Alice POV

*****

“Oh, Alice! You are making too much of this; it’s only a visit to your mother’s.” Aunt Rose was running her hand soothingly up and down my back.

“Don’t worry, dear; it’s only for a week.” Aunt Flora attempted to calm me down as well, but she looked just as upset as Rose and I were.

The only person who took me leaving and going to Elanor’s well was Aunt Azalea. She seemed quite pleased by the whole situation.

“Did you really want to send me away that badly, Aunt Azalea?” I asked with a trembling voice and her face crumbled in shock, followed by disappointment.

“Do you honestly think that is what I’m doing, Alissa?” She questioned with a hurt inflection to her tone. “I would never, ever send you away if I didn’t think it was best for you.”

“How is returning to Elanor best for me?” I protested fiercely. Did Azalea not know what my relationship with my mother was like? Had she forgotten it was the reason why I had moved in with them?

“Alissa, the company you’ve associated yourself with is far less than acceptable.” The eldest of my aunts spoke with disapproval clear in her voice and eyes. “Let’s hope your mother will be able to put some sense in that stubborn head of yours!”

“But…” I had barely started to protest, when she cut me off.

“No buts about it! Now let us get going or you’ll miss your train!” She ordered, exiting the house.

I turned to my other two aunts and they made the same attempt of giving me a reassuring expression through their small, weak smiles. I could see that they understood me, I could see that they knew exactly how hard it was for me to face Elanor… But they could do nothing about it; she was my mother and whenever it came to me, she had the final say.

*****

“We are here, girl,” the cabdriver – a plump, bolding man with a goatee, announced as he parked outside of Elanor’s house. I had to blink a few times before I was able to get out of my own head and return to reality. I looked at the big, upper-class house and a bitter smirk graced my lips as I thought of something: it was funny how I called this place “house” and where my aunts lived “home”.

“Thank you!” I said to the man as I paid him and got out. To my surprise, he followed me and helped me with my luggage, carrying it to the door.

“I know it’s none of my business, but you look pretty upset, girl. I hope everything works out for you!” He spoked as genuine sympathy etched on his face. Stunned by this stranger’s kind words, all I managed in response was a nod and a grateful smile.

The man turned around and walked to his car. I watched him as he climbed in and drove away. Not that there was anything interesting in his actions; I was just stalling. With a heavy sigh, I finally turned around and tried to prepare myself for what was ahead of me: meeting my mother.

I was just about to take out my keys when the door opened before me and there she was: Elanor stood tall and proud in the doorway, looking me up and down in the most thorough manner. Her brown hair was tied up in a tight bun, her cheeks were artificially, yet stylishly pigmented with rouge and her lipstick was intact, as if she had painted her thin lips only a moment ago. That was my mother for you: everything had to be the epitome of perfection, from her flawless make-up and immaculate clothing to how she managed the household.

Emotion showed on her face only after she was done with her examination of me and let me tell you this: Elanor was not happy with what she’d observed. Her green eyes were overflowing with disapproval.

Was it my attire? Was it my lack of make-up or the fact I had not bothered to style my hair? Or was it just the disappointment that I was back in her house?

“I trust you had an acceptable journey,” she said in that all too familiar cold tone of hers.

“It was okay, I guess.”

“It is far more appropriate to say “It was adequate” and don’t mumble, Alissa! That is a sign of poor upbringing.”

God! I have only uttered one sentence and she was already on my case!

“I found it adequate, mother and the cabdriver was kind enough to offer me his services and aid me with my luggage.” I corrected myself, knowing that was what she’d expected. The woman before me let out a sound through her mouth that was quite typical of her. To this day I could not categorize it properly, but it somewhat sounded like a sophisticated snort.

“I hope he did not drive as most men of his profession do; they have no respect for speed limits and no care for public safety.”

“You have a driver’s license; why didn’t you come pick me up from the train station?” I argued in my head, but did not dare express my thoughts out loud. If I wanted to go back to my aunts’, I needed to get in Elanor’s good graces… As impossible as that had proven to be for me through the past seventeen years.

“Well, come on inside,” my mother ordered, slightly moving away to make room for me to pass. “We can’t stand in the doorway all day long. And wipe your feet before you come in, Alissa! I just had the floor polished.”

I withheld a grunt and took my luggage, already dreaming about going into my bedroom where I could be free from my mother’s overbearing manners.

“Alissa!” She called from the foot of the stairs, just as I had made it to the landing. I gazed longingly in the direction of my room. Oh, man! I was so close to freedom! Well, to the extent of freedom I was allowed in this house.

“Yes, mother?” I questioned, without moving my eyes from the much desired destination.

