The Arrangement: It Led Me To Love

Chapter 15 - Laurene's POV

This morning is not grey, but soothing lavender and brilliant amber. The colours merge into neon pink and peach. I awake early each morning, so the pleasure of watching the twinkling twilight dissolve into the celestial sunrise is all mine. The early morning sun is already well risen and the spring grass shines as if it has its own gentle glow from within. The air feels refrigerated. Though it is late enough for bright light, it is early enough for the streets to be almost deserted - perfection. Apparently, 6:22 am is the sweet spot.

The balcony of my bedroom directs east, so that I can sit on the weekends with a 'Caffe Con Panna' or 'Caffe Mocha' and relax in the beauty of the sunlight blossoming, hurrying away the darkness that torments us at night. Sitting out here quietly observing the world brings wave after wave of refreshing calmness washing over me, cleansing my mind. Ellison made me promise that I would not do any work at all this weekend, and instead spend time with doing what I want to do. It sounds silly, but this is like a holiday to me. I at least do seven hours work on the weekend – I am lost with out it. I only work all the time because there is always some thing to do, and it keeps me busy from reflecting on my heartless father, lost mother and now the engagement. Also, because I live alone there is nothing for me to come back to here.

I guess I have never had a reason to or someone to help me set boundaries.

Now that the sun is soaring ever higher towards the sky, as an oasis of warmth, I guess it is time to get up from my delicate silk – designed table and chair and start the day. My maid does not work weekends to be with her family, and I do not need her to haul my ass out of bed to get to work. After my shower I brush on a little bit of concealer, sweep on some mascara and layer on some nude – pink lip gloss. I also gently curl my hair and slip in some silver hoops. For clothes, I put on a baby pink tight top that scoop into a 'U' on my chest, and leaves a strip of my golden skin peeping through above my trouser line. For trousers, I chuck on some baggy grey cargo pants that rides low on my curvaceous hips.

I spend my morning doing odd things that I have not had time to do in years, which brings me back to the free and happy childhood I yearn to escape back too. After cleaning, online shopping, calling my brother and going for a swim I decide to do something that I have not done in ears. Painting. My mother was the one that taught me how to paint, and with out her here, whispering words of encouragement and praise in my ear along the journey to completion, it just does not feel the same, and my mind is drawn blank of ideas.

However, today I feel like drawing my mother, sitting in my garden with her waterfall of blonde hair cascading down her back before the illness. Sitting politely yet ungraciously, with a twinkle of mischief and childish laughter in her eyes. With her sun kissed skin – not the ghoulish white it was reduced to in the end. Sitting there, looking like the Gods themselves sculpted her.

My hand moves over the canvass - it is almost as if my mind is directing my hand without me, odd perhaps, but that is the way it is. My hand moves instinctively to the right spot, building a new picture, one I have never seen before. In these fantastical worlds, I see reflections of my own mind, the way I think, but there is something else there too. I do not know what, perhaps I just imagine it, but when I paint I feel closest to my mother and it gives me a peace I cannot find any other way.

I am almost half way through my painting when suddenly my phone starts beeping, knocking me out of my creative stance, and pulling me back to earth with a bang. With a sigh, I put down my brush and pluck my phone out of my pocket, smearing green paint on it in the process. What greeted me chilled me to the core.

*Unknown* 12.22

I hear you are to be wed, and yet you haven't announced it yet? Would not want that secret out before your little party would you? Well, too late! By tomorrow, you and Ellison will be on the front of every tabloid, demeaning your little affair. If you do not want any more damage to come to your family's name, then you will call off the engagement immediately – we know you are not in love with each other. What would your mother say about your gold digging ways? I am sure she is very disappointed in you. So end it now, or else everything you love will be taken away from you.