by Jamie Ott
Maddie sighed, loudly, as she was escorted back to her room, or so she thought.
“This way,” said the lady.
They went right instead of left.
The woman knocked on one of the doors, and, without waiting for a reply, opened it.
Inside was a large office that looked almost like a party room. The fireplace stood five and a half feet tall, and was just as wide. In the center of the room, facing the fireplace, there was a brown leather couch with hugely taut upholstery, and matching seats. Scattered throughout the room were walnut tables with matching chairs, rustic lamps, and underneath them all was the largest Persian rug she’d ever seen.
To their right were eight tall book cases that towered halfway up the high ceilinged walls. They were filled with old and newer literature. On the left of where they stood, there was a bookcase that was enclosed in locked glass; some of those books were not only old, but were from another era altogether. They were bound with leather and etched with what looked like real gold. No doubt the insides were thick and uncut, and painted in gold, too. Those books were from the time before books became standardized by modern press machines.
In front of the glass book cases were two long tables. “What do you want?” asked Michael, who sat at one of them. Several books and a pad of paper, on which he wrote, were displayed.
His blue eyes twinkled in the dim light, when he looked up.
“I brought Madeleine to see the library, and perhaps pick a book to read.”
“Make it quick, Adele, I don’t wish to be disturbed,” he said shortly.
So that was the woman’s name. Maddie looked at the woman; her face turned red.
Michael turned back to his papers, and without looking at Maddie, said, “You will be moved to the room next to this one, because I have need of the one you’re in, currently. You will be much more comfortable. There’s a treadmill and a working television. You can stay there as long as you behave, but cause any problems and I’ll send you back downstairs.”
“Planning on having guests?” asked Maddie.
“How is that any of your business?” he continued without looking at her.
“How interesting that you could have guests while I’m being held against my will. Do your guests know that I’m here?”
Michael said nothing.
“Look, I’ve done nothing but ask why I’m here. I’ve offered money and silence, but neither you nor anyone will tell me. From what I can see, there is no reason for me to be here. I don’t know you or anyone in this house, so why not just release me?”
He looked up and said, “I’ll think about it. But for now, you are a lady and I, a gentleman; let us act as such. Now, leave; I’ve got work to do.”
He signaled to Adele, who nodded her head and tried to pull Maddie by the elbow, out of the room.
Maddie whipped her elbow out of Adele’s grip and said, “Tell me why I’m here! At least help me understand, don’t I deserve to know? Did I offend you? Put you out of business? Fire you? What?”
Michael stood and came at her, quickly. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her out into the hall.
“Tell me!” she screamed.
As he pushed her, she beat him on the side of his face with her fists.
He opened the door to a room, next to the office they just left. She fought when he tried to push her in. Finally, he picked her up by the arms and placed her inside. He was about to close the door when she kicked him in the groin.
He slumped midway to the ground. She tried to run off, down the hall, but he grabbed her by the ankle and she slammed face forward to the ground.
Michael climbed on top of her, pinning her by the arms. Ridiculously, she tried to struggle free while he sat on her waist and watched her.
“Why am I here?” she demanded of him.
“Are you that dense? You’re here because someone paid for you to be brought here,” he yelled.
“Who hired you?”
“Your husband.”
She stopped struggling.
“What? My husband?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I can’t tell you that. I don’t know everything myself.”
“You’re a liar! My husband has nothing to do with this! Tell me the truth!”
“It’s the truth.”
“I told you, if it’s money you want, I’ll pay!”
“Yes, but I don’t doubt that you’d go running to the police and find a way to track me down. I know who you are and I know who your family is. Releasing you would be the dumbest thing that I could do. There is a reason that you’re here. When the time is right, you’ll learn that reason, and then we’ll go our separate ways.”
Michael got off her, grabbed her by the arm and lifted her up.
Maddie sent a right hook straight at the side of his face. Michael groaned loudly. Maddie slipped through the door and ran down the hall again.
Michael was too quick. A moment later, just as she reached the stairs, his arm enveloped her waist and lifted her as if she were no more than a screaming, kicking child. He carried her back into the room and dropped her to the floor.
He, then, left the room.
Feeling defeated, she cried into the carpet.
Maddie remained on the floor a while before she pulled herself up.
The room was decorated strangely. It had the same smooth stone wall, but the inside was decorated as if it belonged to a Roman imperial. Colorful sheets of material purple silks hung from larger than necessary hooks, instead of paintings. Thick white candles in gold candelabra were screwed into the walls in several places, but instead of candles, they were made of plastic and came alight with the switch.
The treadmill and television made her happy, but only a little. She stared out of the window, thinking about Michael’s words, and remembering the men in the dark suits.
She should have asked how Michael knew her husband.
Suddenly, the door opened, followed by the sound of the food cart. Adele rolled it into the center of the room, and then left without a word.
Tears came to her eyes. She was sick of crying, but she couldn’t help it. Never, had she ever been so trapped and so helpless.
