After going through a quite difficult journey due to being cursed by a motorbike rider because Finn was driving rather recklessly, then getting angry with a bus driver, and racing against a motorbike, finally the two cousins Eiffel and Finn arrived at Eiffel's house. When it's midnight like this, the very dark Eiffel House looks like a ghost's residence. None of the lights outside or inside were turned on. Just add the sound of wolves howling, maybe the Eiffel House could really be a shooting location for a horror film.
The Eiffel House is located in one of the elite areas of Paris. However, the atmosphere of the house was very gloomy, it was not taken care of, and there was a lot of construction waste such as cement, bricks and pieces of wood in the corner of the front yard. If it's a mess like this, who would be proud of the house that Eiffel's grandfather bought from a Dutch businessman who lived in Indonesia during the independence era?
The trees next to the building waste were never monitored whether they were bearing fruit or not. Sometimes Eli, a distant relative who takes care of Eiffel's mother, often sells sweet fruit from the trees to a sanitation worker who often passes in front of the house in the afternoon. The proceeds from these sales usually buy her favorite foods or she can also buy groceries at the supermarket. Then after that, she cooked all the ingredients for himself, Eiffel, and of course Eiffel's mother.
Eiffel and the people who live in this house really don't care about the condition of the house. Maybe because they feel that this house is not completely theirs. Eiffel's own grandfather, who bought this house, preferred to spend his artistic, quiet and beautiful old age in Alsace. Eiffel's grandfather in question is Eiffel's father.
"Thanks for accompanying me, Finn!" Eiffel smiled stiffly as he landed her feet outside the car.
"Don't thank me anymore, okay?" Finn felt that Eiffel was too shy about him.
"So? What should I say?" Eiffel started to protest again.
"Well that's that then! I'm too lazy to argue anymore!"
"Okay!"
After developing a smile that was both cheerful and silly at Eiffel, Finn immediately stepped on the gas of the car. Of course he wasn't angry even though he had just argued with his cousin. As long as Eiffel knows, Finn really loves her.
In a world full of violence, cheating and wariness, in the end, humans will look for other humans to share their joys and sorrows. Finn himself felt that he would devote all of this to his cousin, Eiffel. Since childhood, he has been very sympathetic to Eiffel. Maybe because the girl had experienced many trials in her life, Finn wanted to always be by her side.
Eiffel looked at her Toyota car which Finn had borrowed tonight to go home to his apartment. The car full of memories and stories got further away and turned out of the way of Eiffel's house. He felt that Finn had been very good to him all this time. It really moved him.
After standing for a long time in front of the house, Eiffel turned to face her house. He didn't enter it straight away, but he watched it carefully first. Her eyes started to fill with tears. He began to remember all the memories he had spent in this house.
This house was her grandfather's solace for Eiffel. The solace in question is medicine for heartache or consolation after Eiffel's father died. Unfortunately, as time went by, Eiffel's father's family relationship with her mother was not very good. Finally, until now, Eiffel has not met her grandfather again.
After thinking for a long time and taking a deep breath, Eiffel entered her house through the side door. Her ears heard nothing but the sound of insects in the trees. There was also no light around him. The condition of this house is truly worrying.
Check it out.
Eiffel opened a side door that led him into the kitchen. He walked quietly, not wanting to wake her mother or Eli, the household assistant who had worked with her parents since he was little. In the middle of the dark, Eiffel passed the door of Ms. Eli's room which was full of posters of Nirvana and Gun N' Roses. Her taste in music is quite the opposite of her feminine and motherly figure. If Eiffel didn't guess wrong, it looks like the number of Eli posters is increasing. Eiffel has known Eli for 19 years, and it seems that this big woman really liked rock music in the eighties or nineties.
Eiffel opened the door to the living room. If the lights are turned off like this, the atmosphere really gives goosebumps. Understandably, the Eiffel house is a model of an old European house with ventilated windows and very high ceilings. With a house style like that, the echo produced by Eiffel's footsteps sounds scary.
When there were only a few steps left to get to Eiffel's room, suddenly the living room light came on. Actually, he didn't expect to find a bright room like this. However, on the other hand, he had predicted and guessed who had turned on the lights in the living room.
