The Lonely Winter
Chapter One
Alessia Enola
Look, I never signed up for this. Never. Not once did I say to my mom, “send me off to work as a maid for the richest family in the state of Idaho.” And yet here I am. My life was perfect. The most wonderful life a girl could ask for until the tragedy happened. Then my life was ruined forever.
My name is Alessia Enola and here is my story.
Today is Monday, the first day of the week and the last day of summer. It's been uncommonly warm this year and none of the trees have changed colors yet.And since tomorrow is the first day of fall it's also the first day my mom starts the next year of homeschool. My dad decided to take off work today to spend time with us before we have to get into the new routine of school with our cousins every morning.
I wake up 2 hours before everyone else every day but today dad is ready for me. He surprises me and says we can have the morning all to ourselves just me and him. I’m so excited I put my pants on backwards. Dad and I almost never have time together, just the two of us let alone two hours of it! I quietly head downstairs and me and Dad walk to my favorite restaurant.
The restaurant is only 2 miles away so it is an easy walking distance. During our hike we talked about the randomest things. Dad first reminds me of the dating rules. I laugh and tell him I don’t plan on dating anytime soon.
“But if you do. That boy needs to pass my inspection first.” he says, trying to be serious but utterly failing.
“Your standards are really high though!” I say in a whiny tone, playing along with his little game.
“Exactly! That means it's gonna be a while before you date.” Dad says his eyes are shining. We both laugh at how stupid this conversation is and we play the random facts game. Dad always wins this game.
After about 15 minutes of weird facts dad tops off the list again!
“Did you know that the first person caught speeding was going a whopping 8mph?” he asks.
“Okay that is pretty random.” I admit. We arrive at the restaurant and order breakfast. Dad orders a pile of pancakes with extra whip cream.
When the food finally arrives dad ends up getting whip cream all over his face. I’m drinking my coffee when this happens and I almost spit it out at the sight of him. He looks like a legitimate 2 year old. The strange face he makes is too much and the coffee comes spewing out of my mouth.
Lucky for us it's early so there’s almost no one else in the restaurant. We both laugh at the ridiculous scene the other has caused. We laugh way to loud and a grumpy voice hollers out,
“KEEP IT DOWN OVER THERE WILL YA?!”
This just adds to the silliness and I almost choke on air trying not to laugh again. I see dad is having the same struggle which makes me feel slightly better but also adds to the challenge of not laughing.
Eventually we get control of ourselves and resume eating. We finish without too much chaos and we start walking home.
“Alessia, it's your birthday next week Monday and I have no idea what to get you.” dad says suddenly. I ponder over this for a while and come up with something.
‘"I just want another moment like this dad. It's perfect.” I say.
“I think I can manage that.” The sparkle in his eye makes me believe him even more.
1 week later…
The day of the tragedy was the most perfect fall day. The sun’s rays shone through the leaves of the vibrant trees. The colors danced around our kitchen. My mother was humming a song in the kitchen and flipping pancakes that would be our family’s breakfast that morning.
“Morning Mom!” I say cheerfully.
“Happy Birthday Alessia!” she replies in the same joyful tone.
I had almost forgotten it was my 17th birthday today! I take a seat at the table and stare at the gorgeous trees. My eyes fall on a red leaf as it falls from the tree. I watch its descent to the ground and I watch as the wind carries it off through the yard.
My mom sets a plate of steaming pancakes in front of me and I breathe in the smell. She made her special pumpkin pancakes this morning. That means she’s in a good mood.
One by one my siblings file into the dining room. I’m 17 and the eldest of 5 girls. My sisters are, Alice who is 13, Anika who is 11, Ashley who is 9, and finally Amellia who is 5.
Mom sets plates of pancakes in front of their spots as well. Dad comes into the kitchen as well and wraps his arms gently around her waist. He begins to sing the song she was humming just minutes before. Now you need to know that my dad has the most beautiful voice when he sings and all my siblings are silent from the moment he sings the first word.
My mom and him dance to the song for a while before he brings her closer and kisses her tenderly on the lips. They break apart and mom goes back to making pancakes, although she does so with an even happier mood. She smiles as she flips the breakfast delicacies.
Dad trudges over to the table and plops down next to Amellia. She is obviously his favorite daughter but he does a good job of loving us all in different ways. He makes a face out of whip cream on his pancake and proudly shows us and it's so ridiculous we can’t help but laugh. Dad laughs too and his laugh is just musical. His laugh can make anyone else laugh with him, it's like magic. Dad is magic. He can always fit in a story or family time with us no matter how crammed his agenda is that day. He always makes a way.
Dad and Amellia race to see who can finish their pancakes first. Dad always wins this contest but Amellia tries just as hard every time.
I look at dad, he’s got some gray starting in his jet black hair but it's almost unnoticeable unless you know where to look. His blue eyes shine as they usually do when he’s happy.
“Happy Birthday Alessia!” dad says.
“Thanks.”
“After work today, I’m gonna give you your birthday present,” he says. My face must have lit up because he laughs. I recall his promise to give me time alone with him and I can't wait for him to get home from work.
Soon Dad heads out to work and mom walks downstairs to set up school for the day. She homeschools our family and our cousins who live just a few houses down.
I hear my cousins knocking on the door and hurry to open it. My cousins are all 12 and younger so my siblings all have someone their age to hang out with and I don't.
We are homeschooled because my mom wanted to be a teacher but never had enough money to go to college. She never complained once and she was happy enough to just teach our family and my 5 cousins.
My dad pretty much supplied for the family, financially anyway. Even though money was tight sometimes we managed just fine. Although I’m sure if we had to provide Christian education for 5 girls we would be broke for sure. So my mother supplied the family with love and education.
I had one more year of school and then I could get a job and start saving for my own family I hoped to have one day.
I herded my cousins to the school room and told my sisters to hurry up with breakfast. My mom was just setting out the lesson plans when my sisters came thumping down the stairs. We all sat at our desks and began our work. Mom personally tutors the younger kids but everyone older than 10 just does it on their own. Occasionally there is a video to watch but otherwise it's just textbooks and worksheets.
