Lowe and Gray: The Atavistic Box

Chapter Two - Calm Until The Dark

"THE HOUSE OWNER goes first," Alice smiled.

"Don't say that, it sounds weird. I don't own this house." Aurora laughed.

"You will in a year's time."

Aurora walked through the door first, and as it sank in that the house was now hers, she began to find herself reacting differently to the furniture and decor. There was little she would change - Adrian had a good eye. However, Adrian's taste was minimalistic - his furnishings were elegant, distinguished and displayed an air of prominence. Aurora preferred mismatched furniture that felt like home.

"It is a lovely house," Alice admitted. "I'd never looked at it from a buyer's point of view. It was always just Adrian's house. What do you think? Would you change any of it?"

"I don't know," Aurora said in a small voice. It was bizarre thinking she had full say over what happened to it. "I wouldn't change anything immediately. It would be a shame to take away the Adrian-ness from the house. Because then it isn't his anymore."

"It isn't his anymore," her mother said truthfully.

Aurora looked away, feeling tears prick behind her eyes. She blinked them back and changed the conversation to the abstract paintings on the walls. By the time they had explored the first floor, it was already late into the afternoon. Aurora locked the front door while her mother started the car engine. She stepped back and took in the exterior of the house again when something caught her eye. Part of the fabric of Adrian's sheer curtains had been caught in the window, and a ripped corner lay on the ledge. Aurora took the fabric and slipped it into her pocket, then pulled up her hood to protect her from the rain and ran to the car.

"I can't believe it's raining in July," Aurora muttered.

Her mother turned the key in the ignition and shook her head as the car roared to life. "British weather." Aurora laughed and shook her head, looking in disgust at her wet hair.

"I hate the rain."

"So what do you think?" Her mother asked her. "About the house?"

Aurora shrugged. "I don't know. It's a lovely house. But it's so big, I can't think of it as mine - it's Adrian's house. It'll always be Adrian's house."

When they arrived home, Aurora and her parents sat in the kitchen and discussed the subject of the house over some tea.

"Three houses between us is a lot," her father said as he sat down with his mug.

Aurora frowned, stirring milk in her tea. "Is it?"

"It's a lot of money, Aurora. Three houses means three mortgages. And even with our joint pay, it'll be tough."

"Adrian paid off his mortgage. He had tons of money," Aurora said.

"But we don't. Aurora, just because you've come into money, doesn't mean you should stop thinking about your education and career in the future."

"I never said I was going to stop," she said, hotly.

"Aura," her mother said sympathetically.

"I think we should sell the holiday home," Andrew said. "When are we ever going to go to Greece?"

"It's so picturesque." Aurora's mother said. "It'd be sad to get rid of something so pretty."

"Well, we could sell Adrian's house."

"No," Aurora said, a lump rising in her throat. She was going to cry. "Why are you so eager to sell his things? He was your son! I know you didn't like his friends or what he did with his life but he's gone now!" The back of her eyes stung as tears threatened to spill over. "You can't pretend he never existed now he's dead, you can't sell his things! He left me his house and Lily the holiday home. She's never even going to remember him, she's a baby, you can't take that away from her! You can't decide what happens to them, they're ours!"