It was early in the morning when Juliette, though as tired as always about everything, was sitting on the porch of their mansion while waiting for her grandchildren to come from Kingsbury. Kingsbury is a day away from Willington and the telegram arrived only yesternight. The news never made her sleep that evening. She wasn't prepared for their arrival. That made her anxious all even because the guest rooms still needed some cleaning.
To be honest, she adored these kids so much that she treats them like they are hers. Though the expected guests were her grandkids, she isn't as old as you might think she is. She is thirty-six years old and her eldest grandchild is already twenty-three.
When the first ray of sunlight woke her up in the middle of her puzzled mind, a carriage appeared on her sight.
"Madame, are you all right?" Beth asked. Beth has been Juliette's governess since she was born. Her hair and wrinkled facade would tell you that she's been through decades already.
"Yes! Why?"
"A postman here wants to personally give you a letter," Beth informed with an emphasis on the word "personally".
"Good day, Madame! Are you the Juliette Anne of the House Quinn?" the postman in his late 50s greeted.
"Yes. This is she."
"This might be offending to you but I was told by the sender of this letter that I should be giving you this personally because of his fear that you might not receive it," explained the postman.
"Why would my father wanted me to receive this firsthand?"
"Don't worry, Miss. Nothing could be wrong," Beth tried to ease her surfacing worry.
"This letter was on the express department and the sender isn't a Quinn," and he handed the letter.
"Blimey! A he other than your relatives is sending you a letter. It's been a decade!" Beth exclaimed.
Beth has been praying for a day like this for ten long years. She wanted nothing else but for Juliette, her forever baby, to be happy. They've been together for thirty-six years now. She was twenty-five when Juliette was born. Turning sixty-one isn't bad at all, especially, if the family that you serve treats you like a family, too.
"Outrageous!" Juliette's only remark after seeing the sender's name at the back.
But at that moment, she thought that only relevant people must be given attention.
As the carriage arrived at the gate, Juliette met her grandkids with hugs and kisses as they got off the transport.
Beth was giving Juliette a teasing smile after knowing who the sender was. Juliette did not mind her, though.
"Hello, Nana! Were you smiling because we arrive?" Amira, the youngest among them, was curious about Beth's smile on her face.
"Yes, sweetheart. I am. So happy."
"I know it's not about us. I know that smile, Nana. I saw that a decade ago," Ella gave a side comment who was the eldest grandkid in the scene.
"Some things are meant to be forgotten. Some bridges are meant to be burned. Is that hard to accept?" Juliette was still trying to compose herself though she was wavering inside.
"Oh, well! That's it for today. Let's all go inside with your bags now, ladies," Beth worried about Juliette.
"Go ahead, girls. I'll be there in a minute," Juliette wanted to calm herself and she whispered, "Nana, put the letter inside my scarlet box and don't let them know about it. Especially, Ella."
Nana Beth nodded, hid the letter in her apron and went towards the house.
Though the day had just begun, Juliette felt like it's been a week after receiving that letter. Everything she tried to bury and forget about the past was coming back strong and breathing like a vampire after sipping blood from its victim.
After a few minutes of contemplating and standing in the front yard, Juliette finally decided to live in the moment and went inside.