Allea

forty-seven

In a circle, stood beside her was Mr. Nicholas Salvadge, he was introducing Allea to his brother and friends —he once again repeated the history and made her stand between the middle aged-men, the crowd utterly antithetical of her age and intellect.

Allea's focus was seemingly entirely on the men in front of her but if looked closely one could notice the little peripheral glance she cast from time to time. Just a few steps away from her was the circle of gentlemen, including the three men who just now entered and the ones who were priorly present. Among them stood Jackson, introducing himself and the young boy on whom shoulder his arm was swung around. Nicholas Salvadge, the moment his son stepped inside, dragged Jackosn toward him to familiarize themself, and she doesn't know what made her uncle pull Kai along, despite the reversion that was visible on his youthful face.

Allea's gaze couldn't help but flicker toward her brother, now that he was no longer on her side, the restlessness in her heart seemed to show its traces, regardless of her effort to suppress it under indifference and rational reasoning.

Sighing inwardly, Allea once again put her effort in listening and responding to the aged men, who one after another made an effort to indulge the young girl in their talks regarding the business with flattery here and there. But in her words, they either found silent contradicting smiles or a reflection of her direct thoughts and standing difference in age but not in eloquence.

"Come Allea, let me introduce you properly to my father, he has heard a lot about you from me!" Nicholas Salvadge's words sounded, followed by a burst of harmonious laughter. 

In response, he gained an agreeing nod from Allea, so he guided her to the sofas, in one curve of the living room. There sat three old men, lost in their merry talks, and reminiscing of the times they have spent living their youth and life before retirement from the beguiling world of business.

As Nicholas Salvadge introduced Allea to his father, at one glance Allea realized that the aged man's haggard body dressed in the suit looked fine even at such age and his stoic face was too familiar to his grandson. Without any bit of hostility, Allea respectfully gave her greetings, particularly to the old Salvadge, even though she tried to appear humble but her stance still hed its aloofness.

After a second or two of exchanging formal words, she heard a grouch voice directed toward her, "Allgaiers', I have heard about it."

Allea's raised her eyes to meet the elderly man she deliberately overlooked, she nodded at his words but didn't say anything. Not wanting to talk to William Brown.

Seeing Allea was not responsive, his wrinkled face further contracted. The people who all their life are used to gaining respect, being esteemed, it usually become hard for them to accept when someone doesn't comply along with the thing they have lived their whole life in. William Brown is no different, for him, the thought that his existence and age demands respect is normal as drinking Burgundy, that's why he expected Allea to give him the same regard as his friend. 

A flicker of discontentment passed through his aged eyes as they darted from faces around him but soon recalling the reason he called the girl, he continued unhesitantly, "Liam, my grandson, was telling me..." His words paused, eyes moving in the direction of his grandson. Who, at that moment as if perceiving the intentions of his grandfather, was already approaching them.

Allea silently stood beside Nicholas Salvadge, who was giving her sideways glances and was smiling. He could see through the things unfolding in front of them, in fact, every experienced eye could see the intentions of series of actions. But after years of boring and often being its part, it has long ago molded itself into their lives as something normal.