“Joe,” she asked aloud. “What did you do?”
~~~
Two weeks went by in which Maddie was confined to the room. Adele told her Michael wanted her confined for her outburst but that she would be allowed out soon. But fortunately, she had the treadmill, on which she spent many hours each day. She’d never been so fit in her entire life. Even when her legs hurt, she kept walking; it was the only thing that helped her keep her emotions in check.
Luckily, one day, Adele came to tell her that she convinced Michael to allow Maddie to wander through the library and pick out some books. She put on her dressing gown and followed Adele into the library.
The library was an amazing work of art, if one could consider a library as such. Whoever stocked it seriously had a “thing” for classics.
Although many of the books were not originals, like those behind the glass case, many of them were centuries old editions. Classics, like Don Quixote, Anna Karenina or The Hunchback of Notre Dame, interpreted 100 years ago, sat on those shelves. Reading them the way they were written a century ago was like being transported to another time.
And to her delight, someone had stocked the library with an entire collection of Chekhov and Chaucer, two of her favorite authors ever, along with a complete set of Dickens novels printed circa 1850-1950.
That same day, Adele brought her two bags of clothes.
“I bought them at the dollar store,” she told her.
Maddie laughed, thinking how normally, she’d rather be dead than seen in such items. “Thanks. It’ll be nice to have something else to wear.”
On a few of the days, even with books, a treadmill and a television, Maddie could do no more than stare at the walls. She’d imagine being back to her old life, and Adele, Abilene and Micha
el driven off in a cop car. Adele must have been afraid that she’d slip into the coma-like trance she was in before, because it was about this time when she opened up to Maddie.
As it turned out, Adele was Abilene’s older sister – Abilene was fired right after her incident with Maddie. Michael never gave permission for Maddie to be put to work.
Adele was the mother of four, three of which were grown and living elsewhere – she wouldn’t say. The fourth and last lived in the house, which was entitled Le Marcon Manor, on another floor. According to her, there were many others who worked at the manor, but she’d never seen them because the place was so big. Often they tended the animals, property, and laundering. All of who knew about Maddie, which was quite striking to her. How could people know someone was illegally imprisoned and not do anything to help? What was it that Michael had over all of them? Because it seemed impossible that so many could willingly look the other way.
And of course, she pressed her for information about Michael’s connection to her husband. Adele, then, made it clear that what little she did know, she couldn’t tell her, for fear that she might lose her life, freedom, or even her job.
In spite of her anger with Adele for not telling her more, she continued to befriend her, because there was nothing else she could do. It was exhausting to be mean, nasty, angry or sad for lengthy periods of time. But who knows, maybe if they became close, she’d help her escape one day.
During this time, Maddie learned the reason for the strange room décors: The house was being turned it into a medieval get away for families to visit; it was the only way Michael could afford the costs of maintenance because he, himself, was not a wealthy man. Already, the manor had been through a partial restoration, and there were still over a dozen rooms that needed work. And the guests that had come to visit, over the past few weeks, were potential investors.
Sometimes, they’d talk for hours about lost love, family problems, and marriage. Maddie went into more detail about her dilemma over leaving work to have a family and her desire to continue her pursuit of success. This led to Adele bringing her little girl, Anna, to play in Maddie’s room a few times.
Anna was a sweet but hyper active seven year old girl. Sometimes she got into trouble around the mansion, and Maddie could see why. No matter what, she couldn’t sit for more than five minutes. Anna wore dresses and liked to pretend she was a fairy princess, but she played hard and got dirty quick like a boy. Adele brought her to Maddie’s room because it kept both of them occupied while allowing Adele to complete work around the manor without having to, constantly, check in on her daughter.
Probably, the most painful part of all this was how much she wanted to hate Adele. Yet the only way to survive in that place was through her. If it weren’t for her and Anna, she would have surely sunk back into a depression.
A few more weeks passed in this manner. She hadn’t seen Michael since the incident in the hallway, but from time to time, she heard him in the room next to hers. He was a loud negotiator who loved to shout.
One cloudy morning, he knocked on her door and asked, “How have you been?”
Maddie didn’t respond.
“I’ve heard from Adele that you’ve been more than compliant – friendly, even. I’m prepared to allow you to wander the grounds for a few hours every day. However,” he warned, “if you do escape, know that there isn’t a town for over 300 miles. You’ll likely die of starvation or thirst; that is if you’re not eaten by a mountain lion or a bear first...”
“How do you know my husband?”
“Even if I told you, I know you wouldn’t believe me.”
Then he left, leaving Maddie confused and angry.
In the Garden
Chapter 5
Maddie didn’t need telling twice. That morning, Adele unlocked the door and told her she could do as she pleased, so she put on her shoes and a hooded sweater and went outside.
The first thing she did was inhale, deeply. Fresh air filled her lungs and made her feel alive. Maddie knew exactly where she wanted to be that morning.
