Present

 

“Sit next to me my princess.” Mr Alvis taps the space next to him and with slow footsteps she moves and sits next to him.

“Daniella, this will all come as a shock to you, but I know you are a strong woman so listen to what I have to say. Don’t get out before I finish my princess.”

“Okay papa, am listening.”

 “Darling, do you remember anything about your mother” She sighs and then looks at Mr. Alves.

“No papa, I was too young”

“Well, your mother came from a very rich family in Ireland, and when her family died, they left her a will that only allowed her to access her riches if she married into another family in US. She talked about it with your father because she never knew your father came from a humble family, so in order to inherit all that she went ahead and entered that marriage with your father’s permission.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Relax Darling and hear the story to the end.”

“Your step father entered into a marriage with your mother for a period of 7 years, but before she could come your father died and she decided to stay married.” as Mr. Alves talked she looks him in the eyes

“She passed away five days ago and before she died she left I will leaving everything to you.” They all look at her

“What do you mean she passed away?” she asks but everyone keeps silent.

She has never thought of her mum before and this is shocking and new and heart-breaking. Silence breaks the room as they all wait for her to say a word.

She is lost in her thought because it is all now new and strange. Death, inheritance and now late husband who happens to be her stepfather anyone in his or her normal mind is bound to think.

 “I do not remember her at all. Now she is dead. I never thought about her at all. Am I a bad daughter?” tears drop from her eyes with a smile to cover up.

“No sweetie you are not, circumstances put you two a part, it’s okay my darling” says Mrs Alves as she stands and gets close to her

“She left you a letter and your 22^nd birthday present.” Rogers stretches his hand and hands her the letter and the key. She receives them and looks at them with tears in her eyes.

“See sweetie, she remembered you and always thought about you. That is what mother’s do. Do you remember how i told you that David and Timothy left me, I still loved them” she giggles at the mention of that while rubbing her eyes.

“Thanks mama” she says as she hugs Mrs Alves

“Am going to my room, I need sometime alone.” They all nod to her as she stands up and heads out of the room.

Everyone remains seated but not mrs Alves. Daniella was the spitting image of her dad in character and behaved just like him, which her grandmother knew best.

 I knock is heard on her door and the door opens.

“Mama” she calls out her name with tears in her eyes

“My little pumpkin, are you okay?” she nods a yes and a no at the same time.

Mrs Alves enters the room and sits next to her. Danielle looks up at her warms eyes and smiles.

“Why don’t we open up this package and have fun?” Daniella nods and opens up the envelope.

“Will you look at that, she is beauty, isn’t she?”

“that she is Mama” they both laugh as Daniella looks at the picture of her mother. She looks just like her in every way. Only that her mother has a lighter skin than she does.

Her eyes widen when she looks at her picture as a baby in her mother’s arms. Sobs escape her and tears roll down her cheeks, she combs her hand through her red hair.

“Let me leave you enjoy these memories with your mother sweetie” says Mrs Alves who kisses her and goes on.

She turns the picture, and behind it are wording ‘Daniella princess of the 9’. She looked through her pictures from when she was a baby to all the birthday parties that have passed until her adulthood, with every picture having its own wording. Pictures of memories she does not have, she thought to herself that maybe it was part of growing up.

She kept smiling to herself as she read them and also laughing out to some of them until the last one.

This one was different, it was dated two months ago and with it came wording, ‘mum always loved you and always watched you my dazzling light.’

she finally let out a loud cry that everyone in the house heard. This was her finally letting out her emotions. Her grandmother entered her room and hugged her tight.

“Mama ……ma. Ma. She…alw..ays..loved….m..m..me.” she kept crying and repeating the same sentence with sobs and hiccups over and over again. Mrs. Alves walks to her and holds her tightly in her arms until  finally cooled down.

She settles down on her own with the embrace of her grandma.

“Are you feeling better?” she lifts her face and looks at her grandma and she nods

“Am better mama.”

“That is my pretty girl, you always cry in your arms but I think you will enjoy crying in your big brother’s arms.” She says as she wipes tears off her

“A big brother?”

“Yes darling your big brother, You now have a brother and he called earlier through Rogers. I know it’s new but he will pick you up at the airport if that’s okay with you. He also sent you a picture. Would you like to see him?”

“Yes.” She pulls out her phone and shows her the picture of four, her mother, Phillips Jameson, Emmet Jameson and her grandmother Olivia Jameson.

“Well does it sound better?”

“It does”

“You know you always wanted to go there for college this is a good sign. You applied into University of Chicago and you were accepted. This is great chance, you can study from there and come home for you vacations and breaks. Everything happens for a reason”

“That sounds great.”  Mrs Alves looks at her and embraces her into a big hug.

“Am going to miss my pumpkin.”

“I will miss you too.”

“My mother has pictures of me that I do not even remember, it feels good to see myself.” She says looking at her grandmother, she gives her a smile back and hugs her more.

……………

Meanwhile in the reading room, everyone waits for  Mrs. Alves, who finally entered past a few hours.

“How is she mother?” raises everyone to know the situation.

“She is fine actually and excited but…”

“But?” asks Mr. Alves as everyone turns their attention to her.

“I think she is going to attain her memory if she goes to the USA”

“How?”

“Because the only familiar things from her past her there”

“Her mother’s memories, Ray, Miles, Claris and the rest of the guys” responds Timothy.

“Does Ray that she will be going to the USA?” ask Mr. Alves.

“Ray knows everything that goes on in Daniella’s life actually” replies Anton.

“I actually informed Ray about all this under Rosey’s instruction. The only thing he does not know is that she is the daughter. But as we all know Ray, he might have figured that out already.” Says Rogers.

“Do they know each other?” asks Timothy

“Ray has been their family doctor for so long and they trust him a lot, so am sure they talked about Daniella without realising they are talking about the same person. But when I went to talk to him am very sure he put all the pieces together and knows that whole story” say Rogers

“Anton, make sure to tell him the date of her travel. He is the only person that we trust that can protect her.” Say Mrs Alves as the rest nod in agreement.

Everyone sighs a sound of relief and sit down since there is a letter for them.

“Well, Anton, why don’t you read aloud this letter for us all.” He stands up and gets the letter from Rogers who hands it to him.

 

To the Alves family,

This is new of me, writing a letter to people, I have never met, except for Timothy. Am so happy and thankful for you have raise my beautiful girl all these years even when you have never met me. She is family to you and am happy you are her family; the love you have given her is more than the love I could ever give her.

I left her at a young age and David took care of her. When Timothy told me what happened, I was too ashamed to even come and pay my respect. He was the most amazing man in the universe my one true love.

I cannot give the evidence to you on David’s death because with this, I don’t want to my Daniella more, my dazzling light. When she turns 22, she will know where to find it because by the time you are reading this, it means am already dead.

Please protect her for me, I have left her more than enough money, please use it to protect her and live a good life.

With all my life am so grateful to you all, timothy, thanks for the pictures, they were always lovely. Thank you

Rosey

“She really knew nothing about us even before she died. She even left us money to take care of her daughter” says Mr Alves. Now he understands why David chose her.

“She is a soul that never comes by that easily.” They all nod in agreement at his statement. Silence breaks the room as one person at a time stands up and heads out until it’s just Rogers and Mr. Alves.

“This is going to be a sad day for everyone.” says Rogers as he pats Mr Alves’ shoulder.

“Mmm…”