The Piano Man

XXVII. Joy to the World

"I also believe that parents, if they love you, will hold you up safely, above their swirling waters, and sometimes that means you'll never know what they endured, and you may treat them unkindly, in a way you otherwise wouldn't." Mitch Albom, For One More Day

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XXVII. Joy to the World

Sophie couldn't believe her eyes as they drove through impossibly large wooden gates that were emblazoned with "Bentley Grange". The car seemed to continue down a long and winding road that was bordered on both sides by acres and acres of dormant grape vines.

The vines were planted in perfect rows for as far as the eye could see. Sophie didn't think she'd ever really seen a vineyard before, let alone known anyone to have owned one.

Noah was sitting beside her in the back seat of the large four-wheel drive, and was chatting animatedly to his elder sisters, Haley driving, while Casey was in the front seat. He was catching up with them and did not notice Sophie's astonishment.

The sheer size did make Sophie wonder if Noah's privilege was similar to hers growing up. Though it was clear in the man that he was, and in his relationship with his sisters, all of whom seemed to be the salt of the earth, that a proper family was not made with money.

The road finally ended when a great sandstone house came into view. It looked positively enormousand was covered by thick walls of ivy. There was a large, circular driveway before the house, with several expensive range rovers parked sporadically around a cherub fountain fixed in the centre. Beyond the driveway was a huge wrap-around porch that was decorated with Christmas lights and comfortable outdoor furniture.

"Look at the lights, Maddie. Can you see them?" Sophie pointed to the columns supporting the upper storey that were adored with colourful twinkle lights. Even though it was still daylight, they were on and flashing. Sophie was sure they would look ever so pretty at night.

Maddie pressed her face against the glass of the window as Haley parked the car. Her wide, brown eyes taking in all the new all at once. "Is it a castle?" she whispered.

The large stone that cladded the wall did make it look like a castle, but the huge windows and the light filled balconies and porches were a giveaway that this would indeed be a beautiful home.

No sooner had the engine shut off, a small woman shot out of the house like a bolt of lightning. She stood before the car, practically bouncing as they all climbed out.

Joy Bentley was a very short woman, probably no more than five foot one. Her hair, like two of her daughters, was coloured blonde, and she wore it in a short, tousled bob that suited her round face. Her eyes were blue, just like Noah's, but smaller, perhaps made so by her larger than life smile that was impossibly radiating off of her face.

She was wearing a red and white striped candy cane jumper and some acid wash jeans, which clung to her trim figure well.

Her smiles were directed at Sophie the minute Joy saw her, and an odd sense of calm filled her considering the seriousness of such a meeting.

Tally was the first to greet Joy, though. "Mommy!" she cried, dramatically throwing herself into Joy's arms.

Joy laughed and hugged Tally tightly. "I've missed you, baby!" She ran her hands up and down Tally's ribs and then immediately tutted, pulling away. "You're too thin!" she scolded. "Just imagine how I'm going to feel if you drop dead because you didn't eat a darn cheeseburger!"

Tally immediately craned her neck to look at her three siblings and Sophie. "Who had Mom lays on the guilt within thirty seconds?"

"I had two minutes. Rookie mistake," hissed Noah.