The Mnemophobic

Chapter 4

How do you find the courage to return to a place you once previously abandoned?

Mennigin's point of view

A queasy nostalgic feeling hit me somewhere along the way to Kingsview.

"Clyde," I said. "Turn up the air conditioning."

He did so accordingly without saying a word. It baffled me how much he would concentrate on something as simple as driving. His eyes were fixed to every inch of the road ahead whilst also being aware of the cars passing by.

My mind slipped back to it's preceding state. We were roughly 15 minutes away from home.

Home

I wondered if I could still call it that. Leaving the Taylor residence was a tough decision, and, it had shown it's adverse effects with time. Maybe through all that hatred I could still make it back in to their hearts. It was a long shot, but it was time I had to live up to my responsibilities regarding my grandchildren.

I let out a long breathe. Whew. 

Thinking about it was not going to do me any good, when the time comes I'll just have to see what happens.

Kingsview was home to the Taylor residence for a great many years now. In contrast to Pulisade where I had been residing for the past 3 years, it was a mammoth market and a lively place. A true city, so to say.

Noticing a familiar street on the business end of the city I asked Clyde to pull over. We parked adjacent to an enormous and exceedingly lavish building. From the ground, the building top just seemed to kiss the cloudy blue sky. Lush green bushes at it's circumference and in the center, just in front of the entrance, was a dancing fountain whose periodic rhythm would change after every few minutes.

AVOC  

Group of Companies

"Would you like to go in sir?" Clyde asked breaking the silence. "You could see how everything is running. Managing it from Pulisade was a different story."

"Business can wait. It'll be there even after a decade." I said. "However I may not be." I added with a chuckle, trying to lighten the environment. He smiled shaking his head in disbelief.

"Lets cont-" I trailed off when I noticed something out of the blue. "Clyde, I think we've got ourselves a runaway." I pointed to the fountain that was, unsuccessfully, hiding her.

"I'll go fetch her." He stopped while getting out of the car. "Sir, I think you're going to be just fine now."

His warm smile was reassuring. He was right. Serenity always had an unconditional love for this family and everyone in it. I truly hoped to be able to find my salvation in her. I got out of the car and immediately saw condensation form on my glasses,which I rubbed off with my handkerchief. I had missed a couple of moments of their reunion. My vision came around just in time to see Clyde warmly embrace Serenity and then her face happily turn towards me.

In a blink of an eye she accelerated towards me and jumped in to my arms just as she would do as a child those many years ago.

"Grandpa!" She exclaimed. "You're finally here!"

I set her down in front of me and noticed she stood nearly 6 inches taller than when I saw her last. I cupped her face in my wrinkled hands and gently kissed her forehead.  

"I'm sorry for making you wait." I already knew I had her forgiveness. "What are you doing here?"

She took her eyes off me and went back a few steps. "I was just talking a walk."

"She was doing more than that." He gently placed his hand on her head. "She was sitting utterly distraught."

She squinted at him for ratting her out and made an apologetic face. "I didn't want to stay home. They were fighting and..." She trailed off once more.

"Serenity Lyn Taylor if you did slip away do you realize how worried Ryan will be? Do not do that again, you know very well that this alone would cause an uproar?" I said sternly. However I lightened my tone when Clyde signaled me to. "We all care about you, we just don't want you getting lost."

She looked up at me with her bold brown eyes and nodded.

The little remaining time we had in the car was more enjoyable this time around. Clyde and Serenity engaged in conversation. Clyde had been my butler for nearly a decade. Though this was not a very long span of time in contrast with other butlers elsewhere who had been serving families throughout generations however Clyde had been marvelous. He would easily be able to converse with anyone regardless of age difference. A perfect example, Serenity and him. Clyde had gotten along with my way of life in a very short time and soon understood me better than I would normally do so. He had been my helper, informer, supporter and my best friend. He had no family, the  

last of his kin was taken by cancer, but he fit in to ours so perfectly well. Even though he loved the family, he would maintain professional relations always. With his gray hair he looked older than he actually was. Thankfully he was near to but not as old as me.

Our black Sedan steadily entered the estate. The house was just as I left it. Sitting between a field of open grass. On the left was garage housing 2 of the 3 cars it would normally have, to the right was the basketball court Forlan had had constructed specifically for Hudson, and if I was right, there would be a sheltered pool just behind the house.

We got out of the car and Serenity responsibly led us in to the house. Ellis had his back to the door and was on his phone. He looked like a well built man and very orderly just by his stance.

"Hey.." She said softly.

"Serenity!" He said coming towards her but momentarily pausing after setting his sights on Clyde and me. "You got us all worried." He made a relieved face before holding hand.

"Son" I said. "How are you?"

"Thank you for bringing her over." He said with a straight face.

"Ellis." She said, trying to lighten him up. "It's all gonna be okay now"

She tightened her grip on his hand and looked back me. She gestured for me to come and raised her hand towards me. I reached forward to take it. Maybe Clyde was right. The day started out well, who knows what wonders it could bring.

There was a sudden and deafening screech of tyres. The car door slammed. All we were left to do was wait for trouble to walk through the lobby doors. I had spoken too soon.

"SERENITY!"