The Markus Party

CHAPTER 9, THE DRESS

"But...my mother died when I was born." Lucy rushed closer to Melka, the dress forgotten. Could this be some cruel prank or did the other woman really know something.

"I was there when you were born." Melka turned to face Lucy with the first emotion she'd shown on her face so far. "And you haven't changed a bit." After this, the little spark of light that had touched her eyes vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, and she walked on like nothing happened.

Lucy stood still; her mind entrenched in a mess of contradictions. But a glimmer of hope touched her face, and it felt like light shined right through her skin. She chased after Melka again, thinking that it may be true for all she knew. Her mother passed away when she was born and for one whole year she lived at an orphanage before her father came for her. They weren't married, so it came as a big shock to Martin Callister when he learned that the woman he'd been seeing for over five years had just given birth to a baby girl. It wasn't his fault really. Nearly two years earlier they had broken off their engagement and, with great difficulty, he'd moved on with his life. He was even in a committed relationship to another woman. When he was told of his great love's passing and the girl, it was like booking a ticket to the Titanic and wondering what to do. Die on the ship, because she's gone. Or live on for this little stranger he was yet to meet. He honored his word all the same and went for the girl; only to end up causing such a great strife in his current relationship. The woman felt that she'd never have the same love that was given to the dead, and now to this living girl.

After only two years, the girl was given to Martin's mother who still cares for her to this day. Martin died when the girl was eleven and, as an only child, all his history died with him. Fate turned out to be even more cruel when her grandmother developed Alzheimer's right around the time Lucy started asking questions. Financially Martin had ensured her mother would be taken care of even fifty years into the future. And this mercy allowed Lucy to stay with her grandmother in their family home, visited daily by a caretaker she'd started calling mom. Therefore, Lucy didn't really know much about her family. The very little her grandmother told her were contradictions. Often going from having ten sons, three daughters, to eventually forgotten who Lucy's father was. The pictures she had of her father, cradling her near her grandmother, were precious but saddening. To hear another person talk so openly about her mother, and the possibility of having known her was astonishing. It was something she had always hoped for, wished for; and maybe this awkward stranger really did know. Maybe her mother really did name her something else and her father changed it to Lucy. Maybe...

"What did she look like? Where was I born? Who were her family? Why do you think my name is Merald?" Lucy jumped in front of the woman forcing her to stop. There was nothing else more important than this. Not the dance, not the party, not the Markus Family, not anything in this whole castle was more important than this. "If you could tell me, it will mean the world to me! I never really knew my family." She could feel tears welling up and struggled to keep them down. "Why do you think my name is Merald?"

Melka looked at Lucy for a long time. She opened her mouth to speak but then visibly decided against it. Lucy knew why the next minute. The imposingly tall figure that was Erick Markus came strolling over from another corner of the ballroom. His steps resounded across the massive theatre like a malevolent creature invading all space. It brought a sudden separation between the two women that was more than just physical.

Erick made short work of the distance between them and was soon peering down at them from under his top hat. His eyes fixed on Melka. "You have met our maid." Erick announced, speaking calmly as he passed his eyes from Melka and onto Lucy. 

Lucy looked up, smiled, stayed still, hoping she wasn't giving anything away; but Erick's stare was relentless, cold, and bothered. Maybe he must have heard them. Which would mean Melka must have made a mistake saying the name Merald.