“I’d like a word with you, so come to the dining room the moment you freshen up. Take your time… With your current appearance, I’d say you need all the time you could spare!”

“Yes, mother!” I growled through clenched teeth and trudged towards my bedroom.

*****

I walked into the living room and realized nothing had changed since I left. It was the same sterile décor. Everything here looked like a page from a magazine: the faux cream-colored leather couch and sofas, the glass table with wax, yet remarkably life-like flowers, the snow white carpet, the too expensive for my taste paintings that hung on the white walls… As per usual, when Elanor last renovated the room, she had settled for style and not for comfort.

“I trust you know what I would wish to discuss with you?”

Why call it a “discussion”? She would hardly allow me to get a word in edgeways and she would be the one to have the final say. She always did. Nevertheless, I replied to her.

“Yes, mother, it is the very reason why I returned to this house for a week.”

“And perhaps for even longer. What is the matter, Alissa? You paled. One would get the impression that you have no desire to live with Charles and me.”

Oh, yeah… Charles. With all that had happened lately, I had forgotten about my mother’s latest fiancé. So that bloody peacock still hung around, huh?

“Well, mother, I feel quite at ease with my aunts.”

“Scandalously at ease it would appear if the rumors of your new circle of fiduciaries hold any water.”

“They are not as bad as people make them out to be,” I protested, barely managing not to raise my voice at her.

“Not as bad? That is hardly a satisfactory argument, young lady. I was slightly discouraged when you chose the Millers to be your confidants… They can get rather reckless at times, but I had the small consolation that they came from a reputable family. The boys I’ve heard so much about from your Aunt Azalea apparently don’t have even that to their credit.”

“I assure you, mother, they have other merits,” I claimed, fisting my hands in hopes it will help me keep my cool.

“Merits?” Elanor let out her sophisticated snort again. “From what I heard, Alissa, somebody should just do society a favor by locking those boys up and throwing away the key. I would hardly think they have any merits at all!”

“From what you’ve heard, mother? And who did you hear it from? Aunt Azalea. She has not met them herself… But I have. Why doesn’t anybody ask me about my opinion?”

“You are seventeen years old, Alissa; you are not entitled to an opinion when it comes to boys.”

“And on what, mother dearest, can I give my opinion?” I questioned, snarling through the address, just in case she’d missed the sardonic note in my voice when I said it.

“Do not hold that tone with me, young lady! I am your mother; what I say, goes!”

“Until when, mother?” I required, clenching my hands so tight that it actually hurt.

“Until I say so,” was her clipped answer.

I could not hold back any longer. In let out my frustration and threw my hands up in the air, emitting a loud semi-growling, semi-shouting sound.

“Behave, Alissa!” Elanor’s authoritative tone rose up a few octaves.

“What does it matter whether I behave or not when you don’t even listen, Elanor?”

“You shall address me as “mother”, not “Elanor”, young lady, and I do listen.” She replied, narrowing her eyes in anger and disgust at my outburst. Well, she could glare at me as much as she wanted; I wasn’t done yet.

“You just choose to ignore what you hear then?” I questioned with a mocking inflection.

“Oh, Lord! I was hoping that change of the environment would help you get through your difficult teenage years, but sending you off to your aunts have made you even more unreasonable than before, if that was ever possible! And I suppose you’ll deny that those boys had anything to do with your moral decline?”

“Moral decline? I’m the same as when I left. In fact, I’ve skipped less school than when I was living with you. I only ditched once and I had my reason for it.”

“Very well then. Let’s hear it!” My mother leaned back in the sofa she occupied and nodded for me to get on with it.

Oh, God, the irony of the situation! Elanor actually urged me to share something with her and it wasn’t something I could disclose. What could I say? That the reason I skipped class was so that I’d patch things up with one of the notorious boys after we made out for a second time?

“The reason is private, mother,” I explained evenly, earning me a victorious gaze from my parent.

“You see, Alissa? I wanted to know more; I was ready to listen. It was you who chose not to communicate with me.”

Not having anything to say, I just stood opposite her with a clenched jaw and with my hands forming fists once more.

“Anyway! We shall discuss the matter later. Now go and change! I want you to be presentable for when Charles arrives for dinner.”

“We are having dinner with the peacock? Hasn’t he gotten cold feet yet, mother?”

“I beg you pardon? Alissa Clover Green! Mind your language, young lady! The man is about to become your stepfather, so learn to address him by his name!”

“It’s hard to keep track and remember their names, mother. You change husbands so often.”

Elanor briefly lost her ability to speak. It was a rare occasion that I managed to appall her to such an extent.

“If you’d excuse me, mother,” I said coolly and headed upstairs while I still had the upper hand.