Chapter Two: Visitation

It was a year ago when they visited Mrs. Mary Jane Margarette Clearwater, a wife of late Captain John Nicholas Les Bon Clearwater and mother of Mrs. Minerva Jane Clearwater Finnegan. Mrs. Finnegan wasn’t able to visit her mother, but she sent her daughter Elizabeth on her behalf instead, because of her very hectic schedule.

This day envisions rumbling nimbus sky─ fills with dark and grey clouds. The glistening lightning encompasses through all directions. The birds continually in flight back towards their nests, flying upwards to downwards, gliding their extended wings in a stairway to heaven like angels. The zephyr blows unceasingly to all directions like an emulating spirit of a tempest. A terrible noise fills the air, and the trees dancing by the power of the wind. Mrs. Clearwater’s mansion is like an ambiance of a deserted necropolis, shaded by darkness. The green backyard fills with green plants and flowers, scare for the upcoming rainfall.

“There you are my lovely granny!” Elizabeth exclaims of excitement.

It’s such an arduously feverish feeling into her grandmother who she hadn’t seen for a long time. Her grins edging widely from ear to another, yet her face shades with blending sadness and joy. The feeling of such a long time they haven’t seen each other like thousand years in a recount has eased by that moment. She runs and loops immediately her arms to her granny who seats in a hunching manner at the wheelchair, draping out a bouquet on her left folded forearm. She showcases a genuine smile on her face and teary eyes of overjoy. She’s wearing a ─usual floral dress with a red scarf on her neck, clasping a little red pouch in her right hand. Her shivering pale wrinkled hands once more revive into life in touching the hands of her beloved granddaughter. Her head covers by a summer hat that resembles the queen, protecting her head from any dews of the upcoming rainfall.

Mrs. Clearwater recalls her days when she was visited by her daughter two years ago. Her granddaughter’s dazzling beauty like a demigoddess from Olympus amuses her. She scans the exact resemblance of her physique on her daughter Juliet when she was a teenager.

“Oh, sweet Elizabeth, how are you… sweetheart? Where’s your─ mother?”

Elizabeth stares at her granny’s lonely face. Her facial expression fills with blending emotion of both blissful and forlorn. Her glistening teary eyes encrusts in her gorgeous face and her pinkish lips smiling to her undoubtedly. She speaks soft more clearly to her granny by persuading her to go back inside the mansion in evading the threatening rainfall. And since it’s almost getting dark she said. “Granny, let’s go inside, It’s almost dark. The rain will pour soon.” And Mrs. Clearwater smilingly nods to her.

Its three and a half in the afternoon─ a massive volume of rainfalls precipitate heavily. The unstoppable wind blows enormously without hesitation of conquering the inclusive boundaries. The windows closed with overflowing wet by the heavy rainfalls from the sky. The unordinary rain contains with snowflakes and glacier from the Arctic makes it heavier. The wind is much powerful that it might break a sturdy tree from being so wicked. And the people of the mansion headed towards their respective room assignment.

At the library, the ceilings ornamented with two crystal chandeliers. The walls also embellished by vintage abstract landscapes and portraits paintings. The scarlet red tablecloth coated the table with the presence of sustaining light from the large candles in every candelabrum. The bookshelves filled with antique fiction, and non-fiction books. Few rare books collection arrayed as well. And at the left edge corner of the library, a certain signage sectioned the bookshelf written as “Forbidden Reference” displayed.

Finnegan and his best friend Mr. Johanne Charles Ferguson situated in the library, scanning some books and documents. Thence, they’re webbing a conversation for some matters. They took along some scotch, vodka and lime at the library’s table to at least share the moment.

They’ve started a conversation about everything under the sun, reminiscing from their hilarious and stupid childhood memories. The room canopies the sizzling laughter as Johanne reminded on how he used to piss his old trouser heading towards home. Drowned in an extreme wave of euphoria and bliss, Robert laughed in his reddish ears and held his frozen stomach that wriggled like a hungry larva. As their conversation progresses and growing deeper, Charles spots on his sight a wine in a strange bottle at the upper right corner of the cabinet. As you fixing your sight to it, you can perceive a blood-like substance that tempted your curiosity to examine its content.

“Is it tequila or… a red wine, perhaps Robert?” Mr. Ferguson stares at the bottle.

