Game of Patience

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The house was blue. It was hard to miss in the row of white and cream houses. The front garden was well kept and the windows were very clean. Phillips stopped the car and killed the engine.

"This is us." he said as he unclipped his seatbelt.

He opened the door and got out of the car. Brooke looked up at the house again. It was nice, but it wasn't exactly her home. She missed home already.

Phillips stood there holding her door open. He waited, he didn't hurry her up. She appreciated that. She spotted a ring on his middle finger. It was pretty, with a red and purple gem. She tore her attention away from it and grabbed the case off the back seat. She slid out of the door, thanking Phillips on the way out.

"I'll show you to your room, then I'll collect the rest of your things."

He uplocked the front door and stepped inside, she followed him. The faint smell of pizza covered with an artificial flower scent hit Brooke's nose.

"Shoes off please."

She kicked off her shoes and placed them on the shoe rack. She closed the door behind her and took in her surroundings. The walls were white, to brighten up the small hallway. She turned and faced the grey door. The windows on either side were textured, so no one could look in, but they still allowed in plenty of light.

The wooden floor was dark and old looking. Maybe he was worried about her scratching it. She looked down at her mismatched socks. She was always so focused on getting a matching pair. It's amazing that something you once thought was so important, doesn't matter anymore.

She followed Phillips up the stairs and onto the landing. The banisters were painted the same grey as the door, and the whiteness of the walls continued upstairs.

Phillips walked up to a door and opened it, letting Brooke enter.

"I know it's not much, but if you need anything else, write me a list and I'll see what I can do. I didn't know what you liked."

The room was a decent size, with pastel pink walls and a single bed with white sheets and a black blanket with stars all over it. She walked in further and saw a white set of drawers and a tall white wardrobe. The curtains were a light grey colour, that matched the light colour scheme of the room.

"Thank you, it's lovely. I'd like a bookcase if it isn't too much trouble."

"None at all." He smiled. "Just give me some time and I'll get one in here for you. I'm glad you like it. I hope you'll be happy here. I'll get dinner ready for six, but if you're hungry I'm sure I can find something in the kitchen for you. I'll bring the rest of your stuff up. Feel free to rearrange the room."

He walked out and closed the door behind him.

Brooke looked at the room, it was nice. It just wasn't hers. She looked around, she was sure she could make it her own.

There was a knock on the door and Phillips came in carrying the rest of her cases. He placed them just inside the door and left.

She unpacked her clothes, placing them in the drawers and wardrobe. There was a lot of storage space, she was thankful. She left the top drawer empty, it was her bits and bobs drawer, just like her dad has. Had, she corrected herself.

She looked at the room. She needed to move the bed. She had to be by a window, it always felt better and she loved to look at the stars when she woke up during the night. She pulled the bed out and pushed it towards the window, but it wouldn't move the last little bit, it was stuck on something.

She got down on the floor, crawled under the bed and wrapped her fingers around the item. It was soft, so that was a plus. Least it wasn't going to be anything horrible. She pulled her arm back towards her and looked at the object she was holding.

It was a rather cute teddy bar, with a purple t-shirt on. It looked well loved, but still in a pretty decent condition. She plopped it on the bed and pushed the bed back that last few bit. She sat the bear up in the corner, she would take it down with her when she went for dinner, she doubted it was for her.

The room looked slightly bigger with the bed this way, and it meant if she did eventually get a bookcase, that it could go next to her bed, so she could easily reach for some late night reading. A mistake, probably. One simply does not read at night and expect to sleep. Books have this way of drawing you in and making you forget the world. Especially when you are meant to be doing something else.

Phillips called up the stairs. She picked up the teddy and walked down the stairs to the kitchen.

"We have a roast tonight. Wasn't sure what you ate, but I thought at least there is a bit of everything here and you can dish it up yourself."

She looked at all the bowls on the table. Vegetables, potatoes, beef, yorkshire puddings, stuffing balls and gravy.

"If you don't like anything you don't have to eat it. Come on, sit down it'll get cold."

She moved into the kitchen and sat down. She put the teddy on a chair next to her.

"What have you got there?"

"I found it behind my bed. Was that someone's room?"

Phillips went quiet for a moment and picked up the bear before sitting down. He held the teddy and smiled sadly.

"It's my niece. That room is my guest room. I had it painted for her a few years ago." He looked up at Brooke. "She must have left it here when she last stayed." He placed the bear back on the chair. "She's probably missing it. I'll post it to her."

"Where is she going to stay?"

"Huh?"

"Now that the room is mine."

"Oh erm, she doesn't stay often at all. When she next comes we'll work something out."

"I don't mind the floor if she wants the bed. How old is she?"

"Six. Dig in before it gets cold."

She ate hungrily. Her first meal in her new house. She didn't know how she felt yet. It was a huge change. New place, new area, new guardian.

"You start school in a few weeks by the way. I enrolled you as soon as I knew you were coming to live with me. I had Aiza Liu send me over everything the school needed."

"Can't I keep the same tutor?"

"They can't travel here."

"I'll do video call."

"Brooke, you're going to school. It's done and it was your parent's wishes."

"Okay, okay." She shoved a piece of broccoli into her mouth and chewed.

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing."

"I'm an investigator, I know when someone is hiding something."

"How did you know my parents?"

"We used to go to work parties together. They helped me through so rough cases." He paused. "And some rough patches in my life. I met you once, not long after you were born. Then a couple of times as you grew a bit older. But then I stopped going to so many parties. I was working more and more. I guess we fell out of touch."

"So how come you were named as my guardian in the case of my parent's death instead of someone like Roger?"

"That's a question I've been asking myself and I am yet to work out. But I'm going to look after you. It's what they wanted, so I hope we can work something out. So any questions you have, feel free to ask. I know it will take time to get used to, but I hope you'll be happy here."

She smiled at Phillips. The man was sweet with his silver hair. He looked more like a grandfather than a dad to her. But she was sure they could make it work. She wasn't exactly a child who needed to run around with someone else.