Trembling With the Strings
Home Is Nowhere
Probably around a half hour later we came upon a large house with a wrought iron fence surrounding it. It was probably around fifty-some times as big as our tiny flat! But it would never be better. I already missed my siblings so much. I prayed silently for them as I held onto the only picture I had of us.
“I know it hurts now, but you’ll get over it. And maybe Drakken will allow them to visit. Or stay maybe, but it all depends.”
I ignored him and silently got out of the car. I looked up at the mansion that towered before me and suddenly felt so alone. These cold stone walls would never be home to me. The man came up behind me with my one suitcase full of everything I owned in the world. I had only two sets of clothes and one picture of my family, but that was all I had ever needed to be happy, not this huge house full of money and strangers who knew nothing of Gracie-Lynn Harper.
I snatched my suitcase out of his hands, and he pushed open the gigantic double-doors that probably cost more money than my parents made in a year. I stepped inside and shuddered. It wasn’t cozy and small like I loved: there was so much space and it was so cold.
“Ah, you must be...” The voice trailed off and I took in a deep, shaky breath.
“Gracie Harper,” I told him politely, cringing as my small voice echoed all around me. I stared the man who was gliding down the stairs effortlessly, a small smile on his lips. He had a certain elegance about him as he strode so gracefully up to me.
“Positively delightful!” he cried, suddenly grinning. “I’m Drakken Jameson, but I hope you’ll come to know me as a father figure.” I doubted that, but I smiled absently, only about to think of my family. “What troubles you, child?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I’m sure you think you’re doing me a favor by bringing me into your lovely home, but I need to be with my brothers and sister. They need me,” I told him as warmly as I could.
“Your siblings need you? Do they not have parents?”
“They do, but they’re more my kids than anyone else’s. I take care of them and I always have. Please, sir. Little Marty is probably crying and I’m the only one who knows how to calm him down.”
“Hmm. Look, I’m sure you miss them dearly, but please, let me think this over. You have other things to worry about rather than family.”
“Like what?”
“Two of my children are turning eighteen, Gracie. I hadn’t a clue what to get my one of my sons, Darius, but then I met your cowardly parents. In exchange for leaving them be, they told me I could have anything I wished. I found that they had children, so I sent my good friend to pick the best for my son, since he knows what he likes better than I. I’m afraid I’m much too busy with work these days, but that doesn’t matter. I found his present regardless.”
“Me?” I choked out. What was going on?
“Yes, my dear. You are his gift.”
Seriously, this couldn’t be happening!
“I know it hurts now, but you’ll get over it. And maybe Drakken will allow them to visit. Or stay maybe, but it all depends.”
I ignored him and silently got out of the car. I looked up at the mansion that towered before me and suddenly felt so alone. These cold stone walls would never be home to me. The man came up behind me with my one suitcase full of everything I owned in the world. I had only two sets of clothes and one picture of my family, but that was all I had ever needed to be happy, not this huge house full of money and strangers who knew nothing of Gracie-Lynn Harper.
I snatched my suitcase out of his hands, and he pushed open the gigantic double-doors that probably cost more money than my parents made in a year. I stepped inside and shuddered. It wasn’t cozy and small like I loved: there was so much space and it was so cold.
“Ah, you must be...” The voice trailed off and I took in a deep, shaky breath.
“Gracie Harper,” I told him politely, cringing as my small voice echoed all around me. I stared the man who was gliding down the stairs effortlessly, a small smile on his lips. He had a certain elegance about him as he strode so gracefully up to me.
“Positively delightful!” he cried, suddenly grinning. “I’m Drakken Jameson, but I hope you’ll come to know me as a father figure.” I doubted that, but I smiled absently, only about to think of my family. “What troubles you, child?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I’m sure you think you’re doing me a favor by bringing me into your lovely home, but I need to be with my brothers and sister. They need me,” I told him as warmly as I could.
“Your siblings need you? Do they not have parents?”
“They do, but they’re more my kids than anyone else’s. I take care of them and I always have. Please, sir. Little Marty is probably crying and I’m the only one who knows how to calm him down.”
“Hmm. Look, I’m sure you miss them dearly, but please, let me think this over. You have other things to worry about rather than family.”
“Like what?”
“Two of my children are turning eighteen, Gracie. I hadn’t a clue what to get my one of my sons, Darius, but then I met your cowardly parents. In exchange for leaving them be, they told me I could have anything I wished. I found that they had children, so I sent my good friend to pick the best for my son, since he knows what he likes better than I. I’m afraid I’m much too busy with work these days, but that doesn’t matter. I found his present regardless.”
“Me?” I choked out. What was going on?
“Yes, my dear. You are his gift.”
Seriously, this couldn’t be happening!