-1Chapter Three - The Walker Manor
"So Karen, Scotland huh?" said Jack as he playfully toyed with a fur coat. He sat in front of Karen like a little boy. Karen is staring blankly at her private jet plane window, seeming not aware of her friend talking to her.
"Kare bear, you okay??" he rested his face on her lap and looked at her innocently with his big blue eyes. Karen looked at Jack, her eyes soft and tender. She placed her hands on Jacks hair, letting strands of in laced with her fingers.
"Yes Jackie, Scotland" she replied, forcing to sound happy.
"Soooo, tell me why..come on Kare, i know you're up to something. Are you planning to smuggle things again? What is it this time? Black pearls? Diamonds? aHhhhHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! But why did you leave Rosie! You know i CAN'T Swallow things and bring it up again...is that why you invited Grace?" Jack said in a matter of fact voice, proud of himself thinking that he figured out what Karen was planning.
"No poodle, i just wanted to get away from the city, I thought you and Grace will enjoy yourselves here too so i invited you. Stan has a beautiful manor here you know, and its about four hundred years old. I've only seen it once though, it was our honeymoon and Stan took me there. I thought it was the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and the garden, its like those gardens you only see in the movies. its.. its kind of like the garden... in my dreams too.."
"huh??? in your dreams?"
"What honey?" Karen looking i bit shocked at what she just said.
"In your dreams, you said the garden in your dreams. What dreams?
"Oh, you know, just the ordinary once, I saw it before so it just makes sense that i dream about it, so where's Grace, i haven't seen here since I woke up" Karen replied dismissingly, desperate to change the topic. She was dressed on her strapless champagne colored dress exposing the milky white skin on her chest. A light colored satin lace wrapped around her tiny waist ending in a small ribbon on her side.
"Kare" jack said sounding a scared child. "I know you and Fatso don't get along that well, but I know you've enjoyed his company and making fun of his beg belly too" he smiled remising the names Karen has thrown to Will and Wills reactions on hearing her insults. "So how come you didn't invite Will to come with us,I'm sure he would have said yes if you have just asked him"
"Jack, I know Will has got a lot of responsibilities around the law firm, he doesn't have pretend jobs like you and Grace have. And besides, Will barely has time to spend with his fictitious boyfriends, so I just figured he doesn't want to be bothered, ok poodle,.." Karen replied. She kissed Jack's forehead and patted his shoulders. "So, where's Grace?"
"Last time I saw her she was stuffing her mouth with strawberry cakes and muffins. I still don't know how she can breath and eat like that at the same time." Jack replied seriously.
"Honey, why don't you go find Grace and tell her that we are almost at the manor"
"How'd you know Karen?"
"Well, I can the manors garden from here"
Jack peeked at the window and gasped "Peter PauL and Mary! It's beautiful!" Jack said, his mouth still hanging open.
The cold weather seemed to preserve the brilliant colors of foliage in the manor grounds. The view from the jet plane made the Walker manor looked like a painting from the renaissance period. Karen could not explain the overwhelming joy she felt when she saw the place again, as if she missed it, it's odd to her because she has only been in this place once, she feels like she belongs there.
"Dyak shed er ermost jer" Grace said with a mouthful of muffin, pulling Karen's thoughts back to reality. Bits of crumbles clinging by the side of her mouth. She was still wearing her pajamas and did not even bother combing her that morning before going straight to the jet planes overly stocked pantry.
"Yes hun, we're almost there. Why don't go freshen up a little bit, you have enough crumbs in your face to feed two hungry children"
Grace just smiled. She sluggishly headed towards the bathroom while scratching her head with one hand.
Their entrance to the manor house was like a scene in a movie, all of the staff were perfectly lined up at the both sides of the towering oak door , bowing as Karen, Grace, and Jack pass by. An old man dressed in a butler suit met them at the end of the line.
"Welcome Mrs. Walker" the man said in a thick Scottish accent, bowing just a little bit, and straightening up his back again in the most graceful way.
"Hello James" Karen replied, giving him a faint smile. "These are my friends, Jack McFarland and Grace Adler, they will be both staying here as well"
"Pleasure to meet you" James said. "You must be tired, let me show you to your room". At that James clapped his hands twice and in a seemingly choreograph manner, the staff took a their luggage's and headed towards each of their rooms.
That night after dinner, Karen retired to her room, telling her friends that she's very tired. Karen changed to her white nightgown with a deep V cut neckline. It flowed freely to her body and hanged in the middle of her thigh. Her hair loose but seemingly laying perfectly on one side of her shoulder, soft curls bounces about while she walks around her spacious room.
Suddenly, she heard a soft knock on the door. She grabbed her emerald colored chiffon robe and opened the door. Standing in front of her was an old woman wearing an old long sleeved cotton night gown. Her white hair arranged in a neat bun. She was looking at Karen as if she had seen a ghost.
The old lady's voice trembles as she started to speak "My good Lord, it's you.. I thought I was just seeing things when I saw you walk in the door this afternoon.. But its really you…" the old woman said. Touching Karen's shoulders and arms, as if making sure she's really there. Both of her hands ended up in Karen's faced. Karen just stood there, not being able to move. There is something about the old lady's voice that bothered her, she somehow sense sadness in the lady's voice, and it somehow affected her too. Then to Karen froze , nothing could have prepared her to what she heard next. The old lady embraced her tenderly and in an almost inaudible whisper, the old lady said "Welcome home, my dear Katherine…"
