A Window To A Soul

Chapter 52: Della

10 Years Ago~

I'm just about to turn 8. I can't wait. When I turn 8, my caretaker will leave and I will get a butler instead. And when I'm 18, I'll switch him out with a bodyguard! I can't wait. My caretaker, Beatrice, who I call 'Bee', looks sad. She's looked sad for the past few days.

I only have one more day until my birthday, so I thought she would be excited. But she's not. She was brushing my hair before bed and she was smiling, but I could tell it was fake.

I looked up at her through the mirror. "What's wrong, Bee?"

She looked at my reflection and smiled down at me with sorrow in her eyes. "It's nothing."

I looked down as she brushed my hair. I looked back up at her reflection with hopeful eyes. "When I turn 8, will you visit me?"

She looked at me without answering. Her eyes seemed to get more shiny before she shook her head. I felt my heart sink. "Why not?"

She leaned down and kissed the top of my head. "Because it's not possible, Del."

I looked behind me at her. "Why?"

She smiled as she set my brush down on the desk. "Come on. Let's get you in bed."

I stood up and fixed my pink gown. I climbed into my bed and Bee covered me up. I held the top of the covers as I looked up at her. "Can you tell me? Please?"

She nodded. "Okay. But quickly." She sat down on the side of the bed and looked at me. She brushed her fingers across my cheek like she did when I was younger. But I wasn't a baby anymore.

She sighed and looked at the wall in front of her. "I'll tell you a story of a caretaker named Mia."

I looked up at her with interested eyes. "Mia loved kids, therefore she loved her job as caretaker. She always told her kids the best stories." She looked down at me. "But then she was assigned a Great One." She poked my nose. "Like you." I giggled.

Her smile got sadder. "She knew that her career was coming to an end."

I interrupted the story. "But why?"

Bee ignored my question, continuing on. "Mia was assigned a Great One that was just born. The one of Epimora. And when she arrived, she loved her so much. That Great One had the best imagination and the best interests. Mia came to forget her place in society."

She moved her blonde hair out of her face and behind her ear. She looked down at her hand on the bed. "But Mia never forgot that her Great One, Yumi, was getting older. Yumi was already 7. Her birthday was the next day."

This story was like Bee and I. "Mia showed Yumi extra love. But Yumi could see that she wasn't happy. She asked her all the time what was wrong. She asked when she woke up, during breakfast. She asked before she took a bath, and even while she was getting dressed. She asked Mia what was wrong every second of the day. But Mia always assured her that there was nothing wrong, and that she was just fine."

She licked her lips and wiped her eyes. "But Mia was lying to Yumi. Mia knew that when morning came and the sun had already risen, she would be gone, and Yumi would be 8. Mia would never see Yumi again."

She looked back at me. I was confused. "But why? What happened to Mia? Why did she never see Yumi again? Can't she visit?"

She shook her head and moved some of my hair off my forehead. "No, Del. No, she can't. In the middle of the night, someone knocked on the door. Yumi stayed asleep, and Mia's bags were already packed. When Mia answered the door, she was ready to leave."

I had a feeling that this story wouldn't have a happy ending. "The person at the door was the scorekeeper. He was ready to collect Mia." She sniffled. "The scorekeeper left her bags by the dumpster, and Mia made no attempt to stop him."

I tilted my head. "But why? Doesn't she need those?"

She shook her head, a tear falling down her cheek. "Mia got in the vehicle with the scorekeeper and they both drove to the big building in the middle of the city."

I interrupted her again. "What's the big building in the middle of the city?"

She shook her head at me again. "I can't tell you. All I will tell you is that Mia was never allowed to leave that building. She never did. And all of the Great Ones' caretakers have the same story. None of them have ever left that building. Ever."

My eyes widened. "If you're going to be in that building, then can't I come visit you?"

Her eyes widened and she shook her head again. "No. No you can't." She spoke with urgency. "Della, listen to me. Don't ever leave this house before you turn 18. And don't your butlers see you without them wearing a blindfold. Do you hear me?"

I nodded my head, still confused. "But why, though?"

She took a deep breath before answering me. "I can't tell you that. Not yet. But just promise me, okay?"

I nodded. "I promise."

She smiled again and relaxed. "Okay. Good."

She leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Now go to sleep, Del. You have a big day tomorrow."

I nodded. "Okay. I'll miss you."

She smiled. But it was shaky and it wavered. "I'll miss you too, My Little Great One."