Angel With No Wings

Part 6

Angela walked around the house as servants and parents and doctors shuffled around preparing the abbey for the ball and making sure Genji is in good condition. Many people wanted to attend only to see the marvelous wonder of Genji's survival. She was dressed in her simple day clothes, as to not extract the glamor of her extravagant ball gown. She made orders to kinds of flowers, wine, hors d'oeuvres, music, and then on. Her mother skimmed it down to only a couple choices, so it wasn't technically her choice in the matter, but her mother wanted her to have some kind of say. She wanted to see Genji, find out how he's doing, and spend time with him, but she knew her father didn't want her visiting him for the day. She snuck into the bustling kitchen and grabbed an apple from the large pantree. As she took a bite, Mr. Morrison walked in.

"M'lady, it's quite unladylike to be sneaking into the kitchen and stealing stored fruits only mere hours away from your courting ball." Angela wiped her mouth with her arm from the juicy apple.

"Sorry Mr. Morrison, I got hungry," He nodded his head and gave her a wink.

"I'll let this one slide."

He always had a soft spot for the only child of the Zeigler family. He'd been with them since Mr. Zeigler was still a young teenager. When Angela was still a small child, she would come down to the kitchen before luncheon and play with him. She would hide around the floor and he would 'look' for her while he did his work. Angela saw him as a father figure, since her real father never paid much attention to her. Whenever she was sick or upset, he was always right there for her.

"Morrison, have you gone down to the wine cellar and pulled out a few bottles of chardonnay?" Ms. Amari walked into the pantree, her hair crazy with a list in her hand. Angela knew they would be going mad down here, for it's not often we host such a large ball.

"I'll get right on it, Amari." He gave Angela a nod of the head and turned on his feet, his hands tucked behind his as he walked away. Angela smiled as he walked away and took a bite of her apple.

"Ms. Angela," Amari said, ''Nice to see you doing well, dear. Although I recommend you toss that apple and head out before the second butler finds you and rats you out." Angela sighed.

"Alright, Amari, no need to get upset over an apple." She tossed her apple in the bin and walked up the small staircase to the door into the main hall. Her mother passed right by her without a single glance. She rolled her eyes. They always told me this would be the 'most important day of my life', she thought, but I have no say in anything that goes on.

She then had an idea. If no one paid any attention to her until it was time for the ball, then maybe she could get away with seeing Genji just for a little bit. She did save him from inevitable death, so maybe that was the most important day of her life. She sprinted up the main stairs and down the hall until she reached his room. She pushed the wooden door open ever so slightly. There she saw Genji stand, looking through a wardrobe of clothes.

She expected him to jump or turn to her or something, but he just stood there. Angela wondered what made him so prepared for every situation.

"I'm just getting quite bored of laying in that dreadful bed. Nothing against you or your wonderful home, I just needed to stand," He responded, shuffling through hanger upon hanger of suits.

"You won't find any nice clothes in there, those are all of the clothes father grew out of years ago. Nothing in style or mended." She expected him to jump or turn around or something. But he just stood there.

"I don't care much for style, I was just wondering... I was wondering if perhaps I could walk around the estate, get to know my temporary home?"

"Well, of course, but you're going to have to be accompanied by someone, preferably me. If my father runs into you alone, he'd have a fit and assume you're a spy for the paper. He doesn't much care for the paper, he says they perceive him as a cruel man. He has his moments, but he isn't a bad person, he just doesn't see the world like I do," She began to go on, she didn't know why, but she felt in a place where she could just let it out. It's as if he had a comforting aura with him. She shook it off.

"Shall we, then?" He interrupted her thoughts and she looked up at him.

"Yes, we shall," He opened the door and she went first, giving him a grateful nod.