We finished early today so my cousins and my sister went outside to play in the leaves while I helped mom prepare lunch. I was just slathering on the jelly to the last sandwich when mom’s phone rang. She gave me an apologetic glance and headed to her bedroom to answer it.
I completed the task of making lunch and setting the table when she came back out puffy eyed and crying.
“Mom, what was the call about?” I was very concerned.
“It's your father.” she says between sobs.
“What about him?” I ask, even more worried than before.
“He was in an accident and the ambulance got there in time to take him to the hospital but they think he has a fatal injury.” she says, beginning to sob uncontrollably now.
The front door bangs open and Amellia parades into the house demanding lunch. She doesn't bat an eye at mom’s tear streaked face and just begins to munch on lunch as if she has not a care in the world. Soon everyone else enters and Alice is far more observant to mom’s current emotional state. She raises an eyebrow at me and I shake my head as discreetly as I can manage, hoping that she won’t ask. But it's Alice and not once has she ever listened to me or my advice.
“Mom, what's wrong?” she asks. I shake my head harder but it's too late the question has been asked.
“I’ll explain later. Eat your food.” she disappears into the bedroom. Silence follows and I hear my mother’s sobs echoing throughout the house.
My cousins leave shortly after and I knock on my mom’s door and tell her that the Bremers are gone. She opens the door and heads upstairs to my sister’s bedroom. She raps on everyone’s room door twice. This is our family’s signal to meet in the living room. My mom descends the stairs quietly. Less than 15 seconds later doors swing open and feet thunder down the stairs.
All my sisters pop a seat on the couch and stare at my mom intently, obviously waiting for her to expand on the situation.
“Your father was in a car accident. And he is seriously hurt.” my mother says, her eyes glistening with tears.
“Did he get a scrape?” Amellia asks innocently.
“He probably did honey. But he also broke some bones and other problems too.” My mom explains gently.
“Oh, like a big bruise?” Amellia inquires.
“I'm sure he has a big bruise too.” Mom says the thickness in her voice is increasing
“But daddy is strong! He’s my super hero. He will get better!” Amellia says.
“Daddy…” my mom’s voice breaks and she looks to me to continue.
“Daddy is in the hospital Amellia.” I look at her and see her eyes widen slightly.
“You know what that is right?” I ask. She nods looking scared now.
“Daddy will be okay.” she says firmly.
“Can we visit him?” Anika asks quietly.
We all look up at my mom whose green eyes are filled with tears. Seeing my mom like this, broken, distraught, makes me feel strong like I need to do what she can't. But at the same time seeing mom like this scares me. The last time she acted like this was when grandpa died.
“Get in the car girls.” she whispers.
We all run to the car and climb in. My mom lets me drive. It takes 30 minutes to get to the hospital and once we find a parking spot we practically sprint to the entrance. We find out what room dad is in and race down the hallways until we come to room #4514.
We burst into the room and all gasp simultaneously when we see dad. There are multiple different machines around him and he has breathing tubes hooked up to his nose. He has a large bump on the side of his head and his arm is bent at an unsettling angle.
“Daddy!” Amellia squeals and bounds towards the bed.
“Hey little angel!” Dad says. His tone is joyful but his eyes are full of pain and worry. His eyes aren't sparkling like they usually do. They've turned a dull cloudy blue color not the beautiful icy blue they used to be.
A nurse enters the room and asks to speak to mom privately. Mom and the nurse exit the room and an uneasy silence follows.
“Alessia come here. “ Dad calls. I hurry over and kneel by the bed. I grasp his hand tightly in mine.
“Alessia, do you know what your name means?” Dad inquires. I have no idea what brought about this question but I answer anyway.
“Yes, it means warrior.” I reply. Dad smiles at me.
“You must live up to that name Alessia.” He tells me.
“You want me to fight?” I ask, confused now.
“In a way. Only you are thinking of a fight with weapons. But that's not what I mean.” He says confusing me even more thoroughly.
“I'm confused.” I confess.
“You'll know someday.” He smiles at me and calls Ashley over.
I stumble back to the bench and ponder over what he possibly could have meant. One by one he calls all of us over and tells us all something. Although his voice does weaken and his breathing becomes more labored every minute that passes.
Mom enters the room with the nurse and rushes over to dad. She holds his hand and cries and whispers something to him. He squeezes her hand and strokes her hair with his free hand.
“It's gonna be okay Julie.” He says softly. He begins to sing the song they danced to just this morning. It's too much for mom and she sobs harder and he holds her like she's the one who's hurt. Dad's always been like that, always watching out for us and caring for us more than himself. It breaks my heart to see him like this.
“Take care of them.” Dad says but he doesn't say it to mom he looks directly at me when he says it. Mom doesn't notice that but I do. I nod and he smiles at me. Then he lays his head on the pillow and his blue eyes, now faded, stare unblinking at the ceiling.
Mom screams and begins to weep now. Tears fall from her eyes and hit the floor like diamonds raining from the sky. She lays her head on top of his chest and holds his hand.
“Why is mommy so sad?” Amellia asks, looking at me. I search my brain for some explanation she’ll understand. But how can I explain this to her when I don’t fully understand what happened myself? I eventually settle on short and blunt.
“Mommy is sad because daddy…” my voice breaks and the tears begin to flow. They flow down my cheeks like a river. Mom is a pretty crier with her shimmering tears and slightly pink nose. Me on the other hand am probably the ugliest crier in existence. My tears come fast and make trails down my cheeks leaving my cheeks moist and my face turns tomato red and my eyes get puffy.
The full reality of this new way of life hits me suddenly. If dad is gone, who's gonna bring in the money? We're really tight on money currently and if mom got a job it wouldn't pay nearly as much as dad’s did. And even if she could find a job soon, who would watch my siblings? Well we could send them to school but enrolling 5 kids in school is gonna cost a lot of money. Money that we don’t have.
Why am I thinking about that? That’s mom’s problem, not mine. Then I recall dad’s words to me. Take care of them. He wants me to take care of them. Mom is going to be too lost in grief for a while to even think about this. I’m gonna need to step into the role dad played in the family. But how? I’m only 17 there’s no way I'll be able to make as much money as dad! And why would I have to work? Mom could get a job and I could teach my siblings. That might work.
