C4 Back Home

CHAPTER 4 BACK HOME.

Immediately Ariana finished getting a banquet of rose flowers for her mother. She also stopped at the candies store and bought chocolates too. She dropped it beside her as Pedro reversed the engine and headed for the house.

“We can’t afford to make one more stop or else they are going to start calling us. And I don’t have a reasonable excuse to give my master.

“Oh, don’t worry, any more shopping will be done tomorrow, I am so exhausted, I really would like to go home now. She said as Pedro nodded.

“Well, in that case, we will be home soon, roughly 38 minutes. He calculated mentally.

“Can’t wait. Ariana said as she smiled. She relaxed on the chair, and closed her eyes, letting her body loosen up, from the current jetlag that she was experiencing. She sighed as she listened to the silent hum of the car engine.

Barely 30 minutes later, she felt the car stopping as the engine was switched off. She opened her eyes and shut them again, the lights were blinding. She squinted her eyes as she slowly got accustomed to the light.

Pedro opened her door, and held out his hand, to help her up. She stood as she faced the mansion.

Whoa. Whoa. Just like she remembered, she could see the fountains, the gardens, the path, the lawn, the pools, the golf course, the bars, the garage she could see everything and more new things that had been added over the years.

“Miss, this way. Pedro said as a maid took her from the boot and followed silently behind them. The maids and the workers were bowing courteously as she walked past. She smiled at them, as they could be incessant murmuring, among them. The new maids were wondering who she was, as the old maids informed them, of her title, here.

She got to the door and said

Well, here goes nothing. She said as she breathed in deeply. She pushed open the door and entered the magnificent hallways. She reached the parlor and pushed open the door. Damn, she always hated how big the house was, big and empty. Sure it was fancy all right and people would kill to be in this kind of house, but nobody said anything about the emptiness that followed it, making you all alone.

She made her way to the staircase when she heard footsteps accompanied by a thud on the floor. She paused as her breath hitched immediately.

She knew who it was, and she dreaded it. Coming down the circular staircase was her father, the mean monarch, walking down with his ever ever-expensive cane. That price for the cane could feed an entire city for months. She gulped as she took a look at her aged father, he had grey hairs at the side of his head, and his hair had gone from dark brown to light white, and there were a few wrinkles around his ears and eyelids, and his feet still shook a little, when walking but apart from that he was in a perfectly good condition.

She gulped down as her father scan her from head to toe, silently waiting for his disapproval.

Barely up to five minutes that she had been here and she was already intimidated.

“Ariana. He called out, his voice reverberating throughout the whole house.

“Good evening, father. She replied in a trance, waiting for the worse.

“I am truly disappointed in you. you, truly disgust me. he continued, as her heart fell and broke into little pieces.

“Father! She stuttered as she called out.

“I have no interest in you, or what you want. You came here to see your dying mother, go do it. The only reason that I sent my secretary to send you that letter, is because that was your mother’s dying wish, or else you won’t even come back at all. So I suggest that you stay the hell out of my path. He finalized, as he turned and made for the north door, his cane still making the same noise.

Ariana blinked her eyes as the tears fell on her cheeks. She didn't even know that she was tearing up. She cleaned it as she took a shaky breath to steady herself. There was an ache in her throat, and she knew that she was going to cry if she tried to talk. After all these years, her father still did not care about her.

“Miss, Ariana, would you like to see your mother now? Or would you retire to your guest room? One of the maids announced from the balcony.

Ariana glanced up and recognized the maid. It was Hope, one of the maids that lived here, when she was still a child. She shook her head and said.

My head hurts already, besides it is late, I will retire to my room, tomorrow I will face mother. Ariana said.

Oh sure, miss. Your bags are already up, there and your room is ready for use. Please contact me, if you need anything. Hope said bowing as she left.

Ariana nodded her head, as she headed to the staircase, holding a firm grip, she climbed up the stairs slowly, getting to her floor. Then she saw her room, well the door, at the end of the hall.

She remembered, how she loved running up and down the hall, disturbing everyone and causing problems for the maids. She smiled as she walked down the empty hall till she reached her door. Pink in color as usual with Ariana carved beautifully in it.

She pushed open the door and entered, as the smooth and cold air caressed her body. She took in a deep breath, as she looked around the old familiar room, just the way it was, filled with all her girly stuff.

Shutting the door, and bolting it, Ariana made her way to the bed, and threw herself on it, allowing the softness to carry her to dreamland.