"Do you get your admission letter?" Victoria said behind me. We are currently washing used dishes from our dinner a while ago.
"Not yet," I said.
"You should see it," she said again reassuringly. I turn to face her. "Did it - "
"Yes," she answered with a bright smile.
"Oh God!" I said happily as I ran off to our mail box. "To Mademoiselle Ariah Suzanne Mariani Lei Wurtzbach-Peril y Cannes from John Cass School, Londress England," I read aloud. With that, Victoria hugs me.
"Do you think Father wants me to go," I ask her.
"Why not? It is a good opportunity. It is a good choice for high school." She smiles again reassuringly. "Besides, you can live with Octavio. Are you worried?" she smiles again.
I just shrugs. "Maybe he will consider," I said.
"That's the spirit," she said finally.
Deep inside, I really want to go. I already planned it. I want to move on the other side away from my Dad, then I will apply for College in Hong Kong to find my mom. I know that he will hate the idea but I will take my chance.
Four years in middle school with no family around, except for Antoinette, I learned to do things on my own. Victoria, though, always pays a visit every summer, while Heroine also do the same during his leave in military once every two years.
I remember, during his last visit two years ago, he spent time with me playing music on our farm. He will play the guitar and I will sing. I really love the way he do things. Also, he promised me that he will search for my mom's whereabouts. Heroine is one of the adjutants in the military and I can tell that Dad is very proud. It's closest to General, that's why.
Victoria left that summer and Heroine came home shortly after.
"You came," I said as I hugs him so tight, and I then kisses him on the cheeks.
"You have grown so fast," he said then he puts down his things so that we can go for a walk.
"I will go to London," I tells him. He just nod silently but I see the hesitations in his eyes. "I tell Dad that I can live there alone,but if his worried, I will live with Octavio."
As if he wakes up from his daze, he suddenly faces me. "This will be my last visit," he said. "I will be designated to the Nazi Chapter."
"Are you crazy? We are at war. Nazis are crazy cults. France wouldn't have an alliance with them right. They wouldn't," I said convincing myself but as I look into his eyes, I know that he is serious.
"You should leave sooner," he said. "I will help you get a flight for Hong Kong. I already talked to Dad. Go to your mother and don't look back. Forget about your High School in England. It is not safe. You can go first thing to Vienna then meet Victoria."
With that, I started to cry silent tears. "What are you telling me? I'll left everybody behind? How about Aguiluz? He's in Moscow. USSR will hunt him down if they know that he is a family of someone who is connected to Hitler."
"He changed his name ever since he went there. He goes by Antoinette's family name. And we'll stick for that."
"And you?"
"I'll defend France. Many of our people hate the Nazis. I'll go there for a very important mission and that is to be a National Spy," he explains as he meets my gaze. "If-if things go wrong, I'll leave for United States. They will be more lenient than the Russians."
"That's impossible!" I said unbelievingly.
That summer became worst for me. 1944, June 6th, Allied forces attacked France under General Eisenhower's command. For 24 hours straight, 120 000 troops marched from Normandy, and three weeks later, another 800 000.
Just like what Heroine instructed me, I met Victoria in Vienna with the name Suzanne Cannes. Dad became a prisoner of war and from what I've heard, Heroine went to San Francisco. Olivia run away wit Pedro and they went all the way to Bulgary. Emily joins Luis in nursing wounded soldiers in our humble home in Marseille.
Victoria, on the other hand married a Doctor in Vienna who goes by the name Cleo Czar Constantinov. From her tales, she said that he originates from Zurich, Russia. Victoria is now called Madame Ariana Victoria Clementine Constantinova y Cannes because we all dropped the Peril in our names to hide our origin.
I went to Hong Kong just like the original plan, but I later learned that Mackenzie Lei is just a screen name, and the actress who bears that name for a very long time is now on Singapore, Her real name is Heighly Cao.
"Hi," I tell her. "I am --"
"Suzanne," she said as she hugs me with a teary eyes. "Emily sent a telegram. I'd been expexting you."
"You do?" I ask surprisingly.
"Yes. I am sorry about your Father, dear."
"He's fine, I bet," I tell her though I myself didn't believe what I said. "I really want to see you mom. Can I call you that?" I said with tears in my eyes.
"Always," she tells me while hugging me. "You can stay here. We are family."