© 2012 Astrix
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Chapter 3
Family
“Jadelynn?” My mother’s voice is the first thing I hear once I step inside the foyer. She’s looking at me with wide eyes, well, at Dalia, “you brought her.”
“Yes, mother, I brought my daughter with me.”
“Do you want to disgrace us more?” She asks through her teeth, her voice only loud enough for me to hear, “you should have come alone.”
“Father’s letter clearly said he wanted to meet her,” I inform her, “now if you excuse me, I’m going to take my daughter to bed.”
“After that you’re going to come back down here,” she orders as I start to turn around, “we need to talk.”
“Actually, mother,” I turn my head to look at her sideways, “I’m tired. I spent seventeen hours on a plane and one sitting on a car, I deserve a break.”
“You’ll do as I say, Jade-“
“I’ll remind you, mother, that I am only here on my father’s request,” I turn back around, careful not to wake Dalia up, “And I’m only here for the summer. I’m an adult now, mother, I have a life outside this place, I’m only just visiting. And although this is the place I grew up in, I’m merely a guest, and it’s rude to order a guest around. You of all people should know that. Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to take a bath before heading to bed. Unless father is awake.”
“No, he’s asleep,” my mother manages to get out in her shock state.
“Then I will speak to him tomorrow,” I say, turning around, “and if you still want to speak then, we can speak afterwards.”
The moment I step inside my old bedroom, I let out a sigh. I can’t believe I just spoke to my mother like that. My mother out of all people.
Shaking my head, I walk through the sitting room area, up four steps, and a little more to place Dalia on the king size mattress before taking off her shoes.
“Good night, sweetheart,” I kiss her forehead before looking around the room.
Nothing has changed.
The walls are still a pale pink and the furniture is still white. The white dresser is still in front of the bed. The white vanity is still to the left of the bed. There are still two white bedside tables with white lamps on it. The chandelier is still half over the bed and over the floor. The door next to the vanity leading to my library is still there, and I’m assuming that so are the books I left behind. I go to the window on the other side of the vanity and stare out at the front of the house, my right knee on the cushion window seat.
From here I can see the top of the palace. A view, which I’m sure Dalia is going to love. And a view, my mother specifically place in here so that I would always remember my goal: get the prince. The palace was to always have the idea that if I did what I was supposed to do, the view would be reverse. I could be in the palace, looking towards my bedroom window.
Of course, that all went down the drain.
With a sign, I walk to the other side of the room just as there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I say and two servants which I do not recognize come in carrying my bags and Dalia’s, “thank you,” I smile at them as they set them down. They merely bow and leave without saying a word.
I open my black luggage and go to the bottom to take out my favorite sweatpants and a tank top. Placing my hand inside the big pocket on the inside of the back of the suitcase top, I take out a pair of girl boxers and a white bandeau.
With my clothes in hand, I close the suitcase, putting it right side up again and heading to one of the door on the right side of the room.
I take a shower in the cream bathroom, allowing the warm water to massage my shoulders before getting out and getting dress. Placing my hair in a bun, I go back to the room, getting in the bed and turning off the lamps.
The next morning I woke up with a stretch, turning around again and again with my hand out searching for my lamp. When I give one more turn and still not find my lamp I open my eyes taking in the room. Oh right. I look to my right to find Dalia looking out the window.
“Like the view?” She jumps at the sound of my voice before nodding eagerly, “it’s much more prettier in person.”
“Really?” Her eyes widen as I nod, “can we go see it?”
“Maybe,” I give her, getting off the bed, “if you behave and do as I say.”
“Of course I’ll behave mommy,” she says rushing towards me, “what are we going to do today?”
“Well, we’re going to meet you grandfather,” her eyes widen again and a huge smile appears on her lips, “but you have to get ready first.”
“Ok,” she looks around the room before turning back to me, “where do I get ready?”
I chuckle and take her little hand in mine, leading her to the restroom, “in here.”
“Wow,” once again, her eyes open wide, taking in the large bathroom, the porcelain sink in front of the entrance, the toilet to its right, the bathtub next to it and the shower further down from the large tub.
