The Great Sacrifice

Chapter Four

       Sitting in my window, I sipped my tea, intently trying to read cover to cover of the Ballet, A Truly Beautiful Ballerina. I was almost halfway and it was Monday, I had started on Saturday trying to read as much as possible, but there was just so much.
        A soft knock on the door made me jump, "Ms. Carrel, someone is here to see you". Standing, I stretched feeling ever bone in my body move. "Who is it, Maddie" I asked, gliding to the other side of the room. "Ms. Daphne" she said. I tried to recall knowing a Daphne. Looking at the book I sighed, I needed a break, stopping briefly in the mirror, I pushed back my loose hairs with a black head band, before taking the stairs, In the entry way stood a small girl rather pretty girl, with black slicked back hair, dark gray eyes, and a prep school uniform I was not familiar with.
       "Daphne?" I asked reaching the last step. "Your a ballerina? I thought you'd be prettier" she said harshly, with a light slightly familiar accent folding her arms. Taking a step back, I had to reorganize myself, "Excuse me". "You are excused. I don't have much time" she said. "Is that so?" I asked, still in awe she was standing here. "Tell me something, are you dating my father?" She asked snappy. "If I were I'd have him get you a mussel, but not that it is any of your business I am not currently in a relationship" I said just as snappy. Her face soften as if I slapped her. "Really?" She sounded mortified, her eyes going wide. "Really" I said. She sighed, one like the world just crawled off her shoulder, "I am so sorry". I almost wanted to make her feel bad, but the guilt was seeping out on her face, grabbing the stair post, I leaned to one side. "Your really pretty, by the way more prettier than any model or actress I've ever seen" she went on. "Your dad must be pretty special for you to come here" I said, trying to understand. "He's all I have. I don't want to lose him to another woman" It was then I understood more than I wanted to admit I did. "How did you get here?" I asked. "I told my chauffeur I had a play date with a friend who lives here" Daphne explained. "I was planning to berate you to the point of tears before walking home on the high you'd never speak to my father again" I nod, slowly realizing this was not her first time running of women in her father's life. Maybe I should take some notes, "How far do you live from here" she only gave me a look and I knew she had planned to berate me to the point of maybe suicide. "Why don't we walk together, and then maybe we can take a taxi" I offer, knowing Dylan had taken my father to work. "I would like that" Daphne said softly. "How often do you do this, Daphne?" I asked closing the door.  "Alot" she said, shaking her head leading the way. "Of course" I mumble. I had nothing bad to say about Daphne's behavior because in some way I wished I was younger and was able to yell anyone I saw fitting. By time we got in the cab me and Daphne found we shared many of the same interest one being Ballet. She was Eleven, a only child, hated donuts, and had a cat fur allergy. I didn't like cats, but very similar I didn't get very close to them.
      By time we arrived both of us had fallen asleep, and the sun was no longer in the sky, planned to walk this. Shaking my head, I stretched, whipping sleep from my face. Looking at the gate I couldn't see anything past it. Shaking Daphne, gently she stirred, but only layrd her head back on me. "Daphne, we are here" I say trying again. She head rolled and she opened her eyes, "I'm so tired" she said. "You wanted to walk" I remind her looking at the meter, I coughed. "You live in a gated community?" I asked? She shook her head, "I can pay for the cab". "That's fine what don't you just get inside" I reassured her. She only shook her head, "Really, I insist let us make you dinner. My Dad, is making a old home pasta dish". She punched in the code, and the gate opened, revealing an elegant old styled home. It was about three story and nicely decorated with flowers, the entire front was a garden. She did pay for the cab, as we head inside I tried to recall a man I had recently meet that could hold this amount of money. Not a single man came to mind, looking around the foray, the diamond chandelier that hung, was real and that meant this was a family from very old money.
       "Daphne" came out smooth, his accent as heavy and my heart was as unsteady. There Damian Avella stood, tall with a dark blue button up with his sleeves rolled, and it undone at the neck showing off a extra piece of skin that made me swallow. I felt my eyes moving trying to take him all in. He was beyond handsome, but the closer he came, the closer I could see faint scars on his arms.
       "I brought a guest for dinner!" Daphne greeted. "You shouldn't pester innocent women" He said in perfect Italian. Looking over at them, than away, I realized they had no idea this would not be a private conversation. "I figured I could start my vacation off making sure it be just the two of us this week" the look in Dr. Avella eyes changed and he opened his arms and engulfed his daughter. Standing up straight, he spoke to his daughter in english, "Go wash up, we can start dinner". With a quick look back at me, she went up the stairs, he father had just arrived from behind and disappeared. "Your daughter is very pretty" I commented. "Yes, well, she looks like her mother I suppose" he commented on it as if it where something he rather not admit to. Staring at him, I remembered what I told my self, "I should get going". "Daphne will be disappointed if you don't stay for dinner, she's fond of you" he said, looking me in my eyes. "How can you be sure?" I asked. "My daughter is in a private school in Italy, she comes home rare enough that when she's here she wants me all to herself. Yet, on her first night back she insist you have dinner with us. She likes you" he informed me. Following him back into the kitchen, the actual kitchen, he didn't speak until after he had pulled two wine glasses down, and a bottle of white wine, "Its good to see the wind hasn't blown you away". Holding the glass I allowed him to pour me a single serving, "I didn't know you had a daughter". "I didn't think I'd ever see you again" he said before taking a sip from the glass he had just poured. I agreed I hadn't wanted to see him again and much to both our surprise here we are. Or here I was sitting in his house, in his kitchen drinking wine.
     I also took a sip, "How did your surgery go?" I asked. "Successful, full recovery is expected" he said calmly, his jaw clenched and he didn't meet my eyes. He looked older today with wrinkles beside his eyes,but it also made him more attractive to me. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself and my mind, I had never had so little control of myself.
      Pushing my glass away, I sit up straighter, "Thank you again". "I should Thank you, Daphne usally makes the drive back alone. It's worrisome" he said with frowned brows. "I'm sure it is, she is only eleven years old" I remind myself more then him. We sat in silence, it wasn't quite uncomfortable, but it was slightly tense. Shortly, Daphne joined us wearing a big red fluffy sweater, and dark leggings, with white socks, her dark hair was loose down her back and she looked even prettier.
     With a grin, his eyes only on his daughter, "Let's get started", but for some reason I thought he was speaking to me.