Thinking of dad makes me remember something else. His promise. The promise he never kept. The birthday present that he’ll never be able to give. The cold truth of this clenches my heart like an iron fist. My dad died on my birthday. I’ll never see him again. Never hear his voice. Never hear him sing. Never see the sparkle in his eye. Never experience the love that he always had. I’ll never laugh with him or talk with him. I’ll never be with him again.
Fat tears roll down my cheeks and hit the floor splatter like rain drops and they just keep coming harder and faster. I begin to full on sob and can’t stop. Little Amellia doesn't understand and joyfully skips over to the bed where my dead father is lying.
“Daddy? Can you come play with me?” she asks innocently. It's too much for mom and she leaves the room.
“Amellia, he can't play with you.” Alice says.
“Why not?” Amellia demands.
“Because he’s dead, Amellia.” Alice says. I see the tears in her eyes as well.
“Why?” Amellia asks, obviously not grasping what’s happening.
“Amellia, do you remember Bo?” I ask, referring to our dog who had died last year.
“Yes. Bo was a good doggy.” she says. “But he died. And he not coming back.”
“Yeah, just like that. But daddy died too Amellia just like Bo did and daddy’s not coming back either. He can’t play a game with you Amellia.” I say gently. I watch as her eyes go back to dad just lying on the bed. She looks at him and I see the realization come to her eyes and she crawls into bed next to him and hugs him and cries.
Seeing Amellia,who is a meer five year old, act like this is heartbreaking. She never cries even if she’s hurt. The last time she did was when Bo died.
The nurse exits the room to give us some space. I stare over at the bed, at my father who was sitting at the kitchen table with us just 5 hours ago. I watch as Amellia and mom hang on to dad and cry. I want to hug him but I know the usual warmth I feel in his hugs won’t be there. It's his love that makes hugs amazing, not just his arms.
Mom eventually sits up and I look at her face. Her mascara is smeared all down her cheeks and her entire face and wet from tears. She pries Amellia off Dad gently and carries her out of the room. We all follow silently down the hall and out the doors.
No one speaks on the way home. No one tries to comfort each other because we all know that nothing anyone says can ease the pain we all share. We come to a stop sign and I glance over at mom sitting in the passenger seat. Silent tears roll down her face as she gazes out the window.
How will our family ever heal from this? Then I remember something Dad said when Grandpa died.
“Death is like a stab to the heart. The wound will heal over and become a faded scar. But it's still there and it will hurt every now and then.” and so far he’s been right. Grandpa’s death hurt in the moment but over time it became less painful. And every so often I would think of him and it would hurt but not as much as the initial couple weeks.
Thinking of Dad makes me begin to cry all over again. I try to blink back the tears as they blur my vision but they just keep coming like an endless stream of sorrow.
Chapter Two
Lucas Williams
I began my job as a servant in the Gordon's home when I turned 15. I’ve been working here for 3 years now ever since my mother fell ill. She has been in bed for years now and miraculously is still alive. Since my father left us 5 years ago it's been a constant struggle to provide for a family of 5; it's my mother, me, my brother and 2 sisters. We eventually managed without my father for a while but once my mother became sick it was up to me to bring in the money.
Now most 18 year old boys are off hanging out with friends and girlfriends but I have never had many friends or a girlfriend for that matter. I’ve always been a solitary person and always kept to myself. The new way of life as a servant was a strange feeling for me. Not only did I have to be around people but I had to serve them.
And the Gordon’s are not the most compassionate family. They say that in order to be hired you must stay for 5 years at least. I believe they do this because they whip their servants like slaves when they do things incorrectly. But we get paid so we aren’t technically slaves although it sure feels like it.
“LUCAS!” I hear Mr. Gordon calling for me. I hurry over almost tripping in my rush. I stand beside him waiting to do his bidding.
“The laundry needs folding and ironing.” he says harshly.
“Yes sir.” I scurry over to the laundry room. I’m the only servant they have because the others escaped under the cover of darkness. Now as I am the only servant they have I have to do 3x as many chores as I used to. I long for a friend but at the same time I desperately hope that no one else will have to come to the same fate I have.
I finish ironing the clothes and begin to precariously fold them in the neat fashion the Gordons demand. I hang up the dress of Natalie, the Gordons only child. Normally only childs are spoiled brats but Natalie is actually quite nice. I have spoken with her on several occasions but only briefly. For Mrs. Gordon scolds her daughter for talking to a servant. But Natalie is obviously lonely and in need of a true friend. Her mother has plenty of rich friends with daughters that Natalie occasionally hangs out with but I can tell she does it only to please her mother.
Natalie is 16 and quite pretty. I have never felt anything romantic towards her, just pity. It is plain that she despises the life she has been born into, I'm sure I would too if I were her.
I fold the last Item of clothing and begin to place them in the correct rooms they go. I knock on Natalie’s door before I enter. There is a quiet response and I enter silently and place her clothes in her huge closet. As I'm about to exit she calls for me.
“Yes?” I ask.
“Lucas, I’m so very sorry for what my father did to you yesterday.” she says. I see she is close to tears.
“Natalie, it wasn't your fault.” I say
“Yes it was. If I hadn’t spoken to you, he wouldn’t have punished you.” She said, The tears flow down her face. I have no idea what to do. Should I say something? Hug her and say I'm alright?
I head over to her bed and sit next to her.
“Why are you still nice to me?” she asks.
“Because I can tell that you’re different from your family and I admire you for it.” I say, shocked at the words that just came out of my mouth. I can tell she’s shocked too but I see her eyes light up.
“Really? You don’t think I'm like them?” she asks hopefully. I'm about to answer when I hear Mr. Gordon’s heavy footsteps ascending the stairs.
“Nothing like them at all.” I say as I hurriedly exit her room. I catch a glimpse of a smile on her face as I leave.
“What were you doing in my daughter’s room?!” Mr. Gordon demands angrily.
“Putting her laundry away.” I say calmly. I've learned after 3 years being a servant here, the best way to stay out of trouble is to act calm like you did nothing wrong.
