"Mum? Where's that dress?"
Caelia asked as she rummaged through her mother's box of clothes on her knees.
"What dress?"
Her mother asked as she retied her apron, she was preparing to go back to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Laurene, a friend of the twins had come over and the twins were trying to impress her so they asked Lourdes to make her her favourite meal.
"That one. The pretty white one you said you wore for your wedding."
She asked as she glanced up at her mother who looked perturbed.
"Why do you want it?"
Her mother asked as she went towards the small closet and pulled out the dress from a dress rack. It was there all the time. She sighed in relief.
She should have checked the closet.
"No reason. I just need to look at it for a while. Is it okay if I borrow it?"
Caelia asked and her mother glared at her.
"Now, Caelia, don't be getting any ideas."
"Oh mum! What do you mean? Can't I borrow it for while?"
She asked as she smoothed her hands over the lacey fabric. Even though it was her Mother's wedding dress, it was far from it but Caelia still liked it. Ever since she saw a picture of her mother in the dress she had imagined wearing it someday.
She just didn't know where. And the ball seemed like the perfect opportunity to wear it.
"Okay. I was going to give it to you anyways."
"Now, hurry up and arrange my box back to the way it is. I know Margaret will have a chore or two for you to do once she's back from the gardens."
Her mother said as she walked out of the room. Caelia examined the dress, it was still in perfect condition. And she loved it. She loved Sam's designs. But to wear something so lavish and expensive? She wasn't sure she had the heart to do it.
No, it wasn't her style at all. Besides she couldn't risk it.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"
Rachel said as she plopped on the lower bed. She looked tired.
"Does Margaret need me?"
She asked as she folded her mother's clothes back into the box properly, leaving the cream dress slung on her shoulder.
"Nope. Quite the contrary. What's that?"
Rachel asked as she snatched the dress from Caelia's shoulder. The same time that Greta decided to come in.
"This is a nice dress!"
She exclaimed as she felt the fabric.
Caelia smiled at the both of them. She was finally going to ask them the question she had been dying to ask them.
"So, why didn't you guys tell me you went to the ball two years ago."
Greta and Rachel froze and went silent.
They glanced at each other and blinked rapidly before Rachel turned to Caelia with a nervous smile.
"Oh! I'm guessing Sam told you that?"
"Yea. She did. She also offered to give me her invite so I could go to the ball."
"She did?" Greta asked with her eyes widening in surprise.
Caelia nodded.
"She did. But I'm not really sure about it you know? Feels like a big risk sneaking out just for some ball."
Rachel scoffed.
"Yes. It is a big risk. Think about your choices carefully."
Greta said quickly. Caelia looked at her strangely, she had never heard Greta say so much in a sentence. Especially towards her.
It was a funny feeling.
"Oh you're definitely doing it. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and who knows what could happen? You need to go!"
"Yea, what about Margaret?"
Caelia asked and Rachel rolled her eyes.
"Margaret?!!! Don't worry about her! We'll cover for you. We will right Greta?"
Rachel turned to Greta and Greta looked sceptical.
"I don't really think it's wise for you to go..."
She murmured and Rachel glared at her.
"What are you even talking about?! You know how wonderful it was! I told you all about it!"
Greta rolled her eyes.
"You were there for all but five minutes."
Rachel shrugged.
"And so? You've also been there once too! I don't understand why Caelia can't go."
Greta sighed and stood up from the bed.
"Count me out of this!"
She muttered as she left the room.
"Wow. What's wrong with her?"
Caelia asked and Rachel shrugged.
"I don't know. It must be that time of the month. She's never this chatty."
"Are you sure?"
"Well yea whatever! Forget about Greta. I'll cover for you."
"You'd be fine. Who knows? You might even get the chance to dance with Damon."
Rachel said with a wink and Caelia blushed deeply. She tried to imagine Damon at the ball and she blushed furiously at the thought of the two of them dancing.
But it wasn't such a bad idea either. And everyone was willing to help her out.
So why not?
She asked herself as she nodded.
"Yea! I'll go!"
"Yaaaay! Now! Will you put on that dress? I'm dying to see what it would look like."
Rachel begged and the two of them chuckled.
.............
Damon rarely visited the garden, but because of Caelia, he found himself frequenting the spot a little more than usual. But when he got to the garden, she wasn't there and on his way back to the pool he met her.
"Hey!"
He called out with a wave and Caelia turned to him with a smile on her face.
"How are you doing?"
He asked and Caelia I shrugged
"Good. You?"
"Honestly, I could use a little time alone in the garden but the temperature dropped this morning and I still have work to do."
Damon chuckled as he looked at the sky.
"Think we'll have a white Christmas?"
She wasn't too sure. She had not really experienced a white Christmas.
"I don't know. But it'll certainly be magical if that happened."
"I know. Are you done with the book I gave you?"
He asked and Caelia face palmed herself. Between chores and seeing Samantha, she had barely had the time to open a few pages of the book.
"I'm terribly sorry. I haven't really read more than a few pages."
Damon nodded.
"It's okay. I understand. Will I see you this evening?"
He asked and Caelia looked away.
She was going to be cleaning his room to the evening and he seemed to be anticipating her visits already.
"Maybe."
She teased and Damon smirked.
"Well, I have a surprise for you. So make sure you don't forget."
"What's the surprise?"
Caelia asked and Damon shrugged as he started walking away.
"You'll have to come over to know first!"
She was still smiling bashfully while watching Damon leave when Mrs Carolyn Wright appeared in front of her.
Caelia yelped in shock as she watched the woman glare at her.
Olivia also joined her mother, staring at Caelia with a similar expression
"What were you doing with my son?"
She asked coolly and Caelia opened her mouth but words refused to come out.
She was so shocked she couldn't articulate a proper sentence.
"I... We were just talking..."
"And what gives you the right to talk to him?"
She asked again and Caelia promptly shut her mouth, there really wasn't any use explaining.
"I'm sorry Ma'am."
She whispered.
"You should know your place. You're a maid and you're nothing more than that. Do not confuse my son's politeness for friendship."
"He can never be friends with the help."
Mrs Carolyn turned and started walking away, leaving Olivia who was grinning at Caelia.
"Everything about you is so pathetic. If you think for one that you can use my gullible brother to climb up the social ladder, you're definitely dumber than you look."
"Stay away from him and just do your fucking job!"
She raised her voice slightly and Caelia almost jumped out of fright.
She blinked rapidly, to avoid the onslaught of tears that were coming.
She was so stupid.
So so stupid
She thought as she started walking back inside the mason.
...............
"Damon. Why are you talking to that girl? It is unlike you."
Carolyn asked her son and Damon sighed.
"Is it a crime to talk to her now? I had no idea."
Carolyn sighed.
"You know what I mean. You know what she is and you know what we are. If she ever finds out what you truly are, do you think she wouldn't run away in fear."
Damon wanted to talk but his mother was right. He promptly kept his mouth shut. Yes, she would run away in fear. In fact, she would never stay.
"And you know... the masquerade ball approaches. You'll have all the time in the world to pick a bride from any of the founding families you want."
"It's only in a matter of days. You'll get your bride."
Damon sighed.
"And what if I don't want a bride? What if I don't care for these traditions? I never even wanted to come back here in the first place!"
Carolyn sighed. She looked at her son sternly. Damon has always rejected all that they were, all that he was meant to be. While their vampirism had been a blessing for them, Damon had seen it as a curse.
"It's your duty as Lord of the house. If you don't care about the traditions at least remember that title."
"And what it means."