Unexpected

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

As I started to wonder around the house in search of Daniel, I noticed that this place was cold. Not as in the temperature but, it felt so lifeless and dull. It was like all the happiness had been sucked out and made no signs of returning. It was all grey and black and sad. I know Daniel said that very few people come up here, but you think they could have added some decor to make this place seem more like a home and not a dungeon.

I finally notice a door with some light coming from underneath it, so I walk in and am pleasantly surprised by what I find. It is a huge library. It has floor to ceiling oak shelves filled with books on both sides with ladders leading up to the very top. There is a spiral staircase from the door down to the bottom of the library where I can see it is filled with photo albums and family mementos. I walk down the stairs and grab one of the albums that says Daniel Edward James, June 18, 1996. I start to smile because I realize that my birthday is April 18, 1996. I put aside my feelings and open the album and first see a picture of Daniel as a baby in the hospital. He still had the same piercing blue eyes when he was a baby. I flip to the next page and it's a picture of him and his brother with his mom holding him in her arms and holding his brothers hand. I forgot Daniel had a brother and I try to remember his name. I stare at the picture longer than necessary.

"Alexander. Alexander William Louis." He says as if he could read my mind.

"How'd you know I was thinking that?" I ask, slightly creeped out.

"Well you've been standing there for five minutes staring at a picture of us, and you already know my name and my mothers name, so I figured that's what you were trying to do." He says quietly

"Which also means you've been staring at me for five minutes," I say to him while smiling. He blushes immediately and I start laugh.

"I'm sorry," he says while looking at his shoes.

"You're fine. Hey, isn't your brother dating some girl?" I ask.

"Yes, Annabelle. He loves her and I think they are going to get married soon." He says with a slight sadness in his voice.

"It's ok, when my oldest brother got married I was sad too, but I love seeing him happy, so it's a trade off." I say with a smile.

"I guess," he says.

We stay in the library talking about our favorite authors when all of a sudden I hear footsteps. "Who could that be?" I ask Daniel.

"One of the butlers, most likely." He says.

Then the library doors opens and I see a man that looks quite similar to Daniel just a little bit older and more rugged. I figure that it is his brother.

"Alex, what are you doing here?" Daniel asks sounding surprised.

"I could ask you the very same question. Aren't you supposed to be in some boarding school in the states," he says.

"We have a long weekend so I decided to come up here for a few days," he says sternly.

"No need to get your panties in a twist. I was just curious." He says while laughing and then he looks over to me and raises his eyebrows at Daniel.

Before Daniel can say anything I say, "I'm Kensington Everett."

"Alexander, it is a pleasure to meet you," he says.

I just nod and walk out of the room, leaving the two brothers alone. I start to walk and try to find the kitchen. I really need a caffeine fix, jet lag and insomnia don't mix well. As I descend the stair I notice a maid and stop her and ask her where the kitchen is. She insists on getting whatever I need, but I tell her that I'm perfectly capable, so I follow her directions to a back stairwell that leads into the kitchen. I see just a pot of tea, so I scour the cabinets looking for some coffee and finally find a coffee machine and some coffee. I plug it in and try to find a mug. I finally locate them and pour the coffee into a ceramic coffee pot and carry it upstairs. I find a study with even more books, so I grab one at random and sit down with my first cup.