45 Sundays are for resting

Silence filled the air as Theo walked me back to my room. I could've refused. I mean, my sense of direction wasn't bad but the place was bigger than a maze, the chances of me finding my way back were 50/50. It could've gone either way. I might've been able to find my way back no problem or I could end up wandering around the castle lost 'til the early hours of the morning.

Who knows? I thought with a smirk. Who knows anything anymore now? Theo's words had knocked me for six. I was dressed like Cinderella walking around in a castle in the middle of the night.

I had no idea what time it was. Come to think of it, I don't think I had checked the time or had the chance to look at a clock since I got here.

The world suddenly seemed like such a strange and weird place, I wouldn't be surprised if I headed outside now and instead of seeing the stars it was bright daylight. It was all just getting a bit too crazy for me.

We got to my door and I reached out for the handle whilst muttering a quick "Good night" to Theo. I was done for the night. There was nothing else I wanted more than to get out of this dress and crawl into bed and sleep.

Then I felt a hand on my arm. I looked up at him confused. What did he want now?

Theo coughed a little to disguise his uncomfortableness, then he lifted his jaw in the air arrogantly and peered down at me through his long lashes. "Tomorrow morning, 7 o'clock, sharp."

It took me a few seconds to get what he meant. Then I felt a surge of anger bubbling up inside like a volcano ready to explode! Was he some sort of a dictator or something? When did I become one of his minions and succumb to his merciless dictatorship?

"Tomorrow is Sunday," I argued, placing my hand on my hips.

"So?" He made a face, "what's your point?"

"Sundays are for resting!" I insisted. Hence the reason why it was called the Sabbath!

"Are you even religious?" Theo asked pointedly.

"Well, no..." My voice trailed off as I looked at my toes. Yes, go straight for the jugulars, why don't you? I thought to myself. We didn't go to church, nor was I baptised. So strictly speaking we weren't religious. "But we ran yesterday already..."

"And you've already had today off to recover, so you should be in tip-top condition tomorrow."

I shook my head. If he wanted to get up at the crack of dawn to go for a ten-mile jog that was fine and well for him, but I had no desire of accompanying him. It was like being a masochist.

He placed one hand on the wall behind me next to my right ear and leaned in closer. I found myself instantly frowning at this compromised position. I wouldn't say that he had "pinned" me up against the wall but I was definitely trapped and he was in my personal space.

I glared at him, getting ready to raise my good hand and poke him in the eyes if he tried to get any closer.

"Who said anything about going jogging tomorrow?" He grinned.

I gave him a perplexed look. Wasn't he the one who mentioned going jogging?

Theo laughed at my expression. "We're going clay pigeon shooting tomorrow."

My eyebrows instantly raised to the air as if they had a mind of their own. Clay pigeon shooting?!

"Thought you might like it," he laughed, then smiling into my eyes, he said, "good night."

I watched him turning his back to leave.

He didn't turn around for second glances, with his back straight he carried on walking down the hallway. He appeared to be in a good mood because he was whistling a cheerful tune.

I have never done Clay pigeon shooting before. That actually, sounded like...fun...

***

Inside Callaghan's mansion.

A woman with dark hair was sat in front of an antique dressing table. Dressed in a luxurious cream coloured silk robe, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror as she mindlessly combed her luscious hair with a silver-handled sable hairbrush.

How many years has it been now? She found herself asking. Six years, two months, five days and eight hours in counting. That was exactly how long. She could probably calculate down to the exact last second should she wish to.

Her heart aching the way it always did. There wasn't a moment passing by which she didn't wonder how her beautiful little girl was doing? Was she cold or hungry? Was she sick or poorly? Was she missing me?

Tonight, seeing her little girl all grown up. It was like a dream come true. Joseph had done well, raising her on his own. The woman thought. She had become a truly remarkable young woman. The woman couldn't help but feel proud, that sense of motherly pride.

You abandoned her. You abandoned them. Remember? A nasty little voice muttered in her head. That's right, she had given up her rights as a mother a long time ago, ever since she made the decision to leave, she'd forfeited her claim on them.

But that didn't stop her from caring. She argued with the voice internally. She thought about her daughter every passing moment of the day And she will always be my little girl no matter what.

The woman gripped the handle of her brush so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Deep in thought, she hadn't realised her husband had come into the room and was calling out her name.

"Darling, are you alright?" Eric Callaghan approached her from behind, standing towering over her. "You seemed a bit distracted tonight."

Without turning around, she met his gaze through the reflection in the mirror, "I'm fine, dear. It's getting late, why don't you get some rest." She said gently.

He nodded then placing his hands on her shoulder, he leaned forward wrapping his arms around her slender shoulders in a loving embrace. He planted a tender kiss on top of her head whilst maintaining his deep gaze into her eyes. "Don't stay up too late."

"Ok, dear." The woman smiled weakly. She watched in the mirror as her husband went into the adjoining bathroom and her beautiful eyes suddenly hardened.

She would willingly lay down her life to protect Aria whether that was in the past, the present or the future.