The Seventh Curse Bearer

THREE: The Mansion

I was discharged from the hospital. I found out my personal belongings; money, purse and luggage were stolen at the accident scene. I had no money and I had no were else to go. It took time for Cain to convince me to come and live with him since I was a proud person. "It's the least I can do for you Nancy, you can live with me till you're well and back on your feet." He said. Cain lived in a grand mansion. Arriving there, I was shocked to see the massiveness and fancyness of his home. I set foot at the step of the entrance and some sort of mystic breeze blew about the atmosphere. My life would change forever. As we entered, there were people who stood pasted on either side as if awaiting our arrival. They all gazed at me with bulging and curious eyes. One gave me a murderous look, a woman who looked to be about twenty four years old. I froze in my tracks. Cain looked deep in my eyes for the first time with a look of reassurance. I was able to get a whim of courage and continued.

There were about four children who stood clinging to the legs of their mothers, some hiding behind them. There, stood six older people who had awaited our arrival. One was the grandmother, old slim and frail. Two were the sisters one tall and slim, one chubby and short, both about in their late teens. One was the aunt. One was a woman who looked to be about twenty five. One was the girl, Malacca. His fiance, his soon to be wife. She stood tall in heels and slim in a short black dress. Her features were distorted by the heavy make-up she had all over her face. Her hair lay short. Shoulder length. I would later learn that this mansion was a house of doom. The family had haunting secrets hiding behind those sweet smiles they gave me when Cain introduced me. Except one who did not bother hiding them, she clearly showed her dislike for me. It was Malacca, the one who had given me the murderous gaze.

"Cain, I do not understand why you brought her here! Has she no home or family?" She demanded as she paced closer to him to face him in the face. Her face of courage seemed to come off as disrespect as everyone else tuned on vile expressions in disbelief, some looking on the floor in embarrassment, second hand embarrassment, some to the sides in discontentment except Cain who looked her strait in the eyes with an annoyed look pasted on his face.

She threw me loathsome looks.

"Malacca, Nancy is a very close acquaintance of mine. She's as much of a guest here just as much as you are! So show her some respect!" He pacified her. I envied Cain. How he could manage to stay calm in such a situation while facing an arrogant brat. As soon as I lay my eyes on her, I could tell she was a snobbish brat.

Cain's grand mother, aunts and everyone proceeded to embrace him in a loving manner, except Malacca who went up the stairs in a fit of rage and disappeared at the top, and the woman; the one who was about twenty five, she stood middle height and kind and humble looking. I would soon later learn, her name was Mariah. She was Cain' s legal wife. Indeed this family had a lot of drama going on. His family was larger, I would also learn.

"It's nice to meet you my dear" his grand mother gestured towards me. She was really nice. She took my hand and gestured me to follow her up stairs.

"Grandma, she's my guest, I can take care of her!" Cain insisted as he followed us. "My dear I don't know what it is but I feel like you were destined to be in this home. I had a premonition that you would come and fix all the ailments in the relationships of this family!" She insisted as she smiled at me. It felt strange hearing that. "Don't mind my grandma," Cain said.

"Oh, be quiet my grandson, I know what I mean!"

A guestroom for me to stay in had been prepared. His grandmother had left me alone with him.

The room was extremely fancy with expensive wear.

"Make your self at home." He insisted as he instructed one the servants to cake care of all my needs. I sat on the edge of the large and gigantic bed adjusting my leg ; the one which had a plaster on it. I was in pain.

"You can take some rest for now and you may come down any time you want." Cain left me to my self probably to go and explain to his mom why he brought a stranger into their intimate private home.

I was tired. Although I was no longer on heavy meds, i still slept a lot. I might have been out for about two hours when I was awoken by a servant knocking at my door. "Miss, you're being called down for lunch.

" Ok, I'm coming." I said as the servant bowed at me. He looked young about twenty one year's old. He looked foreign. I waited for him to leave and then I forced my self out of bed and went to freshen up. The bathrooms were fancy, this place was like a palace. The bedroom was bright pink and purple with large striped fur carpets. I shyly made my way down stairs and I was met by servants in the corridors taking lunch into the large dining area. I did not realize Cain had so much family. The large dining table hosted at least nineteen family members. I would be the twentieth. I would soon learn that his Great grand mother lived with them. This grand ancient villa was the family mansion. I stood there nervous and waiting to be directed to my seat. A servant gestured his hand towards an empty seat next to Cain. I took my seat while Malacca gorged me with curious and hurt eyes. She smiled at Cain who did not bother to return the smile. His mother clearly noticed her hurt expression and she turned to me. "So tell us young lady. Where are you from?" She was cutting food on her plate with a table knife.

