Vague feeling

FOURTY-EIGHT

LEONE

I quickly sent Lynn a message when I got to the safety of my room about the whole thing. It was important, so that she would at least know what she would say to her mother if she gets questioned.

Damn!

I was home once more, and I didn’t really like the sound of that. My clothes had been arranged on the bed, and I could feel the steam of my bath water from here. Now, my dad was home, everything was back to being aristocrats.

Honestly, I didn’t get the use of all these sometimes, but it was what it was. I stripped quickly and walked barefoot to the room, making sure I shut the door properly behind me. Lynn was a door away from me, but it wouldn’t be so easy to sneak in now. I had to think of something.

We have been together for a few days, and I was aware that we have both gotten accustomed to each other. I sank into the bathtub, and took a towel and sponged my body. The soap bubbled with each move I made. Now, we just needed to get used to it, or get around it.

This wasn’t so fair at all.

I was quick with the bath, and stepped out, taking a robe to cover my nakedness. It was at that moment that a knock sounded at the door. It was brisk, so it was definitely not Lynn.

“Who is it?” I asked calmly.

“Sir, I have to report something to you,” a feminine voice that sounded like Miss Freya, the maid called out.

I grunted as I pulled open the door. Freya stood at the door in her maid’s outfit as she held onto the tip of her cloth.

“What do you want?” I asked calmly.

She fidgeted slightly. “Sir Russo informed me to tell you that he had something important to discuss with you in the evening,” she said calmly.

I frowned. “Oh,” I said simply.

She nodded. “I was also told that you have to stay back after dinner,” she said politely.

Of course, I would have to stay back. I closed the door slightly as I tried to steady my breathing. What could be the issue? Did dad find out that I knew about mom? I don’t know. It may seem as though he was putting up an act downstairs. He didn’t need to tell the maids to talk to me. I was literally with him minutes ago, so something else was wrong. The problem was that I had no idea what that was.

“Oh, Lord! He mustn’t find out now, or I have no idea what I would do.” I muttered out loud.

It was best he remained in the dark till I thought about what I was going to do. It would be good for everyone, and mother needed me, and the treatment. Ok, I needed to stop overreacting. I would find out what the matter is at the dinner, and I was definitely sure that it wasn’t something I couldn’t possibly handle. Everything was going to be fine.

***

LYNETTE

I waited for sometime before I retired to my room. I couldn’t think of anything to do, so I took my time arranging my clothes in the wardrobe, and the ones I had used, I placed them in the laundry basket.

I took out the gift and placed it by my bedside. I had completely forgotten that I had to give Isabella the thing I bought at that market. I would definitely give her some at the dinner. It felt like it was decades since I ate dinner with the whole family.

I’m not sure how I would be able to handle that because of the revelations we had uncovered. Mother was literally stepping into another woman’s shoes without knowing. Plus, what would happen when the matter blows off? Would her husband be able to stand by her side? It was big scandal, and I cringed inwardly at what it all meant.

A knock...

I shoved the gifts under the draw beneath the bed. The bed had compartments, so that wasn’t actually hard to achieve.

“Come in,” I said calmly.

Mother grinned as she stepped into my room. For the first time, I took her in. She had such a healthy glow. She must have had so much fun in Paris, and I felt sorry for her because when the truth came out, there was no telling what the future held for her.

“Oh, my love!” She exclaimed.

I smiled softly at her. “Mother...”

She pushed a box into my hands and I looked at her inquisitively. “I got them for you. I needed to do something for you because I felt bad about all that happened, and it seemed like the right thing to do.”

I sighed, remembering the argument over the phone. Also, the fact I had not gone over to her or her husband when we got in, must create an impression that I was annoyed with her. I looked down at the box, and slowly appended it. There was a matching set of jewelries in there which must have cost a hand and a leg.

“You didn’t have to do this,” I said calmly.

“Nonsense,” mother said abruptly. “This is a makeup situation. I don’t want us to fight anymore, ok? I know that we have had our differences, but let’s start on a clean slate. This situation has given us hope to start afresh and we can’t mess it up, no matter what happens.”

I sighed. “Of course, mother.” I said softly.

She beamed at me. If only she knew that none of this was actually so simple. Everything that was happening now was going to get worse from here. But, I couldn’t tell her that. She was free to live in her world.

“So, tell me, how did you enjoy the party?”

Party?

What party?

Oh, the party?

Leone had sent me a message about that. I remember that now. I gave my best smile as mom looked at me expectantly. She was pretty excited about the whole thing, and I tried to brainstorm the lies I would actually spew right now.

“Well, it was so much fun,” I said calmly.

She smiled at me. “Really?”

I nodded firmly. “I mean, Leone’s friends are pretty cool, if I must say.

She slapped me on the arm playfully. “I bet you have a crush on one of them.”

I gulped. “No, not at all,” I spluttered.

She definitely didn’t believe me with that look she had on her face. But, I decided against defending my honour repeatedly. It would only make matters worse, and that was what I didn’t want at all.

“If you say so,” she said softly. She suddenly took my free hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. I really couldn’t process anything going on right now. Mother was getting a bit hard to follow through right now, and that was saying something. “I’m so glad that you’re making an effort. I had not expected it to be that fast, but I’m grateful all the same. You and Leone would be such fantastic half-siblings. He is the brother that I never got to give you, but he would protect you so well,” she said softly.

I cringed. Nope! I didn’t want Leone as a brother. And, we’ve done things that siblings didn’t do, and I couldn’t undo them. There was no way he was going to be my brother. I wouldn’t allow that at all. He was better off as a lover, though I couldn’t tell mom all these because she would definitely have a panic attack.

“Well, he makes it easy,” I said instead.

Mom laughed. “Of course he does. At least, he is warming up to you, but I keep thinking that he doesn’t like me one bit. Do you think he feels that I want to take his mom’s place?” She asked softly.

I mentally groaned. I wasn’t in the mood of this conversation and I had no idea when she would end it. It was always something or the other for her.

“I wouldn’t know, mom. Though, he isn’t a kid. Why would he think that?” I queried.

She laughed nervously. “I don’t know. Well, I guess it was just a silly thought. Forget I said anything. I just want you to be happy, and this family to be complete as it should.”

I smiled at her. “Of course.”

Mother got to her feet, and then pecked me on the forehead. It was a light touch of lips on flesh and I appreciated that a lot.

“I will see you at dinner. Come down when you can, so we can have a family moment,” she said softly.

I nodded softly She left me alone, and I kept thinking that my life was going to take a drastic turn now. The honeymoon phrase was over, and Mr Russo would make sure that I adapt, and I had the vague feeling he would have his eyes on me every step of the way.