But there's a scream inside that we all try to hide
We hold on so tight, we cannot deny
Eats us alive, oh it eats us alive, oh
Yes, there's a scream inside that we all try to hide
We hold on so tight, but I don't wanna die, no
It was a quiet day in the house. Theodore was busy with his dad making a puzzle. Adelaide and Aquila had been joined at the hip the entire week and this Saturday morning had been no exception. Noah, Lemuel were working. Ezekiel was still away for his work. James was hanging out with friends in the living room and Adaline...
Adaline was currently talking on the phone with an attorney.
Her mothers defence attorney to be exact. Trying her best to come up with stories to discredit Adelaide. She needed Adelaide gone. Adelaide had thwarted most of her plans before they had even begun and Adaline was done with it.
Aquila noticed that Adelaide wasn't as lively as she had been at the beginning of the week and tried his best to put smiles and laughter on her face. She smiled, she laughed, but none of it was genuine. None of it was real. The dark circles under her eyes were more prominent than a few days ago. With the trial date coming closer, he knew she was starting to get more and more anxious, even if she tried not to show it. But he would be there for her, all the way.
The trial was not the only reason she felt so down. She was missing Noah.
And the stubborn mule didn't even so much as acknowledge her.
The quiet house was suddenly not so quiet anymore, with the doorbell ringing. Mister Beckett greeted the man at the door and let him in.
"If you would wait just a moment." Mister Beckett said before disappearing upstairs. The unknown visitor was slightly nervous to be in this house and soon was no longer alone as Ricardo, Adaline and Noah surrounded him.
"What are you doing in my house?!" Noah asked him sternly.
"I was sent to deliver a message to the young Miss DiMartino." He answered stoically.
"I'm right here so go on, I don't have all day!" Adaline sneered at the messenger.
"I am not here for you. I am here for Aurora. The butler already went up to get her." his face remained stoic.
"And what are you planning with her, Mason King?" Noah wanted answers. If Adelaide was forming a secret alliance, he needed to know if it would endanger them. Adaline finally knew his name and smiled sweetly in his direction, seemingly forgotten that she sneered at him just mere seconds ago. She needed him on her side if she was to have any luck with Adrian.
Mason didn't answer the question, he merely waited for the woman that was talked about so much by his family.
Mister Beckett knocked gently on the young miss's door. When she wasn't answering he softly opened the door. He saw her sitting on the side of her windowsill. Unmoving. Unfocused.
"There is a visitor for you, miss." Her head turned slowly to look at Mister Beckett smiling softly. Everyday his heart broke for her. The way he was seeing her now versus when she had arrived was like night and day. This house was toxic for her. And if things wouldn't change soon, he feared it would become her demise.
Adelaide slowly gave a soft smile to the butler and followed him down.
Mason was still ignoring anything the Italian Don had to say or ask and simply waited for Aurora.
And before he knew it she walked down the steps. He immediately knew why she had the nickname 'North'. Those beautiful eyes could light up the skies. He gave her a big smile.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Aurora. I am Mason King"
"Pleasure to meet you as well, Mason. To what do I owe this visit?" Adelaide was confused. The King's and DiMartino's were currently not super friendly with each other.
"You see, my aunt is very fond of you and has ordered me to deliver a message. In fact if I didn't do this, she would no longer give me my favourite dessert that she is a pro at making. So I really had no choice. Plus I wanted to meet the 'North' in person." He smiled at her.
As if a light bulb went on.
"Maman is your aunt?" She asked, flabbergasted.
"Yes! Aunt Becca is my aunt by marriage. She still uses his surname even though my uncle is no longer with us."
"Yes, I heard the story from Riri. He died a little more than a year before I met them."
"You have been Aunt Becca's saving grace. That's also why I didn't mind delivering her message all the way here." Mason said as dramatically as he could.
He handed Adelaide a beautiful envelope, in which sat a small letter. A small letter with words that struck Adelaide's heart and made her tear up.
