章節 17: 17. Won't tell

"I am so happy, Rory. So happy that... I don't know how to express it."

Rory frowned.

Happy? Then you should laugh, dummy, she wanted to say.

"Then why are you crying? You should be laughing if you're happy?" She said, the frown not leaving her face. Esther chuckled.

"I know, but I couldn't help it. I am so overwhelmed." She sat up and turned towards the fireplace, gazing distantly into the burning wood which sparked a reflection in her brown eyes. A smile broke on her lips, but she still had unshed tears settling on her long lashes.

Rory's frown deepened. What was overwhelming that could make you cry instead of laughing when you're happy? She began to think. They had not talked of anything else apart from food, so what could it be?

"What happened?" She asked and Esther sighed deeply, her eyes not leaving the fire.

"Finally..." She began, "Finally, Rory, after so many years..." She sniffed, and continued. "After nine whole years, I get to see them. I get to see my family."

The tears that were hanging on her lashes fell slowly in her cheek despite the broad smile on her face.

Her family? And wait, what? Nine years??? Holy...

"You... you've not seen your family in.. Nine years?"

"It's unbelievable, right?" Rory nodded, her expression changing from confusion to surprise and then shock.

Nine years? That was quite a long while. She could understand how she felt since she had felt it briefly when she lost her father and was separated from her mother. She couldn't imagine herself being separated for even a month, but nine years?

"How..." She muttered, shaking her head in disbelief and then turned to her. "How were you separated from them for that long? What happened?"

"It's a long story."

"I have the whole night. You can tell me." Rory urged.

Esther told her what she could remember, about the war and how she ended up in the military.

Now she was surprised. They were military personnels? She thought... So they were not bad people?

Wait, did that mean her dad was a military personnel too?

She turned to Esther intending to ask, but later decided against it. She would ask later, right now it was all about her.

"I've been wanting to visit them, but I was stopped by the higher ups. They needed me to be with the boss for a while longer."

Now Rory was confused. Be with the boss? Why? It wasn't like he was a baby? Her head began to spin with questions. But she knew she had to hold on with all her questions, for now.

"Oh, well I'm so happy for you. So when are you going?" Rory asked.

Esther sighed and looked down at her hands. "I don't know. I was just given the permission. I haven't thought of anything yet." Rory nodded in understanding.

"Are you feeling much better now?"

"Yes, and sorry. I ruined your pyjamas." Esther apologized and Rory looked down at her pyjamas.

"Oh, come on, it's fine." She waved her hand in dismissal. "It's late, you should have some rest, hmm? Tomorrow is another day." Rory smiled and patted Esther's shoulder. She nodded in response and Rory went back to her room upstairs.

Her head began to explode with questions.

Esther was not given permission earlier because she was asked to stay a bit longer with the boss? Why? Was he sick? But he seemed fine. What at all would be wrong with him that will let the higher ups prevent her from visiting her family in such a long while?

And there was the revelation of them being military personnels. She never expected this. She thought they were some notorious gang. Armed robbers. She felt relieved at the revelation. So did that mean her dad was also same? But he never mentioned it. And she never saw a uniform of that sort.

She shook her head. Well it was the same with those in this mansion. She has never seen them in any formal military attire. Esther seemed more at home, sometimes in black but mostly in normal clothes. She didn't look like she was fit to be in the army. And the boss, he was always in black. Was that their new uniform?

The many questions made her head spin, and she suddenly felt dizzy and tired. She should just sleep. She will ask all her questions at the right time. For now she needed to prepare for school against tomorrow.

She arranged her necessary books and picked an attire. This time. She went for a floral dress, off-shoulder with puffed sleeves. She picked a green sandal and a green belt to match. When she finished, she went in and had a warm bath, dried her hair and relaxed on the bed. Soon, she fell into a deep slumber.

----

Rory moaned in her sleep as she turned to adjust in bed for a better position to enjoy her sleep. And now she was lying transverse on the bed with her legs spread wildly apart. The quilt was still around her, but one of her legs stuck out. Oh, how she wish she could sleep some more. If not for school...

She groggily opened her eyes, squinting at a touch of a small trace of sunlight that peaked through the heavy curtain behind the king-sized bed. She frowned and rubbed her sleepy eyes with the back of her hand and yawned lazily before sitting up. She turned again to where she thought she saw the light peaking from behind the curtain. Was there a window? She hadn't checked the curtain yet.

She picked herself up and walked to the curtain and parted the space between the curtain. And her eyes slowly grew wide.

A floor-to-ceiling glass wall????

"Oh my..." She whispered in surprised. How did she not notice this? She would have left the curtain open all day just to see the...

Wait, it looked like there's a... door? She walked closer and gasped. Yes, there's a door!! She opened it and stepped into a balcony.

Goodness!! The view was to die for!! The garden?? He could see the whole flower garden from here. And a balcony! Oh Lord, she suddenly didn't feel like going to school today, she whined inwardly. Just relaxing on a seat with choked drinks...

A knock suddenly came in and she jerked from her thoughts.

"Rory? Are you still sleeping." Esther's voice came in and she hurried back into the room. And quickly drew the curtains close. She wasn't sure why she did that. Maybe she wasn't supposed to know, that was why there was a huge curtain covering the wall.

"Um... No. I'm awake Esther. You can come in."

"This door can't be opened from the outside. You have to open it from there."

"Oh." Rory rushed to the door and opened it. Esther stepped in with her usual bright smile.

"The boss left early today so I thought of sneaking in to check on you." Esther smiled but Rory frowned.

"Why would you sneak here?" Esther couldn't help but ask. Esther made her way towards the bed and sat down.

"The boss has strictly told all of us here not to come to his side of the mansion. This floor. And yeah, I have been here before. I mean a few times, but that was when he..."

Wait why was she talking to much? She wasn't supposed to tell her anything about the boss' condition. She's not the one to tell. She mentally slapped herself for being too losemouthed.

"When he..." Rory urged. She was getting interesting. Nobody was allowed on this floor? Then why was she here? And why did Esther stop there? "When he did what?"

"Well, he... he mostly wants to be alone after..."

Oh no! What a tight corner she had put herself now. And Rory seemed so interested. What should she do now?

"After what? Esther why do you leave sentences hanging?" Rory was becoming impatient. Did something happen to him?

Oh God! Esther sighed.

"Rory... look, I'm not supposed to tell you this. I'm sorry but I can't..." Esther shook her head. She had become less stressful now that she felt she had someone she could talk to, but she didn't know she would be this losemouthed. This was the boss' sensitive issue. She wasn't supposed to even mention it.

"Come on, Esther. And who would I tell?" Rory blurted, sounding a bit pained. "You're literally the only person I can talk to in this place. You give me the joy of waking up each day because I thought we were gradually becoming friends. And I'm curious to know what happened. Maybe I would know what to do since I am the only one allowed on this floor. I don't want to make any mistakes and be on his bad side, don't you think so?"

Esther looked at her as she spoke and then looked away when she finished, with a sigh. Yes, who would she tell? Esther felt she was even better than Rory. At least, she got to talk to her other comrades, but Rory? Right now she's the only one she's got. So...

"The boss lost his whole family." She told her.

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