Mr. Gordon eyes me carefully but appears to come to the conclusion that I’m telling the truth.
“Well your next task will be to mow our lawn.” he says wickedly. I almost complain but hold my tongue and trudge downstairs to mow the lawn. The Gordons’ lawn is HUGE! They have 6 acres and they expect all of it to be mowed.
Even though they are filthy rich they still only own a push mower. SO for 5 hours I push the lawn mower all around their yard. Even though it's fall it's still so miserably hot out here in the sun. By the time I’m finished I have sweat pouring down my face and back. I head back inside. A cool blast of air hits me and it feels extremely refreshing.
I am dying to go plop down on the couch and relax but I know that Mr. Gordon would have a heart attack if he saw me not working. I glumly search for Mr. Gordon. I find him watching TV downstairs. The Gordons have 5 Tv’s that I know of and so much other stuff that screams “rich people live here!”
“Lucas! Get to work making dinner, it's almost 6 o’clock for crying out loud!” Mr. Gordon shouts at me. I hurry to the kitchen. What to make. I finally decided on a chicken bacon casserole. I know this is Natalie’s favorite and if I have to make supper I might as well make Natalie a little less miserable. Right?
At dinner…
“Edward. I got a call today.” Mrs. Gordon says at supper.
“About what dear?”
“It's about a 17 year old girl who is looking for work and she is willing to be a servant for us.” Mrs. Gordon answers.
“Well I don’t know dear.” Mr. Gordon says hesitantly.
“Oh come on Ed. We lost 3 servants in the past week. We need at least one replacement.” Mrs. Gordon sounds almost whiny.
“If you wish Mary.” Mr. Gordon says giving in finally.
Chapter Three
Alessia Enola
It's been 1 day since dad died and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that he’s not coming back. I’m almost as bad as Amellia. I stare at my phone, I can’t believe I actually sent it. I actually offered to work for a bunch of rich snobs. I think about deleting it, unsending it or something to reverse my foolish act that I made in a time of despair and I don’t know something else. Some other emotion I can’t put my finger on.
A response comes within 5 minutes. They agreed to let me work for them. An address and time for my arrival for the first day of work was also sent. I almost cry. But I won’t actually, correction, I can’t. I’ve cried too many tears to shed any more.
I rush downstairs waving my phone around in the air like it's some amazing proof of a discovery and a cause for celebration. Which in a way it is.
“ALESSIA! DO NOT RUN IN MY HOUSE!” mom has been really short the last day and half since dad died. It's her way of dealing with grief. First the tears, then the anger, and finally hiding. She hides away in her room hoping that not acknowledging something will make it so it's never happened. That’s what she did when Grandpa died. Thankfully we were not to the hiding stage yet. Dad had to make supper for the next week and mom is a wayyyy better cook than him. Like his food is edible but still.
“Mom. I got a job.” I say.
“YOU DID WHAT?!” she screams.
Okay not gonna lie, that was not the reaction I was expecting. Like seriously mom I just gave up the next 5 years of my life to support the family. Like your welcome!
“Yeah. Well I figured since dad did most of the work and made most of the money someone else was gonna need to make the money and you're teaching my sisters and cousins…”
“YOU THINK I CAN’T SUPPORT THE FAMILY!?” mom demands. I’m beginning to regret my life choice even more now,
“Um… well… I… Mom, I have to do this now. They want me at their house at 6 AM tomorrow.” I splutter.
“LOOK YOU CAN’T JUST DO THAT!”
“But I did and I'm committed now. I’m sorry that dad died. Believe me I am but you can’t just go around treating the rest of us like this.” I say. I instantly regret them.
“DO NOT TALK TO ME THAT WAY YOUNG LADY.” mom screeches.
“Well I'm leaving now. I guess I’ll just get there early then.” I storm out of the living room. I refuse to cry. I will not. But it's hard, not only have I lost dad, in a way I’ve also lost mom too.
Chapter Four
Lucas Williams
I hear the Gordons arguing across the hallway. This isn’t extremely uncommon. But it's still annoying. I hate it when married couples argue and yell. It makes me incredibly sad and miserable for them.
Then I hear something that slightly interests me.
“But what about Lucas?” Mrs. Gordon shouts.
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him dear.” Mr. Gordon replies. I am extremely tempted to barge in and demand answers but that very well might get me fired.
“Fair point. But the girl. She can’t know either. It would put Natalie in danger.” Mrs. Gordon says quietly.
I can’t hear anymore because they’ve begun to whisper now. But I want to know. What don’t I know? What’s gonna put Natalie in danger? Are the Gordons actually involved in some sort of crime? Am I working for criminals?!
DING DONG! I hear the doorbell ring.
“LUCAS GET THE DOOR!” I hear Mr. Gordon shout. I scurry down the stairs and open the door. I inhale way too fast and almost choke. The girl at the door is beautiful. She has a slender build and looks athletic and her jaw is very defined. Her skin is a gorgeous tan like she’s been outside a lot. And her hair is like 5 different shades. At the top it's a dirty blond and gets lighter the further down it is. And she has different highlights as well. Light brown and some blond as well. Her hair flows neatly down her shoulders.
“Ummm hi. Please stop staring at me like I'm some foreign object from China. And where is Mrs. Gordon.” she says. I blush hard. Was it really that obvious that I was staring at her? I noticed her eyes. They are dark blue around the outside then they turn a lighter shade and begin to change to teal and then green…
“You’re doing it again!” the girl says exasperated. I turn an even darker shade of red. I try to look everywhere but her. But my eyes keep wandering back to her. For once Mr. Gordon saves me.
“Lucas! I said answer the door and get us, not to stand there and do nothing!” he says sharply. The girl rolls her eyes. Oh and she has an attitude! Oh she’s perfect.
“Who are you?” Mr. GOrdon demands.
“I'm Alessia Enola, your new servant girl. I was supposed to get here tomorrow morning but…” Alessia trailed off. Mr. Gordon seems to ignore the fact that she has ended her sentence abruptly and calls down Mrs. Gordon.
