Kiara had been standing in the shower for a very long time, crying alone as the cold water hit her hard. How fast life had just turned around for her, and she was in a despicable situation. How she missed her old life. She finally stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself with a towel.
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, Kiara stared at her image and saw nothing but misery. Her eyes were swollen, it seemed like her beauty had deserted her, and she did not care a bit.
She turned around to look at the full length mirror which was on the wall, trying to see if her body had succumbed to the torture that she was going through. The mirror was dirty; that was all Kiara could see.
"When did Rosaline clean this? Why doesn't she clean it anyway? I wouldn't be surprised if it was Vine who ordered her not to!"
Kiara angrily took some wipes and started wiping away. In her anger, she erroneously pushed the soap holder which was made of heavy china ware, and the thing went straight on the base of the mirror, shattering it.
Kiara was shocked, for she had not expected any such thing to happen. She slowly bent down and looked at the broken part of the mirror.
"I wouldn't be shocked if Vine punishes me for this stupid mirror," she spoke to herself.
Then, what? What was that? A hole? Why did it look like there was a hallow opening behind the mirror? What kind of a mirror was it? Kiara carefully went closer and scrutinized. Oh. The mirror could actually move! It was well inserted into the wall tiles, seemingly built into the wall, but upon a close inspection, one could tell that the mirror could be moved.
What? Was it a door? It was a sort of a door leading to another room? Kiara's heart was heavily pounding, and she started to sweat. However in all the sweating and fear, she continued to move the mirror and sure enough, it opened up to a tunnel-like opening, which was dark inside.
Huh? To where did it lead? A tunnel right there in her bathroom? She had stayed there for a while, and had seen that mirror every single day, but never in her life had she ever thought that the mirror actually was covering a door. Where did the door go? What was that?
She went out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her. While she blew her hair, she could not help but wonder what it meant; the tunnel in the wall? Hmm; how many more tunnels were in the Pinkerton mansion? Did they ever use them; the tunnels? She started to become seriously scared of the family.
When Rosaline brought in her food, she entered and greeted Kiara, placed the food and was about to leave when Kiara asked her,
"Would you please tell me something I need to know about this mansion. First of all, how long have you worked here?"
Rosaline stood in her tracks and said, "besides greeting you, ma'am, I am not allowed to talk anything else with you."
"Just close the door and talk to me. No one will know." Kiara tried to convince the girl.
Rosaline slightly shook her head and, "no ma'am. I will take my leave now."
"Wait! Wait! Don't go! I just need to ask you a question. How long have you been a maid here in this house?" she asked.
"I cannot say anything," the maid said and walked away.
Although Kiara called out after her, she neither turned back nor did anything to show that she was hearing Kiara calling out to her.
Kiara was irritated. She opened the food and became even more irritated.
"I hate these boiled carrots of theirs! Why do I have to eat them?" she roughly closed the bowl and opened the other ones.
Slowly she began to eat the other food, not really enjoying it but rather eating in order to survive.
***.
Dear Kimmy
I never knew that walking around from one room to the other is a type of freedom that we take for granted.
I never knew that when you get caught between a bedroom and a bathroom, you start to understand what depression is.
Dear Kimmy, I never knew that the anxiety of wanting to know if he is well, would drive me this made.
Did he manage to run away?
Did they catch him, and what did they do to him? If they do something to him, will they ever tell me about it; or as usual, I will be the last person to know?
I never knew that my own parents would spend such a long time before they come to see me. Have they forgotten about me?
If they come to see me, it will be much easier for me to just inform them about my unhappiness and pain.
Dear Kimmy, sometimes the persons we trust the most let us down, and although I am well aware that I should be the last person to say that, please allow me to just say it; dear Kimmy.
***.
Two or three days later, a lady walked timidly and entered inside the huge buildings. She was offered a seat, and she sat down, not sure if she was still ok with her decision to go there, or if she was regretting it all.
"How may we help you, ma'am? The officer asked.
"I would like to report a case of abuse, but it is by a very big person."
"Who?" the officer stopped what he was doing and stared at the lady.
"Umm….the Pinkerton family," Aletha said.
The officer called her into a private office and asked her to narrate her story.
"They have my daughter, and I have a feeling that she is being held more like a prisoner rather than a free human being."
"Is your daughter a maid there, ma'am?" the officer asked.
"No, officer, My child is married to Vine. The young master Vine Lucas Pinkerton."
"What! The Pinkertons' grandson is already married? I wasn't aware of that! So, he married your daughter? Why then are you sad? You're a lucky woman, ma'am. A lot of woman would die to be in your position." The officer could not hide his joy.
Aletha proceeded to explain that her daughter was living the life of a prisoner; not allowed to leave the house, unable to connect in any way with the outside world.
The officer thought about it for a while and said, "there must be a reason why they are doing that, is there not?"
Aletha played with her fingers and she knew she could not sell out her daughter for her actions of sneaking out to meet another man.
"I have no idea," she shook her head slightly.
The officer pulled his chair closer to Aletha's, and he began to talk as if talking to a friend. His voice was full of care for the lady in front of him.
"Ma'am, I will not lie to you. When you have a case against the Pinkertons, it's not easy to get anything done on it. These guys are too corrupt; you truly have no idea. Between me and you, they managed to worm their way into the police top offices. So many cases have been reported, but I don't recall of even one going through to the courts."
Aletha sat up, alarmed. She opened her eyes wide, and asked, "if you don't mind, what kind of cases have been reported?"
The officer cleared his throat and said, "I cannot possibly go into great details, but a lot happens in that mansion, and in all their businesses. In some cases, their staff have disappeared without trace, some of them only to be found dead after many days. And the thing is, there is never a link to connect their deaths to the Pinkertons. Thus no one can openly say I know that they did this or that. I want to be truthful to you, ma'am, I suggest you just drop the matter."
"But, my child…my daughter is…"
"Your daughter is married to the Pinkertons' grandchild. And she is not allowed to leave the house. It's not too much of an issue. Just let it be. Have they harmed her? No. Have they done anything to her? No. So leave her. Go back home and enjoy your life. Your daughter is being taken care of. I tell you, she can never be in want of anything as long as she is under their roof. Those people are loaded."
"I know," Aletha spoke in a very low voice. "My worry is, my child is not happy. I want her to have a normal life like everyone else. Knowing that she is locked inside the mansion without a phone, and denied access to the outside world…just knowing that breaks my heart."
"Are you allowed to see her; or you also cannot see her?" the man asked with apprehension.
"I can…we can see her. My husband and I are allowed to visit her and she also visits us, but she always comes with a procession of security guards. I can never have time alone with my own child." Aletha felt her throat blocking; the situation in which Kiara was pained her to the core.
"I hear you ma'am, But then, even if I was to take this matter further, what complaint can we raise? We cannot report her as a missing person. We can't possibly file a case for a person who is living with their in-laws. Personally I would advise you to go back home, ma'am. Go back home and utilize the privilege you have, of seeing her as and when either of you visits the other. Don't take it too personally. I believe your child is well; she is living with the Pinkertons after all. Those people are too dark, ma'am you don't want to cross their path, worse when your child is under their care."
"I understand," Aletha nodded her head.
"If you suspect anything like abuse, in case she is abused in any way, and you have solid evidence for it, you may come back and we try something but…I won't promise you anything. Our bosses are best friends with those guys. It won't be easy to get through with the case."
"I understand. Thank you for your time, officer," Aletha smiled.
"You are welcome, ma'am" the officer smiled back.