Elegance with Expense

42. Stranger Men

My mind was a haze, I was confused because I needed to gain greater perspective, to take a step back and see the wide-angle version.

Because people see truth from different perspectives, their narratives of the same events are often completely different. Confusion is that time when your conscious brain can't process it but your subconscious can. So, give it time. Clear your mind and have a nap- Armani said. 

Clarity comes with patience and time. Wisdom is slow to develop, like a good old-fashioned photograph.

There was a lot more to see, little wonder I couldn't figure things out yesterday when the old man called my brothers his Grandchildren. 

I could have been dreaming, none of it could be real since Romeo lead me around the back of the house so quickly, the old man hadn't even seen the hurried escape. Maybe it was the wind playing tricks on me, maybe I was only hearing what I wanted to hear- selective hearing as some may say.

Last night, I didn't have much time to admire the house as I normally would, I was taken to an extravagant bedroom upstairs instead.

The floors were a light, echoey marble; the room itself was open planned, a double bed pushed to the back with sheer curtains falling down each of the four bedposts. A medium sized window on one of the walls, overlooking the clear, white sandy beach, whilst to the left, there were French doors- leading out to a large patio- already open, letting through the fresh air.

There was a short bright, white wall on the patio, green and pink plants planted nicely behind so they came over in a very welcoming manner. I stepped out with Romeo, observing the terrace, noticing that it was shared with two other rooms.

'Rooms here are set out in the same way as they are back home.' He told me yesterday. 'Vince is to your right, I'm to your left, Armani is opposite you, and the twins are at the end of the corridor. The others are in the hallway next to this.'

This morning, I woke up so early that the birds hadn't even started chirping yet. A vintage analogue clock hung above the now closed French doors, reading 6am. I was convinced that this time source was faulty until I remembered that it worked last night, and the hushed ticking noise wouldn't stop all night- normally, people wouldn't hear this almost inaudible sound, but my ears seem to pick up on the most annoying tiny sounds.

I slipped out of the silk sheets and was met with an undying heat, even with the ceiling fan on, it was still like a sauna in the airy room. I tried to figure out how to unlock the doors, there was no key insert, and I didn't see Romeo lock it last night, he only closed it and pushed down on the gold handle.

I did the opposite and pushed up, hearing a sensational click and the doors opening in on themselves, they folded back onto one another and opened in the same way they were in yesterday.

I was expecting coolness at this early hour, but it was warm, and I was practically a snowman in the sun. I was only in a t-shirt and sports leggings; my hair was down, and I could feel strands clinging to the back of my neck.

I walked up to the dressing table, gold plated with brown detailing, basic beauty tools were set on the surface, including a hairbrush, I had never been happier to see a hairbrush. I quickly bushed my brown knots out and then up into a high ponytail, securing it with a band I found wrapped around the brush handle.

My suitcases were mysteriously in the corner of my room, someone must have delivered them whilst I was sleeping, but I didn't feel like getting changed out of my clothes that I was already in since I would probably stay here until someone collected me. I didn't want to accidentally run into someone I don't know, then have to start with the awkward interactions and introductions.