“Nope, it’s not tequila─ neither red wine Charles, but it’s an excellent alcohol that you haven’t tasted before.” Mr. Finnegan grips the wine bottle.

“So what’s that?” Mr. Ferguson strokes his narrow chin by his skeletal stiff hand.

“It’s a precious wine!” Mr. Finnegan raises his voice. Henceforth, a single thought comes in his mind that perhaps proves useful to him. He understands nothing except my plan, but he may prove a worthy and perfect ally… a brilliant and special ally. Finnegan’s thought.

In contrast, by his dexterity of realisation, Charles pauses as he dwells this very moment. I do not understand what’s on about with Robert, but maybe I’ll trust him. We’re best friend for a long painful time then. As usual, he’s baffling attitude haunting me sometimes. What’s in his mind… or what’s his plan? Is he like me to be heart-drunken? I don’t know… maybe I’ll trust my intuition for this time…

A few moments later, Finnegan bursts to laughing, following by Ferguson. “Is it a plan or─?” Ferguson asks. “More than a plan…” Finnegan grins as he locks his sight unto him.

Mr. Johanne Charles Ferguson, a good─ looking guy, smart lawyer, and tall with eyes-coloured brown, lips coated by colour Arabian coffee, because of always placing cigars in his mouth. He’s half Italian, half English. They went together at the College of Business, but he shifted the law course after he forced to marry Brittany Bernadotte, a daughter of a French merchant in France. In return to Bernadotte’s favour, he married her eventually, but after a few months later from their marriage. Shockingly, Bernadotte found dead in her room. Thenceforth, he became a widower. He liked to intercourse different women, he once being client without marrying them.

Momentarily, Enrico and Elizabeth headed towards Mrs. Clearwater’s room. Her room adorned with blended red, white and black colours. The curtains altered by red and white floral. Her bed covered with a white and red colour bed mattress. The scarlet red carpet matched by a white porcelain vase that overflows with pure red roses.

In a minute, Enrico and a maid give a hand to Mrs. Clearwater for her to lie down into her queen’s bed. Elizabeth predetermined to stay for a day, but her granny requested her to stay for a fortnight instead. She can’t refuse the request since their encounter merely in a sporadic period, like reuniting sun and moon in eclipse phenomenon. Both of them thirst for each presence, and so she determines to stay for more days instead, as she reminded a three consecutive days of special holidays.

The conversation over-inflates between Elizabeth and her granny. They chitchat in the bed whilst Enrico visited by his boredom. He’s scanning a bunch of freshly harvested roses stationed in a large porcelain vase. Mrs. Clearwater gazes at him so keenly, monitoring his movement in every single second and minute. But a sudden jolting cried echoing so loudly in her room. It causes them to express their elation of laugh towards Enrico who attained a thorn cut from his pointing finger after a careless hold to a rose stalk.

“Ouch!” I’m hurt! He exclaimed after a sudden sting. Thereafter, Mrs. Clearwater added her words to Elizabeth like a reflection to an incident taken part from Enrico situation. “You see─ life is beautiful, but full of heartaches, obstacles, and failures. Remember my sweet Elizabeth─ my life is too short…you’re… you’re in danger!” Mrs. Clearwater muttered sadly.

“But why…” Elizabeth frowned.

“The treachery of someone will set you doom… and they will sacrifice someone for the goodness of a dark creature.” Elizabeth and Enrico frightened for Mrs. Clearwater’s baffling words she spoke of. They sensed that something bad will soonest to come and someone threatens her so mysteriously. They‘re both perplexed for these words, so they continue to ask.

“What do you mean granny?” her face squinched sadly.

“It’s not a perfect time for you to know what I’m up to for now…” replied Mrs. Clearwater as she clasping the cotton blanket. “I’m scared─ granny. Please let me know that mystery.” Every a single word from her was a riddle to them. The meanings concealed and needed to discover like a puzzling labyrinth. So, they keep on asking a few more questions. However, it suddenly interrupted by the pounding door that eventually closes their serious conversation.

“Hello! Excuse me, can I get inside? I just want to see my lovely… mother in –law.” It was him, Mr. Finnegan, with a calm but ferocious tone. Enrico sneaks towards the doorstep and unlocks the door for him. “Come in, Sir!” Enrico croaked.

