***Adriane***
Alec’s quiet voice woke me. “Adriane.”
I opened my eyes. He was sitting close to me in the dark car. I felt warm.
“We’re home,” he said.
Home. The word sounded weird. This wasn’t my home, and I had the feeling no place was really home for Alec. This was just his house.
Then I sat straight and shook my thoughts back into place. I didn’t know enough about him to make that kind of assumption.
My door opened, and Anthony offered his hand to help me down from the behemoth of a car.
“I have it,” I said as I stepped down.
He stood back out of my way and then closed the door.
Alec walked me up the front steps and then continued with me through the house and up the stairs. Thankfully, Hanna wasn’t in the kitchen yet. I didn’t feel like trying to explain my night’s adventure to her.
We stopped at the door to my room.
“Thank you, Adriane,” he said.
I nodded then walked into the room and closed the door. I wasn’t completely sure why he was thanking me, which stemmed from not completely understanding his motivations. At least he’d given me something, a small piece of the story—he hated Councilman Dean. Now I couldn’t help but to wonder why, what would make him risk all he’d accomplished, his legitimacy.
All my wondering would have to wait. I shuffled across the room and collapsed into the fluffy bedding. I was asleep before I could remember to take off my shoes.
When I finally opened my eyes, it was almost noon. Hanna was cleaning up from lunch by the time I made it downstairs. She made me sit at the kitchen table and eat something. As I forced down the turkey sandwich, I thought about my decision to come back, about how being here might help me figure out more of what was going on. I doubted Hanna knew why I was here or what Alec was planning to do, but I was willing to bet she did know Alec. The way he treated her told me that she wasn’t just some hired housekeeper; she was important to him.
Maybe she could help me understand him.
“So, when did you start working here?” I asked.
She rinsed the rag she was using to wipe the counters and looked over at me with a smile. “It seems like forever.”
“You handle the cooking and oversee all the other household stuff, right?”
“Alec asked me to take over managing the house several years ago. Before that, I was really just the cook. Though none of that was why I was hired in the first place.”
I took a sip of water and waited for her to go on. This was something I liked about Hanna; she needed very little prodding to get her talking.
She wrung out her rag and laid it across the edge of the sink to dry. “Alec’s father hired me, almost twenty-six years ago now. We met at the hospital where I was doing some volunteer work, and Alec’s mother and I got along so well he asked me to come here and care for her. She was having a difficult pregnancy.”
“With Alec?”
“He was her first and only. She was just strong enough to bring him into the world. I don’t think anyone else could’ve done it. She decided her little boy was going to live, and he did.” She walked over and took the next chair at the table.
I set the last of my sandwich down and rested my hands in my lap. “His father must’ve been devastated.”
“He was heartbroken. And poor Alec, with those green eyes, he looked just like her. It was difficult for his father to be around him. Alec was raised by the servants—me, mostly.”
“They were never close?”
“No,” she said. “They, um, didn’t really talk much. His father never took an interest.” She stopped talking then shifted as if to stand.
“What was Alec like when he was little?” The thought of Alec as a little boy made me want to smile, all that strength being toted around in a five-year-old body.
She settled back into her chair. “He’s always been smart, too smart sometimes. He learned to be serious sooner than he should’ve.”
“So, he was a nerd?”
She smiled. “Well, kind of, I suppose. His grades were always perfect, but he didn’t always, uh, behave himself. It was the worst during his teen years.” She paused, like the break in a film where it had been spliced together. “It got pretty bad. His father sent him away to a boarding school in Belgium. He did well there. He graduated early, then stayed in Europe for college.” She lifted her chin with pride. “Oxford. He didn’t come home until he was twenty.”
“What happened to his father? Is he…”
“He died shortly after Alec’s return home, about five years ago”—she said it as if stating the solution to an algebra problem—“and Alec fell into running the, uh…business.” Her forehead furrowed. She stood and went over to grab the rag from the sink. She’d already scrubbed all the counters.
“He told me about that,” I said, “that he’s changed things.”
