by Kira Saito
“Really?” It was clear that she was lying. I had been there, and when I left she had been passed out. “What did you talk about?”
“You know the places we’ve traveled to, our favorite brands. Things you find boring.”
“Must have been an intense conversation,” I ignored her comment. I didn’t think traveling was boring; I just never had the money to go anywhere.
“Oh my God, where did these come from,” she noticed the boxes of chocolates on the table. “I love Chocopologie.”
“I don’t know, they were there this morning,” I lied.
“Lucus must have sent them for me. Was there a letter?” Her eyes frantically searched the table.
“No letter.”
“Awww, he wanted to surprise me,” she opened a box and ate a handful of my chocolates. “You can have some too Arelia.”
“Thanks.” Why was I keeping the fact that I had been there last night a secret? I guess I didn’t want to embarrass Sabrina and call her out on passing out in Lucus’s bed. That was all I rationalized. Besides, Sabrina deserved happiness, and if Lucus was the one to bring it to her why should I interfere. “We have to go,” I advised as I gulped down the rest of my orange juice and coffee, a strange but satisfying combination.
“But I’m not done eating,” she whined. I gave her an annoyed glance. “Fine.” She gobbled down the rest of the pain perdu, and we made our way to the front lawn.
Chapter 8
Brandy Milk Punch
The early morning sun shone down on the sprawling green lawn making it look impeccable along with the rows of white tables that sat on it. The guests were busy sampling the wide array of breakfast treats that had been laid out for them.
“Good morning ladies.” Henri tipped his white hat, as he came up to greet us. “I trust that you are well-rested and ready to enjoy another beautiful day at Darkwood.”
“We don’t have to do a lot of work, do we?” Sabrina ignored his polite question.
“Well, that depends what you think is a lot of work,” responded Henri laughing at Sabrina’s obvious lack of interest.
“I heard you had quite an adventure last night,” Henri turned towards me. The look on his wrinkled, old face screamed that he knew everything that had happened in the swamp. Given the size of this place you would think it would be easy to hide things, but it was turning out to be just the opposite.
“I’m a bit sore,” I admitted suddenly much more aware of how much pain I was in.
“You’ll just have to take it easy then,” Henri patted me on the back. “Go on now, let’s greet those guests,” he ordered as he walked towards the Gopals.
“This is absolutely sinful,” Mrs. Scott’s euphoric voice boomed as she tried the corn fritters.
“Hey, Mrs. Scott,” I approached her. “Have you tried the calas? They are just as sinful.”
She placed her hand on her tiny waist and said, “I couldn’t. I’ve already gained five pounds since yesterday.”
“Don’t be silly, you look fantastic.”
“Such a sweet girl and a pretty one at that.” She was clearly flattered by my compliment.
“Here, try this.” I grabbed a pitcher and a glass from the table and filled it up with brandy milk punch. At Lola’s, it was a weekend breakfast favorite.
“What is it?” asked Mrs. Scott eying the glass in suspicion before taking a sip. “I’m drinking before noon, and it feels glorious,” she took another sip. “I taste brandy and vanilla in this, am I right?”
“Yes, great sense of taste.”
“Lucus!” Sabrina annoyingly screeched as she limped across the lawn to where Lucus was standing. He was dressed in a plain, white t-shirt which highlighted his toned torso and contrasted rather nicely against his glossy dark hair. “You’re here!” Sabrina gave him a big hug not embarrassed at all by the guests who were staring at her.
“Good day Sabrina, how are you this morning?” he asked.
“I’m awesome,” she shamelessly squeezed his bicep.
Lucus caught me staring, our eyes locked and my heart beat just a tad bit faster. He gave me a small smile indicating that he was unaware whether I was still angry or not. I nodded, hoping that he would take it as a sign that I had gotten over what had happened. He brushed his hand against his brow in exaggerated relief which despite my best attempt not to, made me smile. Sabrina, oblivious to our little exchange continued to ramble on moving closer to Lucus.
