Childhood Friend – Part l

"Aśs si fort?" The voice inquired. (Is she gone?)
"Jo," (Yes) Gerbert responded as he entered the room. "Si aśs virun e puer Stonnen mat hirem papp fortgaang." Gerbert stood near the untidy bed, staring at his son, who was standing in front of the room's only window. (She left a few hours ago with her father.)
Heavy curtains kept any rays of sunlight from penetrating the window. No lights were turned on, and the only source of light, the window, was also closed, leaving the room dark. In response to his father's words, he nodded and sipped the contents of the copper wine glass.
"How is she, Father?" He asked solemnly.
"Much better after treatments and therapies," Gerbert informed and Onyx only nodded his head. Silence consumed them and only the sound of Onyx sipping the wine, filled the room.
"Wéi laang haalt Dir Iech hei agespaart?" Gerbert inquired after a while breaking the silence, his voice cold and solemn. (How long are you going to keep yourself locked up here?)
"Soulaang et dauert fir sech ze berouegen an iwwer hatt ze vergiessen." Onyx replied in a stern voice. (As long as it takes to calm down and forget about her.)
"Gleefs du éierlech, datt dir just iwwer hatt vergiesse kënnt?" Gerbert shook his head and scoffed. (Do you honestly believe you can just forget about her?)
"I can," Onyx replied firmly.
"You wouldn't have let her in if you had the strength to simply forget her!" Gerbert hissed angrily. "Also sammelt är schäiss a kommt aus dësem gott verlassen zëmmer eraus. Du hues hatt a selwer scho genuch verletzt!" Gerbert barked, and Onyx threw the glass across the room in rage. (So gather your shit and get out of this God forsaken room. You've already hurt her and yourself enough.)
"I don't need you to tell me what to do! Or what I did! Gitt d'Häll eraus!" Onyx growled and Gerbert flared up in rage in retaliation for his disrespect. (Get the hell out!)
"Don't raise your voice at me, boy! I understand how you must be feeling, and given what you're going through, I'll let you have it. Take your time leaving this room. Ech wëll dech mat Äre Bridder gesinn, wa mir vun Trista gesinn!" Gerbert stormed out of the room, hissing in command.
(I want to see you with your brothers when we see off Trista.) Onyx's fingers laced into his hair and yanked on them harshly as a thunderous and mournful scream penetrated his chest.

4 weeks later:
The street, grey and cracked with age, winds its way up the hill like a carelessly discarded belt. The houses are separated by yards wide enough to accommodate farm animals on either side, but this is not a rural neighbourhood. The houses are many times larger than even the largest of families require, but each is generally occupied by parents with one child. To each dwelling, there are more sports cars than people and kitchens that cost more than ordinary people's homes just a block over. The wind buffets the car carrying Mason and Ophelia, but it is ineffective. They were moving forward, and nothing short of a divine tragedy could change that. The tyres hiss incessantly over the rain-washed street, and the air that passes through the filters is meadow-sweet.
Ophelia's gaze is unwavering, uncaring, and distracted as she watches the passing mansions. Mason cheerfully converses with.
"-and we'll bake there again, just like we used to. Aren't you thrilled about it, little dove?" Mason inquires, and Ophelia gives him a sidelong glance. Ophelia couldn't help but smile and nod when she saw his bright, cheerful face. "Yes, I'm looking forward to it."
Mason grinned at her response, and Ophelia turns her gaze to the street through the window on the little tin box. Ophelia looks out the window at the street where she grew up. This was the road she rode her bike down every day as a child and teen. In this street, she had run around with her friends. She could recall all of the days of silly pranks and annoying the posh neighbours, as well as all of the complaints against her to her father. They were on their way back home. After three years, she was returning to her childhood home. Mason's company was gradually regaining its footing, and they had paid off their debts in less than a month. And they reclaimed their home from the bank.

Mason worked day and night on the latest projects, new products, and services, while Ophelia did everything, she could to assist her father. She has done it all, from being his personal secretary to representing him and AEM Holdings. Ophelia's head was buried in files, documents, and work. In order to improve and keep herself distracted. Distracted from what you might be wondering. She sought to prevent thinking about him, to forget about him. Ophelia attempted to contact him several times throughout the month, hoping to hear from him. But all of her efforts were futile. None of her calls was answered, and none of her texts was returned. Endless nights she lay awake in her bed clutching her phone. But her hopes gradually turned into disappointment, and she hoped for disappointment so that when the future disappointed her, it wouldn't hurt as much as it did before. She was still hoping to hear from him, but she had given up trying to contact him.
Mason's lips were filled with a sad smile as he glanced at his daughter. He could tell she wasn't feeling well. He could tell Ophelia was trying to hold herself up like the strong woman she was. But he could tell she was in pain. From losing her job to the accident to losing contact with Onyx, she has been through a lot. He knew she'd buried herself in work and improved, but she still pined for her old life. She yearned to fly.
When the car took a familiar turn, Ophelia sat up straight and smiled as their house came into view.
"Welcome home," they cheered in unison, Mason and Ophelia glanced at each other and chuckled.

They got down from the car and for a long moment, they only stared at the home, their home. The mansion was nestled in the woods, as humble as any rock face in these parts. Its windows were as shy as its eyes, large enough to welcome any ray of sunlight. The rock walls seemed to belong exactly where they were as if they had sprouted from that sacred ground. It was as if it had been summoned to protect those who came to live within, to keep the elements at bay and allow heat to build from hearths into the inhaled woodland air.
The mansion stood there as if it had been embraced by the surrounding nature as if the flora flowed within it as well as around it. Because their ancestor, who had built this house, had been so fond of trees that there was a mighty oak in the centre, centuries old, and the great mansion had been built around it.
This is the house where their ancestors had lived for centuries. This was Mason's childhood home, as well as Ophelia's.
"Let's go inside." Mason softly said as he ushered Ophelia towards the mansion with his arm around her shoulders.

Mason pushed open the doors and the so very familiar scent of home filled Ophelia's nostrils. The white walls that had once held their pictures, trophies, and memories were now empty. The wood floors were devoid of furniture. There was dust, spider webs, and evidence of all the years of negligence.
"Mr Jade? The convoy has arrived." Ophelia turned around to face a member of the transportation company.
As her father walked away with the worker, Ophelia turned around and returned her gaze to the house. The rooms of the house were the chambers of her heart because this was where they lived their lives.

Ophelia and Mason spent the next few days decorating their house and morphing it into the home they knew. And, after all these years, the father and daughter were once again preparing breakfast in the opulent kitchen just like they use to. While Mason was setting the table, Ophelia went outside to get the mail and newspaper. It still felt surreal that she was back in her home and life was slowly returning to how it used to be.
Ophelia took the mail from the mailbox and went through the names. She came to a halt when she noticed her name emblazoned on one of the letters. She frowned as she read the name, but before she could continue, a deep surprised voice called her name.
"Ophelia?"