The Puppet Girl

"Buenas Tardes! Thank you for letting us serve you, hope you enjoyed the flight," The flight attendant greeted in Spanish as they touched base in Madrid Barajas airport. "Did she say Madrid? Sorry I don't speak Spanish and it's my first maiden flight," her sleepy co-passenger inquired while she scrolled through her phone. Brought up in a small town in Ireland, Summer was the only child of the Mercier family. As a kid, she was always reserved and quiet. She wasn't good at making friends and preferred being aloof. She often found solace in playing with her puppets, gifted to her by her late granny. As the years passed, she got obsessively involved with them and developed a social anxiety disorder. Summer was gifted with the art of telling stories, which were expressed best through her puppets. Though her talent was unconditionally appreciated by her parents, they feared she was turning into a recluse who would never part with her make-belief world. Matters got more serious when Summer refused to attend her own graduation ceremony. That's when her mother decided to do what was best for her daughter. She recalled her telephonic conversation with a childhood friend who had recently lost her nephew and his wife in a car accident. Leaving behind two small kids, she and her old husband were their legal guardians in Madrid.  Summer's mother believed that a little change would do no harm. Apart from assisting her friend in managing the kids, her daughter would overcome her social anxiety disorder.  So the night after Summer graduated, she secretly informed her friend about her plans and sent Summer on a long vacation to Madrid without giving her a moment to comprehend what was happening. Dressed in her signature hooded grey cardigan and boring blue jeans, she flicked a lock of her platinum blonde hair behind her ear and walked out the airport. Looking in awe at the splendid airport, she realized it was even bigger and grander in comparison to the one in Ireland. As the minutes passed, she looked around to see if someone had come to receive her. While other walking past her were received by friends and relatives, Summer felt lost and stood awkwardly in the corner. The temperature in Madrid was high that day. The warm wind smothered her rosy cheeks, exposing her beautiful freckles while she deliberated between keeping and taking off the cardigan. Summer had been brief about the family she would be living with for the next three months. Hailing from a military background,  Summer expected a huge old man in uniform to come to receive her, but in vain. Exhausted, she sat on her suitcase and anxiously ran her gaze around until they fell on a tall, well-built man who approached her with a smug on his face. "Are you senorita from Ireland?" He crisp voice broke through all the chaos outside the airport. Nervous and unprepared, Summer innocently stared at his impressive physique.  Dressed in a checkered red shirt and black jeans, he brushed his long slicked hair and took off his shades. Realizing she had spaced out thanks to his charming looks, he wasted no time in taking out his phone and showed her a picture. "You do recognize your own photo, don't you?" He asked sarcastically and shoved it back into his pocket when Summer failed to give any sort of reaction. "Well, we don't have much time...is that all you've got?" He sighed and wondered why she was travelling light. Summer nodded her head in embarrassment and stood up only to realize how short she was in front of him. When he bent over to carry her suitcase, she panicked and held on to it.  "Fine as you wish...Summer Mercier"  Summer's heart pounded when he addressed her by her full name. She couldn't believe that the person sent to receive her was the kind she would see through and avoid in her senior year. Feeling tensed and stupid for not replying to him earlier, she clumsily struggled with her suitcase and followed him to his car.  "You speak English?" "Y-e-s!" her voice cracked like an old jukebox that hadn't been oiled for decades.  "That's some nasty sore throat you've got...see a doc," He asserted with a straight face and started the engine before they zoomed off. Taking the weight of the heavy suitcase on her lap, she held it tightly and looked in astonishment at the high-rise buildings and metros. He drove for an hour or so before she noticed that they had left the main city behind. Driving past the rows of modern yet artistic villas, he pulled over to a similar one built out of red brick. "Here we are!" he announced and helped her step out. Summer had taken the trouble of finding the perfect words to thank him since communicating wasn't her best socializing prowess. Throughout the journey, she had contemplated what to say, but all that effort went to waste when he hurriedly stepped back in and zoomed away. Disappointed at the lack of alertness, she sighed and read the nameplate instead. "Guerrero," she read the golden name that was inscribed on the right pillar of the entrance.  