"Aah! Anne, I am so happy to see you. I mean, I didn't know you were coming. I missed you so much," Aunt London squealed then rapped the rest of the words while I could only look on and smile, she hugged me for the umpteenth time just before pausing to check me out all the way from my hair which had been pulled into a ponytail to the simple makeup that coated my face, the nude lip stick color. Her eyes swept down to the simple black dress I had on that stopped only above the knee. It was my favorite probably because of the halter neck. I had blended it with black stilettos and silver moon-shaped earrings.
"When did you come?" she went on to ask.
"Yesterday. I arrived in the late afternoon." Honestly, it felt a little off talking to her especially after all these years. Were they three or four? Speaking of which, I found it a little off that I did not have any memories with this lady, yet she seemed to be so fond of me. Why didn't I remember anything?
It didn't take long for the party to heat up as the guests mingled and others danced. Eggnog had been served together with a few whiskies. Aunt London had insisted that the best be saved for later. Surprisingly, a few faces came to me as familiar though I couldn't place them, so I left the matter. The event was rather boring for me while, Aunt London could not stop fussing over me. There had been nothing for me to do. Nothing. Probably because all the mingling and the dancing that was happening was not my thing. What was my thing? All I ever did was sit in a chair and make sure Varl was doing great and that Varline Inc. was not crumpling. So far, I was doing good. All this had stemmed from the darkness that I had so deeply been plunged into. It was in the void of my heartlessness within that hatred had slowly and maliciously been brewed. All this darkness had slowly seeped into my blood unbeknownst to me till I couldn't turn back anymore. I couldn't see what was behind me anyway. It was as though all memories of my past had been consumed by this sickly addictive darkness. There was a bright side to this darkness though. It was a drive. My very own reason for living and the foundation upon which Varline Inc. had been built.
"Hey, uh, Anne do you mind helping out in the kitchen?" "No, auntie. Let me go." I needed something to distract me from all the malicious thoughts that were conjuring up in my head. I soon headed for the kitchen. I had to get done with that. "Ms. Anne," the girls in the kitchen greeted with bowed heads. They knew me too! How? I asked them if they needed help and they said that it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. When I insisted, they reluctantly gave me a tray of table tools: spoons, forks, knives, to take to the dining place. I went. The dining place was outside in the courtyard and boy, was the view mind blowing with then green it boasted and the neatly trimmed hedges, the flowers in their patches and the trees around. This place was perfect. I made my way down the hall, having caught a glimpse of the courtyard through the kitchen window. Suddenly, someone bumped into me, or had I bumped into them? There, the forks and spoons and knives went clanking onto the floor drawing a gasp from me. The surprise of it soon turned negative as I lifted my gaze to see the person who was responsible for this.
"Oh my God! I am so sorry, Miss. I didn't mean to…" he trailed off once his gaze met mine. The daze in his orbs held my glare for a moment just before I looked back down at the floor now covered in cutlery. As though he had just realized what he had done, he quickly went down to collect them after which he handed the tray back to me.
"Such an unpleasant moment to meet, isn't it?" I cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, my bad. Where are my manners? I am Stephen. Stephen Vendetta." He held out his hand to greet.
STEPHEN
The intricate design of the ceiling board and the delicate hue blend of the wall art just couldn't be any less mesmerizing. I held out my hand to brush my fingers across the raw texture of the walls then I bumped into someone; probably a maid or worker, sending the cutlery in her hand crushing on the floor. I had to apologize. "Oh my God! I am so sorry, Miss. I didn't mean to…" my voice trailed off as I lifted my gaze to meet hers. The icy blue of her eyes captured my own losing me in the cold world beneath her stone-hard glare. Then I noticed a glimmer. It was there, then it went. I know this person. The question though is; how? The thought played in my head till I was shoved out of the haze by her falling gaze that met the cutlery. I could swear I heard the clank with which her gaze met them. There, I immediately dropped to the floor to clean up my mess organizing the cutlery back onto the tray, just before handing it back to her.
"Such an unpleasant moment to meet, isn't it?" I took an attempt at breaking the ice. She cocked an eyebrow. I continued probing for an answer, a reaction; something, "oh, my bad. Where are my manners? I am Stephen. Stephen Vendetta." I held my hand out to greet. She looked up from the tray and she was now studying me, possibly thinking of what to do with me. The atmosphere suddenly turned chilly just before she turned around and strode off down the hallway and back to the kitchen and boy, did she walk my world! Where she left me, I stood. Lost. Bedazzled. I had never thought I could ever set my eyes on such beauty again. At least not after her – the love of my life. I stared into nothing. I had made mistakes. Lots of them with the woman of my dreams. Mistakes that I was still paying for, but what could I do now? All that was done had been done. All I had left was the regret that came with the thoughts of it. If only I had…
"Excuse me!" I was suddenly pulled out of my thoughts when Mrs. Blaire called out, "we need some help here." "Yes, Ma'am." I followed her to the kitchen where I found her. Those blue eyes glowering emptily into my direction as though she was seeing through me. She just felt so familiar but I couldn't wrap my head around why it was that way.
"So the problem is the cake," she spoke pointing at the cake and following her finger, I gasped. I had never seen a cake that big, or had I? it had eight freaking tiers with lots of other baby cakes branching out like trees from the sides. Seeing the expression on my face, "Mrs. Blaire laughed and everyone joined forcing me to laugh too. I hadn't realized how animated my reaction was. All of us laughed but her. She only stood in the corner looking out of the window as the light breeze played lazily with the strands of hair that fell into her face she was different. When the laughing had all died down, "yep, we need to take it out and place it on the main table in the center." Mrs. Blaire handled the instructing well as the rest of us went on to help her birthday party come out successful.
