Autumn

Chapter 12. Speak of the Devil...

        From what I read about it online, the Governor's Mansion was a modernized renovation of a Colonial Great House. The outside of the large building, which I observed  through the heavily tinted, back window of our car, didn't look that modernized. Maybe it was the interior that had the work done. 

  The two story building loomed large at the end of a winding, stone driveway. Stark white pillars ran from the ceiling to the ground floor, supporting the equally alabaster structure. Marco, my father's driver and personal body guard, stopped the car near the front steps and got out to open the passenger side door where my father sat. He gave my dad a devilish grin and a nod before moving to open my door. After years of co-existing in each other's lives, whatever professionalism between them had dissolved; he was more like a friend my father paid rather than hired cannon fodder. They shared many private quips and I don't believe my dad was as fond of anyone- a part from my mother of course- as he was of Marco. My father moved quickly to open my mother's door, attending to her and enduring her needless fretting about her appearance. 

   Marco's handsome face peered through the open door at me, one slender hand extended toward me. I let him help me out of the car. The tux her wore fit his slim, muscled figure perfectly and his bright, blond hair was slicked back and tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. The smile he gave was playful. His steel grey eyes however, glinted with interest and concern; those eyes searching my face and silently asking for an explanation to my uneasiness. He brushed a hand through my curls, his knuckles gently caressing my cheek.

For a while, I thought that he was the sweetest man that I've ever met. My thinking where that was concerned, had shifted in well.. the last few weeks. I now knew one more man who was equally as kind, maybe even more so. 

   "You worry about the Lance kid, " he said in his deep baritone, kissed with a soft but still distinguishable German accent. He made what should be a question, more of a statement. Marco was incredibly perceptive: often knowing what I meant to say or what was on my mind before the words even left my mouth. I often wondered if it could be chalked up to some secret power or his military grade training. Regardless, it was the effect it had on me that mattered. Marco never cast judgments; he just gave good advice and even better hugs. 

  He took my silence for an admission and those steel colored eyes seemed to melt. He placed one hand on my cheek reassuringly and pressed something hard and round into my left palm. "I will come if you need me," he said; his tone suddenly serious.  "Just give me a ring. I'm never far away." He tapped the small ear piece in his ear. 

  "Thank you, Marco." There was a small pager in my hand. I shoved it into my clutch. He looped his arm in mine and escorted me to the front door where my parents were animatedly exchanging pleasantries with another presumably wealthy family. He bent slightly at the waist so that I could kiss him fondly on the cheek and reassured me that he would be close if I needed him before excusing himself to speak with the other members of our security detail. 

   My dad introduced the middle-aged couple he and mom had been chatting with as Mr. and Mrs. Richmond: a pale, hazel-eyed woman with blond hair and a brown haired man with eyes so dark a brown, that they looked black. They exchanged the regular friendly comments with my family: telling my father how lovely his family was and how well he was doing with the company.  A few compliments were thrown in my direction and I responded with a few polite smiles and a quick 'thank you'.

   The next hour went on like that: my parents dragged me along to greet the other guests and I tried to look pleasant whenever attention was drawn to me, albeit if only for a few seconds. It was quite exhausting. Occasionally, I would spot Marco across the room and he'd wink at me before he went back to surveying the room. After an eternity, I was finally able to excuse myself to the bathroom.