told her. When they started living together, Leena cooked food of her choice, and Devin also never complained. Infact, Devin cooks everything Leena likes. How ignorant was I not to ask his opinion about his food choices?

''He didnot tell you?'' Callison asked, surprised.

''No.'' All of a sudden, Leena remembered his juggled memories. How can she forget Devin is an amnesia patient? Leena would not be surprised if Devin tells her he doesn't know about his favorite foods. How can someone forget only specific memories? Is that even practically possible to hypnotize away the memories of a person? She never heard of such a case. Like a shot, Leena remembered the incident that happened in Maine. His childhood love.

''I will be back in a while.'' She placed the snack on the kitchen countertop and dashed out. She rushed into the bedroom, panting heavily, and found the bed empty. ''Good that he is not here.''

''Where will he keep the old stuff? Wait..Does he keep things, or will he throw them away? Nevertheless, I have to try.'' Leena walked into the walk-in closet, started with the drawers first. In an hour, she made a mess in the room. Still, Leena didnot find the things she wanted.

Finally, when she opened the topmost drawer of the wardrobe climbing the closet ladder, she noticed cluttered stuff in it. Leena grabbed them and settled on the messy floor. 

She found three Iphones, and along with them, Leena found a key. ''Which house key it is?'' Leena put back the key into the drawer because she felt it was of no use. 

She charged the mobile and switched it on. ''Damn it! It is asking for a passcode.''

Leena opened a security application that she developed and logged into the online user dashboard. Everything on Devin's mobile came accessible. But to her surprise, she saw only two to three pictures on his mobile, which were of landscapes. Leena hacked into the other two mobiles, which resulted in nothing.

''Where are the pictures? Did Valen assume, or is there more to it?'' Muttering to herself, Leena checked the model names.

I phone 7, I phone XS, I phone 11 Pro.

''Somethin is wrong. What is it?'' Closing her eyes, she recalled Valen's words. If Devin had kept the pictures of his childhood love on his mobile, it must be during his university days.

''2016 September!''

''Where are his mobiles before 2016?$

''Did he lose mobile, or someone stole it?"

Questions after questions popped into Leena's brain. Devin's memories have turned into a real mystery to Leena now.

''What mess you have created here?'' A deep voice spoke up, interrupting her thoughts.

''Damn it!'' Leena cursed.