-chapter 3-
Greenlee was jolted awake suddenly; the airplane had landed on the ground. She stretched her arms up in the air; her neck hurting a little from the position she had been sleeping in. The captains voice came over the intercom: "Thank you for choosing United Airlines. Welcome to New York and Happy Holidays!"
Greenlee unbuckled her seatbelt, put her backpack on her shoulders, and got her one suitcase out from the storage bin above her seat.
She hurried quickly down the walkway, instantly recognizing Charlie, standing stiffly with his hands folded in the terminal.
"Charlie!" She shrieked as she ran up and wrapped her arms around him.
"It's nice to see you again, Miss Greenlee." He smiled. Even though he didn't seem too excited to see her, she knew he really was. That was just about as excited as Charlie ever got.
"Mom didn't say you'd be coming to pick me up."
"No?"
He took her suitcase from her and they walked together to a limo parked outside the airport. He opened the door for her and she climbed in, memories from her childhood flooding back to her.
"This is all too familiar..." she murmured as they pulled out.
"What's that, Miss?"
"I said this is all too familiar. Just like when I was little."
"Is that bad, Miss?"
She smiled, "No, of course not."
Of course it was bad! She hated remembering her past. She hated having a body guard in grade-school, she hated having everything she wanted all the time, she hated being sheltered and being forced to go to fancy dinners and banquets, and she especially hated Christmas time!
"Charlie, what are you doing still working for my parents?" Greenlee asked suddenly.
"I've been with your family for a long time, it's hard to leave."
Greenlee nodded, it would be strange without Charlie around.
"Besides, they pay me too well to just quit." He winked. Greenlee grinned.
"So I assume Rosie is still there? And I know Patty is."
"Yes, and Harry too."
"Oh Harry! He always made the lawn look so lovely.. and the decorations he puts up at Christmas always look so beautiful!"
"Yes. . .You've been gone too long, Miss Greenlee, we've all missed you."
"I know," she said, "I missed you all too."
She felt a little guilty, she was actually happier then she'd ever been now that she was as far away from them as she could be.
They finally pulled up to the Mansion. It looked amazing. The entire five-story house was decorated with beautiful shimmering white lights. There were long wreaths laced around the entrance way, and in the middle of the big wrap-around driveway was a gigantic Christmas tree, as tall as the house itself. Everything was covered in a silky blanket of fresh snow.
Greenlee gasped, "It's amazing! Even more beautiful then I remembered."
Charlie glanced in the rear-view mirror, "Welcome home, Greenlee."
Greenlee swallowed hard as she opened the car door. Mary, her mother, came rushing out the front door of the house, her arms were stretched out to Greenlee.
"It's so wonderful to have you home again!" She wrapped her arms around Greenlee in a big hug. Greenlee stood stiffly for a moment, then pulled away.
"It's nice to be back." She said faking a smile.
"Come inside, come on! Most of your cousin's have arrived already. Grandma and Grandpa are already here of course, they have been since the 11th. We also have some guests with us already... I can tell this is going to be a very special Christmas."
Greenlee studied her mother. There was something about her that was different, she was being friendly, and she actually sounded happy. Greenlee wondered if something was wrong.
"Are you alright, mom?"
"Of course, I'm fine... why?"
"No, never mind." Greenlee smiled, "Let's go inside."
Greenlee was jolted awake suddenly; the airplane had landed on the ground. She stretched her arms up in the air; her neck hurting a little from the position she had been sleeping in. The captains voice came over the intercom: "Thank you for choosing United Airlines. Welcome to New York and Happy Holidays!"
Greenlee unbuckled her seatbelt, put her backpack on her shoulders, and got her one suitcase out from the storage bin above her seat.
She hurried quickly down the walkway, instantly recognizing Charlie, standing stiffly with his hands folded in the terminal.
"Charlie!" She shrieked as she ran up and wrapped her arms around him.
"It's nice to see you again, Miss Greenlee." He smiled. Even though he didn't seem too excited to see her, she knew he really was. That was just about as excited as Charlie ever got.
"Mom didn't say you'd be coming to pick me up."
"No?"
He took her suitcase from her and they walked together to a limo parked outside the airport. He opened the door for her and she climbed in, memories from her childhood flooding back to her.
"This is all too familiar..." she murmured as they pulled out.
"What's that, Miss?"
"I said this is all too familiar. Just like when I was little."
"Is that bad, Miss?"
She smiled, "No, of course not."
Of course it was bad! She hated remembering her past. She hated having a body guard in grade-school, she hated having everything she wanted all the time, she hated being sheltered and being forced to go to fancy dinners and banquets, and she especially hated Christmas time!
"Charlie, what are you doing still working for my parents?" Greenlee asked suddenly.
"I've been with your family for a long time, it's hard to leave."
Greenlee nodded, it would be strange without Charlie around.
"Besides, they pay me too well to just quit." He winked. Greenlee grinned.
"So I assume Rosie is still there? And I know Patty is."
"Yes, and Harry too."
"Oh Harry! He always made the lawn look so lovely.. and the decorations he puts up at Christmas always look so beautiful!"
"Yes. . .You've been gone too long, Miss Greenlee, we've all missed you."
"I know," she said, "I missed you all too."
She felt a little guilty, she was actually happier then she'd ever been now that she was as far away from them as she could be.
They finally pulled up to the Mansion. It looked amazing. The entire five-story house was decorated with beautiful shimmering white lights. There were long wreaths laced around the entrance way, and in the middle of the big wrap-around driveway was a gigantic Christmas tree, as tall as the house itself. Everything was covered in a silky blanket of fresh snow.
Greenlee gasped, "It's amazing! Even more beautiful then I remembered."
Charlie glanced in the rear-view mirror, "Welcome home, Greenlee."
Greenlee swallowed hard as she opened the car door. Mary, her mother, came rushing out the front door of the house, her arms were stretched out to Greenlee.
"It's so wonderful to have you home again!" She wrapped her arms around Greenlee in a big hug. Greenlee stood stiffly for a moment, then pulled away.
"It's nice to be back." She said faking a smile.
"Come inside, come on! Most of your cousin's have arrived already. Grandma and Grandpa are already here of course, they have been since the 11th. We also have some guests with us already... I can tell this is going to be a very special Christmas."
Greenlee studied her mother. There was something about her that was different, she was being friendly, and she actually sounded happy. Greenlee wondered if something was wrong.
"Are you alright, mom?"
"Of course, I'm fine... why?"
"No, never mind." Greenlee smiled, "Let's go inside."