Chapter 4 #2
My cousin had gone upstairs right after we ate to take advantage of the large claw-foot tub in her bathroom.
Every bathroom in the house was outfitted with one.
The house oozed luxury; the bedrooms all had absurdly large beds with a small set of steps for ease of access.
The draperies were all made of high-quality fabric and ran all the way to the floor.
The furniture was antique and well cared for over the years.
It almost made you feel as though you were transported back in time.
I walked out the door and checked the time on my phone; a little after six.
I proceeded down the driveway. At the end, I went in the opposite direction than we had arrived from.
The air was so much crisper than at home, and it just felt different.
It smelled different, too. The scent was more natural and earthy; there wasn’t as much pollution, and if there was, it was definitely not evident.
Strolling along, I was in awe of the scenery and let it envelop me.
The sounds of the birds and the wind blowing through the trees felt soothing.
I slowly walked along the road, just absorbing the surrounding nature and basking in the beauty of the Irish countryside.
At home, it was bustling and busy; always moving at a breakneck pace.
Things here seemed to slow down and give you the ability to just be.
Without anywhere to go or anything to do, I was certain that I would find rest here that couldn’t be found at home.
I realized, perhaps a bit too late, that it was beginning to get dark, and rapidly at that.
I turned back toward the house and quickened my pace, attempting to race against the sun.
It quickly became a battle I was obviously going to lose.
I could see the house in the distance; it seemed so far away.
My footfalls grinding against the loose gravel made enough noise to drown out anything else that may be stirring nearby, debating in my head if it was a good or a bad thing.
Suddenly, I heard a noise that I knew wasn’t being made by me.
I froze in my tracks and just listened, holding my breath.
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and I instantly regretted stopping.
It was like my body wasn’t within my control.
I wanted to move, but I couldn’t—my fear had frozen me in place.
My brain was screaming at me to run, and my feet wouldn’t budge.
Suddenly, I heard something; a bush rustled, and I could hear a slight panting and a low growl.
Panic took over and snapped me out of my frozen state.
Fight or flight kicked in, and before I could think, I was running full tilt down the road, racing toward the house.
I didn’t know what was in the bushes, and I really didn’t want to find out.
When I reached the driveway, I turned in and kept running all the way to the door.
I didn’t know if anything was chasing me, but I wasn’t going to stop to find out, and I didn’t dare look back.
I got the house key out of my pocket as I was running, readying it in my hand.
As I hit the porch, I clambered up the steps, letting my body collide with the door.
I took a deep breath and shoved the key into the slot.
I turned the lock and twisted the door handle.
I slammed my weight against the door, willing it to open faster.
Once inside, I slammed and locked the door behind me.
Collapsing against it and sliding to the floor, my heart was pounding so loud in my ears, and my whole body was covered in sweat.
Charlotte came running down the stairs. The slam of the door must have grabbed her attention. “What’s going on?” She exclaimed as she reached the bottom step and scrambled to my side.
“I went for a walk and lost track of time. The sun started going down and then I heard something in the bushes. Whatever it was growled, and I started running. I didn’t look back to see if it was chasing me.”
Char started laughing. “It was probably someone’s dog or a raccoon or something. That’s hilarious. You were not about to wait around to find out, were you?”
“It sounded really big—that is what I do know.” She offered me her hand to help me get off the floor. “I am soaked in sweat; I am going to take a shower.” I climbed the stairs.
“I’m going to make some tea if you want some when you get out of the shower. It might calm you down a little.”
“I think I’m going to just go to bed.”
I reached my room and removed my coat and shoes that I was still wearing.
I didn’t think to leave them by the door in the moment.
I don’t know what was lurking in the darkness, but Charlotte was probably right.
It was nothing more than local wildlife that was more scared of me than I was of it.
I tossed my coat onto the bed and left my shoes near the dresser.
I kept peeling off layers as I made my way to the bathroom, leaving a trail behind me as I went.
Turning on the shower, I put my hand under the spray to test the temperature.
I stepped into the steamy sanctuary. I stayed there for a long time, letting the scalding water beat against my skin, relaxing my muscles, and clearing my mind.
Once my body was clean and sweat-free, I exited the shower and dried off.
I added moisturizer to my hair and skin and brushed my teeth.
As I ran the brush through my hair, removing the tangles, I could feel myself returning to normal.
My heart rate was slowing, and I wasn’t shaking anymore.
I slipped on my pajamas and pulled back the blankets on the bed.
The feeling of the cool, crisp sheets against my skin was positively euphoric. The room was dark and quiet.
There was only one thing that would make this even better.
As soon as the thought came into my head, I saw a flash of light race across the sky through the enormous window that faced my bed.
A few moments later, the crack followed.
Not as loud as I would have liked, but the storm was still far off, and just getting started.
After the adrenaline rush from earlier and the hot shower, my body and mind relaxed, and I found sleep faster than usual with the sound of thunder and rain lulling me to sleep.
I woke up early, feeling rested and at ease with the familiarity that surrounded me.
I spent the day exploring the house and wandering through the rooms that I hadn’t seen in years, finding the Irish charm scattered throughout the aging estate.
Elaborate crown molding adorned every room, and the door and window frames were just as ornate and dated.
Antique rugs added character to the rooms and cut down on the drafts that tended to chill the floors; especially in the mornings.
After exploring the expansive estate and combing over books that sat on endless shelves within the confines of the massive library, my stomach began to grumble.
It reminded me that I hadn’t eaten a thing since I woke up.
I made my way toward the kitchen to find something to satisfy my hunger.
Charlotte was sitting at the table drinking coffee.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Yes.”
“So, what are you making for dinner? You are making dinner, right? You invited Ronan over, so I just assumed.”
“Of course. I’m just going to make steaks, baked potatoes, and salad.”
“Sounds good, and to the point. At least you understand the audience. That man is definitely no stranger to protein.”
Shaking my head at my cousin’s comment, I poured myself a cup of coffee.
Grabbing a bagel off a plate on the counter, I split it in half and dropped it into the toaster.
When the toaster popped, I dressed the bagel and set it on a plate.
Taking a seat at the table where Charlotte sat scrolling through her phone.
I ate in silence, occasionally sipping my steaming cup of liquid caffeine.
The warmth penetrated my body and made me sigh into my cup.
“So, are you still feeling the same way about Ronan that you did when you were fourteen?” Charlotte stood up from the table and walked her empty cup to the sink.
“Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that. That was twelve years ago. I have grown up a lot since then.”
“Well, so has he. I bet he is way more likely to get laid this time around. Maybe showing him how you feel would work better than telling him at this point.” The look on her face was sheer delight.
“We will see.” I couldn’t lie—I needed to get laid.
“I am going to go explore the grounds unless you need my help with dinner.”
“No, I got it. You go and check out your newly acquired estate.” I smiled at my cousin.
Truth be told, I was slightly jealous—but only slightly.
I did love this house and all the memories it held, but I also loved the house in Michigan.
I knew it best of all and wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I finished my food while Charlotte put on her shoes and made her way out the back door.
Bringing my dishes to the sink, I rinsed them out.
With Charlotte out of the house, I needed to busy myself. I didn’t want to get sidetracked and end up lost in the house and all its wonders. Why not start making dinner early? Take full advantage of the kitchen and the stock provided. I elected to make dessert from scratch and bread too.