Dark and Dreary

The sun continued to shine brightly in the Capital and the Capital Ferry Accident was left to become a part of history. Investigations continued behind the scenes and life went on for the rest of the population.

While everything seemed to be back to normal, a room up on the hills of Capitol Commons remained dark with the heavy curtains blocking the sun's illumination that not even a single ray could pass through.

A soft knock.

A door creaked open.

Slow and steady footsteps.

She could hear them all.

She could hear their whispers, yet she blocked the noise and blocked the people out.

She felt a soft hand caress her knackered face.

It was Auntie Lala who silently sniffled at the realization that her daughter's sunny character was now all gone. A brutal testament on how the tragedy took its toll on her.

She combed her daughter's now oily hair with her fingertips. She frowned, almost ready to vomit at the icky texture of her sweetie's hair as she quickly compassed her hand for a helper to come closer.

"Call in the shampoo assistant at the Capital Salon. That's all."

"Right away, Madam."

The helper went outside to make a call but was startled to see a new face waiting outside. She could feel another headache in the form of the lady before her. The helper lazily bowed and left for her mission but before she could even reach the telephone, she saw Aunt Mari by the tea room.

"Pssst!" the helper called out. Aunt Mari turned her back to face the gossipmonger. That girl would not dare address her impolitely if not for a "pressing" matter such as the trivial news she caught on to.

"Pssst! Come here! Hurry!", the helper continued, "Who's the new girl with the madam? Oh my, I saw her blush when she saw Young Master Lucas! Tsk tsk. I can smell trouble ten miles away." The helper shook her head.

Aunt Mari was left with no choice but to lightly spank the girl's bottom with a dusting stick. It was her fair warning to the gossipmonger to stop tweeting rumors.

"Oh my, you gossipmonger! Get back to work!"

Back in Jenny's room, a pair of helpers had drawn the champagne-colored European style blackout curtains apart.

The sun's brilliance filtered through the floor to ceiling glass window, washing away the dark and dreary atmosphere in the room in an instant.

Auntie Lala ever so gently patted Jenny's hands, "Time to wake up, sweetie." Her irritating voice a decibel softer to coax her youngest child.

Jenny pulled the sheets over her head and kicked her feet under the duvet covers, "Mother, I'm still sleepy."

"Lucas," Auntie Lala spoke in hushed tones and put on an act as if she called for backup.

"Mother! How dare you attack me this early! Let me take a shower first!" Jenny sent daggers to her mother's way and was out of bed at the speed of light.

Auntie Lala tried to reach for her daughter's arm because she really wanted Jenny to wait for the shampoo assistant but the vision of her sweetie finally out of bed was more fulfilling than a voluminous mane.

The energy from the sun gave breath to the once depressing bedroom that even the colorful Andy Warhol pop art pieces gave the impression that it was indeed alive.

A sound akin to an afternoon rainshower resonated from the bathroom but the person inside took her time more than usual to get out.

Auntie Lala became a nervous wreck the longer the bathroom door remained locked but straight away composed herself when her sweetie walked out donned in a thick pink bathrobe and a towel wrapped on top of her head.

Edited by Swaning