Chapter 11 Still Fascinated
8 Years Ago
Sade
“So, is everything okay? Anything to report?” My father asks from the other end of the phone.
“No, everything is as it should be. I do have one request however.” I hear him shuffling papers.
“What do you need? You know you can ask Angelo for anything you need.” I shake my head slightly.
“This is in regards to Rain. I wanted to find out if it was acceptable to have her room redone for her birthday?” He pauses.
“Ah, sure, why wouldn’t it be? Just be sure and call McGaverty, he has done contracting work for us before if there are any physical changes she wishes to make. If it is just decoration, then you know Jacqueline does the interior design in the house. So, you can decide which way is best to go. Have the bills go to Angelo as per usual.”
“Very well, thank you father.” I’m not sure he is even really paying attention to what I said, he didn’t ask about her birthday, but he probably doesn’t care anyway.
“Well, we are in Rio for another week, then we have a meeting to attend with the Russos in Chicago, before going back to Italy for a month. So, let Angelo know if you need anything.” With that he hung up.
That was a typical conversation with my father. He didn’t speak to Zoey, not that I blamed him. She was very hard to deal with on a normal basis. I tried to avoid it if possible. I was becoming concerned about her treatment of Rain however, I wouldn’t be able to allow that to continue much longer.
I was increasingly disappointed in Suzanne however. She had at one time seemed to actually care about her daughter. I understood from Rain that they had a good relationship. That is no longer the case since she wed my father. Now, she is gone with him all of the time. They haven’t actually stepped foot in this house in months, it was in July, they celebrated their anniversary with Tomilino, the Don of the Italian Mafia in Illinois. Chicago was the base of their operations. We lived in Winnetka, where the rich and affluent had homes.
Now it’s November, and almost Thanksgiving. Today is Rain’s birthday and she is turning 10. I wonder if Suzanne will at least call her? I have already requested the cook to bake her favorite cupcakes, spice cake with cream cheese frosting, and I will have her blow out a candle at least. I don’t honestly see the point in this exercise, but I understand it holds great sentiment among most people.
Rain is not a materialistic person, so I was not aware of any item she wished to purchase. I do, however, know that she has hated her room since the day she moved in. She has never had it redone to her tastes. I thought perhaps being able to do so would provide an acceptable birthday gift. If she would like something else I will of course procure it for her.
I wait until it’s later in the evening before I go to her room and knock on her door, when she opens it, I can see she’s upset, but attempting to hide it. She doesn’t hide things well, not like me, of course, she’s not trying to appear normal to fit in with her peers. It is a daily game for me anywhere outside of this house.
She politely follows me to the kitchen and sits at the island. I get the cupcake from the pantry where the cook placed them, and I light one candle, then carry it out to her. I see the look in her eyes when she sees it. She’s happy, sad, confused, and lonely all at the same time. This is one of the main reasons I am so damn fascinated by her. She feels so many things, it’s written on her face. My fascination hasn’t waned at all in the last 16 months since I met her. If anything it has strengthened.
She, of course, has no idea that since the beginning of last school year I have had an extensive network in place which allows me to know what she is doing at all times. There are cameras throughout the school, and I have access to those. Then in class she has a fellow student who watches and reports to me. Everyone also knows that she is untouchable. Any friendships would need to be approved by me, but so far she hasn’t made any friends. Part of that is because of Zoey. The other part of that is that she simply feels she doesn’t fit in, and she has very little in common with any of her classmates.
She spends the majority of her time alone. She gets excellent grades and studies hard. She has 2 more years in the elementary building, and then she’ll move to Jr.High. At that time the network I have in place will need to be expanded, as she will no longer be in a single class all day. Zoey will move over next year, which will be good for Rain. I am still debating what to do about that situation.
After she blows out the candle, I ask her what she wants for her birthday, as I expected the answer is nothing, so then I propose redoing her room, at which she’s worried about not gaining permission and getting in trouble.
“I have already cleared it with my father. If you had wanted something else I would have taken you to get that as well. So, this weekend I can have Jacquiline come and talk to you about what you wish to do.”
“Ah, okay. I guess I was just thinking about going to the store to pick some stuff out. I still find it hard to wrap my head around the way you guys do things. I am so used to having little money and not being a brat by asking my mom for things. Now, everything is different, but I am having trouble changing that thought in my head”
“You’ll get used to it.” I’m not sure if that assured her, but she attempts to smile at me.
I watch her as she eats the cupcake and I do what I do best now, I watch her.