My father kneels before me and lifts his face to mine. I did not expect this so l just froze looking down at him. He firmly grips my forearm, l wince a bit panicking.
"Son all our hope for the furthering of the Loire linage depends on you. Never forget that. No matter what happens always remember you mean a lot to us more than you can ever know right now."
I was flustered with confusion that all l managed to do was nod without asking any questions. I looked down at my father, in all my life l had never seen him this desperate looking. Something must have shaken his all powerful, composed, intimidating and stern air. Right now his eyes were glistening not with confidence but conflicting thoughts.
I watched him rise from his knees and dust off the imaginary dust off his sleek neatly trimmed dark suit. The part where he had been kneeling on started to slowly inflate. It was a million dollar silk red carpet bought on auction overlaying slippery shiney Mahogany wooden tiles.
My father kept his eyes in mine whilst he adjusted the chain belts of his golden President watch. He seemed to be whispering a silent message that l would understand someday.
For a moment, the room was quiet but then l heard quick clicks of high heels from the passage way drawing towards our closed doors. At that moment l knew Serena one of our house keepers had come to inform us that the breakfast table had been laid.
I turned to watch the silver handles of the two tall white double doors turn down. The door gently opens and Serena cautiously take a few steps in. She stops a safe distance from me and my father and then courtesy by bowing her head.
" Good morning Lord Loire", my father just gives a small nod. She turns and bows her head to me" good morning sire Ariel Loire"
I return her greeting with a smile. She raises her head but keeps her eyes on a spot of the carpet.
" My lady sent me to inform you that the table has been laid" she says with a cautious maintenance of her voice.
" Thank you", my father says then tilts his head to me smiling," Now we wouldn't like to keep your mother waiting. Today she took trouble in assisting the chefs prepare our favorite."
Serena swiftly walks across to the other side of the large library. She pulls open the tall white curtains along their golden rods. An orangish light from the sun illuminates the tall book shelves and just slightly touches my father's hair. His blond hair become a lively golden brush dancing for the morning breeze.
The tiny diamond lights from the golden chandeliers automatically switch off when they sense day light. Everything in our mansion was consisted of three colors which are silver, gold and white except the red carpet and the wooden floor.
The Loire family keeps it's dynasty known through the extravagance around them. One of the twelve elite family dynasties in the Eastern France. We are raised in a way that we do not accept anything under the top standard. In everything we always dare to take what is above all. If it's jewelery we take the ones that not many dare attempt lay their eyes on the prize tag. On clothes we could not find any brand that matched our excellence standards that my family had to start their own designer apparel brand, The Loire.
My family owns six businesses in their name with shares in numerous other prestigious and established companies. My family has a share even in the school l attend, St Rodrigo Private school. The tuition is half a million per year.
About the Loires it's always about legacy, influence and unrivaled power. It's our history and our blood. It can be tressed down our linage even into the eighties.
I excused myself from my father and made my way out the library. When l entered the dining room, a delicious smell of fresh cinnamon rolls and cakes greeted me. Despite the strong smell of the expensive Jacobins coffee I caught a whiff of my father's favorite eighteen seventies wine.
My mother did not notice my arrival because she was busy helping the maids place the golden candle holders on the long table. l was surprised because it was not my mother's usual deed to be so involved with the maids.
A long white cloth overlaid the table. Shiney white plates were placed before every seat around the table. Small white breakfast cups stood in matching saucers. Silver tea spoons in each saucer and silver table spoon beside each plate. Only my father's place consisted also of a tall wine glass and a ribboned scarlet bottle of wine.
The maids placed three bowls of fresh fruits along the table, garlic bread and cinnamon rolls. There was a small silver bowl of strawberry vanilla whip cream with a small scoop plucked in it.
My mother extends her hand quietly and a maid hurries with a clean dish towel. She wipes her hands then raise her head to me. My mouth was slightly open as l stood mesmerized by my mother's unexpected effort of helping in preparing our breakfast.
She raised an amused eyebrow to me then smiles," What?"she pretends there was nothing unusual.
" No-nothing ", l stutter taking my seat at the table." It's just that it's a new sight seeing you take much care in the preparation of breakfast" l answer honesty.
She puts her hand on her chest and pouts her face cutely." Oh Ariel dear, l'm sorry I wasn't so motherly to you but always know that l love you no matter what."
She walks to me in her grace. Her hands were still on the exposed part of her chest but seemed to be fiddling with a small locket on her silver necklace. Her steps in her flowing white and silver dress were as stealth as a panther hoping to catch its prey by surprise. If it wasn't that l had been used to her like this, l would have suspected that she wanted to assassinate me.
She went behind my chair and embraced me from behind. Her head went to my shoulder and then she kissed my neck. This was the warmest gesture l had ever received from her.
Right after that my father steps into the room too, he pauses at the door then smiles warmly. He passes behind my chair and ruffles my chestnut hair as he moves to his seat.