“Do you want to take a bath?” she nods, and I go turn on the water, putting in enough soap for bubbles. “When you finish, go through that door, “I point to the door to my left, a little farther down than the shower, “I’ll be there putting our clothes away, ok?”
“Ok.” She says as she begins undressing.
“I’ll bring your towel when I find it.”
An hour later, we are both dressed, the clothes are put away and we are walking up another set of stairs towards my father and mother’s room.
“You won’t find him there,” I turn my head to the side, right hand in the air ready to knock.
“I’m sorry?” I ask the maid standing just feet from me.
“You won’t find the Duke in there,” she replies, “he no longer shares a room with the Duchess.”
“Oh,” my hand comes down to my side, “where can I find him then?”
“In there,” she points to the door on the other side of the hall, right across from the one I’m in front of, “he’s waiting for you.”
“Alright, thank you,” I smile at her, taking Dalia’s hand and going to the room.
“Just go in, you don’t have to knock,” the maid says once again, before walking away.
I do as she says, and open the door.
The room is just like mine. A sitting area in the front and the actual bedroom in the back.
I walk up the step, taking in the man sitting up on the bed.
This man was not my father. There’s no way.
This man is bald. Unlike my father, who has a mane of black hair just like mine.
This man is thin, while my father was a strong man, full of muscles.
This man’s eyes barely have light in them, but my fathers were always shining, even when he was angry or sad.
But I know it’s him.
I know that he no longer looks like the handsome Duke he once was because of the stupid cancer eating him from inside.
“Father.” I say once I’m standing next to him, with Dalia cowering behind my leg.
“Jadelynn,” my father says in a raspy voice, as if he hasn’t spoken in days, “you’re here. You came back.”
“Of course father,” I say, bending down to kiss him forehead, “I’m sorry it took so long. But I could leave Dalia behind.”
“Dalia?” At that moment, Dalia steps away from my leg and her and my father stare at each other for a minute, “her eyes.” I freeze, looking at my father, “her eyes, ar- are,” he couldn’t finish his sentence as a round of coughing takes over him.
“Calm down father,” I urge him, grabbing the glass on the table and filling it with water, “here.” I help him take sip the water until he waves his hand, “better?”
“Yes?” he says his voice still a bit rough.
“Don’t over stress yourself father,” I warn him, “we can talk about Dalia’s eyes another day. Now tell me, how do you feel?”
I sit down on the bed, bringing Dalia to sit on my lap, “much better now that you are here.”
“Oh father,” I blink away the tears forming in my eyes, “but are you taking your medications? You are going through chemotherapy aren’t you?”
“Of course,” he coughs slightly, “where do you think all my hair went to?”
“What do the doctors say?”
“Same thing as day one,” he sighs, “that I need surgery.”
“Why don’t you take it?”
“Brain surgery is dangerous, love,” he placing his hand on my lap, “I did not want to go through with it without seeing you first. But now that you are here, I will set up a day for it.”
“Good,” I nod, “we have to do everything possible for you to remain with us father.”
“Of course,” he smiles weakly just as the door opens.
“Time for your medicine sir,” the same maid as before says, walking in.
“Well,” I turn back to my father, “I guess I’ll see you later than.”
“Will you leave Dalia with me?” he asks, “I would like to get to know my granddaughter better.”
“Don’t you have to rest?”
“It’s only medicine, Jade,” he rolls his eyes, “I’m fine.”
“Well,” I bit my bottom lip, unsure.
“Go on mommy,” Dalia jumps off my leg, “I wanna get to know grandfather better too.”
“Alright,” I say, standing up, “but behave.”
“I will.”
I look at my father again, as he is given a pill and a glass of water, “I will come by later then.”
“Ok,” Dalia sits back on the bed and I turn around, leaving them to themselves.
“I guess it’s time to go talk to mother.” I say, making my way down the stairs, knowing fully well that she will be in the garden, yelling at the gardeners about not doing something even though she told them to do it.
When I reach the open door to the garden I freeze, my brain telling my body to turn around and run, but my body wouldn’t react.
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