• Listening to the roars of engines on different cars on the highway while watching the scenery change from thousands of trees to tiny pass through towns makes me think of where my mother is taking me hopefully not to some senior citizen apartments with another grandparent ive never met or to some other relative that gambles like they breathe.

    “Your gunna love this place Cassie, its amazing. Your grandfather lives about another fifteen minutes from this town.” My mom tells me as she keeps her eyes on the road, switching lanes from left to right dodging the other slow cars that cant keep up to her speed. “Mom, why do I need to stay with him? I don’t see any reason why I cant go with you over to the bussiness meeting.”
    I reply back with fury that I cant do a single thing with her anymore.”Cassie his house is the surprise I’m not teling you what or where its at.” My mom looks at me with the look that I garentee it. I havent seen that look in years.
    “So are we almost there or what?” I ask slightly nervous and jetlagged. “We are…..almost…there two more curves I think.” She replies as the car turns as she pulls the steering wheel back and forth. As the car finally hits the last curve to a straight road, I look ahead to the white manor. It was large, something that you don’t see a lot of in small towns of Louisiana.The manor has some bayou tree leafs surrounding the top of it, as the shudders were tightly closed with the shadows of the trees casting on them making it turn the color grey.” So who is the owner?”
    I asked curiously.”Your grandfather..i think its time I told you. Your coming here beacause your staying here for awhile. Your adopted Cassie, your real mother’s name is Diana SinClaire. As in the SinClaires that were royal in England and a little in France.”
    My mother replied sad at the fact she was leaving me here. “What!?!?!? Why didn’t you tell me this??” I asked furious at her all this time I lived alone and wishing I had another family and in fact I did.”Cassie you don’t understand. Your mother and I were in labor at the same time.The nurse switched you and Flora the day you were born by accident.”
    “Where’s your real kid then???” I asked inpatiently.”She died in a car accident, along with your real mother. Do you remember the plane crash in ninety seven?, they were on it.” My mom replied crying . “I can’t believe you never told me anything. I was miserable with you! You were always gone I was with Flora’s grandparents and now your leaving me here?” I replied as she stoped the car. I got out and slammed the door, I went to the trunk and grabbed my suitcases.”Cassie! Listen to me! Just beacause you werent mine doesn’t mean I didn’t love you as much as I do now!!”She replied with tears rolling down her face like rain onto a windowpane she was yelling at me like she was arguing to her mother when she didn’t get her way. “How long?? How long did you know I wasn’t your kid??” I asked dropping my suitcases at the same instant, staring at her.”I knew when your grandfather called me after the plane crash. He wanted me to raise you beacause he knew that your mother couldn’t.” She replied. The manor door opened as a man with white hair as snow,in a grey suit which made his look like a rich aristocrat. He walked out to the front porch with a smile that could welcome a complete stranger on the street or in a public place.”Flora! Welcome home grandaughter!” He replied with joy. His voice was accented with an Englishman’s. He seemed proper, but that was just the way he was raised. “Wheres dad??” I asked impatiently. I could honestly care less about stories he was telling. I was intreguied to know more. As of why I couldn’t come earlier, why my own blood father would not claim me let alone take me away from the horrid solitary confinement of the house of which I resided at. Empty of life besides myself. I was always alone due to the trips that my mother just had to do, they were always bussiness so that means one person only. Grandfather kept smiling as if I was the center of the party.
    “ I do believe your father will be here shortly. The flight from london tends to be long.” He replied he wrinkled light blue eyes were focused on my mother, waiting for her thin dull-like lips to speak.
