Shaylene

💌Chapter Ten

About forty minutes later, Miguel drove into the Suave's driveway and pulled the SUV to a stop.

The silence in the car was louder than Fiona's sound-off with the bird who ended up exploding into feathers in Shrek _pun intended.

Everyone was left to their own thoughts and it seemed they didn't even realize Miguel had pulled in until someone finally spoke up.

"Wow." He drawled. Sounding more like 'wahhh-oohh. "I know a boatload is expected to happen with this settlement but please, let's save it till it actually begins. We don't need a prologue, do we?"

That someone being Liam. Everyone turned and shot him an icy glare.

"What?" He asked, genuinely confused.

Ethan sighed in resignation. Eleanor fought the urge to scream, while Nathan shook his head and stepped out of the car. Liam could say the darnest things with a straight face which made it difficult to yell at him.

Miguel opened the trunk while the others got out of the car to help out. The moment Ethan stepped out of the car, he took a deep breath and nodded in satisfaction.

The air smelled fresh irrespective of the ultramodern house seated in the path of nature. Green trees were arrayed in a naturally assembled line and flowers in bloom. The estate was quiet, save for a few distinct sounds coming from the building.

Ethan loved Rio, no doubt. Especially the island.

Ilha grande.

There was also this indescribable peace he felt in the midst of people dancing on a whim to samba during "Rio Carnival" or at the "Scenarium" and the privilege of being able to sleep in quiet solitude away from the noise of the city.

It was dark out. The only source of light was the full moon which seemed to welcome them heartily.

"It's weird. Why isn't the house lit? You don't think Mom and Dad are at Don's, do you?" Nathan asked Ethan whose gaze wandered through the layout of the house.

Even though he had been to Rio consistently after his _to some, might seem to be a squabble but was indeed a rhubarb_ vendetta with Shaylene, he had not stopped at their villa once within their four year hiatus.

He didn't stay away from his family _ofcourse but he did a good job to avoid the places that would push him into making not well thought out decisions.

He shook his head. "They're home. I'm sure_"

He was cut off by the sudden brightness of light shining on a pair of stately lampposts. Like a pack of falling dominoes, the light came up lightbulb by lightbulb. Eleanor and Liam had a look of awe and Nathan grinned.

"How the hell did Mom conjure this dramatic ave?" Nathan asked, it was more rhetorical.

"This is awesome, Nate." Eleanor gushed excitedly. "It's definitely not quaint but still...damn, its_"

"_suave." Liam said, he had a look of admiration. Eleanor nodded in agreement. It was the first they both agreed on since the beginning of the trip.

Ethan facepalmed and drew his palms down his face in obvious frustration while Nathan groaned.

Miguel couldn't help but chuckle quietly. He'd also been watching them while moving their bags, especially Ethan.

He could feel Miguel's eyes on him, from the corner of his eyes he saw Miguel pause with a calculating gaze at him. He wondered how much Miguel knew, afterall, he was pretty close to Shaylene.

Before he could move in next to Miguel, Michelle came out with a satisfied grin.
"My lovelies."

She didn't look a day over forty and she owned it. In an extremely comfortable nightwear, she worked her way towards them with a natural grace and unpracticed poise. Michelle smiled at Miguel, who responded with a brief nod.