The Puppet Girl

The Oil Painting

The night was long and lonely. Summer found it hard to sleep and kept twisting and turning in bed. "Are all beds in Madrid this soft?" she complained and sat upright looking dishevelled. Resisting the urge to turn on the lamp, she instead pulled out one of her favourite string puppets. A beautiful porcelain lady, dressed in a golden, Victorian, flowing gown.

"Eva, I wish I could fly back home....I just don't fit in here," she pouted and dropped her puppet by the strings.

"This place doesn't look that bad, it's just a matter of three months. You will get used to it," she voiced over Eva and made her puppet twirl over the glazed floor. "How about we explore this place?" she pulled a string and made it face her.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea, I'm not feeling sleepy anyways," she held Eva close to her arms and stepped out barefoot. As per Mrs. Guerrero's instructions, the lights were to go out at 10 o clock. Aware of this rule, Summer cautiously tiptoed towards the wooden mantelpiece that was adjacent to her bed and reached out for the candle stand.

"And how exactly are we going to light this?" she sighed and placed Eva on the mantelpiece. Gently pulling the drawers one after the other, she finally laid her hands on an old matchbox. Striking one, she lit the candle and raised it up to see Eva, when all of a sudden the windows violently swung open. A gust of cool breeze made its way into her room and brushed her delicate body. Shielding the weak flame with her bare hand, she glanced at the window and watched the transparent curtains cascading up the wall and all the way to the ceiling.

Gripped by the eerie feeling, she closed her eyes and opened them only tho find the curtains back in place. "Scary...." she whispered and placed the candle stand back on the mantelpiece. What she saw next gave her mild goosebumps. It was a lifelike oil painting of a flamenco dancer whose intimidating eyes seemed fixed on Summer. Mounted on the centre of the wall, the oil painting shined in all its glory when she raised the candle to have a closer look.

"That is so unbelievable, Eva she looks just like you except for that red ruffled gown and black stole over her bare shoulders," She gasped turned the candle towards Eva.

"Summer, you're still up?"

Caught off guard, Summer dropped the candle and turned around as the lights appeared.

"Staying up late is unhealthy...is there something you want?" Mrs. Guerrero asked from across the room.

"Uh... water!" Summer lied and rubbed her eyes.

"The jug is right next to your bed," Mrs. Guerrero pointed towards the side table and looked at her suspiciously.

"Yes, I know...I mean I had some," She gulped and rushed towards the bed.

"Sleep well dear, I don't like girls staying up so late," she warned and turned out the lights before leaving.

"She doesn't like me keeping my elbows on the table neither does she like me staying up so late! It's obvious she hates me," She grimaced and locked eyes with the lady in the portrait.

As the minutes passed, she wondered if the lady had a story of her own or if she were a mere imagination of the artist. The villa was unusually quiet, except for the room next to Summer's.

Rain was wide awake, lying under the sheets, chatting endlessly with his friend Max, over the phone.

"So has Mrs. Guerrero's little nephew gone to sleep with his teddy?" Max teased.

"Teddy? Is that how you call your ex...Teddy" Rain sniggered.

"Nina! Wait you're sleeping with her?" Max flipped. "I'm so going to break your face,"

"That's if you survive my Bazooka," Rain laughed.

"You mean in your dream, right? You're far from joining the Army. Is Mrs. Guerrero still firm on you following the path your dad and brother took?" Max asked pensively.

"Max, can you do me a favour and stop bringing it up. You know I hate this topic," Rain pulled the sheets off his bare torso and sat upright with a frown.

"Okay peace! So why didn't you meet up at the club today?

"I made a trip to the airport to receive a parcel from Ireland this afternoon, " Rain replied reluctantly and glanced at his reflection in the mirror.

"Oh Meirda! No wonder you didn't hangout with us today. Did my boy do me proud by winning her over?" Max got all excited to hear more.

"Hold your horses, she's not worth it. Rather a big turn off I would say," Rain rolled his eyes and looked at the wall that separated his and Summer's room.

"Guess you're running out of luck, is she that bad?"

"Not really, she's barely twenty but not my type. This stud you're talking to is no ordinary one, and who knows it better than you," he ran his fingers down his shaven face and smirked at his reflection.

"Rain, please don't start over with your looks again. Spare my ears," Max protested.

"Amigo! Admit it, you're just jealous that you weren't born with my looks," Rain admired his features and ran his fingers down his pumped torso while max made faces from the other end.

"Whatever! But do come over tomorrow, it gets boring without you," Max sighed.

"Ahh really? That's so touching, you do miss me, don't you? Fine, I'll make it up to you tomorrow," Rain smooched the phone to annoy him deliberately.