    ”Hello Edward.” My mom repied to the man wiping her dramatic tears on her levi jacket.The metal buttons gleamed in the sunlight making little spots of light on the shaded trees.”Why hello there Margret! What a pleasure seeing you here!” The old man stepped out from the porch and walked over to my mom. He had care about him in his eyes, he had the look that would assure you anything and everything will be fine. He hugged her lightly and started to stare at me.As if he was waiting for a reponse from me or a movement that I wasn’t in complete shock of what happened in the car. I gave him a assuring fake smile that I was alright fro the time being.”Now arent you going to hug your grandfather?” He asked with a smile. As rebuttle, I walked over and hugged him, his aroma smelled of cigars and peppermint.As I let go of him my mom was already looking at her watch.As tempation was eager to leave so she can have her own adventure. “Cassie, I think I need to go. I have five hours of driving to do.” My mom replied as she was jingeling the keys to leave in a rush. “Okay. I’ll see you later.” I replied back as I was grabbing my suitcases. The metal handle was warm from the sun heating it up. I didn’t look back beacause I knew how she was trying to play the guilt trip game on me, this time I am not going to fall for it.“Your not gunna hug me goodbye?” She asked saddend by my adittude towards her question. “I think you need to get on the road before the hotel gets rid of your room mrs.Stewart.” I replied back.My smart remark was sure to let her know im not playing games anymore, I have a new life and she is not in it. “Cassie….” She tried to woe me,“I’m not Cassie remember? Apparently by my birth certificate I’m Flora SinClaire.” I replied to her remark.My mother gave me a go to hell look and turned around. She took a dep breath to calm herself down and opened her door, she loked back at me and finally replied.”Okay I don’t need this I’ll call you when I get to the hotel. Bye!” mad at my remark,she got into the fadded blue thunderbird and drove to the curved roads where she dissapeared into the trees. “Actually it’s Flora Marie Sinclaire.” My grandfather replied smiling.He knew that would cheer me up, somehow I already felt a connection to him. A complete stranger, but yet so familiar as if he were a long lost friend.”Would you like to go see your room? It was Flora’s old room. I have a feeling you will like it.”
    He replied as he grabbed one of my suitcases. I kept the one in my hand already and followed him towards the front door. “So,, whats my dad like?” I asked as my grandfather opened the door. “Well he is a bussiness man in London, he visits me when he can, very young lad. Always curious like you.” He replied as I see the grand entrance room. It was all decadent, white columns, tile floor, every other stone in the center of the diamond pattern was a family crest.The walpaper was light brown with trees.
    The trees hid the tiny hummingbirds that resided. “Humingbirds?” I asked curiously looking at one near the staircase which he was leading me to.”Ah. Yes! Humingbirds! Your grandmother loved humingbirds, I made this intire manor with little secret passages, rooms, and staircases, the theme is humingbirds.
    I stuck to my promise as I did when she passed, I was to finish the manor and theme it humingbirds which she adored oh so much.” He replied, saddened by the lost memory of his late wife.”I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you.” I replied feeling horrible for reminding him of something he should have let go.”Oh no darling its fine! Completely fine. No worries, what do you say I show you to your room? After that we will go eat lunch, if your anything like your father after lunch go explore the manor.” He smirked with this grin to egg me on. He knew of course I will explore the manor, who couldn’t resist secret stairways, passages, and rooms? Not to mention a staircase. “Okay! Sure! Yea lets go see that room!”
    I replied back, ecstatic. We walked up a hollow curved staircase leading to a shadowed hallway. I followed his footsteps with every creak he made I followed right behind. After the first two doors near the stairs, about seven more steps we were at the left side of the hallway. He took his skeleton key and unlocked the room. The door creaked open as it revealed the room. The walls were painted sunset orange and pink. There was pink carpetson the wooden floor, a huge white vanity near the closet, The bed was atleast queen sized, it was black and white with flowers on them. I looked in amazement that he went through all of this trouble just to make me comfortable.
    “Wow!! This is amazing! I love it!!” I said as I looked around again still baffled at the room. Then I looked in the corner, there was a painting set. “Paint set?” I asked walking to it, there was a painting already in process of being made. It was a flower, it was orange and yellow half of it was done. “Yes, that was Flora’s painting. I left it there cause maybe I thought you would like to finish it if you ever get bored or just in a creative streak. Oh yes! Here is your key to the manor.” Grandfather handed me the key. The key had a hummingbird on it as it shined brightly in the light.” This key will open every door in the manor, except for my room. My key opens everything, just in case you loose your key.” He replied as I place my suitcases on the bed.”Well Flora, would you like to go eat lunch?” Grandfather asks curiously. (TO BE CONTINUED)