Julia once again found herself in the halls of her home, and still very much lost. The maids were still wary of her, which they have the right to be. In their eyes Julia back then was a ticking time bomb, one wrong step she would explode. Which made Julia self conscious on who to ask for directions, as she still has no idea where her mothers room was.
At this point Julia was already annoyed, so she went up to the first person she saw, “Good morning, can you tell me how to get to the lady of the house's room?” She asked.
The maid did not seem startled like the rest, “You mean your mothers room? Yes, I am on my way there right now to bring her some food, you may tag along.”
The maid begins to walk off, Julia just tailing behind her with her book still in hand. The maid seemed older than the rest, calmer and adjusted than the rest like she is used to the short-fused Julia and the other nasty sides of this family. Then it hit her, that woman is the head maid and a person to who Julia felt close. Well other than her personal maid who comes into the story much later. The two women just walk in silence, a common theme in this household. Julia just became lost in thought again but then was back to reality when the head maid opens the door to her mother's room.
“Go on Julia, she doesn’t bite, at least not anymore,” the head maid says as she begins to set out the food for Ingrid.
Julia looks around the room for a chair in the darkness. Yes, the room was dark, the curtains were drawn back so that Ingrid could sleep in peace. Ingrid was rolled over on her side, all by herself in such a large bed, she only had kept to one side. Julia could only assume that this large room and a large bed had once been the room of both her parents, but such a time has been lost to her sickness.
As Julia pulls up a chair, the maid begins to wake up Ingrid and place her food down next to her.
“Rena, who else is here?” Ingrid asks weakly.
“Your daughter madam, she is in a good mood this time,” The head maid, Rena, said to her.
Ingrid sits herself up and turned to Julia who now sits in a chair reading the book of fables. Rena places her breakfast tray on Ingrid's lap and then leaves.
“Why are you here?” Ingrid asks weakly.
“To check up on you,” Julia responds without looking up from the book.
Ingrid just looks at her with a look of confusion but does nothing and eats in silence.
On the outside, Julia appears calm and exhibits no emotions, but in reality, she was freaking out. She found the silence to be very awkward and she doesn’t know what to do. Her mother was just sitting there, just eating and yet she couldn’t really find herself to talk to her. All she could do was peek at her and then quickly turn away when Ingrid caught her. Even while sick Ingrid looked so pretty, her light blue hair looked like sapphires to Julia. Tobias really did take after her, while Julia looks like her father with her brown hair and eyes.
After a while, Ingrid got sick of Julia quickly averting her eyes, “Is there something on my face Julia?” She just looked at her dead in the eyes.
Julia jumps a little “Uh no mother, it's nothing I’m sorry.”
“Mother?” Ingrid looks at Julia and then again at the book in her hands.
Julia could only sense that she may have done something bad, “I, I-“
“This is the first I’ve heard you call me mother in a long time.”
“Yes well-,” Julia struggled to get the words out.
“Where did you find that book?” Ingrid now noticed the title of the book.
“Uh, your office.”
Ingrid looks down at her cup of tea, “That book was hidden, how did you find it?”
“I stumbled on it while I was in your office, along with your letters…”
Ingrid just sat in silence while Julia continues on with her rambling.
“I saw all the letters between you and father, and I- I-, I think it much too late for me to say this… but I am sorry for how I acted towards you,” Julia apologized and started to cry. Ingrid only looked at her, and she knew it was genuine.
Ingrid moved ever so slightly towards her with open arms. Julia was hesitant to walk to her mother, but was given the courage when Ingrid spoke to her, “I was never mad at you my darling.” Ingrid’s words were hushed and nurturing, giving Julia a comforting feeling of warmth and love.
Julia then rushed to hug her mother back, now sobbing “Im sorry mom, im so sorry…,” she repeated over and over again.
Ingrid only rocked her daughter back and forth within her embrace, “Shh it's okay little one, my baby it’s alright mother is right here.”
This statement made Julia cry only harder. This is the first time she had ever been shown love, this is the first real mother she has ever had.
Once Julia stopped crying Ingrid still kept her close, reading the old book of fables as she had done many years prior. The two only held each other close until one of the maids came into the room carrying a tray of what looked like tea or medicine.
She looked at Julia, “My lady it is time for the Duchess’s medicine and rest.” She wasn’t the same maid the led Julia here, no she was much younger.
Julia tried to get herself out of her mother's bed but Ingrid only pulled her back down to give her a quick kiss on her forehead.
“My door is always open little one,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you mom, I’ll be back soon okay?” Julia responded.
The tray was set down as Julia collected her things. She was walking out the door before the smell of the medicine made her stop in her tracks, it had the same scent as the office…
Julia now a little concerned left her mother room. Once she left the room she took the time to look out the window and she was greeted with the sight of Tobias having a small picnic, enjoying a book, making Julia want to join in on the fun.
Comments (4)
See all