Death of a Prince | ✓

EP 02: PRINCE'S PARCEL

        

EPISODE TWO

'prince's parcel'

       

       

ARRIVING BACK HOME after being around Leon's felt like coming back to earth. Two drastically different worlds that blur when forced to join together, that continued to repel each other, not wanting to join. So I always felt like I was coming out of the cinemas when I came from Leon's world and back to my own.

I smelt lasagna as soon as I swung the door open, the cold trailing after me. Not soon after was Estelle's singing over some old Italian crooning over the radio.

"I'm home," I called, ushering out of my coat before reaching the kitchen and shaking the few orange leaves that caught over it. Estelle turned from the pot, a warmed smile on her dark red lips.

"Welcome home, darlin'," she greeted, waving a wooden spoon coated in red sauce. "Dinner is almost done. How was your day?"

"It was good, normal." I looked around, keeping my toes off any hot pot. Its been easier to lie now when you keep it simple and direct attention elsewhere quickly.

The kitchen was almost clean, as Estelle had most likely cleaned up as she worked on dinner. The cutlery and plates are also all done up on the dinner table. Blue ceramics with red patterned napkins and fresh pink tulips in a yellow vase in the middle.

These are her small touches. Dad and I functioned entirely on necessity. Estelle brought a vibrancy to things with more voluptuous brightness than necessary, but somehow I enjoyed it. The house felt more loved. Although my stepmother and I had a shaky start and our relationship isn't precisely what people thought, she was a fine addition to this household. She was her very own star and she didn't mind taking in a few clouds along the way.

"Is there nothing for me to help with?" I surveyed the area twice. Everything's done up.

Estelle shook her head, an entire tirade with her big hair, glamourised in designed curls, a yellow headband, and big hoop earrings. She was multiple movements over one action. It felt like an entire scene with a full cast and dialogue watching her go.

"Not at all. I'm almost done, you can relax for five before I'll call up for dinner."

"Okay. I'll just wash up then."

"Mm."

So I left her there, swinging her hips slowly, murmuring the song. Before I headed up the stairs, I stopped slightly over the closed door of my dad's office. The light is on but I keep quiet to hear his working sounds.

As an engineer for a private company, he mostly handles work outside of the house. Whenever he does bring in papers, he locks himself up without actually locking the door. He used to with my mum. Whenever she had her bad days, they really swung bad to worse. The door was a silent communication between them. When it was just us, the habit didn't leave. Though I never bothered him because I was just used to... not asking him for things.

With Estelle, she never understood door locking. There was a rule about that in the house she grew up in. I thought for sure my dad would never allow it. It was a habit now. But the door is left unlocked for her, whenever she felt like swinging by to do meaningless things. Sometimes to just chat with my dad.

I reached over the knob now, checking by slowly, rigidly turning it. It moves smoothly, unlock as always, so I stop, leave it alone, and change for dinner.