Inhaling the fresh air around her, she raised her suitcase and climbed up the white stairs that led her to the front iron gate. This gate had the seal of the Spanish Army embossed over it. Pushing the gate slowly, she stepped inside the manicured lawn and noticed an old bald man trimming the bushes. He acknowledged her with a pleasant smile but strangely continued trimming the bushes. "Mrs Guerrero?" she mustered courage and introduced herself.  Without uttering a word, the old man smiled down at her and pointed her gardening tool in the direction of the main entrance door.  Summer understood and thanked him hurriedly before walking ahead.  Her heart thumped as she knocked on the elaborately carved wooden door which had the same Spanish Army seal at the centre. No sooner the door opened, Summer recollected the words her mother trained her to utter before Mrs Guerrero. Having hardly parted her lips, Summer was taken aback when two kids barged out like cannon balls and attacked her with their water guns. They cheered like hooligans before breaking into an abrupt pause. Seeing Summer drenched to her toes, the young girl realized her mistake and twisted the boy's ear in a fit rage. Humiliated before a stranger, the young boy who apparently looked similar to the girl, got into a heated argument before they broke into a scuffle. Summer recoiled and stared at them before a stern female voice broke through all the chaos in the house and alerted everyone. The kids dropped their water guns and scrammed out leaving Summer puzzled. While she regained her composure and turned around, she found a tall and huge built man, with a long moustache standing before her. "Good  Tardes! ....I mean, Buenos afternoon!...Sorry...Buenos Tardes... Mr Guerrero," she fumbled and was at loss for words seeing the huge figure. "He is not Mr Guerrero, he is Novio,  the attendant of my villa," the same stern voice echoed across the living room and sent her unfriendly vibes. Pensive, Summer looked around and caught sight of an elegant dressed middle-aged lady,  gliding down the staircase with her gaze fixed over her. Noticing her mannerism and the silver streak that cut through her jet black hair, Summer figured she was Mrs Guerrero, her mother's childhood friend. "Take her suitcase to the guestroom," Mrs. Guerrero ordered Novio in Spanish as she approached her. "Buenos Tardes!" Summer hurriedly greeted her and tried to recollect the things her mother had taught. "You need to brush up your Spanish missy!" Mrs. Guerrero remarked and adjusted her glasses with a similar kind of smug Summer had seen on someone's face earlier that day. She tried hard to recollect where she had seen it before Mr.s Guerrero pulled her out of her thoughts. "Go upstairs and freshen up, we will have a formal introduction during dinner." Summer innocently nodded her head and darted noisily up the stairs, making her hostess frown for disrupting the calmness in the house. "I need to teach that girl some discipline," Mrs Guerrero sighed and returned to her room. Summer closed the doors when Novio left and heaved a sigh of relief. "And this is how the lone traveller ended up trapped in the grim mansion in an unknown land," She spoke to herself and Ignored the splendour of the room. Reaching for her suitcase, she impatiently opened it and rummaged through her clothes.  "It's so good to see familiar faces, I've missed you all," she beamed at the sight of her puppets and pressed them to her chest. "I have a bad feeling about this place though...How am I ever going to stay here for the next three months?" she grimaced and stared at the ceiling for eternity.   "Segundo a la izquierda" Novio woke her up with a knock on the door and announced that it was dinner time. Her stomach roared as he explained she was to join the family for dinner in the dining area. Least bothered to take care of her looks, she rushed down towards the dimly lit hallway. and noticed a glass display case filled with trophies, shields and medals. She squinted her eyes when she saw the photos of a young couple, mounted on the wall. Curious, she stopped over to have a closer look at them when all of a sudden she heard Mrs Guerrero voice booming from the dining room. Hoping to create a better impression than what she had portrayed earlier, she walked in with a smile that lasted not more than two seconds. "You really shouldn't have come if you had plans of sleeping early," Mrs. Guerrero grimaced at seeing Summer in her PJs. "Sorry, I didn't mean to...I mean I'll change..." Summer stuttered in nervousness and turned to leave. "Please, settle down," she said and gestured her to take a seat. "You are new to the house and its rules...be careful next time," Summer nodded her head sheepishly and walked towards the table only to find the same young man sitting in the chair adjacent to Mrs. Guerrero. "Who is he?" random thoughts ran in her mind while she stole glances at him. Summer's heart skipped a beat when his gaze shifted from the kids to her placid grey eyes. Feeling uneasy, She placed her elbows on the table and pressed her forehead against her fist. "Summer, please take your elbow off the dining table!"  Mrs. Guerrero warned her gently but failed to grab her attention. "I said, take your elbow off the dining table," She raised her voice and finally caught her attention. The young man chuckled and abruptly paused when she shifted her gaze at him. Pretending he he had a bad cough, he casually reached for the jug of water while she returned her gaze back to Summer. Seeing everyone settled in their respective seats, she introduced everyone to Summer and held their attention. " I would like you all to meet our guest who will be staying with us for few months," she announced when suddenly the little girl squealed, "You mean in here?" "Do not interrupt when another person is speaking," Mrs. Guerrero warned the little girl who cringed in her seat. The young man, however, cheered her up by miming that it was best to keep quiet when in Mrs. Guerrero's presence. "Uhmm...This is Summer Mercier, She is my childhood friend's daughter who has come all the way from Ireland to spend the summer with us and also assist me in disciplining these kids. I want you all to cooperate and make her feel at home" Mrs. Guerrero narrowed her eyes at the kids. "We would be happy to do so, wouldn't we?" the young man whispered in Spanish and smirked at the kids sitting next to him. Failing to hear him, she continued talking to Summer. "You already know who I am, so let me introduce the rest of my humble family," she said it with pride and looked in the front. "He is Mr. Guerrero, a retired army officer and unfortunately my husband!" she grimaced and gestured Summer to look towards her extreme left. She was startled at seeing the old bald man sitting quietly and smiling at her. Mrs. Guerrero noticed him smiling endlessly at Summer. "Stop scaring her with your toothless smiles!" she scolded him and waited till he changed his expression back to a straight face. "You're Mr. Guerrero?  I thought that he was the gardener..." Summer innocently expressed her thoughts and made the young man and kids c***k up again. This time Mrs. Guerrero heard the exchange of laughter and scolded him as well,  "Rainerio!" she called out and held his attention.  "Rain..." he corrected and avoided eye contact. "Sorry, I guess there's something stuck in my throat," he hurriedly apologized and pretended to clear his throat before regaining his composure. Mrs. Guerrero rolled her eyes in disappointment and glanced back at Summer. "I assume that you have met the twins already. The girl is Amada and that's her brother Amado. They are my late nephew and his wife's kids. It's such a shame they died so young and left these poor kids orphaned," she painted a gloomy picture, while Summer looked at the kids and felt sorry. "And this young man here is my other nephew, he is my late brother's second son. Fortunately, he's still alive and will soon follow his brother and father's footsteps by joining the Spanish Army, am I right, Rainerio?" she took off her glasses and smirked when he reluctantly replied with a yes that sounded more like a no. "Well, then now that you know every family member, we better begin our dinner,"  Like house pets, they all waited anxiously for the lady to give her go-ahead signal before attacking the delicious spread on the table.  Summer noticed how everyone at the dining table ate quietly and awkwardly stared at the table.  Missing her family already, she happened to glance at Rain relishing the food that was served to him. She looked at him in astonishment when all of sudden his piercing eyes met hers. Rain smirked and raised an eyebrow at her which instantly made her blush. "Oh no! This wasn't supposed to happen, why are my cheeks so warm?" she lowered her head and shoved down a piece of bread, hoping he hadn't noticed her blushing.