She turned back to me. The lines in her forehead were deeper. “Yes, um…” She balled the rag up in her thin hands, then turned and draped it over the edge of the sink again. Then she turned back to me, and her expression relaxed, like she’d suddenly decided to trust me, like if he trusted me enough to talk, then so did she. “I’m so proud of him. He got rid of almost everyone, but he asked me to stay.” Her small frame seemed to grow taller.
I smiled, more of a smile than I’d worn in a long time.
“He’s like a son to me,” she said.
I relaxed a little more in my decision to come back. Funny how meeting someone’s mother, knowing the person who’d raised him was someone gentle like Hanna, could affect the way you see that person. Alec was still an enigma, but I liked knowing a little about his past, that he’d been raised by a good woman.
While Hanna watched her “stories” on TV, I took out my little drawing book and tried to busy myself for a while. The view out back was especially amazing, the way the sun turned to pink and touched the tops of each wave, cresting them with color. My drawing book was so small, though, that it was almost more frustrating than anything.
As I stood at the edge of the cliff, having given up on drawing for the day, I started thinking. I’d assumed no one would miss my disappearance, but I realized there might be one person who might worry a little. I wasn’t close to the boy from the mailroom, but he did tend to follow me around. I figured he didn’t have a lot of friends at work and we got along well, even though I wasn’t very interested in video games.
But Alec had asked me not to call anyone.
Then I figured a call to Bobby could hardly cause a problem. I would just be careful. And I had a couple things I wanted to ask him…
I went back in and saw that Hanna was not in the great room any longer, probably off cleaning or something. The only house phone I’d seen was in the kitchen. I peeked down the hall then went into the kitchen and picked up the receiver. It was still early enough that Bobby would be at work.
I dialed the main line for Levine and Stokes, and hoped I got Patty, the older and somewhat deaf receptionist. She wouldn’t hear well enough to realize it was me.
“Levine and Stokes Accountants. How may I direct your call?”
Great, it was Patty. I tried to make my voice a little lower than usual. “Can I talk to the mailroom, please?”
“One moment.” She put me on hold, and the horrible elevator music came on. A few seconds later someone else picked up. I asked to talk to Bobby, and hoped he didn’t get in trouble for receiving a personal call. I didn’t remember his cell phone number; it was programmed into my phone, which Alec still had.
“Hello?” Bobby sounded confused.
“Don’t say my name out loud,” I said, “and don’t show surprise. Just tell Don your mom called to tell you an aunt died or something.”
“Uh, A—”
“Don’t say my name. Yes, it’s Adriane.”
He paused. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just wanted to let you know not to worry.”
Another pause, and then his voice was rushed. “Okay, Don walked away, and most everyone else is on break. Where are you? Can I help? I’ll come get you. Whatever you need.”
“I’m fine. Just a family emergency.”
“Well, you better get back quick. Mason’s about lost his mind. I think he’s too used to having you around to take care of him.”
I thought of how to word myself so that Bobby didn’t suspect anything that was going on. “What’s wrong with Mr. Mason? Anyone can take his car to get washed.” Why would he get so upset that one of the many bookkeepers was gone? Unless Alec was right about him.
“I don’t know, but he’s had a lot of meetings with Councilman Dean in the last couple days. Maybe someone screwed up his returns or something. Mason’s been on a freaking rampage. I think he wants your help figuring out whatever the problem is. He’s asked me about you like five times every day.”
“Don’t tell him you talked to me.” Crap, this wasn’t such a good idea. I could be getting Bobby in trouble.
“You sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah, it’s just…” I had to think of something fast, some reason that made sense for me to ask him not to talk to Mr. Mason, and for Bobby not worry about me. “Mr. Mason, um, kind of came on to me.” I hoped that was believable.
“Bastard. What’d he do? Tell me where you are. I’ll help you. We’ll sue his ass or something.” I’d never heard Bobby so angry. He never cursed like that.
“No, it wasn’t that big a deal. It just bothered me, so I went to stay with a relative in Seattle. I have so much vacation time saved they can hardly get that mad.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t worry.”
He paused. I knew he didn’t fully believe me. He was the only person I talked to in a friendly way on a regular basis; he always seemed to know when I was stretching the truth.