"Amigo, I'm straight, stop scaring me with those telephonic smooches!"

"Oh so you want them in person, why didn't you say so?"

"Go f**k yourself!" Max cursed and hung up while Rain had a good laugh.

The next morning Summer realized she had overslept and apologized at the breakfast table.

"This isn't Ireland, We Guerrero maintain a very disciplined lifestyle here. come, the kitchen usually remains closed at this time," She ran her frail fingers over her elegant pearl necklace and gestured her attendant to serve the leftovers.

While Summer had her breakfast in silence, Mrs. Guerrero enquired if she was missing her family. "Did, you speak to them after coming here?" she asked as Summer finished the last slice of bread. "I wanted to, but my cell-phone just won't start up," Summer explained in disappointment and clutched the edges of the table.

"No problem, you can use the telephone over there," she smiled and pointed towards the living room.

It had been hours since Summer had not heard her mother's voice. Desperate, she rushed to the living room and stopped abruptly on finding Rain comfortably seated before her. With his legs crossed in style, he read the headlines loud until her presence distracted him.

Sighing, he turned away and expressed his disinterest in her. Summer equally ignored him and looking around for the telephone in desperation.

"Why is this place so congested?," She thought as she hunted for the telephone amidst all those showpieces and artefacts that had occupied most of the space.

Rain spied on her from behind the newspaper and pretended to read the headlines every time she turned in his direction. Sitting on the white leather couch, he wondered what was bothering her but was too egoistic to put aside his newspaper and ask.

"How did the conversation go?" his aunt suddenly walked up to Summer.

"I haven't spoken to them as yet. I can't seem to find the telephone," Summer replied and felt helpless.

Mrs. Guerrero immediately turned towards Rain and snapped. "Why didn't you help her instead of just sitting there doing nothing? Summer, is our guest, we're supposed to make her feel comfortable,"

Rain found the advise a bit ironic since it came from a woman who was doing just the opposite. "Ya right..." he sarcastically raised a brow and reached for the telephone until he realized it was missing.

"Oh, the old man must have taken it for servicing!" Mrs. Guerrero asserted. "No worries, Rainerio will lend you his phone for a while, won't you, my boy?" Mrs. Guerrero grinned.

"Ya why not, here you go," Much to Summer's surprise, Rain handed over his phone and waited till his aunt left them alone.

"Give it back !" he snatched it back from her and frowned. "This piece is expensive, do you have any idea how much this costs?" he stared deep into her grey eyes.

"Why! You don't know how much your own phone costs?" she asked innocently and looked at his perplexed face.

Rain was about to pass a nasty comment when his aunt suddenly appeared again, "Rainerio, why is the phone still in your hands?," she rested her hands on her hips appeared suspicious.

"Because I'm  typing the number, that's why...right Summer?" He faced Summer and discretely warned her not to play the victim. "So what number did you say again?" he held out his phone while Summer cussed him in her mind and blurted out the number.

No sooner did his aunt leave, Rain came back to his nasty self. "Whoa! International call, I'm not making a call all the way to Ireland," He widened his eyes disconnected it.

"B-But Mrs. Guerrero said that..." Summer protested in despair until Mrs. Guerrero walked in yet again and caught him off guard.

"Rainerio, have you seen where your uncle is and why the hell is that phone still with you?" She yelled.

"Because she's done talking, right?" Rain lied with a straight face.

"No I didn't, he won't let me use it," Summer interrupted and surprised Rain with her boldness.

Needless to say, Mrs. Guerrero's death stare was enough to convince Rain into handing over his phone to Summer. Relieved, she typed the number and spoke for a good one hour before returning it back to the owner.

"I'll make you pay for this," he said and rubbed his cell phone against his sleeves before shoving it in his pocket.

"You mean for the international call charges?" she chewed her nails in nervousness. Rain let out a sly laugh and leaned closer to her, "Don't play innocent with me...you very well know what I mean," Flinging his car keys up in the air, he walked away from and reached for the exit.

"Rainerio, wait right there!" his aunt stopped him at the doorway. "Are you going out to meet your uncivilized friends?" she enquired inquisitively and rubbed her hands.

"Uh...Yup!" Rain replied reluctantly, "Why do you ask?"

"Take Summer with you. I promised I would show her around, but I've got other commitments," She said eagerly.

"What about my commitments?" He protested.

"That was an order, not a request!" she snapped and slammed the door on his face.

"Estupendo! Another beautiful day ruined thanks to the Grinch from Ireland, she's so going to regret coming here," he clenched his fist while Summer heard the whole argument and panicked in the other room.