"Mr White."
"Yes," I answer gently while sitting on a chair where the room is supposed to be that old lady's study room.
"I have something to discuss with you..." The voice approached me again, that deep-sounding voice.
He is a human man, like me. He looks more manly than I am. His face looks sharp, has a strong jawline, and has a flat chin but not taller than the head chef.
"Continue," I replied.
He had been knocking on the door thirty minutes ago but had not spoken since then.
I wonder why, but I'll be saying he is here to ask about the meeting with the Royal Family.
"Regarding the matter of the meeting with the royal family yesterday."
"I see," I instantaneously responded to him.
"What the action toward this matter, Mr White?" asked him concerned.
I know this matter will bring the family name to the edge if it's not solved quickly, but
"I have not yet figured. But, I shall visit them as soon as possible. Mr Butler,..."
Before I could finish my sentence. He then says,
"Aaron, sir."
"Mr Aaron Butler?" I said, confused.
Does he want me to address him like this? I thought.
"No, sir... Just, Mr Butler is okay, sir."
"Right, Mr Butler. I needed you to write a letter to the Royal Palace."
"What do I need to write?"
"Let's see, write it like this. Begin the letter with the date December 17, and then His Majesty... "
What is the name of the King again?
"...His Majesty King Louis III." he continuously says while writing it in a notebook that he took out from the left pocket of his black uniform.
"...then began the first paragraph with, 'Mr White of the Alistair household wanted to write Your Majesty his letter as an offer to his sincere apologies for not being able to attend the Royal Meeting'..."
"Do I need to write the occasion, Mr White?"
"Yes. Oh! Please write on top of the first paragraph, my name and then our household name then begin with me asking for you to write it like '...asked me to thank you for the letter of December 11,' and add the second paragraph for our justification, to tell them that we are in the process of moving out." explained me.
"Moving...out?" he said with a shocked look on his face.
"Yes, Mr Butler."
....
...
Earlier this morning, I made my decisions.
...
...
Last night, after eating the food that the head chef was prepared. I asked the head chef to take me to see what ingredients she used to cook the food she served for me, as an excuse so that I knew where the Mr White's garden was located. I mean me.
I also think it is the best option for me to want to know better about 'myself'. So I can easily choose whether to be 'me' or vice versa.
As the head chef walked next to me, she told me that the garden may be filled with a lot of gifts but I was not asking any further as I already figured out the reason for it and even tho she said it was a 'secret garden' yet it filled with peoples gifts.
I remember her funeral ceremony. Her grave was just near this residential area, but they never allowed me to leave the house at that time. They thought that I would only cause trouble during the ceremony.
And that's one of the reasons why I think it's very likely that it's close to the garden.
Well, it is just a hunch from the heart, though.
"Oh! Right, you go first, Mr White. It's your garden, after all." says the head chef while giving me a way to walk through.
"Well, it's true, but you just get in there whenever you feel like. Aren't you?"
"Ha ha," She laughs, grinning.
What I always imagine when people talk about a garden is an open area full of flowers, but this is more than that.
It looks so magical.
It looks like a typical fairytale picture from children's books.
Therefore, it is now December, so the look here is not so cheerful because winter will arrive in a few days.
When I entered the garden area, I kinda liked how it was neatly organized according to the season.
Summer, spring, autumn, and winter.
In each season, it is separated according to the type of plant.
Flowers, fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
It's also covered by a roof made of glass with a floral wreath around the iron pillars around the area.
The last thing I notice is that at the front of this garden area, there is a stone with a height measurement close to mine.
It's a carved statue of the old woman.
Filled with bouquets and gifts while the tree leaves were already gone, fall because of the season.
For a moment there, I'm a little dumbfounded. Now that I remember, this place was not a garden before but just a bushy forest area.
Where I am being adopted by her.
"Mr White? Is everything okay? You look unwell." asked the head chef after realising I was just standing there.
"Am I looking unwell to you?"
"Mr White, you don't have to be here if you feel too overwhelmed."
Her words may be true, but the feelings I had been hiding all this time came out in a rush all at once.
I don't know what I want to feel.
Sad?
Emotionally touch?
Or longing...
I started crying uncontrollably while my hand covered my face, trying to control it but wouldn't stop. I walked towards her grave and knelt at the edge of her grave.
For the first time in my life, I know what tantrums would feel like.
Rumble!
The sound of thunder.
Rumble!
The head chef only stood there and waited for me as the rain fell to the ground after a few minutes of thunder, followed by lightning flash across the sky.
All my memories as a cat were flashing like the flashing light.
I kept screaming hysterically until the servants came out of the house.
"Mr White?" they say. But, I couldn't hear them as I drowning in my own emotions.
Why do I act like this?
I don't understand the need to feel this emotional.
But one thing I'm certain of is that I want her to be here next to me.
I paused.
"Sob...sob...sob..." still weeping.
"Mr White..." called them.
"Let's go home." says one of the maids.
"This weather is dangerous please return home." approached the lady with a different uniform colour.
I believe she is also one of the maids with a higher position. One thing I noticed the most was her live mole near her upper lips.
"Mrs Mariam is right, Mr White." said the maid behind her.
While they were slowly running to approach me, I suddenly saw the statue of the old lady moving.
Am I seeing things?