For a moment l thought l heard mother sniff but then she immediately straightens and gently brush my shoulder to get rid of the small creases she had caused. I was in my royal blue half jersey with red and white stripes at the neck lining and sleeveless edges. The red and white matched my red, white striped bow tie for school. The blue trousers l wore would go along with the blue blazer that l was going to pick from the dry clean on my way to school.
After breakfast, l slung my school bag across my shoulders and followed my parents to the entrance of the mansion. Six black cars waited, all sleek and shiney. My parents driver ran and placed his gloved hands on the rear door handle of the luxurious sedan in the middle. He opens the door for my parents to enter but they both wait at the door and turn to me smiling. l just smile back and thought that this was a cue for me to enter into my ride so l walk to the SUV behind theirs. My driver rushes to open the door before l arrive.
As l waited for the driver to open the door, l looked to my parents. Both their eyes were telling a story. All concealing secret emotions. I stepped into the car and made myself comfortable. My driver looked at me and then gently pushed the door close. My driver, Old Mr Rubbshell was my father's longest serving and most trusted servant. He was a stoic black man with a bush of Beard that ran from his chin, over his upper lip and alongside his long face.
After he closed the door all sounds from the outside were banished. A faint sound of the car idling was all l could hear. I waited for my driver to come to his driver's seat but he first goes to meet my parents. I see them standing face to face. My father was doing the much talking whilst my mother was leaning into my father's chest seemingly hiding her face. All Mr Rubbshell was doing was nodding his head. At some time they would seem like they were stealing glances in my direction but l knew that they could not see where l was seated because of the tinted glasses.
I wished I could hear what they were saying but the car was sound proof. After a little while, my parents stepped into the car Infront of mine their driver closed their door. Mr Rubbshell walked towards my car and occupied the the driver's seat.
Once he closes his door, l lean forward and ask ," what was my father saying?"
He just looks at me through the center rear view mirror. There were folds between his eyebrows. He took a while deciding the right words for an answer," to tell you that they love you and you must do your best to keep your family legacy"
"Ow", l leaned back not knowing how to answer to that but then he says something.
"Please fasten your seatbelt we're about to depart." After his words, l quickly do as he had told me to. I watch the first two cars in front move, followed by my parents car and then mine followed by the other two.
The cars followed one after the other in a perfect single file, equally distant from each other and imitating every move by the first car.
We went round about the water fountain and into the long paved driveway. From the far sides of the driveway you could see servants driving their loan mowers leveling the dark green tuft. Further beyond them you could spot the servants quarters almost like small dots.
When we drew closer to the tall white iron gates, they opened up automatically. The guides who were by the gate lowered their long riffles and moved from the gate.
Once our cars had entered the avenue road, they picked their speed. The avenue road was a charcoal grey, white marked wide tared road. Jacaranda trees overlapped the road from both sides causing a deep shade in the middle.
We were approaching the four way intersection were we usually part ways. The first three cars including my parents cars would take the left turn to the city whilst l continue straight ahead to school with the other two following.
Suddenly as the cars were slowing down towards the intersection, an explosion irrupt from underneath the first car in line. The car rises into the air and descents bonnet first into the car second inline. The second car explodes in flames causing the my parents car to lift one side and swivel out the road hitting a thick jacaranda tree and burst in flames.
" Mother, father!", l scream but the scream didn't last long because l was running headlong into the flaming cars. Mr Rubbshell's hands were tightly gripping the steering and quivering. His brows were furrowed as he pressed the brake pedal flatfoot but the large SUV gave in to momentum. Despite the screeching of tires trying to reclaim their grip, the car still moved into the blazing steel of the two wrecked cars ahead.
I closed my eyes as l felt a sharp forward thrust and a deafening sound of collision. The seatbelt across my belly and chest almost squeezed my insides out. As if that was not enough, the car went up spinning and landed on its roof. My head hit the headrest of the car with so much force that a throb emerged from the back of my head. I was now hanging upside-down that l started tasting my salty coppery blood in my mouth. My hands were now hanging loose. I was coughing, blood spitting out from my throat. The only thing keeping me in place was the seatbelt.
I saw Mr Rubbshell unbuckling his seatbelt in panic murmuring something. My vision was starting to blur and my ears were starting to hear things like l was sinking in deep water. The exterior of the car burst in flames. The air in the car became warm and difficult to breathe. My grasp for air became heavy and strained. The back of my head began to make me feel dizzy. I was chocking in hot air, wet with sweat and loosing blood.
My body surrendered and all l felt was nothing. It was just a void of deep bottomless darkness. I started floating in empty space. I heard a faraway call of a familiar voice but I could not decipher the words. I thought l heard emergency sirens wailing and far away shouts but l could not make out the words. That was when I drifted into the completeness of nothing.