Secret Powers

Chapter 11

It took a bit to find the right building, but when they did, it was nothing less than amazing. Cindy didn't know what to do.
"Bruno lives here?" She asked Clara, who only shook her head and shrugged. It was nothing like what they thought. Who would have guessed he had such a house? Not Cindy. She was certain that the teacher had given her the wrong address until a woman came out who resembled the boss, all too well.
"Um... Excuse me!" She called out to the woman while stepping toward the house. "Is there a Bruno Matchitehew here?" She still didn't want to believe that Bruno was here. The building that stood before her was a mansion with marble front stairs. Was it possible that a boy going to her school was a rich guy's son?
The lady scanned Cindy a moment with a skeptical eye. "Are you a friend of his?"
Cindy couldn't read the lady's expression, but knew she had to say something to get her answer. "Yes... You could say I am... However, he-"
Before finishing her sentence she was pulled into a huge embrace by the woman. "He has a friend!" She yelled in complete bliss. "I thought he was a loner with only that little punk. What was his name?" She pondered a seconded before shrugging it off. "Who cares! You're even a girl! Who would have know that anti-social brat I rose had such a cute friend!" She pulled back to stare Cindy in the eyes. "Where are my manners! Come in for something to drink!" She nearly dragged Cindy into the large building with Clara following behind.
"I'm his mother." She chatted happily while skipping into the house. "He didn't say anything about me, right?" She seemed to be a little disappointed when Cindy nodded, but still babbled on. "He was always like that. He never mentions me to his friends. He didn't tell you he lived in such a big estate either, am I right." Cindy nodded again and Mrs. Matchitehew kept going on. "He's modest and knows others aren't as fortunate as he so he doesn't brag about it. He's been like that since he was small, ever since they took his dad away, he doesn't open up to people."
"Took his dad away?" Cindy repeated the mrs. words. "What do you mean? Who took his dad?"
"The police." Mrs. Matchitehew led them to the living room and had them sit down. "After they got the evidence to convict him, they marched in here and stole him from us." She sighed thinking about it. "I saw it coming, though I didn't know of his involvement in the crime, I head read about it in the news and he was acting funny, so I had a hunch. To tell you the truth, I was glad they took him. I don't want to be that kind of wife, but he was that kind of man. Nearly didn't care about us at all."
"He didn't care about us." They all turned to the new comer in the conversation. At the top of a staircase, Bruno stood with a blanket over his shoulders. "He only thought about money and himself."
"Darling!" His mother jumped up at his entrance. "You are up? Why? Do you need something? You could have told the maids to get it for you."
"I wanted to get it myself." He replied with a scratchy voice, clearly he was still in the middle of getting over the flu.
"But deary!" His mom protested. "You should be resting, not walking! You need to sleep so you get better." She rushed to him and started to direct him back to his room. "I'll tell someone else to bring it to you."
"I'll do it." Cindy stood up and rushed out of the room and into the hall. There she stopped and looked both directions. She hadn't been in a place that large and wished she had actually known witch way to go.
"If you don't mind." Cindy turned to a man who bowed as he spoke. "I can take you to the kitchen and lead you to the young master's room." He stood up slightly to see her expression. "I heard you talking to ma'am and thought you needed some help finding your way around."
"Yes, that would be great!" Cindy moved over to him and he guided her so she could collect the water and head to Bruno's room.
"This is it little lady." He bowed again and left her to enter by herself.
She reached out for the doorknob, but stopped. Was she being a nuisance? All she was doing was helping him get a drink, but she was at his house. Maybe she should have a maid bring it in and leave.
"What am I thinking?" She slapped her cheek lightly with her free hand. She was over thinking it. If he didn't want her there, he was going to say so. No need to worry. He hadn't gotten the chance to yet, though.
"Why are you having a mini-conversation with yourself in front of someone else's bedroom door?" Bruno cut into her wailing and sighed, standing in the, now open, doorway. "Don't meditate on stupid things and just give me my water." He put out his hand but fell to the ground and placed his hand on his head.
"You're too sick to be walking!" Cindy grabbed him with her free hand and pulled his arm around her shoulder so she could help support him. "Let's get you back to your nice bed for rest." Cindy helped Bruno to his bed and to pull his blanket over him. "There."
"Why are you here?" Bruno muttered turning his head away from her. "You don't have anything to..." He went into a coughing fit and Cindy placed the cup down on the nightstand.
"You shouldn't think about the small stuff." She smiled weakly as his coughing calmed. "I'm just innocently concerned about you because I'm your classmate." Bruno eyed her suspiciously, but didn't say anything. "Please don't worry. You are sick and it's not that big of a deal."
"I don't get it." He tried to sit up but fell back. "After all, it's not like we're friends."
"Harsh." Cindy helped him sit up and take his water. "I was thinking we were friends this whole time." He only sipped the drink before she placed it back. "I guess that's life. Not everything is as you think it is."
"What type of life lesson is that?" He chuckled lightly. "You do whatever you feel don't you?"
"I live the way I do." She pulled over a chair and sat down next to his bed. "Nothing more, nothing less."
"What are you doing?" He stared at her as she sat there. "You going to stay there till I fall asleep?"
"That's exactly what I'm doing." She crossed her arms and legs as he sat dumbfounded. "Now lay down and sleep."
It didn't take long for him to fall asleep. The hours of discomfort kept him from a nice nap and now he was finally too exhausted to care, causing him to instantly pass out after his head touched the pillow.