Mommy Issues: Cordelia

ariving at miss robichaux's

  My sweaty hand gripped my suitcase, and my other hand adjusted the strap of the bag that was slung over my shoulder. Damn that's heavy, I thought to myself. I took a deep breath and raised my hand, curling it into a fist and knocked firmly on the large black door three times. I took a step back and adjusted the strap again before looking down at my feet and wriggling my toes in my shoes. The grey painted floorboards were peeling slightly, and there was a large ant crawling across them towards the garden. I shivered a little, I hate ants.

  I heard footsteps approaching the door from inside. I looked up as the door opened, and behind it stood a tall blonde woman with the prettiest honey brown eyes, glinting in the afternoon sunshine. She was wearing a light pink colored silk blouse, and black flowy pants. A pearl necklace adorned her smooth alabaster neck, and her sharp collarbones had freckles scattered over them. She wore a broad smile and reached her right hand out to shake mine.

  "You must be Ophelia," I nodded and smiled nervously at her. "Cordelia Foxx, I'm the headmistress here," she said as she stepped out into the porch. I placed my hand in hers and shook it. I felt a sudden jolt of energy as we touched. I saw her eyes widen as she must have felt it too.

  "Nice to meet you," she smiled as she motioned her slender hand inside of the large white building. "Should we go inside?" She asked. I nodded again, too shy to speak to this beautiful woman. "You can leave your luggage there; Spalding will get that for you."

  We entered the house, and she lead me through the entrance and up the stairs. As we started making our way up the stairs, Cordelia explained some of the history of the place.

  "Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies was established as a premiere girls' finishing school in 1790. During the Civil War, it was converted into a military hospital. Afterwards, it came under new management. Our management. In 1868, Marianne Wharton, a prominent East Coast society matron, early suffragette, author of several popular children's books, and as it happens, the reigning Supreme of that time, purchased this facility retaining the name as a cover, establishing a safe haven where young witches could gather to learn."

  We reached the top of the stairs, and I followed her as she walked to the left and down a hallway, stopping at the third door in the right. She opened it and stepped inside.

  "In its heyday, the academy was home to as many as 60 girls," she informed me as I looked around the room. It contained a single bed that was against a wall in the corner, a dresser, a nightstand next to the bed, a desk and chair, and a closet in the wall.

  "What do you think?" Cordelia asked. "It's simple, I know," she smiled apologetically at me. "I like it," I responded, smiling back at her. "I thought I would have been sharing with someone else," I said. "Well, there's not many of us here at the moment, so everyone gets their own room for now," she replied. "I'll leave you to get settled, and I'll get Spalding to bring your things up so you can unpack. My room is right next door, so if you ever need anything, day or night, you can come and get me, okay?" She told me as she stepped closer to me. I nodded. "I'll come back in about fifteen minutes, and then it should be time for dinner and evening gathering," she placed her soft hand on my shoulder before leaving the room. "Thank you!" I called out behind her.

  A few seconds after she left, a man with scraggly long hair walked in with my bags. He placed them on the floor next to the bed and turned around to leave. "Thank you sir," I smiled at him as he walked out. He grunted as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

  I unpacked my bags and put my clothes in the closet and dresser and took my other things to the bathroom. The bathroom was quite large, and it contained a bathtub in the centre, a sink and counter, a mirror, and a cupboard. I placed my makeup bag in the cupboard where there was a bunch or hair products, body washes and towels.

There was another door on the opposite wall of the door to my bedroom. That must go to Cordelia's room. We must be sharing a bathroom.

  I went back to my room and sat on my bed, pulling my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through tik tok for a minute before I heard a soft knock on the door. I put my phone on the nightstand and stood up as Cordelia opened the door and stepped inside. "Have you finished unpacking yet sweetheart?" She asked as she looked around the room. I nodded. "That was quick! Do you want to come with me, so we can go to dinner?" I nodded.