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Alessia Enola
Look, I never signed up for this. Never. Not once did I say to my mom, “send me off to work as a maid for the richest family in the state of Idaho.” And yet here I am. My life was perfect. The most wonderful life a girl could ask for until the tragedy happened. Then my life was ruined forever.
My name is Alessia Enola and here is my story.
Today is Monday, the first day of the week and the last day of summer. It's been uncommonly warm this year and none of the trees have changed colors yet.And since tomorrow is the first day of fall it's also the first day my mom starts the next year of homeschool. My dad decided to take off work today to spend time with us before we have to get into the new routine of school with our cousins every morning.
I wake up 2 hours before everyone else every day but today dad is ready for me. He surprises me and says we can have the morning all to ourselves just me and him. I’m so excited I put my pants on backwards. Dad and I almost never have time together, just the two of us let alone two hours of it! I quietly head downstairs and me and Dad walk to my favorite restaurant.
The restaurant is only 2 miles away so it is an easy walking distance. During our hike we talked about the randomest things. Dad first reminds me of the dating rules. I laugh and tell him I don’t plan on dating anytime soon.
“But if you do. That boy needs to pass my inspection first.” he says, trying to be serious but utterly failing.
“Your standards are really high though!” I say in a whiny tone, playing along with his little game.
“Exactly! That means it's gonna be a while before you date.” Dad says his eyes are shining. We both laugh at how stupid this conversation is and we play the random facts game. Dad always wins this game.
After about 15 minutes of weird facts dad tops off the list again!
“Did you know that the first person caught speeding was going a whopping 8mph?” he asks.
“Okay that is pretty random.” I admit. We arrive at the restaurant and order breakfast. Dad orders a pile of pancakes with extra whip cream.
When the food finally arrives dad ends up getting whip cream all over his face. I’m drinking my coffee when this happens and I almost spit it out at the sight of him. He looks like a legitimate 2 year old. The strange face he makes is too much and the coffee comes spewing out of my mouth.
Lucky for us it's early so there’s almost no one else in the restaurant. We both laugh at the ridiculous scene the other has caused. We laugh way to loud and a grumpy voice hollers out,
“KEEP IT DOWN OVER THERE WILL YA?!”
This just adds to the silliness and I almost choke on air trying not to laugh again. I see dad is having the same struggle which makes me feel slightly better but also adds to the challenge of not laughing.
Eventually we get control of ourselves and resume eating. We finish without too much chaos and we start walking home.
“Alessia, it's your birthday next week Monday and I have no idea what to get you.” dad says suddenly. I ponder over this for a while and come up with something.
‘"I just want another moment like this dad. It's perfect.” I say.
“I think I can manage that.” The sparkle in his eye makes me believe him even more.
1 week later…
The day of the tragedy was the most perfect fall day. The sun’s rays shone through the leaves of the vibrant trees. The colors danced around our kitchen. My mother was humming a song in the kitchen and flipping pancakes that would be our family’s breakfast that morning.
“Morning Mom!” I say cheerfully.
“Happy Birthday Alessia!” she replies in the same joyful tone.
I had almost forgotten it was my 17th birthday today! I take a seat at the table and stare at the gorgeous trees. My eyes fall on a red leaf as it falls from the tree. I watch its descent to the ground and I watch as the wind carries it off through the yard.
My mom sets a plate of steaming pancakes in front of me and I breathe in the smell. She made her special pumpkin pancakes this morning. That means she’s in a good mood.
One by one my siblings file into the dining room. I’m 17 and the eldest of 5 girls. My sisters are, Alice who is 13, Anika who is 11, Ashley who is 9, and finally Amellia who is 5.
Mom sets plates of pancakes in front of their spots as well. Dad comes into the kitchen as well and wraps his arms gently around her waist. He begins to sing the song she was humming just minutes before. Now you need to know that my dad has the most beautiful voice when he sings and all my siblings are silent from the moment he sings the first word.
My mom and him dance to the song for a while before he brings her closer and kisses her tenderly on the lips. They break apart and mom goes back to making pancakes, although she does so with an even happier mood. She smiles as she flips the breakfast delicacies.
Dad trudges over to the table and plops down next to Amellia. She is obviously his favorite daughter but he does a good job of loving us all in different ways. He makes a face out of whip cream on his pancake and proudly shows us and it's so ridiculous we can’t help but laugh. Dad laughs too and his laugh is just musical. His laugh can make anyone else laugh with him, it's like magic. Dad is magic. He can always fit in a story or family time with us no matter how crammed his agenda is that day. He always makes a way.
Dad and Amellia race to see who can finish their pancakes first. Dad always wins this contest but Amellia tries just as hard every time.
I look at dad, he’s got some gray starting in his jet black hair but it's almost unnoticeable unless you know where to look. His blue eyes shine as they usually do when he’s happy.
“Happy Birthday Alessia!” dad says.
“Thanks.”
“After work today, I’m gonna give you your birthday present,” he says. My face must have lit up because he laughs. I recall his promise to give me time alone with him and I can't wait for him to get home from work.
Soon Dad heads out to work and mom walks downstairs to set up school for the day. She homeschools our family and our cousins who live just a few houses down.
I hear my cousins knocking on the door and hurry to open it. My cousins are all 12 and younger so my siblings all have someone their age to hang out with and I don't.
We are homeschooled because my mom wanted to be a teacher but never had enough money to go to college. She never complained once and she was happy enough to just teach our family and my 5 cousins.
My dad pretty much supplied for the family, financially anyway. Even though money was tight sometimes we managed just fine. Although I’m sure if we had to provide Christian education for 5 girls we would be broke for sure. So my mother supplied the family with love and education.
I had one more year of school and then I could get a job and start saving for my own family I hoped to have one day.
I herded my cousins to the school room and told my sisters to hurry up with breakfast. My mom was just setting out the lesson plans when my sisters came thumping down the stairs. We all sat at our desks and began our work. Mom personally tutors the younger kids but everyone older than 10 just does it on their own. Occasionally there is a video to watch but otherwise it's just textbooks and worksheets.
