Desiree finally reunited with her mother was in tears. That comfort she felt the moment she seen her mother entered the green house was enough to let go of a whole world worths of worries.
"My dearest… it is you in the flesh and bones… you don't know how much I worried about you when I heard that news." Desiree's mother hugged her as tight as she could. Not letting go of the young lady after being able to see her again. The butterflies in her mother's stomach seems like it has calmed down with the affirmation that her only daughter is alive and well.
Desiree's tears stream like it is never ending.
It is only a day and a half since the tragedy happen yet she misses her mom so much.
She was crying like a little kid who's candy was stolen away from her.
This is her mom and they are together. That's all she could ever care about.
"Mama… I miss you!" She murmured while squeezing her mom into tight embraced. Her hand clasps unto her mom's back.
"Care to tell me what is going on?" Desiree's mother paid a little glare to the group of young men around them.
The five men look at each other barely even glancing.
Until everyone's eyes focus on Ernest.
The Walton's head butler for Desiree's care.
Ernest swallowed. His Addams apple slow moving as he thinks of where to begin his explanation.
He then give a respectful bow towards Desiree's mother.
Desiree letting go of her mother as they both face towards Ernest.
The moment Ernest stood attention he focuses his eyes towards Desiree's mother. Respectfully.
"My name is Ernest Joshua Young. I am a Walton Family butler assigned as Ms. Desiree del Carmen's head butler." Ernest begins to introduce himself.
As Ernest spoke his piece, Desiree's mother swallowed upon realizing who these men in front of them are.
The four other butler stood attention behind Ernest. Bow sophisticatedly and one by one lifted their head up.
Bryan first lifted his head staring at Desiree and her mother.
"I am Bryan Thomas, Ms. Desiree's second butler… also Ernest's left hand in meeting Ms. Desiree's needs." Bryan spoke, eyes twinkling and smiling at his young mistress and his mistress's birth mother.
Lance lifted his head this time.
"Lance Johnson. Third butler in charged of Ms. Desiree's needs." A charismatic smile has lighten up the whole room the moment he speak up, his blonde hair flowing with air flawlessly.
"Zachary Addams, fourth butler and also the eldest of the Addams brother. I will be at Ms. Desiree's service." Zachary glanced towards Desiree when he lifted up his head.
"Leonard Addams. I am the youngest and fifth butler in charged of Ms.Desiree's care. I believe we are almost the same age." Leonard explained.
Desiree's mother lifted up her eyebrow.
At first her reaction was anger.
Then that anger became smooth.
And she started trembling.
"No… this can't be…" Desiree's mother shook head head and started holding her daughter tightly yet gentle embraced.
There was fear in her face.
"Mom…" Desiree could feel her mother's anguish and sadness at the same time.
Her instinct tells her there is something really wrong in the situation.
If anything at the very least, her mother should be happy that these men are here to care for her needs so that she could become the lady she is supposed to be.
"I won't allow it… why now? Almost eighteen years and it was only me and Dessa… nobody came to help… I was left fending for ourselves. I was left working day and night to meet our daily needs. And now… what do you guys want from us?" Desiree's mother started stepping backwards while still holding her tightly. Seemingly not going to let go no matter what.
Ernest lifted his arm out as if trying to reach the two ladies walking backwards.
"Ms. Del Carmen…" Ernest calls out to her.
Dessa hold her mother's arms as her mother's arms started to get really tight around her neck.
"Mom…" Dessa called out to her mother.
Ernest started to step forward to reach for his young mistress's hand.
"No! Don't come near us." Dessa's mother threateningly pointing at Ernest with her pointer finger.
The other four butlers started to fidget behind Ernest. Waiting for his orders.
"Ms. del Carmen, we mean no harm or anything. We wanted a better future for your daughter. So does her grandmother… who is in her deathbed right now." Ernest started talking peacefully in his low baritone voice while slowly reaching towards his young mistress.
"Nobody is going to take Dessa from me. She is my daughter and mine alone. I raised her up to be the woman she is now, all by myself." Desiree's mom still holding onto Desiree as she tries to find an escape from the five butlers in front of her.
"Mom… You're… choking… me…" Desiree gulp as she understands what is going on now, trying to catch her breath as she loosen up her mother's grip around her neck.
"We are not taking her away from you, we would like to get her to train as a Walton heiress she could assume what is hers legally. That is the only wish of her grandmother." Ernest still trying to talk with Desiree's mother.
"No. No. No." Desiree's mother started to act hysterically, like it was some kind of Pandora's box that was hidden for a long time but now opened unwanted.