“Arelia!” Ben ran over to me. “I had a weird dream, and you were in it.” His chubby cheeks were flushed, and his eyes shone.
“Really?” I cautiously asked hoping he would remember last night’s events as only a dream.
“Yeah, you saved me. You were a superhero with magical powers and you pulled me out of quicksand and then healed my snakebite.”
“I did all that?” I feigned surprise.
“You did. There weren’t any alligators or ghosts in the dream though. Maybe we can see them for real today.”
“I hope so.” I gave him big smile. I was relieved, that for him, it had only been a dream. “Where are your parents?” I slowly asked bring up what was probably a sore subject.
“They’re with Mary,” he replied.
“Who’s Mary?”
“Their friend Mary,” he pointed to a table where the Dumptys sat indulging in breakfast Bloody Marys. “I see.” I smiled in order to hide my concern. “Will you be coming on the tour today?” I asked changing the subject.
“Yeah! Are we going to the swamp?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll find out for you.” I skimmed the yard for Henri who was nowhere in sight. He hadn’t told us where we were going or who was going with us. “I’ll be right back,” I said to Ben. I decided to interrupt Sabrina’s little love fest with Lucus, so she could help me find Henri and figure out our schedule.
“You’re so funny Lucus. Oh my God, that’s hilarious!” I heard Sabrina brazenly gush as I approached them.
“Don’t they make a cute couple?” Ivan quietly came up behind me. “Doesn’t it make your blood burn knowing that Sabrina is moving in on your man?” Ivan was obviously taking an unnatural and ghastly delight watching the scene that was unfolding before us.
“What’s with you?”
“Don’t fret queen, you know as well as I do that Prince Charming always ends up with Barbie. Why are you wasting your time lusting over him, when you could be wasting your time lusting over me?”
I groaned. “You really think so highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“What’s wrong with me?” he asked. “Don’t girls love muscles and blond hair or are you all obsessed with dark, brooding ego-maniacs?”
“Whatever.” I walked and over to Sabrina and Lucus. “Hey, guys.” I felt a bit awkward in front of Lucus suddenly recalling all the embarrassing moments that had occurred between the two of us since I’d gotten here.
“Good morning Arelia.” Lucus grinned shooting me one of his sharp glances. I bet he spent hours practicing them in front of the mirror like Zoolander.
“Hi,” I nervously responded while trying to avoid eye contact. “Do you know what’s going on this morning?” I asked hoping he would know since it was his family’s property and all.
“We get to spend the whole day together!” Sabrina interrupted not allowing Lucus a chance to respond.
“What do you mean?”
“Lucus is going to be our tour guide, and we’re his assistants.” She filled me in on what was going on. “We’re going to slave cabins and then having a picnic isn’t that like totally creepy.” Her blue eyes sparkled with sheer joy at the thought of being able to spend time with Lucus even if it meant staying outside in the horrible heat all day and getting bitten by misquotes.
“The slave cabins, why there?”
“The guests requested it, I guess they’re hoping to catch a ghost or two,” Lucus responded. “Sabrina, will you please excuse us, there is a personal matter that I would like to discuss with
Arelia.”
“A personal matter?” Sabrina shot me an evil glance to which I responded to with a shrug.
“It will just be a minute,” assured Lucus.
“Fine.” Sabrina reluctantly agreed. “I’ll wait over by that table, the brandy milk punch sure looks delightful.” Her inner Scarlett O’Hara came out again.
“Arelia, I really want to apologize to you again in person,” he began once Sabrina had made her exit.
I rolled my eyes. “We’re good, I get it. You’re sorry.”
He looked anxious as our eyes unwillingly found one another. “Underdog is the last thing I think when I look at you.”
“Really, then what do you think?” I openly challenged him.
“From what I’ve seen, I know you’re powerful, smart, loyal and…”
“You didn’t win me over with the chocolates, but I appreciate your apology,” I cut him off rather abruptly.
He looked dumbfounded. “I thought you adored chocolate.”
“I do, but I enjoy hearing guys like you beg much more.”
