Chapter 44

Muse
Today is the party organized by my father to celebrate the joyful occasions our family has had. During the day, I go to Audrey's room to ask her what she's going to wear.
"What are you going to wear tonight? Is your dress ready?"
"I'm not sure what to wear. I'll see when I get ready tonight." She responds casually.
"If you don't have something decent to wear, we can go shopping right now." I propose to him anyway.
"No, no need! It's just a party, so I don't intend to worry too much." She replies looking more less interested.
"It's not just an Audrey party. There will be big personalities from this country and the media will also be present. Therefore, you have to be as presentable as possible." I retort.
"Maybe, but for me it doesn't change anything at all. Anyway, it's you and Mr. Hawam's real son who will be in the spotlight, so I don't see why I I'd have to rack my brains to look good in front of these people. And besides, it's not an obligation for me to participate in this evening. I like the comfort of my bed even better." She responds harshly. What she says to me upsets me a lot, but I prefer to ignore her words in order to relax the atmosphere.
"Why do you seem so grumpy? Aren't you happy to relax a bit? Or are you not interested in your new lover anymore? You can invite him, you know?!"
"No, he's unavailable." She replies with less enthusiasm.
"Ah! Now I understand your lack of enthusiasm to participate in the party tonight! The charming prince, the valiant knight will not be there to open the ball. I'm sorry for you my beautiful! But, you're sure that he is really unavailable?"
"Of course! What are you going to imagine?" Audrey asks the question defensively. His reaction surprises me and I tell him
"Calm down sweetie! It's just a simple question."
"Maybe, but she was implying that you were insinuating a lot of innuendo. If he's not unavailable, why was he going to refuse to come?" She questions me no less nervous.
"I don't know me! Maybe he doesn't want to be known, who knows?"
"And why wouldn't he want you to know him?" Audrey asks me the not very friendly question.
"He must surely have his reasons. Besides, who is he? What's his name?"
"It looked like mom. You better go get what to wear tonight, there might be a prince charming on the loose." She replies by sidestepping the question. She's hiding something from me, and I need to know.
"You better do the same. I have a feeling your Prince Charming is the wrong one. Either way, I'll know who he is." I retort by getting up to go to the door. As I open the door, I hear him say to me
"That's it, you can always run! Don't look for yours, just play detective on my private life."
I decide to leave without commenting on his remarks. Audrey surprises me enormously. It's true that it's been a very long time since I left our house, but I didn't know it was so sneaky. This concerns me greatly. I also have a bad feeling about this man she is dating. And as if by pure chance, he is unavailable precisely on this day that we should finally meet him. I wonder what he's hiding. I'm afraid my sister will naively fall into her trap. I must do everything to find out who this man is, and above all what his intentions are with regard to my sister. However, this task will be for later. Right now I have to focus on tonight's party.
During the week, I had done the shopping and I took a dress for me and another for my mother. I didn't take any for Audrey because I don't know her tastes and I thought she was going to take some today. I had also planned that we were going to spend the afternoon together, as real sisters. But that was without counting on my sister's projects, which were quite different. Since she arrived in this house, I try to make as many efforts as possible to build a certain closeness between us. After all, we are sisters and as such we have to get along, why not be good friends? However, I have the impression that Audrey is doing everything to push me away from her. It hurts me, but I have no choice but to put up with it.
I go into my room where I bring out the dress I'm going to put on tonight, as well as my mother's. I decide to go give it to him. She is currently in her room. After two light knocks on the door, I hear him invite me to enter. So I push the door slightly and enter his room.
"Muse, are you alright!" She said to me with a broad smile.
"Yes mom, how are you?" I ask him the question by going to sit on the bed next to him.
"I'm fine my daughter!" She responds with the same smile.
"I came to give you your dress for tonight." I tell him, handing him the package I'm holding in my hand.
My mother takes the package from my hands, then she takes the dress out of the little bag where it was. She unfolds it, then exclaims admiringly contemplating it.
"Waih my daughter, this dress is splendid! You knew how to choose what would suit me and my taste."
"Yes mom, I know your tastes and the colors you like so far."
Indeed, my mother's favorite color is emerald green. This color suits her very well, because my mother has a yellow complexion. It is also her complexion that Audrey took, unlike me who has an ebony complexion like my father.
"You at least remember it after so many years, which your sister doesn't." My mother whispers in a sad voice. She lowers her gaze, as if she feels bad. I had never wondered about the nature of the relationship between my mother and my sister. Thinking back, I've never seen them sit together and talk like a mother and daughter would. So I ask my mother
"What's going on with my sister? Why is your relationship strained?"
My mother tells me with a guilt tinge in her eyes
"I think your sister wants me, and she's right."
I don't understand why my mother says that. I'm lost and I don't mind asking her.
"And why is she mad at you? What did you do to her?"
"I think she's mad at me for all the years she wasted taking care of me. She was always there to watch over me, while her equals were having fun without having a burden on their backs. ."
"Stop saying you're a burden mum..."
"But it is, my daughter! I am indeed a burden. When this damn disease begins to threaten me, I can't do anything but lie in bed without help. I spend on others by giving them loads "And believe me, I'm so sorry for doing this to your sister. If I had a choice, I wasn't going to put all that burden on her. I feel like I've ruined her life." ." My mother tells me in tears.
"Mom..." I stammered, taking her in my arms. We cry together a good time.