Aubrey's eyes shines brightly when she arrived at her grandmother's house. She's still seven years old but already sensible and mature than the children on her age.
"Aubrey. Sweetie. Come inside. Let your Grandma have a look on you!" the lively tone of her Grandma came from inside the living room.
She's Amelia Sue and only child of Collen Tang and France Sue, the grandparents of Amelio Reinhold: her father. Amelia's husband was David Reinhold: father of Amelio Reinhold and her grandpa.
"Yes, Grandma Amy!" she replied with smiles and walked towards Amelia's direction. Her bow greetings showed her elegance as a young lady of aristocrat family, without stiffing or awkward manners, like it is already on her bone
Amelia smiled and held Aubrey's both hands. "I know that you are being careful and have decided to give me a good first impression but that is not what I wanted to see of you, Aubrey. I want to see you behaving like your real self without minding etiquettes and manners. It is fine doing that for guest or strangers but be yourself when you are here in Sue Mansion. No one would criticize you" she calmly said while caressing the soft little white hands of Aubrey.
She was stunned, "Grandma..." she called and started to tear up.
Yes, her Grandma is right. She wanted to give a good first impression to her Grandma so that her Grandma wouldn't criticize her of having a poor upbringing but after hearing of what her Grandma said, she cried like a baby.
Amelia was shocked of witnessing Aubrey's outburst cry. She smiled and gave her a tight hug.
"Always remember, Grandma is unlike any other aristocrat old ladies who only see the worth of wealth and elegance. As long as you are happy, Grandma is satisfied." she continued and patted the trembling back of Aubrey from crying.
Aubrey nodded and smiled, not a forceful one.
"Mom! I want to eat your pancakes!" a man's voice from her behind, requested. Aubrey was shocked silly upon hearing her father's spoiled side.
Grandma Amy
Amelia
laughed when she heard her son's childish side.
"Alright. I'll cook for both of you. I am sure you are both tired. You could rest for awhile" she said and was about to enter the kitchen but stopped and turned toward Amelio.
"Your room upstairs was recently cleaned and Aubrey's room is located by your room's side" she gently stated and entered the kitchen.
"She's amazing, Dad" she murmured enough to be heard by Amelio.
"Of course, she is! She's my mother after all! And you're grandma!" he proudly said and left.
"Nanny Min! Please escort Aubrey to her room. After that, please help my mother" he said as he headed to his room.
Aubrey was escorted to her room.
Her eyes mouth twitched when she saw her room's pink rose decoration are anywhere, including bedsheets, pillows, blankets, quilt, bookshelves, lamps, walls, study table and chairs and etc. Everything is PINK!!!
Nanny Min feels happy when she saw Aubrey's surprised expression. For her, Aubrey was shocked silly because of the girly decorations. They believed that girls like pink so they decided to decorate her room with PINK!
"Madam Amelia was the one who designed the room. She was longing for a granddaughter before you were born. That's why, when you arrived in this world, she was excited like she's the one who birthed you" she stated while holding herself to laugh. It is obvious that Nanny Min and Grandma Amy are closed to each other like sisters but Nanny Min decided to draw a line of boundary when guests arrived in Sue Mansion.
"I like it!" She lied. She doesn't want to disappoint Grandma Amelia just because of this girly color. Nanny Min was very happy after hearing Aubrey's words.
'Our efforts are paid off!' Nanny Min smiled and nodded to herself. She also helped Grandma Amy decorating Aubrey's room.
"I'll call you when dinner is ready" Nanny Min excitedly exited her room. Her actions showed that she couldn't wait any longer to share Aubrey's appreciation of their decorations with Grandma Amy.
Her eyes wandered around the room while dragging her luggage inside. There is a balcony so she looked outside while looking at the dusk clouds. The sun is settling down the horizon and night is coming.
From the balcony, she could see the mansions of aristocrats. This town is called the Green Everest Town. The aristocrats who are temporarily settling down chose this town because of high standard quality of houses. Anyway, she doesn't care of those aristocrat. She just wanted to peacefully savored the warmth air, blowing the green grass of the Sue Mansion.
