This is a modern day retelling of East of the Sun and West of the Moon. If you're unfamiliar with the tale it's similar to stories like Beauty and the Beast, which I've always loved, but I've always preferred this tale to it. There will be some more mature chapters later on (way later), so if you're uncomfortable with love scenes or the occasional swear word you may not want to read this.
Having four perfect older siblings I was often overlooked by my parents and when the attention was on me I was seen as the black sheep. With my defiant nature, eccentric taste in clothing, and eclectic taste in music I didn't fit my family's idea of 'type A' norm. Sometimes I wondered if I was adopted, but since I closely resembled my siblings I eventually accepted the fact that I was just born to the wrong family.
I was never who everyone wanted me to be, even as a child. I was an adorable little girl and I think at first glance, seeing my angelic face and blond curls, people would have assumed I played with dolls and dressed up like a princess during playtime. However, when they saw me dressed in a black cape and chasing the other little girls around the playground with a menacing laugh they soon learned otherwise. I think my parents had hoped I'd grow out of this "odd phase", but I never did.
It was difficult growing up with four older siblings who were exactly who they were expected to be when I wasn't. They were all athletically and academically accomplished while I was disorganized and impulsive. However, I wasn't completely useless. My passion and talents were in art and design; specifically theater and costume design. So, rather than going to Business School after graduation, like all my siblings had done, I left for Art School three states away.
For three years, I lived on campus and only visited my family out of obligation. I could typically find an excuse to get out of most family gatherings, but there were times where my mother wouldn't accept my absence. One of these rare occasions came up during my spring break. My mother had called, summoning me to a mandatory family dinner, and told me that it was very important to show up in something respectable. Reluctantly, I canceled plans to go to my roommate Hannah's exhibit and hit the road, heading northeast. Looking back I wondered if I would have shown up had I known more about the true reason behind this gathering.
As I drove from California to Montana I prepared myself for the many questions I anticipated I would receive about my plans for the future. Unfortunately all my answers seemed childish and this made me wonder if maybe my family was right. Maybe I needed to switch majors and step into what they considered, the real world.
I was so focused on making up adult replies in my head that I hadn't considered how long it had been since I had been home. It was as I saw the flash of brick through the trees and a faint puff of smoke coming out a chimney that I began to feel that old comfort of familiarity and realized I hadn't felt that way for about a year. Despite the differences I had with my family, home was still home, and the view of the rolling green hills made my anxieties fade away.
"I'll just go to the lake if I start to feel overwhelmed," I told myself. It was always my go to when I had enough of my parent's nagging or my siblings teasing.
But any warm fuzzy feelings I had quickly vanished as I saw a group of businessmen outside my parents house. Though I couldn't hear their conversation I could see from their worried brows and their shaking heads that whatever they were discussing was serious. Stepping out of my car I began to wonder if I had shown up on the wrong day.
My sister Cecile, who must have been watching for me, stepped out the front door and made her way toward me. After giving me a crushing hug, Cecile pulled away and gave me a once-over. "Look how much you've changed! I missed you so much."
"I haven't changed at all," I said as I tried to ignore the cluster of brooding businessmen and focused on my sister. "I've missed you too. How's married life?"
She shrugged. "It has its ups and downs. Greg isn't here. He gets in these moods and says he can't handle our family, but that doesn't matter. How's school?"
"It's great… just hectic. I'm glad to be on spring break." I looked around at the thawing Montana scenery. "Doesn't really feel like spring here though, does it?"
"Never does," she said glancing around, unimpressed, before returning her gaze back to me. Giving my braid a gentle tug she lightly chuckled. "Purple ends still, I see. I guess that's better than the kool-aid green hair you had when you were 14."
"It's not that big of a deal. The majority of it is my natural color," I mumbled self-consciously tossing my braid back. "Sooo, I thought we were having a family dinner."
"I guess mom meant the extended family," Cecile whispered looking over her shoulder at the businessmen. "Uncle Mickey is inside and a bunch of bigwigs from the company."
"What's going on?" I asked as I followed her inside the house.
"I'm not sure. I was just told by mom that the company is struggling and tonight's dinner might be a way to save it," she explained rather secretively. "So be on your best behavior."
"I'm not a kid anymore," I reminded her. "I can behave."
Cecile gave me a sideways look as if she wasn't ready to believe it.
"Darling!" I heard my mother's pleasant yet affirmative voice call. She gracefully approached, her chin-length blond hair bounced with each click of her heeled shoes, and her arms opened to me. After giving me a scrutinizing stare, she leaned in and gave me a hug that lacked maternal affection.
"Hey mom," I said giving her an awkward hug in exchange. "What's happening… like really happening here?"
My mother's expression became severe and she quickly dragged me off to the next room. The living room was mostly empty, apart from my brother Thomas, who barely acknowledge us. Seeing that he was watching football I knew I wouldn't get so much as a nod of greetings from him and I was glad of it. Thomas never seemed to have a kind word for me.