“I have to go,” I said. “My cousin and I are about to start on dinner. See you, Bobby.”
“How can I get a hold of you? I’ve been trying your cell phone.”
“It finally broke. I’ll call you again once I get it replaced. Bye, Bobby.” I hung up and took a breath. That’d been a mistake; I could’ve put Bobby in a bad position, perhaps even in danger. I had to take all of this more seriously. The rest of the afternoon, I focused on not showing Hanna how rattled I felt.
By the time dinner came, my hands had stopped shaking. Something about this house made me feel safe. Maybe it was the sound of the ocean or maybe all the trees, or maybe it was something else altogether. I still worried a little about Bobby. But he wasn’t stupid, and he always seemed to do what I asked—he wouldn’t tell anyone he’d talked to me. He would be all right.
Alec didn’t come to dinner, and I went to bed wondering what on earth I was going to do with myself now that I’d decided to stay here. I should’ve set a time limit on it or something. And after Alec made it safe for me, what was I going to do then? I supposed the answer was obvious. I would find a new job and go on with life. For some reason, that idea depressed me.
I slept uneasily, waking often from the same dreams. I still couldn’t quite hold on to the details. I got up early, showered, and dressed. I figured I would help Hanna with breakfast. Cooking wasn’t my favorite activity, but I liked being around Hanna.
Before opening the door, I stopped. A white piece of paper had been slipped underneath. I picked it up and unfolded it. The writing was quick but neat, like on architectural plans.
Adriane,
I’m sorry I cannot be here to help you through this. I want you to be as comfortable as possible. Please let Hanna or Ben know if you need or want anything at all. I know you must be dreadfully bored, so please feel free to make use of the house. You know where the library is, and Hanna can show you the pool and the gym, as well as around the grounds. I have had your desk stocked, and your dresser has more clothing for you as well. Again, please do not hesitate to ask for anything you may want. I will try to see you again soon.
Yours Sincerely,
Alec
So, he wasn’t coming to breakfast. I supposed I already knew that. He only seemed to show up when there was a problem.
I turned to find a place to set the note. I glanced at the trashcan by the desk, but then I opened one of the drawers and tucked it inside. The drawer also held a package of new drawing pencils, the really nice kind, expensive. I closed the drawer. My little generic number 2 pencil worked fine.
That must’ve been Hanna’s purpose for her shopping trip; he’d asked her to buy some things for me. I didn’t look in the dresser drawers. I didn’t need anything.
As I walked out of the room, I noticed Ben was no longer in the chair in the hall. Alec had kept his promise of no more babysitters. Hopefully, they weren’t simply hidden better.
I helped Hanna with the meals and ate little. She asked if I was feeling well. I assured her I was fine and tried to figure how to appear to eat more. Actually eating more was out of the question. The day passed, and I went to bed early.
Glimpses of my dreams clung to me, burrowed under my skin.
Arms around me. My ear pressed to his chest. His heartbeat was like the slow drip of water falling from a tree into a puddle after a rainstorm. He was warm, except for the coolness of his hands. The contrast was soothing. It was the coolness of the ocean on a summer day. My body relaxed into him.
Then he let go and turned to walk away.
I stared after him, wanting to beg him to come back and knowing it would do no good. He was leaving me, and he wasn’t going to change his mind.
I woke with a start. I sat up to stare into the darkness.
Understanding filled my mind.
In the blindness of night, I understood everything. I struggled to push it away. It felt like trying to stop the rain from falling.
I flipped the covers off me and stood. I had to move, to shake it off. I couldn’t allow this.
It was extremely early, so I knew no one would be about yet. I stood at the railing in the hall and looked out the tall windows in the great room to the forest. The leaves swayed gracefully in the breeze, only just visible in the soft moonlight.
A door clicking shut.
I looked over just as Alec walked out from the hall under the stairs, already in his suit and leaving for the day. I was about to retreat back into my room, to hide, when he glanced over his shoulder. His face was like a mask, as if he was wiping it clean of all emotion, denying any emotion. It hurt to see.
He turned to leave without a word, just like in my dream.
Everything hit at once, knocking me back and strangling at the same time.
I love him.