The Numbing of Ice

4. A New Sunrise

Bianca took me upstairs and showed my new room to me.

"This is going to be your new room, and Gabby's will be right next to you. So, if you have any difficulty or discomfort, you can go to her for help."

"Thank you so much,"

I smiled gratefully at her.

Things at my new house were so far so good. The parents as well as the daughter had accepted me readily and wholeheartedly, something which I never expected and this, wasn't prepared for.

"Go freshen up dear, and meet us in the dining room for dinner in thirty minutes. For now, Gabby will give you some of her clothes and tomorrow, we will all go for dress shopping as well as sight-seeing. This is your first time in New York right?"

I then knew where Gabby got her sunny disposition from.

I nodded,

"Yes, it's my first time."

Hearing this she clapped her hands excitedly,

"Perfect! Then tomorrow's plan is set. Get ready by 10 a.m."

"Sure!"

I smiled gleefully. After so long, it finally felt like I was going to be okay; that everything was going to be okay.

During the time I bathed and put on the dress Gabby left for me, I could only think of how much Bianca resembled my mamma; not in her looks, but in her actions, her words, her innate sweetness and that motherly affection that she had no qualms in showering it upon me too, a complete stranger to her. That got me thinking how this earth wholeheartedly gave her protection to devils like my undeserving and thoroughly ruthless step-father, simultaneously nurturing sweet angels, sent from heaven like Arnold and Bianca. Our mother earth really is the most generous, sometimes even when she shouldn't.

Later that night on the dinner table, there was a tad bit of awkwardness from my side but the couple and their daughter left no stone unturned to try and put me to ease. They made sure I was well fed and that I wasn't feeling too much uncomfortable and yet again, proved to me, that people really could live on two extremely opposite ends of the Universal Scale of Ethics.

When I entered the room again to go to sleep, was when I really took in my surroundings. The floor was wooden, again, with white dominating the walls and ceiling colour. A medium-sized golden chandelier with white lamps hung from the ceiling. The bed, pillows and duvet were white and the doors to the bathroom and walk-in closet, grey.

Some plants accentuated the place and added the much-needed colour. But I think I wouldn't be sad even if there were no plants or flowers; because at this time, I am not searching for the innocent softness to engulf me and render me helpless and worthless.

At this time, I need the unforgiving thorns which would prick me at every step, keeping my head out of the clouds and completely in sync with the reality of this world, my reality and my only purpose of living. Not taking anything else into account or caring to think of ways to decorate it, I washed my hands and face and straight up went to bed.

After waking up the next morning from a sound sleep, I felt better than yesterday. The white curtains on my floor to ceiling windows weren't drawn, allowing the mellow sunlight of early morning to remind me that a brand new day in my brand new life has dawned. As I sat up in bed lazily, I couldn't help but think how drastically my life had changed in the past forty-eight hours. It didn't feel any less than a movie to me.

Knowing my step-father, by now he must have started to look for me in the fear that I would complain about him to the authorities. That thought sent shivers down my spine.