At that very moment, Mr. Finnegan enters the room. The lights flicker, and zephyr wind conquering the room, coming from the opened door and windows. Afterwards, some candles at the mini-altar blown away and its smells permeating the room.

“I don’t want to see you─ why are you here?” Mrs. Clearwater knitted her eyebrows as she clutching her pillow.

“Oh, mother! Don’t be so─ rude! I’m just here to visit you.” He grinned sarcastically. That moment Elizabeth arouses, convincing his father to withdraw outside, because her granny exhausted for a long day according to her. She wanted to take a rest and so she drags him sluggishly and they withdraw outside. Enrico left, guarding Mrs. Clearwater inside the room. Thereafter, Mrs. Clearwater utters some dubious words.

“Son,”

“I beg a pardon─ Madam…?”

“Yes… you─ you boy no other person in here except by you?” her sarcasm.

“What is that─ Madam?” he replied as he walks sluggishly towards her. It takes a few seconds before Mrs. Clearwater replies and reveals something to him. It seems its very urgent thing perhaps that took few moments to render her emphasis.

“Don’t you notice…? I called you son?” she asked.

“Yes, Madam very well noticed” he nodded.

“Well, you must help me fulfil─ your duty… your destiny!”

“Destiny?” he repeated.

“By now on, you must promise me that whatever happens to me─ you will always conceal our pact. Please protect my beloved Elizabeth from harm.” Enrico blanked his face left speechless for every single word that Mrs. Clearwater revealed to him. He doesn’t even understand his role for Elizabeth, but one thing for sure his intuition plays a vital role to answer his questions. I don’t understand what she’s up to. Besides, my duty is just only a private chauffeur of her granddaughter─ do I have a vital role in this family? Hope not instead… he prayed in his mind.

Enrico fails to complete his questions, yet he left the hang of it to his mind, because Mrs. Clearwater fell to sleep so unnoticeably. After talking about some strange things, his mind squinched like a red banner that cannot blend to a peaceful feeling. His face is like a dumb monkey who hasn’t able to fetch a bunch of bananas. So, he left her room unattended and proceeds to somewhere to find Elizabeth or either Mr. Finnegan.

Upon wandering at the end of the corridor, he halts and notices a large picturesque painting. It’s a portrait of a valiant and honourable person. He dressed like an old English fashion way back 17th century from the Victorian era. His face stuffed of mystical facial ─expressions; his face radiated by calm, resilient, respectable person. But one thing that’s quite intriguing about the painting. He’s wearing a strange ring on his pointing finger with a precious stone glued on top of it. The precious stone is sapphire with a colour light azure and a bronze blended in silver, carved by a laurel wreath designed for its round, decorated with Greek renaissance carvings and design. He examines every single detail of the painting that explicitly depicting your whimsy mind to excavate antique evidence of the trace from history, a long time ago.

A fraction of the second past, another maid encounters him at the corridor and calling his attention. Once you face gorgeous woman with─ a copious golden brown hair, silvery grey coloured eyes, and a face like a blossom magical flower that gradually attracting you when you gaze in it for a moment. You might encounter a woman as one of the best nurses from one of the big hospitals in Michigan. They called her Mira Jane Kowalski Hutchins. She always wears a pink colour maid’s dress, white apron with doll shoes, and a pink ribbon at her left wrist. Once you talked to her, you’ll fall to silence for a moment in gazing her.

“You must be Enrico?” she asked as she halting and gasping.

“Yes! Do you… know… where… ah, Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Finnegan?” he stuttered.

“They’re at the dining room. Please come with me. They’re waiting for you for quite a while.” she nears her face to him.

Thereafter, Enrico rushes with Mira to attend the dining room. Upon arrival, they witness Mr. Finnegan caught grasping some delicious cheesecakes at the table, and shoving it assertively to his wide-opened mouth. Elizabeth hooks a cup of tea by her right hand as her sight wandering everywhere like an investigator that looking for some clues, in a certain case or perhaps looking for something significant or valuable.

Momentarily, Enrico enters and a magical moment occurred. Their sights collide so intensively like a collision shock of great impact from the two vehicles jolts extremely. Their gazer moment takes a few more seconds, their sights locking up and their smiles displaying on and off, on and off from their faces, speaking something from their hearts, like the power of telepathy that merely the two of them could communicate with each other. However, it disrupted upon hearing the words from Mr. Finnegan.