Soon the day came to a close and I was exhausted, but I was more or less accustomed to it by now. I mean, I was juggling three jobs and it had been going on for some time now, a long time actually – since Detta Corp. collapsed in my hands – so I guess I was used to it by now. I sighed heavily as the thought of my past life flashed through my mind. The kind of life I lived back then was just so stupid and I only realize it now. Now that I was juggling three jobs. Now that I was scrapping the walls for money. Now that I was doing anything for a living and for the lives of the pillars of my life. Mrs. Blaire handed a cheque over to me and I slipped it into the pocket.
"Thank you very much, Ma'am." "No problem," She replied with a smile as I turned to walk out of a job well done. I was a chef.
I walked past the fountain at the center of the compound where I noticed someone at a distance. The night was young and the moon beam enveloped her features as she took each stride with the air of dominance. Cold dominance. I knew at once it was her. My beautiful stranger. Suddenly, I felt myself move towards her. It was as if she drew me in, like she was a magnet. I stood at the edge of the garden and watched as she seemingly enjoyed the night breeze. She was singing and her voice was heavenly. I closed my eyes and took in the sweet scent of the night rose as I was hit by a faint whiff of her scent while the sound of her voice seemed to wash me away. She soon came to the end of the song, her melodious voice trailing off with the last notes of the song. I opened my eyes meeting her own and the unexpected glare they contained. A chill ran up my spine causing me to shiver a bit. What was with this girl? "Hello again," I tried. I wanted to talk to her. I just wanted to get to know her. She didn't answer. I took a step towards her then another till I was right in front of her. "What do you want?" she asked and I mentally did a victory dance. It was after the void in her eyes threatened to consume me that I proceeded to look for a reason good enough to keep her talking.
"Um…I just…uh, I was on my way out when I was suddenly drawn in by the heavenly melody of your voice." "Very well then." She turned and started walking away. "…um, thanks for the payment," I added to get her to stop. She did. "What payment?" "This!" I waved the cheque in front of me and she held out her hand. I reflexed to take it when she pulled it back and with a breath, "it is blank." She pointed out causing me to instantaneously check it too. It was blank. Completely blank with not a writing on it. I had not been paid. All color seemed to drain from my face as the windows to my soul probably said it all how I felt. I was panicked. I looked up from the blank cheque to the main door I had just walked away from hoping that Mrs. Blaire would notice and perhaps run out to apologize for her mistake then hand me a right cheque. One minute. Two minutes. Three. Nothing. How was I going to come back another day, had I not been helped out just now?
Suddenly aware of her almost incognible presence, I looked back at her and there it was, a small sadistic smile to one side of her lips. Was she smirking? This was the first real emotion I saw on her face and at the mere sight of it, I had forgotten all about the panic that was building up within. It was there and then it was gone. Why? Why was she like that? Could I do anything about it? Could I? thinking about that, I was suddenly brought back to, when my conscience seemingly slapped me. What was I going to do about my situation? Slowly, my gaze turned soft. I wanted to plead with her to help. As though the emotion I was exuding was too much for her, she turned to leave. Why did she have to be so hard? "Miss, I really need your help," I called out, "my life and family depends on this. Mrs. Blaire is not a very simple person to approach with such matters." Yes, I had worked for her before and had learnt my lesson first hand. "she turned back to me. I took a step towards her. She stepped back and scanned me for some good time then looked away ready to go. My heart dropped. She was my hope. "How much do you want?" I froze at the sound of her question. Had she really talked to me or was it my wishful thinking? "Three hundred dollars." The bill escaped my lips before I could rethink anything.
"Is that all you want?" I ran my hand through my hair in confusion. What did she mean by that question? Seeing that I had no answer, she ordered, "you can go. I will have the money sent to you." I was dumbstruck. Who did she think she was? She made to finally go when I protested, "but Ms. I…" I tailed off when I saw that she wasn't going to turn back. Rude.
Back in my bed after tucking the kids in; Kayden and Keira, I lay on my back letting my mind wonder far. Soon, it brought back the memories of her. Very lovely, very sweet if not for me. The images of her dark wavy hair that shimmered in the moonlight, of her body shape and the baby bump as she walked away disappearing around the next corner flooded my mind. It had been three years but the memories of her were still so fresh. It was like I was still living the moment. More images of her flushed my mind missing but one detail; her face. Suddenly, the effect of time on my memories stepped in. it was soon nothing but a blurry reminiscence of her features; of the love of my life. I had but the silhouette of her face and the same was slowly spreading to the rest of her body every time she ran through my mind. Every time I thought of her, I forgot a detail yet never could I forget her frail form that sat in the corner crying. Recalling the tears she shed, I wished I'd tended to them when I still had the chance to, but I didn't courtesy of my arrogance and now I had to pay. I guess the men were really wise that said out of the pan, into the fire. You only learn the worth of something when it is no more.
I turned over to sleep and there before I closed my eyes, a face flushed across my mind – her face. It was the lady whose name I still didn't know. Why don't you know her name again? My conscience reasoned to which I gasped when it suddenly clicked. I didn't know her name. How was I going to get my money? Even worse, how would I look for her had I been scammed? I don't think she would do that. Good point, but then, if I want know her, how would that be possible when I didn't even know her name yet? Something about this girl really piqued my curiosity. Something about her screamed familiarity, but how?