Ma Chérie, Ma fille.
Je t'aime
tu es libre, tu es aimé
tu es dans nos coeurs
Tu manques.
Maman.
Looking back up at Mason with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. She couldn't say anything, for she had no words. Maman's small little letter gave her so much love. With only a few words.
She couldn't thank Mason enough for being pleasant inside the house of his enemies. She hugged him tightly.
"Thank you." She whispered into his chest.
He reciprocated the hug with a smile on his face. Not a fake one but a genuine one. Mason could see just how different Adelaide was compared to her sister. Everyone was aware of Adaline's existence. She was the italian princess and had been treated as such.
But Adelaide was a true princess, a Queen in the eyes of his aunt and now also in his own.
Adelaide sniffed her tears away with her sleeves. "You didn't have to personally bring the message all the way here. You could have posted it." She said with a small laugh, not wanting to make Mason uncomfortable.
"The message is too big to post." He answered vaguely.
"It's just a letter, you could've posted it. Did Adrian give any letter? Perhaps for me?" Adaline cut in, looking at Mason with big greedy eyes.
"No." He replied void of any emotion. He looked back at Adelaide with a soft smile. The fact that this girl could already show so much happiness by a card alone.
"The letter was not what I was actually delivering. It was more like an add on." Adelaide looked at him confused. "If not the letter, then what are you here to deliver?" Adelaide gasped. "Did she send you with her creme brulee? Her stew? Oh please tell me she gave you some of her mousse! I'm dying for it!" Adelaide looked at him with hopeful eyes.
He threw his head back and laughed loudly at Adelaide's notion. It didn't take a lot for his aunt to make this girl extremely happy. A simple dish made her eyes light up like a Christmas tree. A few simple words brought her to tears. Deep down he hoped she wouldn't have a heart attack with his aunt's gift.
"It's outside. Follow me." He walked towards the front door with Adelaide in tow. The rest of the family who had seemingly been forgotten by the two came after them.
Outside stood in all it's glory an Audi RS Q8 In galaxy blue metallic. Adelaide had no words. She was staring at the priceless motor vehicle in front of her. That was a beauty that Mason owned.
"Is it inside the boot of your car?"
"No sweetheart." Mason replied as he gave her the keys. "It's the car."
Adelaide looked at Mason, at the keys, at the car and back at mason. Adelaide started laughing.
"You're kidding! Good one."
"I'm not. Aunt Becca said the card would've told you."
'tu es libre'. You are free.
The one thing Adelaide had always desired. The way she felt when she was driving. The feeling of freedom. No lock and key. No cage. No closed door. No hiding behind crates. Like a bird set free.
Driving was freedom. She could hear and feel the winds around her. The music flowing through. Going fast and slow. Everything was her own choice in the car. She felt free.
Adelaide was still looking at Mason, frozen, unable to say anything or move at all. All Mason saw was true love for his aunt. A single tear left her beautiful eye as he quickly wiped it away.
"It is all yours. Even when she is not close by, She loves you, she misses you and can't wait to see you again. This - he gestured to the car.- Is her way of saying you're free." He relayed the message his aunt hammered into his head.
Adelaide couldn't think of anything else but to give him a hug again. Pulling him into a death grip.
Adaline saw the car and seethed. It was the model she wanted as an early birthday gift this year, but wasn't allowed to get because she 'already' had three cars, which was complete BS. Adaline wanted the newest things and her current cars weren't that. The newest car she had was a Bugatti Veyron crystal edition. Which was coloured pink and white. But she already had that car for a year.
This just made Adaline angrier. But she started smirking while she thought no one was looking. She was building her plan already. Adelaide wouldn't know what hit her and Adaline would make sure that Adelaide wouldn't come back from it.
Little bit of a shorter chapter, what you think?
Gives you a little extra insight to just how destructive depression can be when the right buttons are pushed.
And just how uplifting the right kind of company is.
Till next time..
Love, Sarah