HAVANA FAMILY BANQUET (7): MIRA MEETS THE HAVANAS.

The three girls ( and the little man) return to Havana Graceland.

' You guys go ahead with Arian, I need to see mom and dad and talk to them about Mira.' Arianna says.

' Sure! We'll be in Ashley's room.' Riona replies.

Arianna knocked nervously at her parents' room.

Her dad opens the door.

' Hello Olivia. Come in.' Oliver says.

Arianna forgets all about her nervousness and starts laughing.

Brenda comes to the door and sees Arianna.

' What's so funny Olivia?' Brenda asks confused.

' Dad look at your cheek.' Arianna says amidst laughter.

Brenda looks at Oliver's cheek and turns bright red. Oliver, confused, goes to the mirror and his ears turn crimson.

There was a bold pink lipstick mark on his cheek.

' Actually..um..' Oliver says embarrassed.

' Don't worry my mouth is sealed.' Arianna replies.

' Thank you Olivia.' Oliver replies.

' Let me finish. My mouth is sealed as long as you can buy my silence. It's pretty expensive though. You owe me 200 million before, so your total debt is 210 million.' Arianna says.

' Why did she have to inherit this money-grubbing character of yours?' Brenda muttered.

Oliver takes his phone and sends the money.

Arianna smiles widely.

' Now what are you here for?' Brenda says.

' I didn't mean to interrupt the two of you but I wanted to speak to you urgently as soon as you let me in.' Arianna says.

The three of them enter and sit.

' Dad I want to be the legal guardian of someone?' Arianna says.

Brenda is about to say a thousand scolding words when Oliver gently squeezes her hand.

' Who is she and why do you want to be her legal guardian?' Oliver ask.

' Her name is Amira and she is like super smart but she's autistic. She feels very uncomfortable at the orphanage and besides I can get her proper therapy treatment and train her. It will be like having a younger sister. It's very boring being the youngest in the entire family ( excluding Arian of course).' Arianna says.

' That's okay.' Oliver replies. Arianna was about to start celebrating when Brenda coughs lightly.

' I meant I am okay as long as your mom's okay with it.' Oliver says.

Arianna cursed in her heart. Why was her dad such a filial husband?

Arianna turned to her mom.

' Well I am okay with it... but I have a condition.' Brenda says.

' What condition mom?' Arianna ask.

' You have to claim top place in the game or you can't keep this Amira.' Brenda replies.

' Mom!!' Arianna exclaims.

' Avons-nous un accord?' Brenda says.

( Do we have a deal?)

' Deal. I will see you later.' Arianna replies through gritted teeth as she stands up and leaves.

' Why did you give her that condition?' Oliver ask.

' My baby works best under pressure. She had a little pressure last time and she turned out great. Oliver is just like a diamond. the more pressure she's given, the more stronger and finer she becomes.' Brenda replies.

' If only I had your brains?' Oliver says as he pecks her lips.

************

Arianna had told her parents, now she had to tell her grandmother. She made her way to the East wing of Havana Main Hall where her grandmother's living area was.

************

' She wants to adopt a girl?' Rosalind ask Butler Phillip.

' Yes madam.' Butler Phillip replies.

' Without permission. I will have to discipline Olivia. Go get Olivia.' Rosalind says. Just then a maid enters, ' Madam, 4th Miss Olivia would like to meet you.' The maid says.

' Send her in.' Rosalind replies.

Arianna enters, lowers her head and says ' Greetings grandmother. Uncle Phillip.'

' Is there something you need?' Rosalind ask.

' I wanted to discuss something with you. I met a girl Amira and I would like to be her legal guardian.' Arianna says.

' Do you know her?' Rosalind ask.

' She's a girl at the orphanage I volunteer in. She was brought when she was just a month old. ' Arianna replies.

' Her parents?' Rosalind ask.

' Both died in a fire. She was lucky to be out with her nanny when the fire broke out.' Arianna replies.

' Why do you want to adopt her?' Rosalind ask.

' I can't be her adoptive parent but I can be a legal guardian. Mira has potential that is being limited by her environment. I want her to ascend to the peak of her potential.' Arianna replies.

' Arrange a meeting. Find a day to bring her home.' Rosalind says.

' Is Friday okay?' Arianna asks.

' That's okay.' Rosalind replies.

' I will take my leave now. Have a good day Grandmother. And a good day to you Uncle Philip.' Arianna says as she leaves.

She heads to the garden. She just needed to clear her head.

She was walking in the lushful garden when she sees Bella. She approaches quietly and sees her painting a picture of the hellebores and daffodils in the vase in front of her.

Each stroke was neat and precisely bringing out the strong nature of the delicate-looking flowers.

' The painting is very nice. You are very talented.' Arianna says.

Bella is startled and smiles shyly when she sees Arianna.

' Thank you Olivia.' Bella replies.

' Don't thank me. I'm being honest. Have you applied for an art college? You could even hold an exhibition.' Arianna says.

' I don't think I am that good. If it fails, it will bring shame to my parents. Besides dad wants me to study Business Administration.' Bella replies.

' Who says you can't do both? I do a double major as well. You shouldn't abandon your passion for anything.' Arianna says.

' It's not that easy. What will I achieve by being a mere painter and what if people don't like my art?' Bella replies.

' Then you can hold an exhibition under a different name and have someone host it. You can think about it, what's there to lose. And don't call your passion mere painting. Everyone still remember Da Vinci and Claude Monet. They were also mere painera.' Arianna says.

Bella goes into deep thought.

' Chill! You can think about it slowly. Show me how you do it.' Arianna says.

Soon Bella is engrossed in explaining the importance of each paintbrush and shades of different colours.