"Palma town east." I replied with a shaky voice. I was embarrassed because everyone felt my lack of confidence through my voice. She nodded as a sign of understanding. "Okay, and how do you know Cain? What I mean is have you two met before the accident? " Honestly, she really didn't seem like she cared. "Well I do not really. .... Cain coughed interrupting every one. "Well, Nancy and I are friends from college. We met each other at university. But I happened to hit her with my car by accident! " He said. "His mom nodded as she a took a sip from her wine glass. Cain winked at me making Malacca even more jealous so much that she choked on her food. "Future mother in law, I don't trust this woman, they are friends, she and Cain, and he happens to hit her with his car and then brings her here to stay who knows for how long? She's looking to have an affair with him because she just wants his money!" She gazed at me. "You know Cain is a billionaire so that is why you were so desperate to have him so much that you threw your self infont of his car!" She was drawn to tears. Was this jealousy or hurt? What ever it was profound so much that it scared the crap out of me.

"Now Malacca that's a bold accusation. Where are your manners? His displeased mother said. From the look of Cain's home, I knew they were wealthy. What I did not know was that he was a billionaire. Not that I cared. I stood up. I was hurt by her accusation. "Excuse me!" Attempted to leave while Cain held my hand.

"Don't mind Malacca, she's as brainless as much as she is depthless." He said in a emphatic tone directing his gaze towards her. She was quiet.

His mother ate her meal while glancing at me every now and then. Even though the family ate together, they discussed things in small groups. I noticed Mariah was not there. I would later find out she ate all her meals with the servants. She was not allowed at the dinner table. Why? I wondered. They did not seem to treat her well.

I gazed at Cain who looked at me with concern. "Something wrong?"

"Um...no, nothing." I said. After lunch , I went to my room. I slept on ruminating on the day's events. I skipped dinner.

Next morning, I prepared for a heavy day filled with errands as I went for my therapy to heal faster and Cain got all the medication I needed.

I walked into the center on my clutches as the nurses gazed at me in pity. I wore a frotective cage to protect my fractured ribs in case I happened to fall and get hurt and for my body to get used to the replacements.

"Miss, over here!" The receptionist shouted in my direction as i walked towards her. I guess she must guessed who I was because she called me by my name.

" You must be Nancy! " She said as she got out of her mini desk /booth and walked towards me to help me out. I felt welcome. Come take a seat and I will inform you when you can meet the doctor, hes been talking about your case this whole morning. She gazed at me in pity.

"Aww, would you like anything anything? Tea? Snacks? Maybe a cushion? She asked in a gentle tone.

" No thank you, I'm good, but I could use a cushion." She was happy to help . I sat there whith Mariah who had struggled all the way to make conversation with me.

After what seemed like thirty minutes of waiting, we went in.

The doctor was a female just like Cain had requested because he didn't want a male doctor touching my body. I practiced my broken foot trying to walk. Therapy was agonizingly painful. Those forty five minutes of my life felt like hell. The most painful was the chest compression where the doctor put pre sure on my chest as if performing CPR. This was suppossedy meant to help me get used to my new rib replacements. After wards we went a brief stop at a caffe and had coffee. Then the driver drove us home were I slept the whole day . I did not even wake up for lunch but I did in the evening. I took a long bath then sat at my balcony gazing at the sunset. It brought back memories of my home. What would my fa ther be thinking right now. He would ngge disappointed but it's not like he wanted me anyway. Kimberly would still be heart broken. Maybe my father would grow to like me after realizing I wasn't there. He would start to miss me and value my presence.

The sunset was beautiful. My bedroom over looked their beautiful and large gardens and golf courses. They had almost every fruit tree one could think of in sight. I could hear thesound of a river fear away. Cain's nation wasevery peorson's dream house. Later i went downstairs for dinner. I was tired but I was not going to sleep on an empty stomach. After dinner I went to sleep. I fell into a deep slumber as i read my none of the novels I had found on the bookshelf in my room. I was sipping on hot coffee.