She made her way around the side of the property, and followed the walkway. Moist, warm air made her skin tingle when she pulled back the door and entered the greenroom.
The old man, she saw before, sat at a work bench, mumbling to himself as he examined the roots of a strange plant he’d pulled from a pot.
Maddie walked up behind him and asked, “What’s that?”
He jumped in his seat and screamed in a funny way.
“It’s a rare orchid,” he said with a light Spanish accent.
“Can you teach me how to care for plants?” asked Maddie. “I’ve always wanted a garden.”
“Sure, I could use some help around here,” he said, rolling his R.
The man went into a lengthy explanation about the orchid and why he’d un potted it. Then he set, in front of her, another one of the orchids and asked her to take care of it for him while he went and got more potting soil.
Maddie appreciated his help and she regretted it. Julian talked nonstop, aloud to himself, to the air and to Maddie. When he wasn’t rambling, he constantly hummed. After a while, she just tuned him out, as she inspected plants for rot, dried soil or overgrowth.
Julian not only looked like a plant specialist, but he appeared to spend his time rolling in dirt and bathing in the sun. From his severely tanned skin to the dirt that was compounded under his fingernails. Just standing by him, she could smell soil and plant matter on his skin. These things didn’t repulse her in the slightest; in fact, Maddie loved the sight of him. He represented all that was green. For some reason, Maddie wanted to be like him.
His light colored cotton shirt was heavily stained, as was his apron. Julian was the only man Maddie had ever seen who dared to sport Crocs clogs. But despite the shoes, there was nothing feminine about him. He often carried 200lb bags of soil as if they weighed no more than a bag of apples.
At noon, Maddie was starving. She made her way back to the house, and went in through the backdoor.
“Ai!” said the dark haired woman. “You get out of here,” she said, rolling her R, too. “I don’t want dirt in my kitchen. I can smell you from over here.”
Maddie went upstairs and rinsed off in the shower. When she came back down, Adele was there, wiping polish on the table.
“Hi, how was your day out?” she asked.
“Great! It felt so good to have fresh air on my face.”
“Where did you go?”
“I spent the day with Julian.”
“Oh, Marie’s husband.”
“Who’s Marie?”
“She’s the cook; they’re from Spain.”
“How did they get here?”
“I think they were retired, until Marie’s mother passed on, leaving her a lot of debt. She was forced to declare bankruptcy, after depleting a good deal of her own retirement fund. Now they work here.”
“While that’s terrible, what luck to be retired in a place like this.”
Maddie went to the cupboard and pulled a loaf of bread. Adele continued as she made herself lunch.
“They were good friends with Michael’s father, who brought them over when he heard what happened. He needed someone to help run the property, so he gave them a good salary to do what they love: gardening and cooking.”
“Where’s his father, now?”
“Anton died a few years ago; that’s why Michael is scrambling to save this place. His father was a good man; friend to all and helped many, but his fortune was running out.”
Every morning, Maddie went to the greenhouse and helped Julian. And every morning, her prison felt more and more like a relaxing vacation. She hated herself for becoming comfortable in her surroundings, but it was hard to stay angry. Between the two choices: being in her room and surly, or out and happy, she had to do with the latter.
Just don’t forget that these people aren’t your friends, she often said to herself.
In the heat of the l
amps, Spanish song invigorated her while the aromatics soaked her mind. Sometimes, it was like being hypnotized or drugged, in that she’d never felt so at peace with the world, when she worked by Julian’s side.
Julian, of course, talked nonstop, but Maddie learned to block him out. She didn’t think his babble could be much worse, until one day when they had lunch together with his wife.
Marie was just as bad as Julian. Not only did she talk nonstop, but she talked louder and faster, often cutting them off mid sentence. And they both got worse when they bickered; they’d try to out talk each other, their voices climbing in pitch and decibels. Maddie wondered how they ever got the chance to listen to one another.
But at the same time, Maddie admired them. They really complimented each other, as they both loved to work with their hands, appreciated beauty and excellence. Marie exercised extreme precision in the kitchen, even when simply cutting up vegetables she did so with total devotion to her craft. Julian was the same way when it came to working with tools in the green room.
Marie took what she wanted, which was the freshest herbs and vegetables from Julian’s garden; and Julian was more than up to the challenge to provide. The way he beamed when she praised his work with rosemary made Maddie giggle. She wished Joe and her could have been more like them - more together.
After becoming friendly with Marie, Maddie started to help her in the kitchen. And boy was Marie bossy, but it was worth it because she’d always wanted to spend more time in the kitchen. Marie didn’t trust her at all, though. She only let her cut vegetables. That was alright, because she still learned a lot about making sauces. Other than steaks and basic sides, Maddie had no culinary inspiration or intuition.
Funnily enough, these were the best weeks of her life. It twisted her up inside to feel this way. She was happy because she was doing the things work had kept her from – basically, enjoying life. Good food and a good home was what she learned from Marie and Julian. Now all she needed was a family to enjoy these things with.
