Disclaimer:
I do not own Sailor Moon.
Just a note:
Thanks to all that read and reviewed my story. I can't thank you enough. When I
posted this I turned off the net and the computer. Just to chicken to watch as
the flames came in. So when you all had nice things to say I was so relieved.
Because of your support I am continuing this. I hope you enjoy this next part
as much as I enjoyed writing it. Ciao!
Chapter
Two
Mr. Ward
turned toward the cold face of his employer. A man he had grown to admire. A
man that at one time he aspired to be. Now he did not even recognize him.
Turning quickly he closed the door to the library. "How did you arrange
this so quickly?" his voice was low and full of suspicion.
"I
own the airlines as you well know. She is going on a private plane. I should
think you would be pleased." His voice was gruff as he arose from his
seat. Mr. Phelps circled the large desk and came to stand before him.
"Did
you also contact your brother so he could make arrangements for her
arrival?" Mr. Ward asked. Still he held a feeling of dread. Something was
not right. At the moment he couldn't put his finger on it.
"I
left him a message." Mr. Phelps waved his hand as if that was good enough.
He headed for the door in short steps.
"What?"
Mr. Ward could not manage another word. His vision blurred as he stared at the
man that without the smallest bit of remorse had dismissed his only grandchild.
Even as he heard the rage in his lawyer's
voice. He still did not seem in the least bit aware of the problem. "You
act as if I am leaving her on the side of the road. She is going to live
overseas. I'm told it's a lovely villa on the borders of France. What girl
would not welcome such an adventure?" he huffed as he left the room.
"Make sure she is ready to leave by eight tomorrow morning. My brother despises
tardiness." with that, said he left his lawyer in a state of shock.
Mr. Ward
headed for Serena's room. If nothing else he could offer his assistance with
packing. He walked up the long staircase to the upper part of the house. He
reached the door and lightly knocked. There was not a sound at first, and then
he could hear slight movement behind the door. Serena opened the door just a
crack looking up at him in surprise. She hesitated only a moment before opening
the door to give him entrance. Once inside the room she looked to him. Waiting
for the next bit of news he had to deliver.
After a
long silence she spoke. "Has Mr. Phelps changed his mind?" she asked
quietly. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Had he changed
his mind and decided to send her to an orphanage, the thought was too
distressing. She found herself asking why. Why did this have to happen? Wishing
it to be an awful dream. Hoping she would wake in the comfort of her bed, in
her home and her parents just away on one of their vacations. But no, that was
not going to happen. They were gone and the only person she had left did not
want her around. As for this uncle he could very well be ten times worse.
"No.
I was...I thought you may need some help packing. It is a sudden trip and you
leave very early. You do not want to be too tired in the morning." he
began to look around the small room. It was much smaller than the room her
father had. It looked to be a guest room, just large enough for a bed and a
dresser. The off white walls were framed in a dark wood. This only served to
give the room a dismal feel. He frowned unconsciously at his surrounding. He
had expected better of him. He had expected better for her. It took him a
moment to realize she was staring at him curiously. He cleared his throat.
"I hear it is very beautiful where you are going" he started as he
pulled a trunk from the corner.
"Is
it?" She began to pull clothes from her drawers and waited for him to
continue. Pulling her hair up she clipped it with a barrette. Only a few curly
strands hung loose framing her face. She started to place articles into the
trunk. She wanted to ask how long a journey it would be, but decided it really
didn't matter.
"Yes
it is on the border of France. It sounds like a very beautiful area, with green
mountains and long rivers. It sounds really nice. Great even. I-I'm sure you'll
like it there." He sounded as if he were convincing himself more than her.
"Thank
you," she whispered as she sat on the bed. "You are really nice." She
closed her eyes in an attempt to keep her tears at bay. She only wished her
grandfather was as nice. But there's no point in hoping that, it was simple not
true. It would never be true.
She
finished packing quickly with the help of Mr. Ward. Before she went to bed for
the evening she decided to take a last look around the old house. It was
probably the last time she would ever see it. The long halls were dark now that
it was dusk out. Her grandfather seemed to like a house with very little in the
way of light. On her way through the house she passed the den, where she had
spent countless hours reading. Ever since summer began she had spent most of
her time indoors.
The other
girls her age seemed to look at her funny as if the idea of a girl losing her
parents was a curse or something. In turn she avoided them.
