A Mother's Embrace

CHAPTER 4

After my long luxurious bath, I dozed off a little. I almost jumped up in fear when David knocked loudly at the door. For a split second I thought this had all been a dream and I woke up from it. Luckily, it wasn't. It was my reality and I was living it very well.

Lunch passed by quickly. Mushroom and broccoli pasta with smoked chicken breast. The lunch looked like an expensive dish from a five star hotel which I could have never afforded. I ate to my heart's content and topped it off with a simple custard pudding which was served as dessert. The stout maid was not there when lunch was served. Instead, an old warm lady who covered her graying hair in an old scarf, worked diligently in making and serving the dishes. I felt my appetite to increase just by not seeing the stout maid. I felt very wrong to have such intense feelings just hours after I arrived but I couldn't help it.

After lunch I again slept till it was dark. Amanda asked if I wanted to walk around after lunch, but I was too tired. Promising to meet at dinner time, I slept in the comfort of my cozy room.

I woke up to a startle when my phone rang loudly from where it was kept to charge. I dumbfoundedly looked at my surroundings taking a few minutes to recall my new abode. I got up and walked to the study table near the balcony door where my phone was kept. My best friend Jenny's name flashed brightly on the screen. I hurriedly picked it up and opened the door to the balcony.

"Where were you?"

"I had practice! The competition is just around the corner"

"Which one?"

"The Dancing Superstar"

"Eww. Such a lame name"

"The prize money isn't lame my dear. 50,000 pounds. I can bear any lame name for that sum of money"

"Woah! That is huge! Get it okay? You can!"

"I know baby!" she said with a laugh "So, how is your new job? Is the house okay?"

"My dear dear, okay? This is grand! It's a castle Jenny! And guess what? I have my own bathroom with a TUB! Did you hear me? A TUB!"

"Hahaha! God, it looks like you have found your luck", we both laughed together. "I am happy for you Liv, you deserve this!"

"Aww, I love you!"

"I love you too!"

We talked for another half an hour, where I described the new riches I got to experience and she ranted about how her choreographer was straight out dumb. As we were talking, I was pacing the length of the balcony, looking around the vast area of land in front of me. Even though the entire land where the castle stood looked grand and breathtaking in the morning, it looked eerie and kind of sad in the dark. Apart from the lamps that light the path from the gate, the rest of the area was almost dark except for occasional halogen bulbs here and there.

As I was looking at the far end beyond the staff quarters, I saw a woman walking along the bank of the pond. I couldn't make out much other than a faint silhouette of a gown and hair which flowed till the waist. I guessed it was Amanda because none of the maids I saw today were this thin. But I couldn't find David near here.

"What is she doing there in the dark?" I asked myself.

"What?" asked Jenny from the other side.

"Oh! Nothing!"

"Were you even listening to me?"

"Yes baby, I was"

"Liar!" she said grumpily. "Anyways, I will call you on the weekend. The competition is two weeks later and I will be pretty packed with practice, costume findings and all. If you have any emergencies, call me? Alright?"

"Okay! And all the best for the competition"

"Thanks bubs! Bye!"

"Bye!"

Just as I ended the call, someone knocked on my door.

"Coming!"

"Oh! Hi David!" I said enthusiastically. "Why are you here, love?"

"Mama is calling Ms. Olivia for dinner! Will you please come?" he said with his brightest smile.

"Sure!" I said and closed the door behind me as I walked out with him.

"David, why did you and mama go to the pond in the dark? Isn't it dangerous?"

"I didn't go to the pond," said David, his face suddenly growing pale.

"Oh! Then did mama go alone?" I asked him while climbing down the stairs.

"That's not mama", he said looking at me palely.

"What?"

"That's not mama!"

"What do you mean?" I asked him standing frozen in the middle of the flight of stairs. Suddenly out of nowhere, the stout maid I saw in the morning stood at the bottom of the stairs and called out to David.

"David, my love, what are you doing there? Bring your teacher to have dinner" she said. But all the while she spoke, she didn't smile. There was something really calm about her voice that it was almost unnerving. Like she spoke an automatically recorded voice. Saying this she quietly retreated back to the kitchen without even sparing a glance at me.

The eeriness of this encounter made me totally forget about the conversation I was having with David. He ran down the stairs with his same bright smile again on his face and called out to me to follow him.

Dinner was also grand. Steak with roasted asparagus. I wondered whether they ate like this everyday.

Just as if reading my mind, Amanda said to me, "The food is not always grand. We prepared this specially since you came today." she said with her small smile.

"That is not a problem. I am okay with anything." I said reassuringly.

"Amanda, the view from my balcony is really breathtaking. I really wanted to take a walk around in the moonlight but I think I might get lost!" I said with a laugh. "I can understand why you sneaked a walk before dinner"

Just as I said this, the entire dining room was filled with an eerie silence. Amanda, who was happily chewing her food looked up at me puzzled and David once again went pale. The stout maid who was getting ice cream from the refrigerator, stood frozen.

"Did I say something wrong?" I asked, puzzled.

Suddenly, as if the play button had been pressed in a video, the scene unfroze and Amanda gave out a laugh. David resumed to pick on his plate and the maid bent down deeper to get the dessert.

"Oh! I had just gone to have a smoke" she said laughing. "I don't want David to see me smoking."

"That makes sense", I laughed and finished my dinner.

After I washed my hands, I got ready to go back to my room.

"Olivia dear, do you want anyone to show you to your room?" asked Amanda.

"No! I am fine, I can find my way"

"Great! See you tomorrow. David is all excited for his first lesson"

"He is such a nice boy", and just as I said this, David came running from the kitchen with a mustache of milk.

"Oh my!" said Amanda, surprised. Then she let out a small laugh and wiped the milk off his lips with the sleeve of her dress.

"So cute!" I said.

"Good night Ms. Olivia! I will see you tomorrow."

"Good night David!' I said and walked up the stairs. As I was climbing up the stairs, I noticed the woman's painting again.

"The hair looks the same as the woman I saw by the pond"' I thought suspiciously. "But Amanda said it was her right?" I thought as I further climbed the next set of stairs.

"Argh! Maybe I just need to catch up on my lost sleep!" I said as I lazily climbed the stairs and walked to my room.