Walking inside the Manor was like remembering words to an old forgotten song. It was tier some and full of reminiscence.
When he was a kid, Raider Manor used to be his favorite landmark. He came every day and never got tired of doing so. As twisted as he was, James was the opposite of him. Charlus became easily irritated and agitated while James had the patience of a mountain. Back in their days, Charlus would've never imagined a life without James. James was like a rope which protected Charlus from hurling himself over the cliff.
And yet there he was, walking inside the Manor without James.
It was always James and Charlus, it was never just Charlus.
As if walking inside the gold plated living room wasn't enough, Charlus subconsciously found himself stealing glances at Gralice on their way in. He wasn't proud of it because he did love his eye.
As far as he knew, she never really like her name, she always went by Grace. She had grown a lot over the years, Grace was the youngest when she'd joined the chamber, she pretended that she was seventeen but somehow he knew that she was way younger. Her bouncy brown hair flew behind her as she walked alongside Delia chatting as if they never left.
Once or twice she would turn and Charlus would act as if he wasn't looking at her. It wasn't until she caught him staring at her that she finally snapped, "Quite staring if you love that eye!"
If he was any younger, he would've made a haughty remark and they would've broken into another war.
Back in the academy, the fights between Charlus and Grace used to be classic. Sometimes they ever fought more than Delia and James. Seeing her annoyed, Charlus felt as if he was on the top of the world. He loved annoying her and loved his regular fights with her. Deep down, he knew that she felt the same way.
But then things changed when Bloody Mark Jorum and his perfect hair came in their way. Grace started to spend more time with him and less time fighting him.
Charlus felt betrayed as if someone had taken a huge chunk of the piece out of his cookie. He wasn't sure how Grace felt, but he was sure how he did. To him, It was obvious that she didn't feel the same way.
And after seeing her hurriedly put on her clothes and leave his home as if the night they spent was just a mistake, it was known. The last time he saw her was walking hand in hand with Mark on the day of James's funeral. According to what he'd heard from Delia, she even had a daughter.
Annoyed wasn't the right word, Charlus wondered miserably. The word was jealous.
And then Charlus met Bethany, the love of his life and they spent wonderful five years together but then just like James and Grace, she was taken away from him too. And now, he didn't have James nor Bethany or Grace, he was too alone and too bitter to be alive.
"The place hasn't changed a bit," Grace said as she gaped at the gigantic living room.
"I had it clean," Delia said as she sat on the white sofa with a golden frame.
Before Charlus could sit next to Delia, Grace leaped in front of him.
"The place if full." She said arrogantly.
Charlus chuckled to himself as he sat on the sofa next to them. Two of them then started at the mantelpiece above the fireplace while Grace gaped like a fool at the interior of the Manor as if it was her first time visiting the place.
The gigantic crystal chandelier hung above the living room just as it had been for decades. The ancient goldwork wasn't rusted, it shone as if it was made yesterday. The two-way stairs to the room with the wooden railing didn't even have a speck of dirt.
Delia got up from her seat and walked over to the fireplace. She picked up a picture which was placed above it and started at it. Charlus followed her and did the same. The picture which she had shown Delia Raider, James's mother along with James and Charlus all bundled up on a picnic blanket.
"We were seven at that time," Charlus said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Mr. Raider had found us an awesome spot downhill near the old creak. Auntie Delia had made tons of food for us. We were playing in the creak and suddenly James saw a yellow ball drowning in the creak so we ran towards it. Without a second thought, he dived in and took out a Yellow Pichu."
"That's how he met Dex?" Delia asked.
Charlus nodded. "The Pichu's leg was wrapped in spandex. That's why he called him Spandex."
Delia chuckled a little as she put the picture down. "Sometimes it felt as if James loved Spandex more than you."
"Hey!" He complained.
Delia walked over towards a portrait that hung towards the entrance. It was old aristocrats type, it pictured a little James, Delia and Lark Raider all dressed poshly. James was wearing a little black suit and a bow tie. His messy hair like always was unkempt.
"He was a braggart, wasn't he?" Delia said as she ran her fingers over the giant portrait. "'You should visit out summer home, Diane. And yes we have a summer home. Cause our bank account is rolling in riches!'" she mimicked his voice.
"Only around you," Charlus added quickly. "He used to make a fool of himself whenever he was with you."
Delia scoffed as she turned back, Charlus did the same only to find Grace staring at them from the sofa with her head resting on her palms, "Done yet?" She asked in a groggy voice.
Delia smiled as she playfully pinched Grace's cheeks. "Yes, we are." She said, "still not the sentimental one."
After a few minutes, an awkward silence covered them. Charlus had a controlled urge to ask Grace about Mark but somehow words didn't form. He never liked him, partly because he managed to steal Grace away from him and partly because... Nah, that was the only reason.
But then he finally gathered enough courage to say, "So, where is Mark?"
Grace looked at him as if he'd asked her to donate her only kidney. "Mark?" She retorted, "Where did he come from and why would I know about him?"
"He was your husband wasn't he?" Charlus further asked, hoping that she'd say no.
"No!" She yelled in a high pitched voice. "Why would I marry him? It was like only a one night stand but then things-"
"-went out of control when you found that you were pregnant with Serena?" Delia said.
Grace looked bedazzled, "Uh yeah." She said in a meek voice. "He did propose to marry me."
Charlus was elated, at least bloody Mark didn't get to marry her.
"And why'd you say no?" Delia further asked.
Grace smiled, "Couldn't marry without my best maid, could I?" She held Delia's hand in her own.
"It's actually Maid of Honour," Charlus said earning an earful from Grace.
Delia then burst in a laugh followed by Charlus and Grace. Grace's laughter was the purest thing he'd ever heard. After their squad fell apart, he never thought that he'd get a chance to hear it again. But then there they were, the Liquidator squad was reunited, what was left of then at least.
"But seriously where is Mark?" Charlus quickly said.
Grace groaned and slumped back on the sofa, "We had a big fight when Serena was four, I threw a jar at him and told him that we weren't meant to happen. He was just a rebound-" she stopped and then quickly said, "anyways he then left and didn't come back."
"That's harsh!" Delia wailed.
"Awesome!" Charlus said which earned him a stare worthy of a kill. "I mean ouch."
Charlus swore he saw a smile on the cherry red lips of Grace. Just when he was about to further talk, a familiar old voice echoed through the air.
"How touching," Joanne said as she advanced towards them. "Catching up, Aren't we?"