THE WARD

Tightly clutching my bag, I timidly pushed the door open, scanning my surroundings with a keen eye despite the fact I had been in there before, countless times with my father.

" Good morning Miss Abernathy." The voice of the man sitting behind the desk made me flinch a little. I knew him. James is the trustworthy receptionist for Mr Perry.

" Good morning, James." I shyly greeted James, smiling and moved forward to stop in front of his desk.

" Are you here to see Mr Perry? He mentioned this morning that he had set an appointment with you." James casually commented while shuffling through the pages of the log book where he kept all his appointments.

" He is with someone at the moment but I will inform him that you have arrived. In the meantime, you can take a seat and I'll go fetch you a glass of water." James kindly smiled at me. Despite his warm nature, I felt more anxious and curious about what Mr Perry wanted to speak with me about.

I smiled, trying to keep the angst at bay, but I was fidgety" Thank you, James" I shyly said while stepping away from his desk and making my way to the row of chairs against the wall.

I watched James disappear from behind the very expensive-looking desk and appear in front of me with a glass of water.

I took the glass and smiled at him. I wasn't thirsty but I wasn't brave enough to say otherwise. I rested the glass on my knee, hugging my handbag as if it was my lifeline. The longer I waited the more I felt my stomach twist and churn, and drops of sweat formed on my upper lip, as if the room was on fire despite the cold winter morning.

I knew that it was something that had to do with the inheritance left by my parents after they have suddenly passed away, but I wondered why he needed me there. I was just a sixteen-year-old girl from the small town of Lamport, that knew nothing of such things. Usually, solicitors dealt with those kinds of things on their own. I could do nothing about it.

" Miss Abernathy, Mr Perry will see you now," James informed me from behind the desk, jolting me from my thoughts.

I stood up and with heavy steps made my way towards the office. I pushed the heavy mahogany door, and squeezed through the ajar door, not daring to open it wider and stepped inside the greyish, scarcely decorated office.

" Aaah, Good morning Lily! So good to see you. I'm glad that you could make it." Mr Perry gave me his usual warm welcome, while I moved with small steps towards his desk.

" Take a seat. How are you feeling Lily?" Mr Perry didn't give me a chance to reply and continued talking. He often did that, when he was overly excited about something and most of the time, I didn't answer his questions.

I reluctantly took a seat and clutched my modest-looking purse while staring at the desk, feeling rather uncomfortable and out of my element in his office. My father used to bring me along with him sometimes but for some reason, I always felt uneasy and I could never get used to it. It wasn't just Mr Perry's. It was pretty much everywhere, except from home.

" I-I I'm doing alright Mr Perry." I absently mumbled, still very much uneasy and uncomfortable. I just couldn't shake it off.

" That's good to hear, dear. I know it is hard to lose loved ones, and no one would blame you if you would feel otherwise. The reason why I wanted to speak with you" Mr Perry smacked his lips and looked into the corner of the room, and his joyful mood quickly turned serious " Your parents have left a will, and in their will, they have entrusted your wellbeing and finances to a guardian until you will be old enough to live on your own. It took me a while to find him but I would like you to meet Mr Mason Kinnaird." Mr Perry rambled on, raising his hand to the same corner, he looked at earlier, while I just looked at him, petrified. Unsure what to make of it. I heard him loud and clear, but for some reason, I wasn't processing what he was saying to me.

After a few minutes of silence, I slowly turned to look at the very same corner and a man wearing a hat and a black suit stepped out into the light " Pleasure to meet you, Miss Abernathy." His gruff voice echoed in my ears while I just blinked at him owlishly, holding my breath.

I didn't expect that. I had never seen or heard of the man. And why would my parents entrust me to some stranger, that I had never seen or heard of, ever? Nothing made sense.

" How about relatives? I'm sure there is distant family?" I shyly asked, turning my attention back onto Mr Perry. Something switched on in me. It was fight, flight and fright at the same time.

" You are the last one alive on either side of the family. There is no one else, Lily." Mr Perry gave me the bad news, woefully.

" I'm old enough to look after myself. I'm turning sixteen soon, and I don't need a guardian." I softly added while frowning at Mr Perry, although it wasn't his fault, he just followed my parent's wishes.

" For legal reasons, you still need a guardian, you're not an adult, yet, and Mr Kinnaird will take that role." Mr Perry calmly said, leaning back in his fancy chair with fingers intertwined over his stomach. There was no wiggle room.

" I will need you to pack your things by the end of the day. My men will come and collect you later this evening." Mason's gruff voice interrupted the exchange between me and Mr Perry while moving closer to me, and placing his hand on my shoulder. I flinched at his touch. I've known the man for two minutes and he was already touching me. No way in hell, I was going anywhere with him.

" Where are we going?" I shyly asked while looking at the chiselled and well-groomed man behind me. Now that he was closer I could finally discern his features, and he looked not that much older than I was.

" My house. You will be living with me for the next two years until you will be old enough to be considered an adult," He stated in the same gruff voice making me wonder why was he speaking like that. What was wrong with his voice?

" And where is that?" I asked again while lowering my gaze to my trembling hands. I felt that I would pass out at any moment.

" My house is in another town. Morston District." He vaguely replied, taking his hand from my shoulder, and turning to leave.

" My men will be there at five in the afternoon. So, be ready." He bluntly informed closing the door behind him.

" Mr Perry, please why would my parents do this to me? I don't even know him. You can't let this happen." I pleaded, hoping he would help me and let me live my life as before. I didn't want a guardian. Not the man that just walked out of that door anyway. I couldn't let it happen. I knew nothing of him.

Mr Perry cleared his throat " I'm so sorry, Lily. But there isn't much that I can do and it's only for two years, and after that, you will be free to do whatever you like." He tried to comfort me, stepping from behind the desk, wiping my tears away with his thumb.

" It will be alright, he is a good man. He may not look like it but he will take good care of you." He continued speaking in the same calming voice, while my desperation soared to new heights.