My mother gave one last glance around the living room before telling me, "There's been a problem with the business. We had an audit and could be suffering some legal issues, along with bankruptcy." She paused briefly as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I knew I should have been handling those accounts. Your brother Kris was way in over his head. Anyways, it's too late for that. Your grandfather and uncle are considering selling the company."
"Wow. Didn't everyone kind of expect that anyway?" I asked drily.
"Yes, but we thought we would have profited from it. With the way things are looking now, we'd all take a major loss, so we're trying to find investors to keep it going. For months, no one wanted anything to do with the business, but this man, Mr. uh… oh God, what was his name?"
"Mr. Rogers," Thomas laughed. Apparently, he had been listening all along.
"Yes, Mr. Rogers has shown interest, so he'll be joining us here, tonight," my mother explained.
"Mr. Rogers?" I repeated, smothering a laugh. "Do I have to call him that? Does he have a first name?"
"Of course he has a first name," my mother sighed, "But you need to show him respect, so call him Mr. Rogers."
"I think I'll just refrain from talking to him," I said pulling out a pack of cigarettes from my bag.
My mother's mouth went tight. "You're not smoking again, are you?"
"I quit, but I keep a pack around for moments like these," I said as I opened the door.
"It's going to ruin your complexion."
I rolled my eyes in reply and quickly shut the door behind me. After slipping out the back door of the house, I made my way through the yard and down to the lake. With winter still melting away the lake looked sort of like a giant slush and the beach around it had patches of muddy snow and dead grass. Even if it wasn't in its summer glory it still offered me some solace.
Despite my surrounding, it seemed impossible to find peace of mind. I knew what it could mean for my family if they decided to sell the business. My parents could lose their beautiful lakeside home and their retirement. My siblings would lose their jobs and possibly their own homes, causing their own families to suffer. But that's not worried me the most. I felt selfish for it, but I was more worried about the fact that my parents wouldn't be able to pay for my tuition.
With a frustrated groan I brought a cigarette to my lips and was prepared to light it, but was stopped.
"That's a bad habit," said an unfamiliar man's voice.
I slowly pulled the cigarette from my lips, studied it, and nodded. "It is and a disgusting one, but I do love that hit of nicotine."
I then turned around and saw the man that was approaching me. He looked to be about 65 to 70, had brushed back silvery white hair that cut off just at the nape of his neck, a hard wrinkled face, and a scruffy white beard. He stared at me with curious eyes before nodding at my shirt saying, "Good band. I saw them once in Seattle. Little old for your taste, aren't they?"
"Little young for yours," I retorted as I stuffed my un-smoked cigarette back into the pack.
"Touché," he said with a smirk as he joined me on the dock and stared out at the lake.
"What was your favorite song?" I asked testing him.
"Houses."
"That was a good one."
"And you?" he asked.
"Freak Scene."
"Nice choice," he said holding out his hand to introduce himself. "Benjamin."
I glared down at his hand before hesitantly taking it. "Emilia," I barely mumbled as I quickly pulled my hand away and stuffed it back into my sweater pocket.
"You should be wearing a coat," he observed.
"Don't try to offer me yours," I sneered. "That would be sleazy."
He chuckled. "Why's that?"
"Because men your age shouldn't be hitting on someone who's 21."
"I'm not hitting on you. Just trying to make friendly conversation." He moved his gaze off me and onto the water. "I tried to talk to one of the guys in there. I think his name was Thomas, but honestly, I might as well have been talking to the wall."
A laugh almost escaped me, but I quickly choke it back. "That's my brother and you're right. You might as well have been talking to the wall. I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm not sure that frat boy has any functioning brain cells left. I'm surprised he has a position at the company."
"I opened my mouth without thinking. I'm sure your brother has his strengths."
"Not really and it seems my other brother Kris doesn't either," I said in a drifting tone. Feeling ridiculous for opening up to a complete stranger about my family I tried my best to divert the conversation. "So, what do you do at the company?"
"Investments," he said with a sly smile.
"Investments?" I gulped and felt my face pale.
"Mmhmm."
I slowly turned towards him. "You're Mr. Rogers, aren't you?"
He laughed. "Yes, but please don't call me Mr. Rogers. Benjamin or Ben will do."
"Oh my god! Please don't tell my mom that you talked to me. She'll kill me if she knew I opened my mouth about... well, really anything."
"I won't tell her as long as you make me a deal," he said with a sparkle in his silvery blue eyes.
"Um, okay?"
"Don't open that cigarette pack again."
I pinched my lips together stubbornly and thought it over. I really wanted a cigarette, but setting my impulses aside, I nodded in agreeance.
"We have a deal then," he assured me.
"I'm going to go back to the house before anyone sees me down here with you and reports it to my mother," I said walking away from him backwards. "If she starts nagging at me I'll have to go back on our deal."
He waved me on. "I'll wait until I see you enter the house before heading back myself."
"Thanks." I gave him a nervous grin before turning and running my way back to the house.