The house
was so quiet as she continued on; even her light steps on the wood floors
seemed to make a lot of noise. She knew her grandfather would be asleep by now
he always seem to turn in for the night as soon as the sun went down. She began to take lighter steps. She did not
want to wake him and suffer his wrath again. If all went well she would not
have to even see him before she left. On her way toward the library she began
to think of the book she had found the other day. It was rather old and unlike
the other books in the library. It was in writing not print. She had found that
odd and now she wondered if it was indeed a regular book. 'Perhaps it was a
diary', she thought as she unconsciously entered the large room. Maybe it was
her diary. The diary of her grandmother, a woman that though, she had never
known was now somehow effecting her life. She thought back to the story Mr. Ward
had told her earlier. That would explain why he was so angry about her reading
it. She searched the rows and rows of books for the unique leather binding that
had caught her eye before. After going over every book she released a heavy
sigh. 'He must have hidden it' she thought as she sat behind his large desk.
Putting her forehead on the edge of the desk she closed her eyes slightly
shaking her head. Then as if a flash of memory she saw it. Her eyes opened wide
as she looked at the bottom drawer of the desk that was ajar. She could see the
gold that lined the pages shinning against the darkness. With a shaky hand she
pulled the drawer open. She winced as the sound of metal against metal filled
the room. Pulling the book from the drawer she sat back in the seat. She had
not had an opportunity to do much more then look the book over before her
grandfather took it from her. Now maybe she would learn what really happened to
her grandmother. The woman that proved to be the light and life of this house,
and the one who would not have sent her away. From what Mr. Ward had said about
her she was a very kind woman. So what would have caused her to run from this
house in such a way? She opened the covers of the book and began to read. It
was dated to a time before her father was born she noticed. Before she could
get much further she heard a creak in the hall. In a flash she went under the
desk. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she heard the door of the
library open. Heavy footsteps could be heard as they entered the room. A light
was sweeping the room. She could see it shine against the rows and rows of
books from her position under the desk.
Holding her breath she said a silent prayer that if she could only get
out of this she would never do another bad thing ever. She held the book
cradled to her chest as the steps drew closer. There was a pause and the sound
of a book being pulled from its place. It was with a sigh of relief that she
heard those same footsteps leave the library heading in the direction of the
kitchen. Without a moments hesitation she sprung from beneath the desk. Light
steps carried her to the door where she listened for a moment to make sure the
coast was clear before bolting for the stairs. Only once she was behind the
closed door to her room did she realize she still held the book in her hand.
She had no desire to try and put it back, no way. Not after nearly being caught
with her hand in the cookie jar. She looked about her dark room for a place to
put it out of sight. But alas with everything packed, there were no hidden
places. When she heard footsteps nearing her door she made a decision, she
opened the latch on her trunk and placed the book between her clothes; then
hopped in bed pulling the covers up to her neck. Her room door creaked open.
Her eyelids turned red as the light swept past her face. She struggled to keep
her breathing slow and even, even as her heart continued to pound in her ears.
When the door closed she opened one eye then the other blowing a strand of hair
that had fallen in her face. She wondered how she got herself into such a
situation. For tonight she would not worry about it. Perhaps in the morning she
would have the opportunity to return the book before she left.
With
morning came an excessive banging on her door. She sleepily scrambled from her
bed. To her dismay she opened the door only to see her grandfather staring down
at her. "Get up girl. It's time to get ready for you journey" his voice was
wide-awake and surprisingly chipper.
She nodded numbly still to tired to react any other way. She grabbed the
clothes she had laid out to travel in and headed to the bathroom. When she
emerged dressed in jeans and a t-shirt her grandfather was right there waiting
for her. She looked at him wide eyed as she walked from the bathroom back to
her room. She put on a pair of socks and tennis shoes, and then brushed her
hair deciding to pull it back into a bun. When she turned to where her trunk
sat the night before she thought her heart would stop. For where it should have
sat was an empty space. A surge of panic went through her as she wondered where
it could be. She rushed down the stair almost running into Mr. Ward in the process.
He seemed
to notice her flushed appearance as he put a hand to her shoulder. "Are you
ok?" He asked. She jumped a little still looking around for her missing trunk.
"Yeah, I
was just looking for my trunk." She mumbled still scanning the room.
"It's
already loaded in the car. Was there something you forgot to pack?" he asked
with concern.
"NO.
Um…no, I just was surprised to see it missing from my…the room that's all." She
bit her bottom lip nervously as she pondered her most recent quandary. There
was no way she could replace it now. Not without letting him know she was once
again snooping about.
"Well we
better head to the airport now." Mr. Ward put a hand on her back directing her
to the door. She looked over her shoulder only to see her grandfather walking
toward the library.
"What
about Mr. Phelps. Isn't he coming?" she asked absently still trying to figure a
way out of this mess.
"No. I am
going with you." Mr. Ward said rather sadly as he pulled the door closed behind
them.
'Well at
least by the time he finds out I will be a continent away.' She thought
dismally as she got in the car. She was on her way to a new life in a new
country she had to wonder what her journey would bring. She settled back in her
seat as the car raced off to the airport.
To be
continued soon.
Well are
you still interested? Please review and let me know. All comments are welcome.
Ciao!