“What are you smirking at filthy─?” Finnegan knitted his eyebrow as he encountering Enrico’s sight.

“Enough! Papa… enough!” she rolls her eyes.

“Sweetheart─ don’t waste your time on these…” Finnegan outstretched his left hand to both Enrico and Mira whilst they standing at the corner of the entrance door at eleven o’clock from their position. Ferguson arrives as well for like two seconds late after them. Afterwards, Mira lowers her head and leaves the room, returning to her work. Enrico left at the corner with Mr. Ferguson next to him.

“Hey, Enrico, would you like some cup of tea?” Elizabeth invited.

“Ah─ thank you… ma’am… I’m very well- indeed…” told him as he grabbing a chair for himself.

“Sweetheart, why would you mind him? He’s no important at all and he’s your bodyguard right?” Finnegan smeared.

Momentarily, the floor pounds and another more terrifying tremour wobble the mansion. Once for all, everyone panics. After Finnegan’s words expired, Elizabeth feels the intensity of the earthquake. She rouses from her seat quickly and she’s about to collapse, resulting from outbalance. Good thing, Enrico inches closer to her, and sweeps quickly to catch her before she eventually fall herself into the floor. Thereafter, the earthquake declines little by little for a moment.

“Are you all right, ─ ma’am?” asked Enrico as he cuddling her unintentionally.

“Thank God! You caught me then… thank you so… much Enrico” she whispers and grinned for surprise.

“No worries─ thank God you’re safe” he smiled back as he locking his sight unto her eyes. Momentarily, Enrico and Elizabeth staring for few seconds so close to each other. Finnegan startles in spotting their position. He moves forward, grabbing her hand, and dragging her up whilst uttering these words angrily.

“How dare you─ filthy creature… holding the hand of my lovely daughter! He gritted his teeth as he pushing Elizabeth behind him.

“Hey, Papa… Why did you speak like that to him? He saved me from falling. Can’t you notice?” Elizabeth defenced.

“No! He cuddled you so intentionally, and you were so close… it’s no good to see ─sweetheart. He’s just your bodyguard, remember? Please understand me for what I am doing is just for your own good.” Mr. Finnegan explained.

“You don’t do that to him! Even he’s just only my bodyguard, but he saved me…” she responded as she bridging her eyebrows.

“You… don’t understand sweetheart─”

“No, papa… I don’t need explanation.” She rolled her eyes.

Few moments later, the earthquake stops and the significant silence come forth. Thus, Ferguson appears urging Finnegan to visit Mrs. Clearwater’s room to check her up. Finnegan turns to his taciturnity, and he instead outstretches his left pointing finger to Enrico before leaving.

“I’m watching over you─ boy” he muttered as he withdrawing away. Finnegan and Ferguson left immediately from the dining room, and Elizabeth chased them quickly.

Just a few seconds past, Enrico thirsts so badly, he roams around his sight until he spots Elizabeth’s cup of tea unattended on the table. Enrico lunged towards the table immediately, fetching the cup and drinking the last drops of it.

Beforehand, Elizabeth returns quickly to the dining room, and catches him sipping the last drops of her tea. She startles of what she witnessed. Enrico stations back quickly the cup of tea from its old position on the table. He consumed by guilt of embarrassment about he did so lately. His face painted with an undetermined feeling of both embarrassment and shame, like a child that being caught of stealing a jar of cookies. He fell to deep silent whilst lowering his head down to the floor. Yet, Elizabeth radiated perfectly her venomous smile to him.

“You all right?” she smiled.

“Ah─ yes… ma’am. I’m fine, thanks.”

“Good… thank you…” she winks.

It seems Enrico chastened for what he did. His face blushed with a sweat coming out from his tiny pores from his forehead. Elizabeth’s pinkish face painted perfectly with a radiated smile in staring at him. They’re smiling and both their sights colliding, locking up to each other.

At that moment, their gapes colliding like a magnificent encounter of the hot and cold wind that forming a perfect cumulus cloud. Their eyes speak to each other like an extra-terrestrial mind of telepathy about their feelings that a bloody tongue can’t fathom.