"Mama… please listen to them…" Desiree starts trying to free herself from her mother's grasps.
"Her life is in danger right now. She is the only heir to the Walton and if she doesn't go back as the lady Walton she should be, the whole extended relative will succumb to stealing what is for her." Ernest took a few step forward, getting closer and closer to Desiree and her mother.
"Mama… I swear… I am never leaving you… no matter what. You are my Mama." Desiree started choking up because of how her mother is holding her tightly.
Ernest's fingers started rolling around as he take the initiative to get closer to Desiree. His finger as if commanding the four butlers behind him. Just that small gesture was enough for the whole team to take on the order. They knew what they needed to do.
Desiree watching Ernest's hand move around as the other four butlers moves accordingly, started to try to pull her mother's arms away from her.
"Mama, please calm down." Desiree's voice echoed as if pleading that her mother will be able to leave unscathed.
"No!!!" Desiree's mother's scream has echoed as she fainted in the arms of the young butlers.
A few hours later...
Desiree's mother is finally calmed and sleeping in the bedroom made for Desiree.
Knock knock knock
"Come in." Desiree murmured.
Worried about her mother's behavior earlier.
She is combing her mother's hair gently.
The door opened slowly.
Came Ernest with a tray of warm tea kettle and tea cup with some sweet buns.
"Pardon me, my mistress. It's me." He said.
Desiree look at where the voice is coming from.
Their eyes accidentally caught each other just millisecond.
Then the girl avoided Ernest's gazes.
Her head move back to looking towards her mother and her long blonde hair following, falling to hide her face away from Ernest, as if letting the young man know that the lady is not fond of what they did to her mother.
"I'm sorry we had to do that in order for her to calm down." Ernest sets down the tray by the bedside, while checking in to Desiree's mother.
"Hmmm… hmmm…" Desiree started humming.
Ernest gasps.
The sound of her humming seemingly familiar but in his distant memory. Something he hasn't remembered for a long while.
"May we have a word with you for a moment regarding the situation?" Ernest asked.
Desiree gently took her look away from her mother to finally meet Ernest's gazes once again.
Her eyelashes are fluttering, her eyes was wavering as if it's about to bawl out from tears teasing to start flowing.
"Just a moment." Ernest repeated then he walk out of the room.
Seemingly not having any choices, the lady kisses her mother's forehead.
Desiree followed him with her eyes for a second then stood up to follow him by foot.
The air is warm in the summer breeze. The night sky shows the darkness of the world when the sun is hiding. The gentle twinkle of the stars is the only natural light outside.
Ernest leaned on the balcony rail, looking in the horizon.
When he felt a familiar step behind him, he turned around, look behind him to face the owner of those foot.
"I'm really sorry we had to do that to your mother." Ernest respectfully bowed at Desiree when she came near him.
Desiree wave her hands no.
She only got bits and pieces of what Ernest said because the man chose to speak his main language.
"It's okay. No worries. She okay." Desiree tried her best to communicate her feelings in a language that is foreign to her.
Although trying hard to not show her sadness at seeing her mother having those panic attack upon knowing that her paternal side of family wanted to bring her back to know her family's history.
"If you ever think of going back with us, I swear in the name of my family name… that I will protect you no matter what happens." Ernest lifted his head up to see Desiree's expression.
Those stare shows determination and what he truly feels.
The girl's face is still covered with worries and fear.
"I…" her heart says no to the deal because she couldn't bear to see her mother suffer yet her brain is turning on all the signals to say yes. She could be benefitted positively if she actually assume the rights to become a Walton heiress. The one and only rightful heiress to everything that the Walton ever owned.
Ernest stared at the young woman.
Trying to read what she is thinking while looking deep in her eyes.
Until he smiled.
He look on the ground breaking their eye contact.
Then he turn his back on the young woman with a little snort.
As if giving up with that question for the day.
Desiree clasps her hands together in front of her chest. Her heart.
While she still try and think of the correct decision to that very question that Ernest have ask multiple times in different ways that he could.
Ernest lifted his arms up in the air as if telling her that he is giving up this time.
"Take your time to decide what you would like to do, but all five of us are here to follow any orders from you until you make the decision if you would like to take your rightful place in your family." Ernest said before leaving Desiree alone.
Desiree was left wide eyed.
Just looking at where Ernest has disappeared into.
Only noises she could hear are the nature's sound around her with a distant city noises.
As she look at the horizon pondering what she should do, what she should have done or what is the right answer to all of the questions wavering inside her mind and her heart.