Chapter 1_The Return
1334 Words
Elena
Newport hadn't changed, and I could feel the weight of every ghost the moment I crossed the city line.
Dark clouds littered the sky, announcing the emergence of a heavy downpour, I prayed silently that I would get home before it starts to rain.
“Mummy, are we there yet?”
“No baby, we're almost,” I replied reassuringly to my five year old daughter Sophie, strapped in her sitter.
I checked on her from the front mirror, and her eyes were drifting closed. My child, the one good thing that has happened to me in the five years I had been away.
Bringing her back here was something I'd dreaded the most, but my return couldn't be delayed as it was a matter of life.
My grip on the steering wheel tightened as the estate which we lived in came into view, the high stone walls a blatant reminder that I had never truly left.
Sophie was already fast asleep, curled under her little blanket. I felt guilty for dragging my daughter into a mess I already knew was waiting.
The gates opened without hesitation, Liam must have informed the staff that I was arriving. My chest tightened as I drove closer to the main building.
The memories of being here as a young girl came flooding back, memories I had long buried the night I left.
Inside, the house was quiet. Too quiet. Liam must have let go of a lot of the older staff. Everything pretty much looked the same, save for some furniture that was well-worn in age.
“Welcome home, Miss Whitmore,” the housekeeper murmured from the doorway.
“Mrs Keller, so lovely to see you” I replied with a small smile. She was one of the oldest staff, sure that's why Liam hadn't let go of her.
“And who do we have here,” she leaned down and smiled warmly at Sophie.
Sophie instinctively gripped my hand, shy of the stranger she had never met.
“This is Sophie, my daughter.” I was pretty sure the staff already knew about her.
“Oh, she's so beautiful. Just like her mother.”
“Is my mother asleep?”
“She has been in bed all day, these past few days have been rather worse”
“Oh, I didn't know it had gotten that bad. Let me go and see her.”
“Will have your bags in your respective rooms then”
“We'll both be staying in my room, Mrs Keller.”
She looked surprised but didn't object. “In that case, I'd have all your bags in your room then.”
“Thank you, Mrs Keller.”
I walked towards the grand staircase, my heart heavy with guilt for having to face my Mum after all these years of being away.
“Mommy? Can you carry me up the stairs, please?” She said, her arms already lifted.
“Ok baby, I'll carry you up.”
She giggled happily as I lifted her into my arms. Seeing her happy has always been an antidote to how guilty I've felt these past years.
“Want to come down now?” I asked as we got to the top of the stairs.
“Yes, yes.” She exclaimed happily.
Guess she was more excited about being here than I was.
I got to my mother's room and knocked carefully at the door; she would be fast asleep, so I wasn't expecting a response.
“Come in” she called out from inside.
Thought she would be asleep. I pushed open the door and stepped in, the familiar smell of lilac clinging to the air. She was seated in her armchair facing the window.
She smiled as soon as she saw me, arms wide open. I went immediately to her, with tears in my eyes, and hugged her, careful not to squeeze her too tightly.
“Oh my child, I've missed you.” She said softly, her voice laced with unshed tears.
Sophie came up to us then. “Hi, I'm Sophie,” she said, smiling.
“Is this my granddaughter?” My mother asked weakly.
I nodded, I didn't trust myself to speak without breaking down in tears.
“Oh she's lovely, come and give Grandma a hug darling”
Sophie rushed into her arms and snuggled in, like always when she feels safe with someone unfamiliar.
They stayed like that for a few seconds and I could already tell from her posture that my mother was tired.
“Alright, Mum, let me help you get into bed.”
After carrying a reluctant Sophie out of my mother's room, we went into mine to freshen up. Still no sight of Liam, I wondered where he had gone.
Sophie was snuggled in bed and fast asleep after her bath and dinner. And I also decided to rest before my brother comes, at least I'll be mentally prepared to meet him.
The sun had gone down when I awoke. Sophie was still asleep, so I climbed out of bed and put on a robe.
Mrs Keller was fussing over a kettle of tea when I stepped into the kitchen.
“You're up, thought you would still be resting after the long ride”
“Yeah, don't really sleep for many hours”
“Me too, guess it comes with the age” she replied over a yawn.
“You should get some rest”
“Oh I will dear, just tidying up”
“Is Liam back?” I asked, even though I was pretty sure he wasn't.
“No, he isn't. He is usually always out late”
“In that case, I'll go check on my Mum.”
She was done tidying, and I didn't want to tire her further with many questions.
Mum was asleep when I peered in her room, so I decided to visit the garden, which had always been my favorite spot in the house.
The air was cold when I stepped out the back door, and my robe didn't stand a chance of keeping me warm. I walked further down to the garden.
I sat on the old rusty bench, the cold seeping through my robe. Thoughts of him came crawling back, no matter how hard I try to push them away they always come.
Sometimes I wondered if only he knew he had a daughter, would that have made him come back for me, or even look for me when he would have found out I was gone?
“No, he never loved me, and he never would have stayed,” I wondered out loud.
It was getting dark, and I decided to go into the house. Sophie might even be awake.
“Miss Elena?” Mrs Keller called out, just as I was about to climb the stairs.
I went to meet her at the Grand foyer.
“You called?”
“Yes, there's something for you,” she said handing me an envelope”
The envelope was a heavy cream paper, thick, expensive, the kind you don't waste on casual invitations. My name is written in gold on it. This definitely wasn't casual, and there was just one event that came to mind.
I walked to the foot of the stairs and broke open the seal. The invitation was simple and in a few words: Newport Foundation Annual Gala. Date. Location. Dress code.
It wasn't just any charity gala. It was the talk of the town event that every old-money family in Newport showed up for, smiling for the camera while writing fat checks big enough to make headlines.
And the Hales had been on the donor list for as long as I could remember. I knew he was in town, his expansion to Newport had made the headlines. Which meant there was a chance… a dangerous chance.
Oh no, this isn't happening.
And just then a rippling scream tore through the silence.
Sophie…
- Writer
