The Space Speculation: Book 2 ~Painful Past~

Chapter 35: The Human Visitor

I was on table duty because Veronica was helping in Vivien's room. Vance and Vivien's wedding was only a month away, and Vivien needed all the help she could to prepare. 

Technically, she wasn't doing anything to prepare except spend all day in front of the mirror, getting fitted for her dress. She really wasn't even required to get her dress and makeup ready until a week before the wedding, but she was so excited she couldn't wait. I knew how that felt. 

Veronica was apparently one of the maids who knew about sewing and such, so she got the privilege of listening to Vivien scream as a safety pin was pinned into her frilly dress and "accidently" poked her, while I was stuck with cleaning the large dinner table.

Vance was gone on a trip somewhere; I didn't know where, and I wasn't going to ask. That would be disrespectful. 

He had told us that he would be back in no less than a couple Mars days, and instructed us to clean the entire green spare bedroom, because he was bringing back a visitor. Nobody asked any questions about it, and we all just complied with what he said and cleaned the room.

When he got back a few days later, we never got to see the new visitor and we didn't find out anything about her, only that she was a human.

 He ushered her to her room, along with a lime-green dress and quickly closed the door behind them.

Soon after that, he came out without the dress. I was peeking out from behind a corner, and I ducked back before he saw me. 

Unfortunately, he stepped into the hallway that I was in and I was spotted.

"You!" I stood up straight. 

"Go into that room and get the new visitor anything she wants. You've served Queen Vivien; you should know how to spoil a creature. Go, now!" 

I nodded and hurried towards the green bedroom, waiting a couple minutes to catch my breath before going in. I knocked slowly and the door opened to a young human girl.

I looked down politely and asked if there was anything she would like. Then I glanced up and gasped.

It was Paisley! A hint of a smile flickered in my lips, but I said nothing.

Two male Martians passed me in the hallway and I lowered my head again. I thought it would be better if Paisley didn't know it was me until I was able to escape. I made up my mind to help her get out first, and then I would escape after I was sure she was safe.

 Paisley shook her head and said there was nothing.

As I was leaving, she asked what my name was. I told her it was Vanessa. Everyone who knew me on Mars called me Vanessa except Victoria and Vincent, and they only called me Paithenia when they were sure we were alone. 

Paisley closed the door and I hurried towards the dining room where I cleaned the entire table by myself, smiling as I thought about my baby girl being with me again. 

My high hopes faded, though, when I remembered the last time I had spoken to her. I wondered if she would still feel the same way about me when all this was over.

That night at dinner Paisley was a little bit late. I guessed it was because she got lost in the long, winding hallways. Of course, Vance blamed me, the maid.

"...lazy, good-for-nothing servant who didn't tell you it was time for supper!" 

Paisley assured him it was because she got lost, and that "It wasn't Vanessa's fault". Vance, in turn, yelled at me for telling her my name, when he "distinctly remembered" telling me not to tell her my name (he didn't; he just wanted a reason to get mad at me in front of the new visitor).

Paisley faithfully defended me and I wondered again if she would do the same thing if she knew I was her mother.

Vance shrugged and they carried on with their meal of delicious Earth dragonflies and stinkbug milkshakes. I saw Paisley shudder as she watched Victor grab a dragonfly leg off of the platter and smiled to myself.

Paisley drifted off in the middle of the meal, eyes closed, a small smile playing on her lips. I felt sure she was thinking of home.

Vance waved us all away so that it would only be him and Paisley in the room when she opened her eyes. I reluctantly left, but I still peeked around the corner so I could see into the room.

A couple of minutes later, she opened her eyes and Vance led her out and to her room.

Paisley was on Mars for a couple of days before I realized she didn't have any plans to escape. I had to do something to help her get out of there.

I snuck up to her bedroom door early in the morning and knocked quietly. Not too quiet-I still wanted her to hear-but quiet enough so that nobody else heard.

She opened the door, surprised. I hurriedly told her that she needed to get out of here and that Vance's spaceship was unattended in the hanger with the keys hanging near it.

I shoved some servant's clothing into her arms and instructed her to change out of that bright green dress and leave the beautiful necklace on the counter.

When she was done, I grabbed her hand and practically dragged her along as I took her out the side door I used when I first came here.

We ducked behind the back of the castle and I took a deep breath, telling her to turn around and close her eyes while I changed back into human form.

"Okay honey, you can look now," I said in anticipation.

Paisley turned around slowly and gasped.

"Mom!"

"And, well, you know the rest."

This section was written by Melina