Chapter 3: In the family
Candy woke up very early. The sun had not yet risen and the villa was immersed in an almost ghostly silence. The only noises came from outside. The singing of the frogs had lulled the girl to sleep. Not knowing what to do, she jumped out of bed and left the room. The corridors were lit only by the Moonlight. The little girl was a little scared. At Sant'Mary she had learned to orient herself in the dark, when in the dead of night, she would sneak out to get some bread for herself and the other girls. Villa Andrew was completely unknown. She began to walk gropingly, trying to remember the route she had taken the night before.
She bumped into some vases and knocked one over, an ancient Chinese vase. The little girl was very scared, especially when she heard some voices and then footsteps coming in her direction.
"Me!, I'm so sorry Mrs. Andrew" the little girl said sobbing.
"Candy, what are you doing up at this time of night? Are you sick, do you need something?"
When the boys heard Aunt Elroy's voice, they ran out of their rooms.
"Are you okay Candy?" Stear asked worriedly.
"Is everything okay Candy?" Archie echoed.
"Are you hurt, little sister?" Anthony continued.
Mrs. Andrew looked at the vase and then at the little girl.
"Madam, I humbly apologize, I will work for you to pay my debt." Candy bowed her head.
The woman brushed a lock of hair from the little girl's face and comforted her.
"You know, I have to thank you. I always found that vase obscene. A gift from the Leagans. Sarah is a foolish woman, she believes that the more expensive and pompous an object is, the more classy and valuable it is. That woman doesn't even know what class is. Not to mention that that vase is just a bland imitation," said the woman.
"My aunt is right, just look at my cousin Eliza's clothes. Always too exaggerated," exclaimed Archie.
"Little sister, Archie knows about these things. If we have to attend some event, he chooses what we have to wear. He also takes care of our aunt's image," said Stear amused.
Anthony approached Candy and dried her pretty face with the sleeve of his pajamas.
"My pajamas look good on you, you know," said the boy finally.
"Come on," urged Mrs. Andrew, "it's time to go to sleep, it's almost 3 in the morning. Candy come to my room, you will sleep with me".
"Auntie, Candy can sleep with me", said Stear.
"No, she will sleep with me," Archie insisted.
"Since she is wearing my pajamas, she must sleep with me," Anthony concluded.
"But no way, and shame on you for making such a proposal to a little girl."
"Auntie, we didn't mean anything bad, she is our sister. We just want to spend time with her," Stear replied.
The others nodded.
"Go to bed."
The boys retired to their rooms, but not before giving Candy an innocent kiss on the cheek.
"Let's go to sleep too. Tomorrow will be a hard day."
The next morning Candy woke up in a good mood. She was serene and happy. Despite the mess she had made, no one scolded or hit her. She went down the stairs accompanied by her aunt. The other children were already sitting in the dining room, ready to have breakfast.
"Hi Candy," the kids said in unison
"Hi Candy… and hi to…"
"Hi Auntie, sorry."
"That's better. Archie, are you ready?"
"He's always ready for shopping Auntie," Stear replied, amused.
"Come on honey."
Aunt Elroy sat Candy down next to her. The little girl couldn't believe all that was on the table. Every variety of cakes and breads, jams and spreads. Not to mention the drinks. At the institute, a little bread with a little butter was already a luxury for her.
"Take all you want, honey." Mrs. Andrew's sweet, motherly tone reassured her a little.
"Can I have some bread and butter, please?" she asked politely
"I'll pass it to you… no I… no I." The children began to argue.
"Stop arguing, that's not how I raised you. I understand that you want to be nice to your sister, but this way you're embarrassing her."
"Sorry, aunt, sorry, little sister," they said in unison.
After breakfast they went out in the carriage and arrived in the Boston Shopping District. Everyone knew that when a carriage arrived, it could only be Mrs. Andrews's. The woman didn't like cars. Too noisy and the smell they gave off afterwards. They got out and headed to the first boutique.
"No, not this one. Too rich and gaudy. And that pink… it doesn't go with her hair and skin at all."
Archie was very meticulous. His sister had to shine, without overdoing it.
"The color is very beautiful, but do you have similar models without all those frills… no, no, too much lace."
"This one yes, this one no… let her try that model."
It took at least a day, but in the end Candy had a very respectable wardrobe.
"It's late," said Mrs. Andrew, "tomorrow we will order the furniture for your room."
"What colors do you like, Candy?" asked Archie.
"Green," he replied
"Mmmm! Green, it goes well with white, pink, purple, blue, orange and even some shades of yellow. You will have a room worthy of a princess, little sister."
When they returned, Candy changed for dinner. She was greeted with a round of applause from her brothers, which made the little girl blush.
"You did a great job, Archie," Stear said happily.
"My big brother pays me a compliment… miracle," Archie replied.
"You look beautiful, Candy," Anthony said.
Candy was really beautiful. The clothes her brother had chosen for her were beautiful and classy, without being pompous.
"That witch Eliza will eat her liver when she sees our sister," Anthony whispered happily.
"Yes, even that coward Neal," Stear replied softly.
The next afternoon, the furniture for Candy's room arrived. Mrs. Elroy had the walls painted according to her nephew's instructions. She also had to keep Stear in check, who was always ready to lend a hand, but with disastrous results.
-I have to create a roller with an internal tank- thought the boy.
Candy's room was finally ready. The most important piece was the enormous canopy bed. The white sheets were embroidered with a pattern of small flowers of various colors, which went well with the rest of the colors. The wardrobe was a piece imported from Venice. White with painted flowers. The walls were painted a pale aqua green. The same green as the wood of the bed, only that the latter was slightly more intense. To complete the whole thing, a small sofa at the end of the bed that matched the pattern of the sheets, a Venetian chest of drawers and a fireplace. Both white.
When Candy entered, she couldn't believe that it was her bedroom. She felt like the protagonist of the book The Little Princess. She had never read the book, she knew the story because some girls from the boarding school, read it aloud in the courtyard of the institute. The little girl couldn't hold back her tears. They had done all this for her. She felt loved, she felt like she was part of the family.
"Guys, a sandwich hug," said her great-aunt.
The sandwich hug is composed as follows: Candy as the filling, Aunt Elroy and the nephews around, as the slices of bread. And if anyone is wondering, the paint roller was invented around the 40s. At least that's the information I found. The next chapter is dedicated to Eliza and Neal
P.s. for the title of the chapter I was inspired by the title of a book: In famiglia by Hector Malot (the same writer of Senza Famiglia (Remi)). The anime Peline Story was based on this book. I'm old school.