We finished early today so my cousins and my sister went outside to play in the leaves while I helped mom prepare lunch. I was just slathering on the jelly to the last sandwich when mom’s phone rang. She gave me an apologetic glance and headed to her bedroom to answer it.
I completed the task of making lunch and setting the table when she came back out puffy eyed and crying.
“Mom, what was the call about?” I was very concerned.
“It's your father.” she says between sobs.
“What about him?” I ask, even more worried than before.
“He was in an accident and the ambulance got there in time to take him to the hospital but they think he has a fatal injury.” she says, beginning to sob uncontrollably now.
The front door bangs open and Amellia parades into the house demanding lunch. She doesn't bat an eye at mom’s tear streaked face and just begins to munch on lunch as if she has not a care in the world. Soon everyone else enters and Alice is far more observant to mom’s current emotional state. She raises an eyebrow at me and I shake my head as discreetly as I can manage, hoping that she won’t ask. But it's Alice and not once has she ever listened to me or my advice.
“Mom, what's wrong?” she asks. I shake my head harder but it's too late the question has been asked.
“I’ll explain later. Eat your food.” she disappears into the bedroom. Silence follows and I hear my mother’s sobs echoing throughout the house.
My cousins leave shortly after and I knock on my mom’s door and tell her that the Bremers are gone. She opens the door and heads upstairs to my sister’s bedroom. She raps on everyone’s room door twice. This is our family’s signal to meet in the living room. My mom descends the stairs quietly. Less than 15 seconds later doors swing open and feet thunder down the stairs.
All my sisters pop a seat on the couch and stare at my mom intently, obviously waiting for her to expand on the situation.
“Your father was in a car accident. And he is seriously hurt.” my mother says, her eyes glistening with tears.
“Did he get a scrape?” Amellia asks innocently.
“He probably did honey. But he also broke some bones and other problems too.” My mom explains gently.
“Oh, like a big bruise?” Amellia inquires.
“I'm sure he has a big bruise too.” Mom says the thickness in her voice is increasing
“But daddy is strong! He’s my super hero. He will get better!” Amellia says.
“Daddy…” my mom’s voice breaks and she looks to me to continue.
“Daddy is in the hospital Amellia.” I look at her and see her eyes widen slightly.
“You know what that is right?” I ask. She nods looking scared now.
“Daddy will be okay.” she says firmly.
“Can we visit him?” Anika asks quietly.
We all look up at my mom whose green eyes are filled with tears. Seeing my mom like this, broken, distraught, makes me feel strong like I need to do what she can't. But at the same time seeing mom like this scares me. The last time she acted like this was when grandpa died.
“Get in the car girls.” she whispers.
We all run to the car and climb in. My mom lets me drive. It takes 30 minutes to get to the hospital and once we find a parking spot we practically sprint to the entrance. We find out what room dad is in and race down the hallways until we come to room #4514.
We burst into the room and all gasp simultaneously when we see dad. There are multiple different machines around him and he has breathing tubes hooked up to his nose. He has a large bump on the side of his head and his arm is bent at an unsettling angle.
“Daddy!” Amellia squeals and bounds towards the bed.
“Hey little angel!” Dad says. His tone is joyful but his eyes are full of pain and worry. His eyes aren't sparkling like they usually do. They've turned a dull cloudy blue color not the beautiful icy blue they used to be.
A nurse enters the room and asks to speak to mom privately. Mom and the nurse exit the room and an uneasy silence follows.
“Alessia come here. “ Dad calls. I hurry over and kneel by the bed. I grasp his hand tightly in mine.
“Alessia, do you know what your name means?” Dad inquires. I have no idea what brought about this question but I answer anyway.
“Yes, it means warrior.” I reply. Dad smiles at me.
“You must live up to that name Alessia.” He tells me.
“You want me to fight?” I ask, confused now.
“In a way. Only you are thinking of a fight with weapons. But that's not what I mean.” He says confusing me even more thoroughly.
“I'm confused.” I confess.
“You'll know someday.” He smiles at me and calls Ashley over.
I stumble back to the bench and ponder over what he possibly could have meant. One by one he calls all of us over and tells us all something. Although his voice does weaken and his breathing becomes more labored every minute that passes.
Mom enters the room with the nurse and rushes over to dad. She holds his hand and cries and whispers something to him. He squeezes her hand and strokes her hair with his free hand.
“It's gonna be okay Julie.” He says softly. He begins to sing the song they danced to just this morning. It's too much for mom and she sobs harder and he holds her like she's the one who's hurt. Dad's always been like that, always watching out for us and caring for us more than himself. It breaks my heart to see him like this.
“Take care of them.” Dad says but he doesn't say it to mom he looks directly at me when he says it. Mom doesn't notice that but I do. I nod and he smiles at me. Then he lays his head on the pillow and his blue eyes, now faded, stare unblinking at the ceiling.
Mom screams and begins to weep now. Tears fall from her eyes and hit the floor like diamonds raining from the sky. She lays her head on top of his chest and holds his hand.
“Why is mommy so sad?” Amellia asks, looking at me. I search my brain for some explanation she’ll understand. But how can I explain this to her when I don’t fully understand what happened myself? I eventually settle on short and blunt.
“Mommy is sad because daddy…” my voice breaks and the tears begin to flow. They flow down my cheeks like a river. Mom is a pretty crier with her shimmering tears and slightly pink nose. Me on the other hand am probably the ugliest crier in existence. My tears come fast and make trails down my cheeks leaving my cheeks moist and my face turns tomato red and my eyes get puffy.
The full reality of this new way of life hits me suddenly. If dad is gone, who's gonna bring in the money? We're really tight on money currently and if mom got a job it wouldn't pay nearly as much as dad’s did. And even if she could find a job soon, who would watch my siblings? Well we could send them to school but enrolling 5 kids in school is gonna cost a lot of money. Money that we don’t have.
Why am I thinking about that? That’s mom’s problem, not mine. Then I recall dad’s words to me. Take care of them. He wants me to take care of them. Mom is going to be too lost in grief for a while to even think about this. I’m gonna need to step into the role dad played in the family. But how? I’m only 17 there’s no way I'll be able to make as much money as dad! And why would I have to work? Mom could get a job and I could teach my siblings. That might work.
