The Reason You Came Home!
Sophia Anderson
Beverly Hills
Los Angeles
"Mother!" I gasp placing my hand over my chest to ease the sudden shock. "What are you doing in here?" Being super creepy!
Charlotte Anderson lifts her head, gently tucking a strand of her perfectly straight long ash blond hair behind her ear and fixes her sharp blue eyes on me.
Here we go!
"Ah, your awake. How lovely of you to visit, unannounced." Her long elegant fingers snapping shut the woman's magazine she'd been reading, with a soft bang. There it is.
Mother hated being unprepared in any aspect of her life. She enjoyed being on control of her own universe, hers and mine. Though I suppose this is her house and sending a little heads up wouldn't have killed me. Well, maybe it might have. In my defence I wasn't in the state of mind where I could care whether or not my visit was convenient for my mother.
Considering the baby boom, I might drop on her. I suppose I could show some understanding. "I should have called, sorry." I bit out, settling back into the pillows I stare at my mother as she stares at me, and our silence fills the space.
Charlotte Anderson was not the type of woman to sit in idle silence and glaze lovingly into the eyes of her only daughter. No, that not our relationship, I seriously doubted she had any kind of loving relationship with anyone, not even my father.
She was silent because she was studying me, relearning my face, assessing the changes deciding whether she liked them. Deciding if it's my appearance met her approval, it did! As she did not comment on it. "I have had your suitcase un-packed. Looks like you're planning to stay awhile. I hope you aren't neglecting your duties at work, Sophia." She stood fixing me with a pointed look, and her tone did nothing to ease the guilt of my decision to drop everything and come home. She waited, expecting me to answer while she questioned me like a child. "You need not worry mother. Everything at work is under control."
"Dinner is at 7:30, I have guests coming so be sure to dress appropriately." Charlotte Anderson had spoken and with that said. She rose from her seat, calmly adjusted her grey cashmere cardigan and made her way out of the room. I released a breath as soon as she turned her back.
"And Sophia, trust that I am eager to discuss the reason for your untimely and announced return." She turned and smiled that cool calm smile of hers. "Wear something bright, the colour should improve your complexion." Charlotte then exited the room and calmly and quietly as I'd sure she had entered. Argh, I could feel a headache coming on. Day one and she was already back to ordering me around, like some kind of Queen. All I wanted, all I needed was to sleep. Sleep and not think about anything that has happened in the last 4 days. Why did I choose the come here again?
"Mother!" I gasp placing my hand over my chest to ease the sudden shock. "What are you doing in here?" Being super creepy!
Charlotte Anderson lifts her head, gently tucking a strand of her perfectly straight long ash blond hair behind her ear and fixes her sharp blue eyes on me.
Here we go!
"Ah, your awake. How lovely of you to visit, unannounced." Her long elegant fingers snapping shut the woman's magazine she'd been reading, with a soft bang. There it is.
Mother hated being unprepared in any aspect of her life. She enjoyed being on control of her own universe, hers and mine. Though I suppose this is her house and sending a little heads up wouldn't have killed me. Well, maybe it might have. In my defence I wasn't in the state of mind where I could care whether or not my visit was convenient for my mother.
Considering the baby boom, I might drop on her. I suppose I could show some understanding. "I should have called, sorry." I bit out, settling back into the pillows I stare at my mother as she stares at me, and our silence fills the space.
Charlotte Anderson was not the type of woman to sit in idle silence and glaze lovingly into the eyes of her only daughter. No, that not our relationship, I seriously doubted she had any kind of loving relationship with anyone, not even my father.
She was silent because she was studying me, relearning my face, assessing the changes deciding whether she liked them. Deciding if it's my appearance met her approval, it did! As she did not comment on it. "I have had your suitcase un-packed. Looks like you're planning to stay awhile. I hope you aren't neglecting your duties at work, Sophia." She stood fixing me with a pointed look, and her tone did nothing to ease the guilt of my decision to drop everything and come home. She waited, expecting me to answer while she questioned me like a child. "You need not worry mother. Everything at work is under control."
"Dinner is at 7:30, I have guests coming so be sure to dress appropriately." Charlotte Anderson had spoken and with that said. She rose from her seat, calmly adjusted her grey cashmere cardigan and made her way out of the room. I released a breath as soon as she turned her back.
"And Sophia, trust that I am eager to discuss the reason for your untimely and announced return." She turned and smiled that cool calm smile of hers. "Wear something bright, the colour should improve your complexion." Charlotte then exited the room and calmly and quietly as I'd sure she had entered.
Argh, I could feel a headache coming on. Day one and she was already back to ordering me around, like some kind of Queen. All I wanted, all I needed was to sleep. Sleep and not think about anything that has happened in the last 4 days. Why did I choose the come here again?
With a deep sigh, I got up, opened my suit and grabbed a teal ankle gazer sun dress and headed to the shower.
