Traitor In Their Midst

Driving home

As I drove down the hill, ahead of my car the land fell away in a green wooded valley and then rose quickly to high, rolling hills, the great sweep of land as far as the eye could see. The land belonged my grandfather Philip Wilson and Charles Spencer, the great estate of the Wilson&Spencer.

Once we had owned more, but after my parents died in the car crash it was taken over by the Spencer’s. But because of our grandfather’s friendship they had kept the estates name intact.

It is a legacy which has been passed on by our grandparents. They were best friends but stood for each other like brothers and so were my parents.

My brothers and I grew up in this estate which is 8500 kilometres away from the city. The estate was divided into two parts. One of it had more lands than us which belonged to the Spencer’s and the land surrounded by the lake was ours.

The Spencer's owned a big company named Spencer&sons. They dealt with all kind of businesses.

My brother Paul owned an editorial office, which was under Spencer&sons. He was helped by his best friend Gray Spencer who was a share holder in the company. They were childhood buddies and would often bully me as a child.

I really am not in the mood to talk about him. I have another older brother whose name is Cory and he is younger to Paul. He is an actor and has done quite a lot of good movies and is always busy travelling around the world. He is my best friend.

I am always happy when I drive down home as it gives me great sense of peace and happiness because I have been a part of this beautiful land, the family, the magnificent lake with big pine trees surrounding the house. It is my home and I loved it fiercely. As I drove down and entered the estate I stopped my car and looked around.

Everything was beautiful but now there was a trouble and it was here to stay because I know for sure that nothing would be able to dislodge Patricia Adams: Ralph Spencer was going to marry her. A disturbing and selfish element who has disrupted the lives of both the family. Already there was uneasiness, polite discord. I wanted to barge right in and put things right but it was not my place, I was merely an outsider but loved them completely.

I lived in wellington which is the most beautiful city in New Zealand. But my ancestral home is in Emerald Hill which is two hours’ drive from Wellington. I travelled back today as my brother had come back and another occasion being the engagement ceremony of Ralph Spencer. Which I couldn’t avoid, as Ralph was like a brother to me and Terry Spencer my childhood friend and Ralph’s sister had warned me that if I don’t show up she will disown me.

Suddenly someone started honking the car from behind and I knew that the irritating person could only be her, as she was very melodramatic and I loved her.

I turned and saw her coming out of the car.

Then just in a Ziff, I saw her falling on the sidewalk, I started laughing. Terry had always been clumsy and when I looked at her closely laughing away, I came to know the cause of her fall.

She was wearing heels, which she rarely used to wear but recently she had acquired this mindset that she needs to be more sophisticated as Cory, my elder brother was home and Terry had been foolishly  in love with him since kindergarten but never had the guts to tell him.

Ellie you witch! She shouted at me.

I ran and gave her my hand, but couldn’t control my laughter as she was so adorable and my brother was really foolish not to notice her.

I pulled her up and she started tickling me which I hated and I started screaming.

Terry stop it! I screamed.

We looked at each other and started laughing.

We had grown up but we still behaved like kids.

“Its good that you are back Ellie now together we can throw that b***h out of Emerald hill.” Ellie said very seriously.

I shook my head and told her it was not that easy.

But Terry was not listening to me as she had her own plans. We chatted for a long time then we got into our cars and went towards our house. Terry waved goodbye to me as she passed by my house and I saw Cory coming out of the house. He looked at me then at the speeding car which just left.

He then ran towards me, my handsome blue-eyed brother. He is breaking so many hearts around the world with his acting skills, yet he is still unattached. Though we hear a lot of rumours around we don’t believe it, as he tells us everything.

He swooped me up and started swirling me around, he still thinks I am still a toddler, I sighed and gave him a big hug when he let me down.

“Thank god you lost weight Ellie, see how easily I can carry you now or I would think twice to lift you.” Cory teased.

I made my face and walked inside the house.

As I entered I could smell the baking going on at home.

Cory had followed me and was telling me that our sister in law Rita Wilson had prepared homecoming cake for him, so I shouldn’t feel jealous.

I really miss Cory when he is not around but his teasing habits are really bad.

I started hitting him with the cushion and he was laughing.

"There! there, you grown up kids stop fighting." Rita had come outside the kitchen and was watching them lovingly.

I went and hugged her its been a month since I had last seen her. Though we live in the same city, I hardly get time to meet her because of my outdoor job.

I am a professional photographer by the way and I freelance my work and I am not dependent on anyone.

“Its so good that you took out time to come home Ellie your brother was very worried since you have not shown us your face for the past one month” Rita said lovingly.

Oh ! Paul has his own assumptions; he is like dad always trying to protect me. I am a grown-up woman he should stop treating me like I am a teenager.” I complained.

I could see Rita looking towards her bedroom and smiling.

I tuned and saw my brother clearing his throat.

I ran towards him and hugged him.

“No matter how old you become Ellie you will always be my gummy bear and I have every right to be worried  about you.” Paul complained.

I wiped his eyes and told him I missed him a lot but because of my work I couldn’t come to see him.

Then Rita started ringing the gong bell as it was a signal for us to make peace.

We looked at her and raised our hands.

Rita has been married to Paul for the past three years. And they were my ideal couple. Truly madly in love with each other and Paul was very protective about her. We lost our parents at a very young age, I was in 7th grade, since then both my brothers have been taking care of me. Rita has adjusted in our family quite well. She is from Australia. She fell in love with my brother during one of his trips there and immediately they got married. We had all gone down to attend their wedding. She is a great cook and I am hoping she has made some delicious food today.

She told us dinner was ready.

I had to freshen up, so I excused myself and went upstairs to my room.

Its always good to be back and it has been cleaned and made ready for me. We always call the cleaning agency to come and clean up the house whenever we are here.

After a while I came down and could hear them laughing. I smiled and was about to walk in when I recognized another voice I stood there and listened again.

No, it cant be it was Gray Spencer he is back. How come no one told me!

Terry that little witch, even she did not mention that her brother was back.

I was in a dilemma whether I should go inside or not as I did not know how to face him after all these years. I hate him to the core of my heart.

Then I stood there and listened to what  they were talking about.