Read Online The Windfall by Ellie Danes, Lily Knight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ellie Danes, Lily Knight
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eyes as we pulled up to an iron gate. It opened automatically and I slipped the car through, pulling up behind a shiny red BMW. “I won’t breathe a word until you say you’re ready to do so. I just want to visit with my sister.”
I exhaled a breath and climbed out of the car, hurrying to the other side to open the door for my mom. While the right thing to do would probably be to go ahead and tell Aunt Sophie about the money, I was holding back just a little. After everything Harold had said, I admit I was a little apprehensive about her reaction. I didn’t want a repeat of the sidewalk debacle or of the way Felix had reacted. Most of all, I didn’t want our visit to be overshadowed by the whole money situation.
Mom stepped out and patted my hand gratefully as we both looked up at the house for the first time, the structure dazzling in the bright California sun. Aunt Sophie had something to truly be proud of. With sloping roofs covered by Spanish roll tiles and large arching windows set along the front, the stucco house felt as if it were in the Mediterranean. Lush, green landscaping canvased the lawn ambling down to an exquisite view of the water below. It seemed as though the lawn just dropped off, so I wondered if there was an easy way to get to the water. My feet were itching to be buried in some California sand.
While Atlanta might be considered by many as being on the East Coast, we were nowhere near the beach back home. It was still several hours drive to get to the ocean and that still took money. Something we had never had an excess of. Now, I could smell the salt air and I couldn’t wait to take full advantage of this opportunity to relax. I was blown away by some of the houses we passed as we drove through Aunt Sophie’s neighborhood. Huge didn’t even begin to describe them, and they were no doubt extremely expensive. It was like stepping into an entirely different world from what we had left back home.
I glanced around once more as Mom rang the doorbell. The front door opened and my aunt emerged, her face adorned with smiles as she hurried out, grabbing my mom into a big hug and just rocking back and forth as she squeezed her petite arms around her sister. “Gillie! You’re here! I can’t believe it! I’ve waited so long for you to come out and now you have!”
Aunt Sophie didn’t seem to have changed a bit. She was exactly as I remembered, right down to the stylish bob that framed her smiling face. I couldn’t help but smile in response. I actually can’t recall Aunt Sophie ever looking sad; her eyes always seemed to be sparkling with some sort of mischief. Mom had told me a time or two that I inherited those same mischievous eyes.
“Oh, Fifi, it’s so good to see you,” Mom replied, tears in her eyes. Fifi was the nickname Mom had called her sister since they were little girls growing up in Georgia. I hadn’t really realized how much it must have affected my mom to be separated from her family. Sure, I had missed my aunt, but it couldn’t compare to the sibling bond they had. I’m an only child, so I guess I’ve never really given it much thought. I was quickly aware that this had been the right decision — even if there hadn’t been threats against us back home.
“You look lovely, Aunt Sophie,” I said just as the two women loosened their grasp on each other.
Aunt Sophie laughed and pulled away from Mom, her shining eyes turning toward me as she looked at me in mock disbelief. “This can’t possibly be little Cooper.”
“Hi, Aunt Sophie,” I replied as she reached to give me a hug, the smell of her perfume assaulting my senses. “It’s good to see you.”
“But you’re so tall!” she replied as she pulled back to give me another long look. “And so handsome! Has it really been that long? Where has the time gone?”
I shrugged and she gave me a grin, releasing me to look at both of us together. “I am so pleased you came all the way out here to see me.” Her
I exhaled a breath and climbed out of the car, hurrying to the other side to open the door for my mom. While the right thing to do would probably be to go ahead and tell Aunt Sophie about the money, I was holding back just a little. After everything Harold had said, I admit I was a little apprehensive about her reaction. I didn’t want a repeat of the sidewalk debacle or of the way Felix had reacted. Most of all, I didn’t want our visit to be overshadowed by the whole money situation.
Mom stepped out and patted my hand gratefully as we both looked up at the house for the first time, the structure dazzling in the bright California sun. Aunt Sophie had something to truly be proud of. With sloping roofs covered by Spanish roll tiles and large arching windows set along the front, the stucco house felt as if it were in the Mediterranean. Lush, green landscaping canvased the lawn ambling down to an exquisite view of the water below. It seemed as though the lawn just dropped off, so I wondered if there was an easy way to get to the water. My feet were itching to be buried in some California sand.
While Atlanta might be considered by many as being on the East Coast, we were nowhere near the beach back home. It was still several hours drive to get to the ocean and that still took money. Something we had never had an excess of. Now, I could smell the salt air and I couldn’t wait to take full advantage of this opportunity to relax. I was blown away by some of the houses we passed as we drove through Aunt Sophie’s neighborhood. Huge didn’t even begin to describe them, and they were no doubt extremely expensive. It was like stepping into an entirely different world from what we had left back home.
I glanced around once more as Mom rang the doorbell. The front door opened and my aunt emerged, her face adorned with smiles as she hurried out, grabbing my mom into a big hug and just rocking back and forth as she squeezed her petite arms around her sister. “Gillie! You’re here! I can’t believe it! I’ve waited so long for you to come out and now you have!”
Aunt Sophie didn’t seem to have changed a bit. She was exactly as I remembered, right down to the stylish bob that framed her smiling face. I couldn’t help but smile in response. I actually can’t recall Aunt Sophie ever looking sad; her eyes always seemed to be sparkling with some sort of mischief. Mom had told me a time or two that I inherited those same mischievous eyes.
“Oh, Fifi, it’s so good to see you,” Mom replied, tears in her eyes. Fifi was the nickname Mom had called her sister since they were little girls growing up in Georgia. I hadn’t really realized how much it must have affected my mom to be separated from her family. Sure, I had missed my aunt, but it couldn’t compare to the sibling bond they had. I’m an only child, so I guess I’ve never really given it much thought. I was quickly aware that this had been the right decision — even if there hadn’t been threats against us back home.
“You look lovely, Aunt Sophie,” I said just as the two women loosened their grasp on each other.
Aunt Sophie laughed and pulled away from Mom, her shining eyes turning toward me as she looked at me in mock disbelief. “This can’t possibly be little Cooper.”
“Hi, Aunt Sophie,” I replied as she reached to give me a hug, the smell of her perfume assaulting my senses. “It’s good to see you.”
“But you’re so tall!” she replied as she pulled back to give me another long look. “And so handsome! Has it really been that long? Where has the time gone?”
I shrugged and she gave me a grin, releasing me to look at both of us together. “I am so pleased you came all the way out here to see me.” Her
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