Her hair danced gently like greeting the warmth air but, unexpectedly, she felt someone's gazed on her from afar. She looked around and found the owner of that gaze.
A petite young boy stared at Aubrey. He looks like eight or nine years old but with matured upbringing. He is wearing white mini-tuxedo for young boys. His eyes are gentle like free-flowing water without ripples. The street lights illuminated his white soft skin that shows the tenderness. Aubrey was stunned!
'OMG! His skin is girly than mine!' she commented. If ever the boy heard her thoughts, no one knows what he will do!
The young boy couldn't look away from her for thirty seconds. They are both observing each other but stopped when a tall and handsome got off the car. He is the adult version of the young boy but with stern eyes.
The adult man noticed his son's eyes staring at the direction of Sue Mansion. He also looked at and his eyes widened when a young girl is looking on their way.
He doesn't know the identity of the young girl but he heard that Madam Sue's son came back from overseas with his daughter.
He smiled at the young girl and gently give a bow as a greetings. Aubrey did the same with angelic smiles.
"Who is she, Dad?" the young boy asked, still his eyes on that direction.
"I guess, she's the daughter of Amelio Reinhold, the son of Madam Amelia and CEO David. I heard that they came from overseas and just recently arrived" the adult man replied.
He observed his son's expression. His shocked eyes heightened when his son's eyes was gentle while looking at that young girl's balcony and his interest on Amelio's daughter rose up.
"Let's go! Your mom is waiting inside for dinner" he snapped his son's state of mind back to normal.
The young boy walked fast when he heard his father's teasing tone. He also doesn't understand why he stared longer on that young girl but he was certain that he was captivated by the young girl's appearance.
In reality, he doesn't easily get captivated by mere appearance. Even meeting with the beautiful woman in entertainment industry couldn't make his eyes stared for so long but why is he easily attracted to that young girl?
He shook his head without realizing that he walked fast. The adult man is holding himself from laughing in order not to provoke his son's anger. His son is easily provoke by mere words or actions if inappropriate.
Aubrey immediately left the balcony after greeting the adult man while her chest throbbed loudly and her cheeks reddened.
She slapped her cheeks gently to lessen the hotness.
"Young Miss Aubrey, the dinner is ready!" a maid's voice sounded from outside her room after three times of knocking.
"Okay! I'll be there!" she replied and immediately changed her clothes.
When she arrived, the foods are ready while Grandma Amy, Grandpa France and Amelio are talking about the corporation.
She sat between her grandparents and started eating.
"Amelio, have you remember the tradition of our family before turning the age of seven?" Grandma Amy asked while eating her veggie salads.
"Yes, mother. But Aubrey is already seven. I have forgotten about the tradition, mother. We are in modern and advance technology times, who would believe such traditions of ancient past?" Amelio retorted.
Twick! Grandma Amy's right hand left the handle of silver spoon and her eyes are widened.
"Amelio! You knew that each child of family generations were and are required to make a wish on that well! If a child doesn't make a wish, there will be heavenly punishment from our ancestors!" she shouted angrily at her son. She could take that her son doesn't believe on the traditions but disregarding it, is equal to heavenly punishment!
This belief was passed down from ancient generation to the next until on her generation but now, her son is disregarding the tradition. Isn't he afraid of ancestor's wrath?!
"Dear, just say it calmly. We even haven't know that if there is really heavenly punishment if ever a child of our house wishes on that well. How about we let her wish tomorrow morning? She's still seven and haven't getting eight yet. Maybe, there will be no retribution, right?" France calmly said to his wife. Even though, the wishing well was passed down from his bloodline, her wife is the only one who believed it and even if he doesn't believe on the traditions, he still wished there when he was six years old. He just wished that he wanted to become successful businessman.
Yes, he became successful businessman but he believed that he got it because of his sweat and effort.
Grandma Amy calmed down, "Then, tomorrow should be the right time for the tradition. I am hoping that there is no heavenly punishment after it" said uncomfortably.
Even though, the traditions are from Reinhold Family, she's still the wife after all! She has responsibility of letting her children know the Reinhold traditions.
"What would happen if I received heavenly punishment?" Aubrey asked while recalling the stories in a novel about gods and goddesses who sometimes have naughty personality.
