Page 60 of Unleash Hades
No one lived there, normally. It was something more of a tourist attraction during the season, and something to be maintained by the groundskeeper, otherwise. The surrounding fields were rented to farmers, and the house itself was maintained by a diligent staff.
I hadn’t been back here since the bleak day of my wedding. It didn’t rain. It was just gray, and cold.
But not today. Today, it was blue skies and singing birds. It was a full house, with our two families together at last. Chloe’s partner wasn’t there, but she assured me I’d see him later. I didn’t miss how my Romulus looked at Bellamy once in a while, with an admiring gleam in his eyes.
When Remus and Asa had finished talking about all the ways one could accumulate money, and how their family backgrounds gave them an advantage to such things. It was an ominous start to a familial bond.
When we parked the van at the front steps, Chloe and I stepped out, while the much slower boys took their time moving.
“I called ahead to get the rooms ready,” Chloe said softly when I followed her. “You should take a walk on the grounds. Head out to the boathouse. Do you remember the way?”
“I’ll help get the luggage in,” I told her, reaching in to grab some bags.
Her hand snapped out, grabbing me by the wrist.
“You should go to the boathouse. I think you’ll like the changes made there.” Her sunshine eyes glared at me, the way she had when she was mad and stomping her foot as a child. It was her rare little defiance that was more cute than frightening.
“Oh?” I said with a smirk.
“Go to the boathouse.” It was the third time she had said the word ‘boathouse’. Too many times for it not to be a point. “I’ll settle everyone down. You can find us at dinner.”
“What are you up to,ma petite chou?” I said using an old French term of endearment.
She straightened, her face becoming every bit the award winning doctor that she was, with a fierce mane of curly hair.
“Nothing. But you should do as I say.” She grabbed a bag, then with a graceful hand, went “Coucou! Allez-y!Come get your bags.”
The boys did as she said. Sweet Romulus, eager to please, sauntered, and took on his bags, as well as mine and Bellamy’s on his broad shoulders.
“I’ll get them in,” he said with cheer.
“Your mother will go for a walk. See some of her old haunts. Let me show the rest of you your rooms and give you a tour of the house.”
Chloe beamed as if she had tricked me into something.
I would indulge her. Just as I would have when she was a child. Just like I would from now until the end of time.
Either way, Ihadwanted to see the boathouse, and hoped that it hadn’t fallen into disrepair. It was the place where I used to do all my big thinking.
Then, later, when it was me and Chloe, we used to play in the surrounding fields. In the summer, I weaved flower crowns and dressed her like my own little fairy doll. She would prance and dance in the tall grass. Then, in the winter, we skated on the frozen lake. She was a terrible skater and would grip my hand and beg me to never let her go. I had felt so strong, and protective. Like I was truly a person worth holding on to.
Maybe I’d find my old self there.
The path was overgrown. The trees weren’t as tall as I remembered. But there was something in the air - a crispness of leaves, and the hum of bugs and singing of birds, that broke my heart. In my mind, I could see two girls running down this path - a young girl, barely waist-high, and a teenager in her school uniform and knee-high socks. Two girls running and picking flowers in a summer that would never end.
But the winter came hard and fast. And the girl who had held my hand was forced to let go. To get sent away to a far off mountainous land of chocolate and clocks.
I wish I could go back in time. I wish I could have rebuffed Richard and seen the blue diamond engagement ring for what it was. Payment for the shares he’d get as my husband. I was nothing but a chest of jewels to be sold. A bargain. One that my father took because he had to.
“Poor little Cali,” I whispered. “Poor Chloe, too.”
I could say it to the wind. I could say it's the woods. No one would hear me out here.
No one would know.
“And poor Adelia,” I finally said. “You poor, foolish girl.”
“Why do you feel sorry for Adelia?” I almost jumped out of my skin, squealing as I turned around.