"Eh?!" Eiffel looked at the light switch. There her mother was standing with a slight bow.
"Mom, aren't you asleep yet?" Eiffel asked politely. He approached her mother.
The woman in pajamas didn't answer. She immediately glanced at the clock on the wall in the living room, both hands of which pointed to twelve. She quipped that Eiffel had just come home in the middle of the night.
Eiffel looked at her mother who was staring blankly at the ground. Without saying anything else, she immediately grabbed her mother's hand. Her old fingers did not respond to her daughter's warm touch. Her mother's flat eyes were surrounded by dark circles that were getting wider. Her prominent cheekbones make him look a bit like a skull. As the days went by, Mama's condition became more and more worrying.
Mama's strange behavior happens every day. Since Papa Eiffel died almost thirteen years ago, Eiffel has never heard her mother's enthusiastic and firm voice again, except in tears. The doctor said that Mama was experiencing severe depression and trauma. Many times the doctor offered to take Mama to a mental hospital, but Eiffel was always angry and refused. She was sure that her mother was just stressed. One day, Mama will definitely return to normal without these psychological therapies. Eiffel is sure that with attention and affection, her mother will recover and be willing to talk again.
But what kind of attention and affection can heal mom?
Until this moment, Eiffel didn't know.
"Sorry, Ma, the program lasted until ten o'clock and there was really traffic jam. Oh yes ma...Eiffel has a gift for mom..." Eiffel tried to lighten the mood. She hid her 'The Best Actress' award behind her back. "Want to know, Mom? ♫JENG JENG JENG!♫" Eiffel then showed her trophy and forced herself to smile a little.
"...…"
Mama's gaze was straight ahead. No words came out of her dry mouth. There was no smile on her worn face.
CLICK!
Mama turned off the living room light and went back into her room. It is common knowledge that her mother did not support Eiffel's involvement in the world of theater.
Seeing that her mother's behavior and condition did not give her any hope, Eiffel raised her head towards a photo of herself and her father hanging on the wall in the living room next to the television. The photo was taken when Eiffel took part in a regional clothing competition at kindergarten level. At that time, Papa was proud because his son had successfully demonstrated regional clothing from Central Java.
Suddenly Eiffel thought, if Papa was still around, he would definitely support all her activities and Eiffel would not be alone in facing all this. If Eiffel's imaginary friend in her dreams were real, Eiffel would dedicate this award to him.
"Eiffel, are you home from school?" suddenly the image of a man's deep voice penetrated her subconscious. In the past, the dark-skinned man always made her smile wider.
"Yes, Dad. Dad! What are we playing this afternoon?" Little Eiffel tugged at her father's left arm. As a result, it was difficult for the athletic man to work. At that time, he was writing a list of expenses and income for his software company .
"Soon, Eiffel. Right now, papa still has work. After that, let's play."
At that time, Eiffel and her family did not live in the house her grandfather gave him like they do now. He still lives with her parents and Mbak Eli in a rented house. To be precise, on the third floor of a building which is not only a house, but also an office. The house was very magnificent and spacious. In fact, there were only four of them left there.
Software office on the first floor, while their residence was on the second and third floors. That way, he doesn't have to bother going to the office and lose time playing with his only daughter. It is common knowledge that this man named Thomas Marceau really loves his daughter.
At that time, after school, Eiffel always played on the first floor. But, be careful... don't let your mother find out. Her mother was known to be very perfectionist and strict. If Eiffel was caught in her father's office, the woman would pinch her ears until they were red because the little girl had not yet changed into her uniform, washed her feet, washed her face, taken a nap, eaten lunch, done her homework, studied, etc. Meanwhile, Papa, who was more flexible in educating him, often got angry with Mama.
This difference makes mom often say things that offend dad. Mama said, which actually often hurts Papa, "Don't let our children catch the bad traits and habits of your extended family who spoil their children too much!"
Every time Mama said those words to Papa, Eiffel always found the expression on her father's face change. The man looked very sad and stupid in front of his wife. This is one of the triggers for Eiffel not being close to her mother. For him, Mama was quite scary, had lots of rules, and was often angry.
Until finally, a tragic event devastated this family.
Mama Eiffel's character changed one hundred and eighty degrees.