Thinking of dad makes me remember something else. His promise. The promise he never kept. The birthday present that he’ll never be able to give. The cold truth of this clenches my heart like an iron fist. My dad died on my birthday. I’ll never see him again. Never hear his voice. Never hear him sing. Never see the sparkle in his eye. Never experience the love that he always had. I’ll never laugh with him or talk with him. I’ll never be with him again.
Fat tears roll down my cheeks and hit the floor splatter like rain drops and they just keep coming harder and faster. I begin to full on sob and can’t stop. Little Amellia doesn't understand and joyfully skips over to the bed where my dead father is lying.
“Daddy? Can you come play with me?” she asks innocently. It's too much for mom and she leaves the room.
“Amellia, he can't play with you.” Alice says.
“Why not?” Amellia demands.
“Because he’s dead, Amellia.” Alice says. I see the tears in her eyes as well.
“Why?” Amellia asks, obviously not grasping what’s happening.
“Amellia, do you remember Bo?” I ask, referring to our dog who had died last year.
“Yes. Bo was a good doggy.” she says. “But he died. And he not coming back.”
“Yeah, just like that. But daddy died too Amellia just like Bo did and daddy’s not coming back either. He can’t play a game with you Amellia.” I say gently. I watch as her eyes go back to dad just lying on the bed. She looks at him and I see the realization come to her eyes and she crawls into bed next to him and hugs him and cries.
Seeing Amellia,who is a meer five year old, act like this is heartbreaking. She never cries even if she’s hurt. The last time she did was when Bo died.
The nurse exits the room to give us some space. I stare over at the bed, at my father who was sitting at the kitchen table with us just 5 hours ago. I watch as Amellia and mom hang on to dad and cry. I want to hug him but I know the usual warmth I feel in his hugs won’t be there. It's his love that makes hugs amazing, not just his arms.
Mom eventually sits up and I look at her face. Her mascara is smeared all down her cheeks and her entire face and wet from tears. She pries Amellia off Dad gently and carries her out of the room. We all follow silently down the hall and out the doors.
No one speaks on the way home. No one tries to comfort each other because we all know that nothing anyone says can ease the pain we all share. We come to a stop sign and I glance over at mom sitting in the passenger seat. Silent tears roll down her face as she gazes out the window.
How will our family ever heal from this? Then I remember something Dad said when Grandpa died.
“Death is like a stab to the heart. The wound will heal over and become a faded scar. But it's still there and it will hurt every now and then.” and so far he’s been right. Grandpa’s death hurt in the moment but over time it became less painful. And every so often I would think of him and it would hurt but not as much as the initial couple weeks.
Thinking of Dad makes me begin to cry all over again. I try to blink back the tears as they blur my vision but they just keep coming like an endless stream of sorrow.
Chapter Two
Lucas Williams
I began my job as a servant in the Gordon's home when I turned 15. I’ve been working here for 3 years now ever since my mother fell ill. She has been in bed for years now and miraculously is still alive. Since my father left us 5 years ago it's been a constant struggle to provide for a family of 5; it's my mother, me, my brother and 2 sisters. We eventually managed without my father for a while but once my mother became sick it was up to me to bring in the money.
Now most 18 year old boys are off hanging out with friends and girlfriends but I have never had many friends or a girlfriend for that matter. I’ve always been a solitary person and always kept to myself. The new way of life as a servant was a strange feeling for me. Not only did I have to be around people but I had to serve them.
And the Gordon’s are not the most compassionate family. They say that in order to be hired you must stay for 5 years at least. I believe they do this because they whip their servants like slaves when they do things incorrectly. But we get paid so we aren’t technically slaves although it sure feels like it.
“LUCAS!” I hear Mr. Gordon calling for me. I hurry over almost tripping in my rush. I stand beside him waiting to do his bidding.
“The laundry needs folding and ironing.” he says harshly.
“Yes sir.” I scurry over to the laundry room. I’m the only servant they have because the others escaped under the cover of darkness. Now as I am the only servant they have I have to do 3x as many chores as I used to. I long for a friend but at the same time I desperately hope that no one else will have to come to the same fate I have.
I finish ironing the clothes and begin to precariously fold them in the neat fashion the Gordons demand. I hang up the dress of Natalie, the Gordons only child. Normally only childs are spoiled brats but Natalie is actually quite nice. I have spoken with her on several occasions but only briefly. For Mrs. Gordon scolds her daughter for talking to a servant. But Natalie is obviously lonely and in need of a true friend. Her mother has plenty of rich friends with daughters that Natalie occasionally hangs out with but I can tell she does it only to please her mother.
Natalie is 16 and quite pretty. I have never felt anything romantic towards her, just pity. It is plain that she despises the life she has been born into, I'm sure I would too if I were her.
I fold the last Item of clothing and begin to place them in the correct rooms they go. I knock on Natalie’s door before I enter. There is a quiet response and I enter silently and place her clothes in her huge closet. As I'm about to exit she calls for me.
“Yes?” I ask.
“Lucas, I’m so very sorry for what my father did to you yesterday.” she says. I see she is close to tears.
“Natalie, it wasn't your fault.” I say
“Yes it was. If I hadn’t spoken to you, he wouldn’t have punished you.” She said, The tears flow down her face. I have no idea what to do. Should I say something? Hug her and say I'm alright?
I head over to her bed and sit next to her.
“Why are you still nice to me?” she asks.
“Because I can tell that you’re different from your family and I admire you for it.” I say, shocked at the words that just came out of my mouth. I can tell she’s shocked too but I see her eyes light up.
“Really? You don’t think I'm like them?” she asks hopefully. I'm about to answer when I hear Mr. Gordon’s heavy footsteps ascending the stairs.
“Nothing like them at all.” I say as I hurriedly exit her room. I catch a glimpse of a smile on her face as I leave.
“What were you doing in my daughter’s room?!” Mr. Gordon demands angrily.
“Putting her laundry away.” I say calmly. I've learned after 3 years being a servant here, the best way to stay out of trouble is to act calm like you did nothing wrong.