“There you go again with the guys like me thing. I should be the one who is offended,” he teased taking a step closer to me.
I let out a nervous giggle. When had I started giggling like a tragic little school girl? “I know you aren’t.”
“Now how is that?” He lightly placed his hand on my shoulder. I felt my mouth get dry and neck muscles tighten as my heart fluttered for a minuscule second.
“You’re a gentleman or at least pretend to be one because let’s be honest that whole Southern gentlemen thing is an epic myth. If they ever existed, they sure don’t anymore.”
“You must have a lot of experience with Southern gentlemen, I take it,” he asked taking an interest in my theory.
“No not really. I’m just calling it like I see it.” It was true. I’d never had a real boyfriend like everyone told me I was supposed to have. The type that brought me flowers and chocolates while professing his undying love in poetry. To me, that kind of love was a sham created by some delusional person who lived in the forest or on the top of a hill. In reality, it didn’t exist. Life was difficult. Shit happened, and guys usually didn’t stick around. My dad never did. I doubt he even knew that I existed. We stood in silence for a few seconds, both of us unaware what to say next until I realized that his hand was still on my shoulder. “Is there a reason why your hand is on my shoulder?”
“I didn’t realize.” He pulled away. “So all is forgiven?”
“Why do you talk like that?” I blurted suddenly keen to know why he spoke like a hundred year old man.
“Like what? Please do enlighten me,” he tilted his head to the right trying to make sense of what I had asked him.
“All polite and formal, you sound older than Henri, and he’s ancient. You don’t have to put on an act, you know.” I didn’t mean to be rude, I really didn’t, but people who pretended to be something they weren’t drove me crazy.
“It seems that you’ve already made up your mind about me.” For the first time, I saw Lucus look a little insecure. I’d always assumed that guys like him and girls like Sabrina were only superficially insecure. If someone said something bad about them it stung, but they got over it in a few seconds. Why should they feel like the rest of us when they had it all? I knew I was being argumentative and a bit harsh, but for some reason, I couldn’t stop.
“I’m sorry, you just confuse me,” I confessed.
“I confuse you?” My little revelation was clearly not what he had expected.
“Are you guys done yet?” Sabrina called from the table, how she had managed to keep quiet for so long was beyond me.
“Yeah, just a sec,” I barked. “Look, I don’t mean to be rude, I’m sorry. Thank you for the chocolate and apology. By the way, Sabrina thinks the chocolates were meant for her.”
“You’re fine with that?”
“With letting her think you sent them for her? Sure no harm right?” Sabrina couldn’t resist any longer and came running up to us.
“What’s the big secret?” She was annoyed that Lucus had been talking to someone besides her for more than two seconds.
“I was just asking Arelia if you liked the chocolates I sent you.” Lucus shot me a devious glance.
“They’re delish,” Sabrina cooed. Yes, she cooed like people do when they talk to babies or puppies. “You’re spoiling me already.”
“What time are we heading to the cabins?” I snappishly changed the subject hoping Sabrina would stop fawning over Lucus for just a split second.
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t do that now. It appears the guests have had enough brandy milk punch for the morning,” Lucus observed. He was right. The Dumptys had already finished off a pitcher of Bloody Marys and were starting on a pitcher of brandy milk, so I decided it was time to round up the guests
Chapter 9
The Slave Song
As we walked towards the slave cabins, we passed numerous lush gardens and hedges on the property. However, the guests weren’t interested in analyzing plants, they wanted to see ghosts. The sun mercilessly beat down on us, and the water bottles that I had distributed were emptying at a rapid pace. Up ahead I could see the Dumptys sweating profusely as they tried to keep up with the other guests. Lucus led the way while Sabrina, despite wearing six inch heels, was determined to walk beside him.
“Are we there yet?” Ben half-heartily asked for the fourth time within a ten minute time span.
“Just a few more minutes,” Lucus assured him.
“What kind of crops did the plantation produce?” asked Mr. Gopal as he eagerly flipped through the plantation brochure.
“It produced mainly cotton, at times sugar cane as well,” informed Lucus.
