10 9: Visiting Grandmama

Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by every one who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child.

Little Red Riding hood, Grimm Brothers

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CHAPTER 9

VISITING GRANDMAMA

"Where are you going today?" Asked Chloe while she is braiding Alice's hair.

"I am going to visit my grandmother. She called me last night and told me that she's sick."

"Tell your grandma, get well soon."

Alice smiled at her. "Thank you."

They went outside the dormitory and found the other students gathering at the gymnasium. Out of curiosity the two followed suit. The building is filled, with all the students around and the professors, getting inside was an impossible task. Alice saw Ariel leaving the gym so she hurriedly grab her by the shoulder. The red haired gasp at the sudden act.

"What's happening inside?" Alice asked.

"Eric was found dead at the pool. The teachers' said that he drowned."

Her eyerbrows knitted together. "Eric?"

"Yes, our club member. It's really terrible, first, someone tried to kill you, and now Eric. I think someone is targetting the swimming club." Ariel explained, running a hand through her red hair. "Some says that it's the mafia, that Eric managed to piss Eros off, but there is no concrete evidence that it was him especially when the cctv data are all erased from yesterday till this morning."

Don who happened to be walking alongside Rain interfered. "I don't think so. Eros left yesterday afternoon and has not come back yet."

"It might be someone who holds a grudge against your club, miss." Rain murmured, smiling inwardly.

Alice remained quiet, she cannot grasp anything from what has happened. Eric tried to kill her and now he is dead, if he was disposed for failing his mission then she is sure that Eric is not the one who has been sending her letters and apples. That person is still lurking around, playing games, and watching her with a smile on his face. She just need to know who killed the guy.

"We should go." Chloe murmured beside her, pulling her out of her imagination. "The bus is leaving."

The bus left the academy and dropped them off at the city where they all parted ways. Chloe rode another bus going to her hometown to visit her family, while Alice waited for one of grandmama's driver to come. She waited for another minute at the coffee shop when a men in black suit bowed in front of her, introducing his self as Jack, one of the most trusted men of grandmama.

They sped off the highway through a long isolated path, green and brown blurring at the window, nearing a silver shining gate. It opened when the guards saw the approaching car, then it drove off inside and made its way around a fountain-- a maiden statue blowing a flute sat at the center, water falling at the end of the instrument. The car stopped in front of a three steps stairs where a double winged oak door loomed.

A woman wearing a black and white frilly dress opened the car door. She bowed her head and greeted the young miss.

"Where's grandmama?" She asked, just as the same time the oak before her opened with a soft grunt.

"Alicaena, my beautiful granddaughter!" An old woman exclaimed. "I've missed you so much!"

She was welcomed by a tight warm hug from her grandmama, Cecilia Lundeburg, the madame of the mansion. She has this thing for blacks, so it does not bother her if the old woman is wearing a black shining dress and gray plumps, her cropped curly white hair bouncing around whenever she moves. Alice smiled back at her then frowned.

"I thought you are sick, grandmama?" She asked.

She patted her head. "It's just a bluff, silly. I know you won't meet me on normal days and I want to see my granddaughter."

"I forgot that grandmama has her ways on getting what she wanted."

"Come on, I know you are hungry. I also baked cookies."

Alice followed the old woman inside the mansion. Red carpet blanketed the white and silver marbles, golden chandeliers hanged at the high ceiling creating a tiny sparkles around them, and on every walls displayed different portraits of flowers, manors, and the faces of Ludenburg family. At the dining room, assorted foods are being brought by the maids through a silver platter. They bowed at them and Alice could not help but smile at the familiarity of the things.

Grandmama took the seat at the end of the long table, and she sat at the old woman's left side. A butler put a goblet in front of them and poured it with red sweet wine, half-filling the glass.

"Please bring the cookies too. I'm sure Alicaena is dying to eat them." Grandmama ordered, and a bowl of chocolate cookies was served at the table.

"Your cookies are one of my favorite." Alice bit on one of them. "I want to bring some of these when I get back at the academy, I'm sure Chloe will love it too."

"I'll bake some more tomorrow for you to bring."

They ate in silence, only the clanking of spoons and fork at the plates echoed at the big dining room. Alice sighed at the sweet aroma of wine and sipped at it, the liquid burning on her throat.

Grandmama cleared her throat. "Mr Kovo will come later to take your measurements, darling."

"Why? Do we have any special occassion today? Your birthday is next year, grandmama." Mumbled Alice, still savoring the sweetness of the liquid.

"A very special occassion. Tomorrow night we will be attending a birthday party of one the son of your mother's friend. They are really close to our family so I hope you will come with me."

"Okay, so who is this family you are talking about?"

"Madame, Mr Kovo has arrived." They both turned their heads at the butler.

Cecilia Lundeburg nodded at him and motioned Alice to follow suit. They made their way towards the drawing room where a middle aged man is waiting. He is wearing a glittering gold vest underneath a white tailcoat, the man also has this long braided hair that rested on his left shoulder. A small smile plastered on his round face.

Mr Kovo bowed at them.

"Madame Ludenburg." He greeted. "Is she the granddaughter you are talking about? She is indeed a real beauty. Hair as black as charcoal and skin as white as snow. Her lips as red as blood. Oh! You never told me that she is an epitome of a goddess."

Alice cringed at the flattery. The man surely knows how to describe a girl in a dramatic and exaggerated way.

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr Kovo." Grandmama's hand flew over where her heart is. "Please make the best gown for her. The one that will heightened her beauty even more. Make it... Demure but alluring."

"I will, Madame Cecilia. You know I only have my eyes on the best."

"And you know grandmother always wants the best for their granddaughter."

Mr Kovo reached for the tape measure on his hand bag and a piece of pen and paper. He started taking her measurements, mumbling to his self while he showers her with never ending compliments. Then he also asked for her shoe size and if she prefers two inches heels or three inches. She chose the latter knowing that she wanted to look tall.

The man left after writing everything he needed to know, noting grandmama that the gown will be delivered tomorrow afternoon or as soon as it finished.

Alice excused herself to rest at her room. Opening the white door, she was welcomed by the familiar strawberry smell of her room, wondering how they maintain that fruity smell. The walls still has the color of beige and white, with spirals of gold as a design. The unused bed still stood where it has been before where white mosquito net dangles beautiful on each sides. Atop the bed, a family portrait of three hanged at the wall-- a girl grinning innocently at the camera, wearing a pretty dress of white and pink, and her parents looking at her with a wide smile on their faces, their arms draped over her small body and her mother wearing a silvery key necklace.

Alice looked blankly at the portrait. A family of lies. She thought.

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