Authors: Nicole Lee
“
It’s my obligation,” he said, after hugging her. “I’m not always trying to embarrass you.”
“
Good thing,” she said with a laugh, waving and then climbing the steps to her room.
After closing the door to her bedroom and locking it, she called Grady right away.
“
What did he say to you when you were in the garage with him?”
“
How come you think something happened?” Grady asked.
“
My father’s motorcycle in-progress hasn’t been touched for years, if you couldn’t tell by looking at it. He never shows it to anybody.”
“
You caught him,” Grady said. “For the most part, he talked about his love of Harley Davidsons, and how he’s always felt inadequate as a mechanic. Then he mentioned you.”
“
In what way?”
Grady cleared his throat, trying to imitate Damian‘s rough voice. “He told me, ‘If you ever hurt my daughter, I’ll murder you in your sleep.”
“
Grady, I’m so sorry-”
“
No, don’t be. You know what I told him? I said, ‘Trust me sir, your daughter is strong enough to keep herself safe from anyone and anything. That’s why I like her so much.’ And then he told me something that proves he really does know you. Damian responded with you’re right.”
Rose smiled. “It’s nice to know I have guys who care about me.”
“
We do, Rose. More than you know.”
“
I’ll talk to you after your practice game is over with. Sound good?”
“
Great,” he said. “Before you hang up, let me tell you something.”
“
What?”
“
I love you.”
“
I’ve been waiting to hear those words from you forever. I love you too, Grady.”
Rose put the cell in its charger, leaning up in her bed. She reached under the shining lamp in an attempt to find the switch around the red hot bulb. Just as her fingers found it, preparing to allow the darkness of night to enter a room of what she was sure would be incredible sleep devoid of leaving her house, she noticed something in the corner of her eye.
Something had moved outside by her window. Rose stood up and walked closer to the frame. Stooping down and peering into the casement which gave her the regular view of the tree, front yard and mist covered road, she saw a recognizable black feline balancing its dark body on her ledge.
It was motionlessly watching her.
She swore there were reflections of her mother in the cat‘s eyes. It was as if Hemera was staring right back at Rose from a far away depth.
26
In the bedroom above the Realm of the Out of Print, Rose stared at herself in the body-length mirror, adorned in a glimmering white dress whose crystals sewn into the fabric shone with the effervescence bounding off of the Christmas lights hung outside. Alexis was wearing a wide smile. “It’s a big thing when a boy asks you to meet his parents.”
“
Maybe. But I’m nervous.”
It was a surprise when Grady proposed that she meet his folks, a couple of wealthy entrepreneurs and restaurant owners who had a place in Lake Pines history. It was expected in a way - this relationship was serious, insofar as she had told him her greatest secret. He had the decency to meet her father, which was not the easiest task. Simultaneously, Rose knew little to nothing about the upper class, and had been a part of the proletarian lifestyle since the day she was born. She had magic, which was in its own way a certain form of power, one that could not be bought with money for a change, so naturally she was aware of her inherent differences from everyone else, and in retrospect, this could have been the reason she connected with Grady so well.
Rose sat down on the bed, continually gazing at herself in the mirror, remembering Mary Worth and then trying to eliminate the name from her mind. She decided instead to go to the next uncomfortable subject.
“
Ms. Harvey,” Rose said quietly, trying to stew over in her mind the words she had been planning to say for quite a while. “I don’t want to ruin your Christmas Eve, but I feel I have to inquire this, otherwise I’m going to lose more sleep in the future. What are the chances of my Mom coming back?”
“
Better than we could imagine,” Alexis admitted.
“
Can you give me a sense of how much expectancy I should have?“
“
There’s a chance she will return, but you have little to worry about.”
“
Why is that?”
“
I banished her to a place where there are no rocks for her to draw a circle. She could still cast a spell, but it’s highly unlikely. Most of her magic has been drained. Her abilities have greatly diminished, even if she escapes the desert she is now wandering.”
“
If she comes back to Lake Pines, will the curse return with her?”
“
No,” Alexis said. “For all I know, the reverse could happen. Everyone here could wind up becoming incredibly wealthy, content, and in good physical shape.”
“
You’re telling me Hemera making another visit could be a beneficial event?”
“
Well, I don’t know about that.” Alexis stopped talking for a second, lowering her head and seemingly filled with great thought. “It was simply a presumption. If that be the case, imagine how wonderful it would be, notwithstanding how we would still have to stop her from pursuing her goal of immortality.”
“
My life is weird,” Rose said, suddenly filled with a sport of spiteful depression. “Most mothers who are bad are only bad because they forgot to pick up their child from soccer practice or something. Mine is one who frolics with hell.”
“
It could be worse,” Alexis said.
“
How?” Rose said defiantly, turning around to face her mentor. “Explain.”
“
You could…have no mother?”
She stared blankly at Alexis, before both ended up filling the room with laughter.
At seven a clock that night, Grady drove her up to the gateway of his parents’ manor. It was a large palatial estate with sharply peaked turrets and a limitless supply of darkened windows. Easily the size of a football stadium, there was nothing to prepare Rose for the sheer magnitude of their wealth. Of course everyone knew they were greatly esteemed amongst the bourgeoisie, not to mention unanimously recognized as being affluent and constantly generating more revenue to add to their prosperity thanks to their restaurant franchise, but the size of their house was still unexpected.
Grady pulled up to the front black metal entryway. A robotic voice blared from a box-like speaker built into the side stone wall, asking him for identification.
“
I’m their son,” he said, opening the latch and then placing his fingers on the screen.
