Awakening Love

Part Three:

Alice

That night after reading the letter, everything was different. I didn't eat much at supper, and my mother was acting strange. Thomas was in the study working, and didn't join us for dinner. I couldn't help but think it was something to do with my father.

I went to bed earlier than usual, or at least told everyone I was going to sleep. Beatrice got me dressed, and put my curlers in. Once she left, I sat in front of my window and watched the sky turn dark. The moon was bright, and I could her the small sounds of our horse's sleeping. Looking out in the distance I could see the Oliver residence, the lights were on and I could only imagine what they were doing. Maybe family game night, or maybe they were barely eating supper. Tomorrow my mother wants me to find Sam, and hopefully talk to him. I mean that would be great, maybe I could ask him to attend the picnic with me in two days. Or maybe that would be a little to quick to ask for.

When I woke up the next morning, it was not by any of the maids. It was by my big brother dropping a pan in the kitchen below me. I woke up very unhappy that morning, and quickly got out of bed. The sun was barely rising over the hills, and I don't remember the last time I woke up this early. I opened my door angrily, and didn't care that I was still in my nightgown. I wanted to know why Thomas thought dropping a metal pan at peak of dawn was a good idea. I marched down the stairs and right into the black and white tiled kitchen.

"Ah, hello little sister." Thomas said as he tried to hang one of our cooking pots.

"What are you doing?"  I asked angrily, "you never cook for our family, it's always the cooks who do."

"I am cleaning, we have guests coming today Ali. We must look good." He was stressed I could tell.

"That's what the maids are for," I laughed.

"Well I want to be nice to the maids, help them out a little. They do a lot for us, and we don't give them much back."

"We pay them? but whatever you say."

Now that I was awake, there was no way I would be going back to sleep anytime soon. So I watched in amazement as my brother tried to find where the cooking utensils went. I laughed at him when he would put something in the wrong place. The maids kept coming over and saying, "Mr. Lisbon, you don't need to do this," or, "that is the wrong place." I was very much enjoying every second of this. Thomas thought I was a jerk, but that was okay, because what are little sisters for.

"I am going to find mother, maybe I can wake her up this time." I said bouncing off the counter top.

"Wait, Ali!" I heard Thomas yell to me, but I ignored him.

I walked with my head held high to my mothers giant room. It was one of the first bedrooms in the house, and it was also the only one ont he main floor. Mother never liked it being there, but I thought it made our house different from the others. I knocked on the door, and then opened it lightly. When I did, all I saw was Beatrice making her bed, and cleaning the room. Mother was nowhere in here. Her velvet sheets were empty, and all her dress hangers were closed. Beatrice looked up at me like a lost baby rabbit. Her eyes were shocked, but I am starting to think they are always like that.

"Oh, Miss Alice. You scared me." She spoke bowing her head to me.

"Where is my mother?" I asked loudly, "she told me she was going to help me today."

"You're mother left last night, while you were asleep." Beatrice said quietly.

"Where on Earth would my mother need to go. Today is the first day of summer, her favorite day."