Mr. Gordon eyes me carefully but appears to come to the conclusion that I’m telling the truth.
“Well your next task will be to mow our lawn.” he says wickedly. I almost complain but hold my tongue and trudge downstairs to mow the lawn. The Gordons’ lawn is HUGE! They have 6 acres and they expect all of it to be mowed.
Even though they are filthy rich they still only own a push mower. SO for 5 hours I push the lawn mower all around their yard. Even though it's fall it's still so miserably hot out here in the sun. By the time I’m finished I have sweat pouring down my face and back. I head back inside. A cool blast of air hits me and it feels extremely refreshing.
I am dying to go plop down on the couch and relax but I know that Mr. Gordon would have a heart attack if he saw me not working. I glumly search for Mr. Gordon. I find him watching TV downstairs. The Gordons have 5 Tv’s that I know of and so much other stuff that screams “rich people live here!”
“Lucas! Get to work making dinner, it's almost 6 o’clock for crying out loud!” Mr. Gordon shouts at me. I hurry to the kitchen. What to make. I finally decided on a chicken bacon casserole. I know this is Natalie’s favorite and if I have to make supper I might as well make Natalie a little less miserable. Right?
At dinner…
“Edward. I got a call today.” Mrs. Gordon says at supper.
“About what dear?”
“It's about a 17 year old girl who is looking for work and she is willing to be a servant for us.” Mrs. Gordon answers.
“Well I don’t know dear.” Mr. Gordon says hesitantly.
“Oh come on Ed. We lost 3 servants in the past week. We need at least one replacement.” Mrs. Gordon sounds almost whiny.
“If you wish Mary.” Mr. Gordon says giving in finally.
Chapter Three
Alessia Enola
It's been 1 day since dad died and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that he’s not coming back. I’m almost as bad as Amellia. I stare at my phone, I can’t believe I actually sent it. I actually offered to work for a bunch of rich snobs. I think about deleting it, unsending it or something to reverse my foolish act that I made in a time of despair and I don’t know something else. Some other emotion I can’t put my finger on.
A response comes within 5 minutes. They agreed to let me work for them. An address and time for my arrival for the first day of work was also sent. I almost cry. But I won’t actually, correction, I can’t. I’ve cried too many tears to shed any more.
I rush downstairs waving my phone around in the air like it's some amazing proof of a discovery and a cause for celebration. Which in a way it is.
“ALESSIA! DO NOT RUN IN MY HOUSE!” mom has been really short the last day and half since dad died. It's her way of dealing with grief. First the tears, then the anger, and finally hiding. She hides away in her room hoping that not acknowledging something will make it so it's never happened. That’s what she did when Grandpa died. Thankfully we were not to the hiding stage yet. Dad had to make supper for the next week and mom is a wayyyy better cook than him. Like his food is edible but still.
“Mom. I got a job.” I say.
“YOU DID WHAT?!” she screams.
Okay not gonna lie, that was not the reaction I was expecting. Like seriously mom I just gave up the next 5 years of my life to support the family. Like your welcome!
“Yeah. Well I figured since dad did most of the work and made most of the money someone else was gonna need to make the money and you're teaching my sisters and cousins…”
“YOU THINK I CAN’T SUPPORT THE FAMILY!?” mom demands. I’m beginning to regret my life choice even more now,
“Um… well… I… Mom, I have to do this now. They want me at their house at 6 AM tomorrow.” I splutter.
“LOOK YOU CAN’T JUST DO THAT!”
“But I did and I'm committed now. I’m sorry that dad died. Believe me I am but you can’t just go around treating the rest of us like this.” I say. I instantly regret them.
“DO NOT TALK TO ME THAT WAY YOUNG LADY.” mom screeches.
“Well I'm leaving now. I guess I’ll just get there early then.” I storm out of the living room. I refuse to cry. I will not. But it's hard, not only have I lost dad, in a way I’ve also lost mom too.
Chapter Four
Lucas Williams
I hear the Gordons arguing across the hallway. This isn’t extremely uncommon. But it's still annoying. I hate it when married couples argue and yell. It makes me incredibly sad and miserable for them.
Then I hear something that slightly interests me.
“But what about Lucas?” Mrs. Gordon shouts.
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him dear.” Mr. Gordon replies. I am extremely tempted to barge in and demand answers but that very well might get me fired.
“Fair point. But the girl. She can’t know either. It would put Natalie in danger.” Mrs. Gordon says quietly.
I can’t hear anymore because they’ve begun to whisper now. But I want to know. What don’t I know? What’s gonna put Natalie in danger? Are the Gordons actually involved in some sort of crime? Am I working for criminals?!
DING DONG! I hear the doorbell ring.
“LUCAS GET THE DOOR!” I hear Mr. Gordon shout. I scurry down the stairs and open the door. I inhale way too fast and almost choke. The girl at the door is beautiful. She has a slender build and looks athletic and her jaw is very defined. Her skin is a gorgeous tan like she’s been outside a lot. And her hair is like 5 different shades. At the top it's a dirty blond and gets lighter the further down it is. And she has different highlights as well. Light brown and some blond as well. Her hair flows neatly down her shoulders.
“Ummm hi. Please stop staring at me like I'm some foreign object from China. And where is Mrs. Gordon.” she says. I blush hard. Was it really that obvious that I was staring at her? I noticed her eyes. They are dark blue around the outside then they turn a lighter shade and begin to change to teal and then green…
“You’re doing it again!” the girl says exasperated. I turn an even darker shade of red. I try to look everywhere but her. But my eyes keep wandering back to her. For once Mr. Gordon saves me.
“Lucas! I said answer the door and get us, not to stand there and do nothing!” he says sharply. The girl rolls her eyes. Oh and she has an attitude! Oh she’s perfect.
“Who are you?” Mr. GOrdon demands.
“I'm Alessia Enola, your new servant girl. I was supposed to get here tomorrow morning but…” Alessia trailed off. Mr. Gordon seems to ignore the fact that she has ended her sentence abruptly and calls down Mrs. Gordon.
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS IF YOU WANT ME TO KEEP WRITING...
Zoe Laren
Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light,