A white line of luminosity went up and down the palm of his hand, reading his fingerprints before the two spiked shadowy metal barriers opened. He pushed the pedal, and soon they were skirting along the paved concourse surrounded by rolling green hills leading to the abode.
“
Sorry about that,” he said. “The security measures are ridiculous. I think my parents are paranoid about being robbed.”
Rose thought about saying that if she owned this place she would be too, but soon they were directly in front of the grand dwelling. She stepped out and stared upwards at the place. The roof cut out half of her view of the moon, and the stars seemed to be more visible here than in any other area besides the many beaches of Lake Pines.
Grady grabbed her arm and lead her closer towards the main door. “Don’t be nervous,” he said, after feeling how she was shaking.
In a matter of seconds they were now standing on the architecturally well-designed porch. It possessed massive marble pillars lining the obverse section. The floor was built of alabaster. Squares of human ranged phosphorescent lights burned brightly on the outside to keep away the darkness of the trees lining both sides of the parklands where which the residence was built.
“
Don’t worry,” he said.
“
How can I not?” Rose said. “I’ve never even seen pictures of a place like this. I grew up in a cabin.”
“
You would be surprised at how normal this becomes after you’ve been here long enough,” he said, shrugging. “Give it some time. You can move in with us if you want…if you don’t mind living with your boyfriends folks.”
“
Something tells me they would be pretty easy to avoid in a place as large as this one. If they’re annoying, that is. I’m not saying they are.”
“
They’re not,” he said carefully, taking no offense at her words. “They’re a bit removed from any class but their own, so it’ll seem like they’re behind the times. And who knows, maybe they are. My Dad doesn’t know much beyond the politics he reads about and the life he’s lived. Yet they’re still pretty pleasant. Just trust me.”
“
What if they hate me?”
“
They won’t.”
“
How can you be sure?”
“
I told them not to.”
“
Oh, that’s reassuring. They could judge me as the bad girl who takes away their kid. They could view me as a cradle robber or something.”
“
You’re sounding crazy,” he said.
“
I’ve been getting that a lot these days.”
Grady extended a hand forward to ring the doorbell. Rose tried to grab his arm to stop it, but it was no use - the sound of the bell dinging was already vibrating on the outskirts of the walls as undoubtedly on the in.
The door swung open. A thin man dressed in a black tuxedo was behind the threshold. He wore a professional and courteous smile.
“
This is our butler Gerard,” Grady said, introducing the two.
“
Very nize to meet you, Rose.” He said in a thick accent, clicking his heels and then turning away. “Allow me to lead you two to zee dining hall.”
Rose stood there in stunned silence as Grady walked into the main foyer. “We’re supposed to follow him.”
She snapped out of her disbelief, taking frantic steps to pursue the two as they advanced through the black and white tiled ground.
Spiral staircases surrounded them.
Hidden doors were everywhere, and a prolific collection of obscure yet beautiful landscape paintings were on the ramparts.
The dining hall was already prepared for company. The table was a glossy and almost immeasurable oak slab which could have only fit in a room that was equal to the magnitude of four kitchens. His parents stood up immediately upon noticing their arrival into the room.
“
I will go and get the drinks,” Gerard said with a slight yet dignified and masculine bow, hurriedly exiting the chamber.
Rose tugged on Grady’s arm. “Where is your servant from?”
“
The slums of Nigeria. He works harder than most for only half the pay.”
“
Ethical,” Rose whispered angrily.
“
So nice to meet you!” Grady’s mother said, approaching her and then embracing Rose in a friendly yet tight hug.
“
Indeed,” the Dad said, acknowledging her with a smile while keeping a solid distance that was both aloof yet warm.
“
Mom, Dad, this is Rose, of course. Rose, this is my Mom and Dad.”
“
You can call me Simon,” he said inconspicuously.
“
And me, Julia.”
“
Call them Grady’s Mom and Dad,” the quarterback said.
“
Oh he’s so stubborn,” Julia said while rolling her eyes. “He has his father’s spirit.”
“
Business can only be accomplished when one sticks to their guns,” The Dad said with a wide smile.
“
That’s what I was raised to believe,” Grady said. “Can we sit down?”
“
Yes,” both said in unison.
Even though Rose was offered champagne, she chose to instead order Cola, fearing what kind of a response would arise were she to consume any alcoholic beverages while still a minor. By the time appetizers were served, ones consisting of bread baskets and a rich array of containers filled with an assortment of local and foreign sauces, the conversation began to move beyond the initial and dull pleasantries.
“
Did you share with Rose your father’s newest accomplishment?” Julia asked, taking a sip of her vodka martini.
“
No,” Grady said.
“
You’re seeing a new girl and you haven’t even doted on me yet?” Simon asked with a certain faux swagger after taking a small shot of whiskey. “All right, allow me to tell the story, then. I sold half of my business.”
Rose was nearly bowled over. “That must have taken a lot of thought…um, Grady‘s Dad.”
“
Of course it did,” he said proudly, wearing a beam. “Years of strategizing, both under the table and out in the open, so to speak. Businessmen all do something illegal, and if they tell you otherwise then they’re unquestionably lying. Not like what I did was against the law, but let’s just say I did a bit of spying on others to make sure that my choice to sell half of Bell’s restaurant industry would not be the wrong one.”
“
Simon…” Julia’s voice trailed off with a tone that hinted at a warning he was talking too much.
He lit up a cigar, one whose scent and even appearance did not give any indication of being American.
“
I’ll be the first to say I’m not a saint,” he responded at last. “If you ever end up owning a company, please don’t follow my example. Yet it must be said, my policies of understanding the other side clearly worked. I’ve doubled my profits within the past several months alone, and my competitor has steadily gone downhill, fading into near obscurity.”