The Finding

Part 2 The Old New House

The estate was beautiful.  Long wines snaked up and down the walls.  The grass, was overgrown in some areas.  The building was huge. Three stories high. The outside was white and has brown shutters. It had two long columns guarding the front door and a few steps leading up to the porch.  It wasn't until then that it occurred to her that she had no neighbors.  Instead, the house was surrounded by trees.

 Finally there was  single tree.  It was more off to the side of the house and barely visible from the front unless you walked a little of the sidewalk, which was exactly what she did.  The tree was talk with jagged branches.  Even though it was summer, pink flowers were blooming all over.  Some were in the dirt beneath the tree, scattered elegantly, like a painting.  She heard a cough behind her.

 There stood a tall, middle aged woman.  She was lean, tall, with long brown hair and blue eyes.  She wore a white sundress that looked somewhat out of place in that setting.  A smirk was plastered across her face.

 "Its been quite a while Katherine."

 "Aunt Alice!"  She ran and enveloped her into a hug.

 "Come!  Come inside!  We have much to discuss."

The interior of the house was, if possible, more beautiful than the outside.  The wall held paintings of scenery and landscapes.  They were very imaginative and all were singled with her aunt's name on the top.  Alice was an excellent artist.

 "How have you been sweetie!" she exclaimed.

Katherine looked around the large house as her eyes filled with excitement.  She was overjoyed at the idea of starting fresh, not that there was anything that she did wrong.  No it was the fact that she didn't do anything wrong that burdened her.  People try, they fail, then they realize their mistakes and grow from it.  How was she to learn from her mistakes if she never stepped out of her comfort zone and allowed herself a chance to make those mistakes.  This house was not only filled with old antiques, but also new beginnings and new opportunities.  

 "I have been okay.  Very mundane.  How have you been Aunty?"  Then she sucked in a breath, wondering about her aunt. How inconsiderate how she'd been,  not even imagining what Alice had been through.  

 Alice's eyes were glassy.  She had brought up old wounds. "I am fine.  It still hurts, but I am better." Then she let out a short laugh.  "I only arrived here yesterday and had not the time for cleaning."  She pointed as a nearby table "  Look .  Before your parents and Fernando," she gulped, "Before they left, Fernando was complaining about losing his ring.  It was a family heirloom.  And there it is.  Right were he was talking about it."  The ring was gold and plain but it's presence was obvious.  Aunt Alice's eyes watered, threatening to spill tears.

 She sniffled loudly before wiping under her eyes.  "Alright well I am going to get some cleaner down.  God, this place is a mess. Then, we can get you settled in. Alright?"  But she didn't give Katherine a chance to answer.  Instead, she turned her feet and speed walked out of the room, her blacks heals clicking against the dark, wooden floor.

 Katherine immediately darted to the table and began to examen the ring that once belonged to her Unlce Fernando.  She twirled it around in her hands, stopping when she noticed something peculiar.  There were wired ingrained.  Not on the outside, but on the inside, a task that surely would have been difficult. It said Viene Vichie, whatever that meant.  It was a strand item but nonetheless beautiful.  It had a simplicity to be glorified.  She put it on her ring finger.  For some odd reason it made her feel stronger, like she could do anything.  It was exhilarating.  She was examining how the ring seemed to fit perfectly on her finger when Alice reappeared with a bottle of generic cleaner.  Her eyes flew directly to the gold object rapped around Katherine's finger.  She had been caught red handed.