Arianna smiled. Bella seemed like a different person when talking about painting.

*********

Few days later,

Friday evening,

I had woken up quite early today. I have a lot to do. I need to feed Arian, add finishing touches with Riona to the dresses we plan to wear to tonight's game. Then I need to bring Mira home and then pluck a green rose to place in the banquet case( Now that I heard it, that doesn't sound like work). Not to mention I have to get ready for tonight's game and banquet. Riona and I have just finished adding the last touches to the dresses.

My days have been peacefully busy so far.

After breakfast, Rio, Ash, Arian and I would hang out with mom and dad for a while then we go to the Robert estate. Rio and Ash head home while Arian and I go to the orphanage to see Mira. Then in the evening, Bella and I meet at the garden and talk while painting. Finally after dinner, Rio, Ash and I talk while working on the dresses.

I quickly freshened up and gave Arian a bath as well. I fed him while I grabbed a bottle of hot chocolate.

' Finally, Miss Olivia is ready.' Riona says rolling her eyes.

' Sorry.' I replied. I would have argued if I wasn't so busy.

' Come back soon.' Ashley says.

I grabbed the bag that has the dress I made for Mira. She said she didn't mind the clothes as long as it didn't hinder her movement, wasn't too bright and had a spacious pocket.

I arrived soon at the orphanage where Mira stood waiting for me. I gave her the dress and she went to change.

When she came out, I was awed.

The dress was rosy green and it had an off- shoulder that went down showing off her fair should her fair skin. The dress was tightened by a white belt on her waist. The dress stopped slightly above her knee with white laces at the edge. She wore white gladiator sandals in which the white straps wrapped around her legs. Her blonde hair kept getting in her face and she was getting very frustrated.

I smiled, I took off the hairpin on my hair and helped her put it in place.

' Let's go.' I say as I took her hand and led her to the car.

***********

Arianna and Amira arrive at Havana Main Hall, Arianna gets a phone call and excuses herself.

Mira looks around the house, her normally nonchalant eyes piqued with interest while staring at the ancient and intricate designs in the house.

She is wandering around when she sees an open room. Her eyes is fixed on the paused game in the laptop on a desk.

She enters inside, wears the headphones connected to the laptop. She reads the instructions and starts playing.

About 10 minutes later,

Arthur comes out with just a towel wrapped around his waist, he is drying his with a towel. He was in a hurry to finish his game before the stupid banquet began. He sees a figure seated in front of his laptop PLAYING his game.

' Are you f*cking kidding me?' He says.

Mira turns and stares at Arthur with her slanted brown eyes.

' Who the h*ll are you? Why did you mess with my ga...' Arthur is saying when his eyes falls on his laptop screen.

His eyes widens in disbelief. The level was completed, he worked on that level for three weeks without any success. He would have given up if not for the tall claims he made to his friends about beating the game.

He turns to Mira and hugs her.

' You are a genius. You are the best.' He says as he hugs her tightly. Mira stands frozen. Why was he hugging her? He wasn't even clothed. She pushed him away.

' How did you do it?' Arthur asks excitedly.

' Enemy.. secretly.. behind you.' She formulated the words slowly.

Arthur pauses trying to understand. He thinks for a few seconds before he says out loud, ' Those blasted sons of b*tches! How could they secretly attack me. And I thought my life was depleting because of time limit. You have to teach me.'

' Clothes..First.' Mira mutters.

' Oh right. Sorry! Wait right here. Don't move. Wait for me, I will be back.' Arthur says as he hurried into his closet.

Wait for me, I will be back.

These words echoed in Mira's head.

Arianna had said these same words to her.

Mira immediately leaves the room and retraces hers steps, she sees Arianna who is frantically looking for her.

' Mira! I searched the whole world for you. Let's go, it's almost time for the banquet.' Arianna says.

Meanwhile,

Arthur rushed out of the room, he looks around for Mira but he sees his father seated exactly where she was seated.

Stephen had entered a few seconds after Mira left.

' You are not properly dressed yet? The banquet starts in 45 minutes. Ava is all dressed and is practicing for the game.' Stephen rebuked.

Arthur wasn't listening. Did he imagine the girl that came? He walked past his father and checked his laptop, the level was completed. It wasn't an imagination.

' I'm talking to you and you are looking at some stupid game ' Stephen says angrily.

' Dad did you meet anyone here?' Arthur asks.

' Were you expecting anybody? Hurry up and get ready!' Stephen says and leaves.

Arthur had always been the black sheep of his family. He barely passed his classes, he was always in detention for inattentiveness. He was finally sent to a boarding school in America but it seemed like he was only getting worse.

If only he was half as composed as his twin Ava, Stephen would have nothing to worry about.

*********

A few moments later in the banquet hall,

Everyone was present except of course Ashley, Riona,Arian and Arianna who love to make an entrance.

The three ladies enter the hall wearing matching dresses ( Same with the one Mira is wearing.).

Arianna is pushing Arian's stroller and behind her is Mira.

Arthur's eyes widened. That was the game angel, she came with Olivia?

The four drop their roses in the vase and enter.

Arianna goes straight to Rosalind, lowers her head and greets.

Mira greets as well.

' Grandmother, this is Mira. Mira, this is my grandmother.' Arianna says.

Rosalind stares at Mira. She looked like a quiet smart girl who would prefer her own company.

' She's good.' Rosalind replies.

Arianna smiles happily.

' Who is she?' Lily asks.

' This is my friend and sister, Amira. Mira, that's my mom and dad, my Aunt Lily,...... and this is my cousin Arthur.' Arianna introduces.

Arthur and Mira stares at each other.

Amira,it was an enchanting name