One Night

Chapter 3 - Family

© 2012 Astrix

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                                                     Chapter 3

                                                       Family

 “Jadelynn?” My mother’s voice is the first thing I hear once I step inside the foyer. She’s looking at me with wide eyes, well, at Dalia, “you brought her.”

 “Yes, mother, I brought my daughter with me.”

“Do you want to disgrace us more?” She asks through her teeth, her voice only loud enough for me to hear, “you should have come alone.”

“Father’s letter clearly said he wanted to meet her,” I inform her, “now if you excuse me, I’m going to take my daughter to bed.”

“After that you’re going to come back down here,” she orders as I start to turn around, “we need to talk.”

“Actually, mother,” I turn my head to look at her sideways, “I’m tired. I spent seventeen hours on a plane and one sitting on a car, I deserve a break.”

“You’ll do as I say, Jade-“

“I’ll remind you, mother, that I am only here on my father’s request,” I turn back around, careful not to wake Dalia up, “And I’m only here for the summer. I’m an adult now, mother, I have a life outside this place, I’m only just visiting. And although this is the place I grew up in, I’m merely a guest, and it’s rude to order a guest around. You of all people should know that. Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to take a bath before heading to bed. Unless father is awake.”

“No, he’s asleep,” my mother manages to get out in her shock state.

“Then I will speak to him tomorrow,” I say, turning around, “and if you still want to speak then, we can speak afterwards.”

The moment I step inside my old bedroom, I let out a sigh. I can’t believe I just spoke to my mother like that. My mother out of all people.

Shaking my head, I walk through the sitting room area, up four steps, and a little more to place Dalia on the king size mattress before taking off her shoes.

“Good night, sweetheart,” I kiss her forehead before looking around the room.

Nothing has changed.

The walls are still a pale pink and the furniture is still white. The white dresser is still in front of the bed. The white vanity is still to the left of the bed. There are still two white bedside tables with white lamps on it. The chandelier is still half over the bed and over the floor. The door next to the vanity leading to my library is still there, and I’m assuming that so are the books I left behind. I go to the window on the other side of the vanity and stare out at the front of the house, my right knee on the cushion window seat. 

From here I can see the top of the palace. A view, which I’m sure Dalia is going to love. And a view, my mother specifically place in here so that I would always remember my goal: get the prince. The palace was to always have the idea that if I did what I was supposed to do, the view would be reverse. I could be in the palace, looking towards my bedroom window.

Of course, that all went down the drain.

With a sign, I walk to the other side of the room just as there’s a knock on the door.