“So, who are you exactly?” Mr. Dumpty rudely interrupted. “Are you the owner’s kid or something? If we’re paying you, our hard earned money to show us around this place, you better know what you’re talking about.”
“I assure you Mr. Dumpty I am very familiar with the property and will make the tour worth your time. My parents currently own the plantation,” he replied with ease not at all offended by Mr. Dumpty’s boorishness.
“Where are they dear?” asked Mrs. Scott. “I would love to meet them.”
“Unfortunately, they’re living in Europe at the moment and won’t be able to make it for the summer.”
“Mine too!” Sabrina enthusiastically squealed. “Well they’re spending the summer in Morocco then heading to Europe for a few weeks in the fall. I could call them; maybe they can meet up with your parents.” She sounded so thrilled by that possibility.
“They are rather booked for the summer,” Lucus replied. “I don’t think it will be possible for them to change their schedule.”
“Oh.” Sabrina sounded crushed. Her dreams of having her parents meet her future in-laws were dashed.
“Look!” Ben pointed ahead. “It’s a river, can we go swimming?”
“That’s Darkwood River, I’m sure swimming would be a great idea after the cabin tour,” Lucus agreed.
“Cool!” The burning sun had robbed Ben of his desire to see any ghosts.
“Swimming would be awesome. Luckily, I brought my swimsuit.” Of course, she had. Sabrina carried her entire universe in her oversized Chanel handbag.
“Are those the cabins up there?” asked Mr. Scott.
“Yes, those would be it.” Lucus pointed to rows of log shacks that were lined up neatly a short distance from the river bank.
“Creepy. Do the ghosts live there?” Ben’s desire to see the ghosts were back.
“I believe they do.” Lucus answered rather cryptically as we approached a cabin.
As the group entered the cabin, I was horrified by its dirt floor and makeshift chimney consisting of mud and sticks.
“These are typical slave quarters as they were exactly in 1830 when the plantation was built,” Lucus informed the group. “At that time, slaves were thought to b
e second-class citizens, so many plantation owners refused to provide them with proper accommodations. A part of my family’s unsavory history that I am not proud of. Although, my great-great great-great grandfather, the founder of Darkwood did his best to make sure that the slaves were treated humanely as possible, many of the workers he hired to watch over the slaves often made their own rules.”
“Tell us about the ghosts,” demanded Ben.
“Yes, please do,” Mr. Gopal urged Lucus.
“I read about the curse of Mad Marie,” Mrs. Scott piped in.
“I could use a good ghost story to go with this caramel popcorn,” said Mr. Dumpty as he proceeded to munch on popcorn that Mrs. Dumpty had pulled out of her handbag.
Lucus looked hesitant to tell the group the supposed curse of Mad Marie but caved in under the pressure. “Marie Beau was a slave here at Darkwood. She was also a powerful voodoo queen. Whenever one of the other slaves got sick or anyone in the LaPlante family needed help, she was the first one they called upon,” he paused. “Although many other plantation owners immensely feared slaves who practiced voodoo, at Darkwood the philosophy was that you never messed with a powerful queen. You see, at that time many other plantation owners had lost numerous fortunes and came across vast amounts of bad luck if they crossed a powerful witch or queen.” Lucus glanced around the cabin to monitor the reaction of the guests.
“Go on, why’d you stop?” Mr. Dumpty shouted as continued to indulge in caramel corn.
“Marie’s life hadn’t been easy. She had lost her husband and two of her children before she was bought to work at Darkwood. Her other masters had been exceedingly cruel, and her family was forced to survive under unbearable circumstances hence the death of her husband and two little girls.” He ran his finger through his hair, I noticed that he was prone to doing that when he was nervous or caught in an awkward situation.
“How did her husband and girls die?” asked Mrs. Gopal.
“They died due to the same reasons most slaves died, starvation and disease.” Lucus paused for dramatic effect.
“If she was such a powerful voodoo queen then why didn’t she save them?” Mrs. Dumpty gruffly inquired between mouthfuls of caramel corn.
