Collin, who had been quietly standing beside his mother as if he was the quietest of all in the new unknown environment, sprang into action with the click of the door closing, started checking out his new room, and disappeared behind one of the doors in there. Thalia Mirabel explored the room that was easily comparatively three times bigger than the apartment she had stayed in, in the past week.
'If Collin's room is this big, then I wonder how the other rooms in the mansion are?' she asked herself.
"Mum!"
Thalia Mirabel sprung up and rushed towards where Collin had disappeared in a frenzy but slowed down her pace when Collin's voice came out to her once again, "Come and see this!"
Thalia Mirabel entered what looked like an inner room, but it was, in actual sense, a walk-in closet about half the size of the main room. The surprising thing was that this room was already filled to the brim with clothes of all types and for all occasions she could think of, including shoes and other accessories like watches for kids, and all were in Collin's size!
"Oh my!" Thalia Mirabel whispered, and she placed her palm on her lips in surprise. 'How did they even know his size?' she thought.
"Mum, look at all this! Are they for me?" Collin could not mask the excitement in his eyes. He still had the tablet securely in both hands, clutched close to his chest.
Thalia Mirabel squatted in front of him and ruffled his head,
"I believe that they are, sweetheart. Do you like them?"
He nodded vigorously, earning a fond chuckle from his mother. The room had a child-like vibe as the place had wallpapers that had comic-like spaceships drawn on them.
"Let's get you something to eat, sweetheart,"
Collin obediently followed his mother out of the closet, and the two sat on a small sofa to one side of the room and finished the light meal that had been brought for them. The meal was just right for them because Thalia Mirabel preferred a light supper. Once again. she wondered how they had known.
Following the advice of the maids, Thalia Mirabel pushed the trolley just outside and came back into the room while unknowingly leaving a small gap in the door. Collin never once let go of his tablet, and it took a little convincing before Thalia Mirabel could get him to let go and take a bath. At this time, Thalia Mirabel realised that even the little things in their backpacks were not needed as there was everything for daily necessities. This did not mean that she discarded them, for she still preferred those.
As the evening drew to a close, Thalia Mirabel and Collin, after refreshing themselves, headed for the covers and prepared to retire for the night. She reached out and switched off the lights in the room and held her son securely in her arms, and he also snuggled even closer,
"Mum?"
"Yes, sweetheart,"
"I miss Aunty Flora…." Collin's small voice echoed in the still room.
I know you do, sweetheart … but we will see her soon, she whispered and kissed his hair. The place stayed quiet for a bit, then, "Mum?"
"Yes, sweetheart,"
"Will, w-i-ll you leave me, mum?" his little voice cracked as if he was trying to hold in his tears. Thalia Mirabel nearly chocked on her emotions as her heart caught in her throat,
"Never!!! My love,"
"You promise?"
"Yes, I promise!" she said aloud to reassure him and vowed that in her head as well.
In order to lighten the mood, she tickled him until he giggled loudly and excitedly….
Just outside the room, Mrs Benny, who had chanced upon the trolley left out on the corridor, walked briskly and almost angrily towards it. She detested uncomplete work, and this new mistress seemed to be trying her patience the same day she had come in, but the woman stopped short just outside the doorway as she heard the last words uttered by the boy to his mother.
Those words were enough to pull the heartstrings of anyone! 'Just what had the boy gone through in life? And what kind of a mother would make her child ask such a question? It was always those who didn't deserve the joy and blessings of children who got it! Just how unfair was the world to give such an unfit woman a child?' Mrs Benny thought to herself as an uncomfortable feeling grew in her heart. Instead of calling any of the maids for the cart, she wheeled it herself from the doorway with a heavy frown on her face.
Before coming to the second floor, her husband had already talked to her to watch her attitude towards the new mistress, and she was ready to give the new mistress a chance, but with this, it looked like her initial impression of Mrs Trimshaw was right! She was absolute trash both in the way she dressed and presented herself as well as in her relationship with her child. Just what was Mr Trimshaw thinking by going for someone like her?
The words Mr Benny had spoken to her a little earlier, even though echoing in the back of her mind, were totally disregarded. It was as if the words went through one ear and came out another.
***
A little earlier …
"Mrs Benny?" her husband had started. Mr and Mrs Benny addressed themselves as such. "I know that you may have reservations towards the new -"
"Reservations?! Is that what you think it is?! I don't think that she is fit to be the mistress of this ... this whole empire! I do not understand what Jorge Trimshaw was thinking of… or why you did not tell me anything about HER in particular! You just told me to get ready for the new mistress, but why did you not tell me the kind of person she was? You know how I detest these kinds of women!" she screamed out, flailing her hands around as her massive bosom heaved up and down and paced up and down the entrance hall.
Mr Benny: "…"
*********
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