Dinner with my mother's friends was as tedious as I expected, and themed by the looks of it. The four in attendance all wore bright summer colours, Julia Berkeley, mother of Doctor Jonas Berkeley, the Hill most trusted plastic s sported a bright purple pants suit with a collar-less silk white blouse, that teased just a hint of cleavage. Reverent Joan Hennings widow to the Tristan Hennings a troubled artist who had sadly taken his own life, about a year after his death, she sold all his painting and made a killing. She'd moved her and taken over the local church St. Anna's when I was in high school and the rumours about her fortune ran rampant around town and in the school. At the very least the gossip among the rich and privileged wives and mothers of California's finest went hand in hand with a lot of really good food and wine I could no longer drink. Martha Owens who leads the gossip band wage wore a bright red peter pan collar shirt pair with a neon green A-line skirt, was the most eye catching of the group but even then, she fell sort of my mother, who sported a jumpsuit of pitch black with long flowing princess sleeves. Charlotte looked as elegant as the Queen of England.
"You look wonderful Sophia, and a little tried." Gracie Lou, a petite Asian woman whispered into as rest of the group shared the latest among themselves. "Thank you, Mrs Gracie. You look amazing yourself, I get some more rest after dinner." I say taking in her pink floral off the shoulder dress that she had paired with long dangling sliver earrings. Mrs Gracie was the only one of my mother's friends who seemed like a genuine person. Her smile was real, and she was content with the life she'd built for herself, stay at home mother and charity worker to boot. She also happens to Lena's stepmom, I suddenly realized that Mrs Gracie was the sort of person I could ask for advice on motherhood. Well, it would be more comfortable then asking my own mother.
Thankfully after dinner coffee was taken in the sitting room where the conversation soon moved to the numerous charities that they were current funding or running. The most recent of which was through Reverent Joan's church, she was hosting a neighbourhood fundraiser, this Sunday, in order to raise awareness about one for her parishioner's rare blood disease. I personally could not stand the woman but even I had to give credit where credit was due. It didn't matter even matter that she was most likely doing this to make herself look better or one up my mother for one of her former charity Balls.
Charlotte Anderson could not plan a bad party; it was not in her nature. Her image was her most beloved treasure, and she guarded it the most when with her so-called friends. Tonight, was no different, she remained as regal and untouchable as always. I sat quietly sipping my tea and listening to them talk, well brag really about their accomplishments. I felt like a robot smiling and nodding and speaking only when spoken to. On the plus side I wasn't thinking about anything, their constant prattle was drowning out my own horrible thoughts.
"Sophia, how is that beautiful CEO you've been seeing? Lucifer Knight, oh, the rumours about him are positively delicious." Martha Owen, mother to an old friend from High School, Callie. Her bright green eyes glowed with a hunger for a new source of fresh juicy gossip, her intentions aside any other time I would have smiled and answered politely maybe even said we'd ended things. But I seriously doubted I could bring myself to speak about him just yet, I couldn't even say his name. So instead of a smile and a polite word I glared at her with all the fury in my gut at him and he's that fucking doctor or Killer friend Dee.
"If you'll excuse me, mother." I said placed my tea on the glass table and left the sitting room. I caught a glance at Martha horrified expression and decided it was worth the whatever lecture Charlotte would throw my way.
But nothing could help the emotions that followed the fury. So, I went back to my room, kick off my shoes and went right back to sleep. Hoping to dream of better days, when the world hadn't raised its ugly head bared its teeth at me.
Lucifer Knight
Private Air Field
New York
"Good Morning Mr Knight," the pilot and flight attendant said as they moved to take the luggage from Val my driver.
"Is it truly necessary to bring me along." Talia questioned rolling her eyes as she bordered the plane. I could not be bothered to explain this to her. As Hell's healer her role her should be quite clear.
"I fucking hate stupid questions. Sit!" Sensing my mood the pilot disappeared into the cockpit after sending a quick and respectful greeting my way, the attendant competent woman, she was quickly put a glass of something dark and strong in my hand and proceed to make herself scarce. Good girl!
Talia settled herself somewhere behind me and did not speak again. This would be a short flight, but I suspected that what came after, would be a long and difficult conversation. Sophia was a joy to be hold when she was angry, I'd always found it amusing.
But this time was different. She was not angry, she was hurt and enraged I'd seen it in her eyes when she walked away. I was now a threat to her. A monster. It was as if she had finally seen me, as exactly what I was... The Devil!
The Devil, who tried to hurt her and kill her unborn child. To her I held the same standing as Gabriel who been sent to kill her. No different then that stiff insufferable righteous bastard.
Just thinking about what was going through her head, made me feel sick. The feelings she invoked in me were always unexpected, ranging from burning all consuming passion to this horrible gnawing feeling that seem to grow in her absence. As if a bottomless void had taken root inside me and spread, until there was nothing left.
I had to get her back. I had to!
"Please put your seatbelts on we are taking off." The flight attendant announced.
I would get her back! And this time I'd keep her safe.