The hour and a half drive to the new building I hoped to learn to call home was filled with silence. I wasn't really surprised to find the limo empty other than the skittish chauffeur who barely said three words to me. I took a book from my duffel bag and began thumbing through the familiar pages. It was a book about Greek mythology, full of strange and quirky tales and intricately detailed illustrations. I had already read it three times before, and was now reading it again. I was hoping the familiarity of the tales within the pages would bring some sorta comfort. I had a hard time concentrating on it over my thoughts though, and I had to read each page at least twice. I gave up and put it back into the duffel bag, and focused on my thoughts.
We turned into a smoothly paved driveway, and drove for what felt like forever, before reaching a sprawling mansion. It was made of white wood, and stood a grand three stories tall. There was a wrap-around porch on each level. The windows were large and plentiful, each with dark green shutters and curtains pulled tight. The large front porch was screened in, and I could see two rocking chairs on either side, looking out into their extravagant stretch of lawn. Lush green trees, full of birdsong, lined the property. A huge garden extended into the yard, filled with the most amazing flowers I had ever lain eyes on. A path trailed through it, leading to the house. In front of that was a concrete mermaid laying on her stomach with her arms pushing her upper body up and her head back, on a rock in the center of a deep looking pond, a spout of water spraying from her mouth in a beautiful fountain. I saw a fish jump up and splash back onto the placid surface of the pond.
I gasped at the altogether beauty of the mansion and its landscape. “This is where Mrs. Cordelia lives?” I asked the weird chauffeur.
“Yes madame,” he said, and then lumbered out of the car and down the driveway.
I grabbed my bags, and began walking towards the huge house, taking my time as I walked down the path through the large garden, already liking it here. As I neared the center of the garden, I discovered there was a little stream with a bridge over it, and a gazebo on the other side, surrounded by scarlet roses and white lilies. Vines crawled around the gazebo, and crawled into the inside of the small building. I walked into the elegantly carved structure and sat on the wooden bench, looking out at the large lake. I don't know how long I was sitting there, but it didn't seem to matter. I was listening to the totally lulling sound of the bubbling spring and could still hear the occasional splash of a fish in the pond.
“Tranquil, is it not?” a familiarly bitter sweet voice chirped behind me. I jumped up and turned around, startled at the sudden interruption.
“Very,” I agreed, grinning at Mrs. Cordelia. “You have the most amazing home I have ever seen,” I told her.
“It's your home too, you know,” she said, her voice sounding...genuine. Not all
fake like it usually was, just welcoming.
“It's definitely gonna take some getting used to,” I said with a sad smile.
She sat beside me, and leaned back, adjusting her sunglasses. She looked stunning, dressed in an emerald green maxi dress. Her scarlet waves were pulled into a braided bun, a few strands left down to frame her face, and her lips were colored a dark crimson red. I felt very meek and small in her presence. “It will grow easier in time, dear. Everything, well almost everything, grows easier in time,” her voice sounded dark, as if she were talking about more than just moving homes. “Let's go in, shall we? I do believe we have lots to talk about!” she said, grabbing my elbow and all but dragging me from the gazebo.
The inside of the house was just as grand as the outside. The entry room was huge. It was easily double the size of the orphanage’s dining room, which I had always thought was the biggest room ever. Despite the warm September air, there was a fire burning in the gigantic fireplace that filled the room with a cacophony of crackling wood and the cackling of the flames dancing across the dry logs. The fire and about two dozen candles were all that lit the room, casting eerie shadows that played tag with one another against the red wood of the walls. A large over stuffed sectional couch took up the back of the room, surrounding a large wooden table. A fresh bowl of fruit sat in the middle of the table, as well as two large red candles that matched the room.
