Chapter 70: The Thought Of Him

Inez’s POV

Of course, I wanted to be anywhere else but home.

I didn’t want to be reminded of what Aunt Jeanette would howl when she get to know that I hadn’t stayed all night with Lola. By my guesstilations- she wouldn’t even know.

Mrs Miller was just the way I remembered her to be- she was always an advocate of one being moderately dressed no matter what time of the day it was.

I’d met her for the first time when Irene had taken me to the club where Mrs Miller and her husband played golf. Irene’s dad also played alongside them - so it was much easier for them to be close.

Then, the news about my mum being stalked had been well known in Sundale then. But mother would simply bury the whole talk whenever she was asked until she finally left me in Uncle Terry’s place.

“Welcome, Inez. You’ve grown way prettier than I used to know.” Mrs Miller said to me when her eyes crossed over to me.

From the way Irene had put it, Mrs Miller had been an althele when she was younger. She had a keen eyes when it came to long jumps - perhaps it was ironic that she could tell a bad person from a good person just at one glance.

She had long legs which on no account would she reveal - except at goofing of course.

But she was quite judgemental, with her movements and her snide passing comments. Asides all that, she was a great person.

“Thank you, ma’am.” I flashed a warm smile.

“Reilly will show you to the guest room where you will shower and rest. You can come downstairs afterwards and eat supper with us.” She said, “Reilly!” she called over her shoulder.

Reilly who I had seen twice while we were much younger turned her attention towards us. She had hazel eyes like Leo. Then she strolled over from where she’d been chatting away with Irene and Leo. She was dressed in an open shirt which exposed the white tee she’d worn within, black pants, her hair trimmed in a boyish style.

Reilly’s lips spread wide when she sauntered close to us.

“Show Inez to the guest room, will you? And help her with a lot of lily soaps so she smell absolutely adorable.” Mrs Miller shot me a smile that didn’t meet her eyes.

As soon as Mrs Miller turned from us, I shot a hand up and sniffed my armpit. “Do I smell horribly?”

Reilly waggled her brows. “No.”

I attempted to correct what Mrs. Miller had said about me using the Lily soaps but I stopped.

“Don’t mind my mother, she can be a little dramatic sometimes. But she meant no harm.” Reilly put in.

I tried a wry smile.

We passed into a hallway which held another parlour by the side. It was way different from the main one I had seen. My mouth fell open at the exquisite colours that polished the room. A furnace was at the right edge of the building and classic music spurn from somewhere across the ceiling.

“Dad had a knack for hiding technical gadgets - something like the speakers - so they don’t clutter around,” Reilly explained when she noticed the way my eyes pried the room.

I had only seen their dad once - on the golf field - from afar. They had a portrait of him hung in this sitting room. He was smiling boldly - her hair blond just like Reilly. Leo on the other hand took his semblance from his mother.

“Mum gathered up what dad loved, added some finishing touches when she had this room renovated. It’s basically just a relaxing room. Dad would be so proud of mum if he were alive.” Reilly continued.

Irene hadn’t told me much about Leo’s father. And I didn’t want to pry into his family. It would seem unreasonable so.

“I’m so sorry about your dad.”

Reilly shrugged. “That’s okay.”

“Here we are.” Reilly pressed the button of door and the door swung open. The room was on the far left wing from where we’d left the main sitting room.

We barreled through the door. The room was an exquisite room itself. Chandeliers like that from the relaxing room lit the room as we walked in. There was a wardrobe standing on one end of the room.

My eyes flopped to the bed.

God! It was made for a king. It was layered with a heavy quilt that had butterfly patterns on it. It was a bed huge enough to fit Irene, Leo, Adrian and even I.

Heat rushed to my cheeks when the memory of Adrian and I sharing a bed resurrected. I was terrible when it came to sharing a bed. I was beginning to worry if I were the only one sleeping in it.

“Is Irene not sharing the bed with me?” I asked Reilly.

Reilly pursed her lips. “If she wants to. She haven’t decided.”

What the hell was she still doing with Leo?

She definitely was beginning to find Leo attractive, I concluded.

Reilly opened the wardrobe open and I let out a gasp. Polished gowns, nighties and shirt gowns lined the interior.

“This used to be my older sister’s room. Now she is married. Mum made the clothes remained here still in case Marilyn returns for a visit or any other occasion. But we all know Marilyn hardly ever comes here.” Reilly shrugged again.

“So, who will wear all these?”

“Visitors perhaps. Mum have them changed every fortnight.”

I didn’t think I had to think about new clothes if I were Mrs Miller’s daughter. Nah, I shook my head - I shouldn’t be wishing to be someone else daughter.

I once lived this life but that was when I was a child. I didn’t think I remembered much of it anyway.

“You can get changed in any of it.” Reilly put in. “That’s all for now. I would advise you not to wear a nightie and join us for supper. Mum doesn’t like to see revealing skin.” She whispered.

I let out a laugh without meaning to. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh.”

“It’s alright, I get it. I brought my girlfriend home sometime ago. Mum threw a fit that she wore skirts way up her thighs.”

“Your girlfriend?”

“Yep.” Reilly nodded.

If Mrs Miller didn’t like improper dressing, wouldn’t she have a thing against a girl having feelings for a girl?

But I didn’t push for any information.

“I will leave you be then.”

“Thank you, Reilly. But you do know that you will make a lovely guide or even a speaker.” I said that without thinking much about it.

Reilly turned back to face me, surprise lit her face. “You think so?”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“Marilyn said something like that as well. Leo thinks I’m way too much.”

“You should think about it. It makes you stand out.” I winked.

She exposed her perfect dentition.

Who was I to give her an advice?

I still haven’t settled for one particular extra curricular skill even in school. I was still undecided what I needed to settle for.

But Reilly was so glaring in the way she spoke. When she speak - she literally owned the room.

“You are a great listener as well, Inez. Although, I don’t know much details about you-you seemed well interested in whatever I had said. You will make a great friend.”

Friend? Was that all ever that would become of me?

I shot her a smile.

Everyone had me as a friend - that was why it was easy enough for both Ethan who started out as my friend before he became my boyfriend to hurt me.

What about Darien?

It was so much easy for him to deceive me as well- making me believe he meant well for me. At the end of the day, the only friend who ever stood the test of time was Irene.

But if the worse crosses down on us - would I ever bring myself to forgive Irene?

Or would I end up being the toxic one at the end of the day?

I hoped that day never happened.

Maybe part of my fear for not accepting Adrian was because of what Irene would make of it. Would she be comfortable with the idea that her bestfriend was in love with her own brother? Maybe, if we looked past what i thought would be best - marking that first step would be me accepting Adrian.

"Adrian..." his name drifted from my lips.

I wanted to see him.

Would he also have a room to himself or he would preferably share a room with his bestfriend?

Reilly was kind enough to leave me to my thoughts. I stepped into the bathroom, identified the lily soaps, pulled out from my uniform then I turned on the shower.

Then the lyrics of 'Titanium' began to tear out from my mouth as my mind watlzed over the events of the day.

I heard a knock- I'd thought it was a figment of my own imagination.

"I didn't know you were such a good singer. "

Then I snapped the shower off.

I heard that.

Oh, yes. I heard that.

Someone had uttered something. "Irene, is that you?" I yelled.

"It's me."

I know that voice.

Adrian?

Goosebumps washed over me.

What the hell was he doing here?