Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Hennessy: Learn to appreciate the things you have before time forces you to appreciate the things you once had.
The following morning, I got up early to cook a few traditional Peruvian dishes and went to the grocery store when it opened.
I spent all morning cooking up a storm, from papa a la huancaína.
It was easy to make with a bunch of boiled potatoes covered in a creamy, slightly spicy ají amarillo and cheese sauce. It was a huge delicacy in my country.
I also made ají de gallina, a creamy, shredded-chicken dish with yellow ají amarillo, bread, milk, and spices. Of course, I had to cook juane, an Amazonian dish made with seasoned rice, chicken, olives, eggs, and spices, wrapped in bijao leaves. It was delicious.
Topping off the menu, I made ensalada rusa, a salad that had beets, potatoes, carrots, green peas, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper. Some people added diced pickles, corn, and onion. Last but not least, I prepared tacu tacu, a crispy pan-fried mixture of rice and beans.
By the time I finished, I was a bit tired, but excited to bring some of my culture to Thanksgiving. I assumed it would be standard American food, which I sometimes enjoyed. I just wasn’t used to it. Peruvian food had so much flavor. It was hard going from that to simpler food.
Cooking all this food made me think of my family. Since I moved there, I hadn’t spoken to them much. Summer in Peru was our high season for tourism. We spoke a few times over the phone through WhatsApp, but didn’t get into too much detail. They were always so busy with one thing or another.
I hadn’t confronted my family with any questions about what was going on, but after talking to Elizabeth yesterday, they knew more than they were letting on.
Why haven’t I ever heard of Elizabeth if they know her?
While the kitchen smelled amazing, I hurried upstairs to shower and try to find something to wear.
After I finished blow-drying my hair straight, I walked back into my bedroom, only to find a new dress on my bed with heels, a pair of earrings, and a necklace.
The earrings were delicate hoops, but it was the necklace with an Inca sun that made me realize Elizabeth's stylist put a lot of thought into this.
The stunning gown was a soft cream silk with a floral design.
It had a V-neckline with a fitted bodice that hugged my torso just right.
Below my waistline, a flowy skirt extended past my feet.
The heels would be covered unless I took a step, only making it appear as if there were a trail behind me.
Reminding me of something a goddess would wear.
The nude heels with red bottoms were delicate, with a four-inch pump. Onyx would still tower over me. It quickly became my first thought. I wondered what he’d think of this dress on me and if he’d like it.
All in all, her stylist picked out exactly what I’d buy myself if I were going to spend thousands of dollars on a designer outfit.
Though this wasn’t my usual attire, I couldn’t help but love the way I looked in front of the full-length mirror. To match the aesthetic of what I wore, I did my makeup a little heavy, with a smoky eye and a nude lip.
I smiled when I walked into the kitchen, finding one of the housekeepers packing up the food. Everything was placed on beautiful, gold trays. They appeared to be antiques, with a cursive D proudly displayed in the middle.
“Wow, Susan, I was just going to pack it in Tupperware. I also made extra for you guys.”
She laughed. “Honey, you cannot take Tupperware to the Devereaux’s Thanksgiving, and thank you. We all love your cooking.”
“That bad, huh?”
She coaxed, “They just have their own traditions, you know, like every family. You don’t want to start on the wrong foot.”
“I think I was already on the wrong foot when I stepped off the plane.”
She smiled. “Grandmother Devereaux isn’t as difficult as the rest, but I’d steer clear of their father, alright? Make sure to compliment the women. They eat it up. Only speak when spoken to.”
“You’re making this sound really fun for me.”
She shrugged. “The Devereauxs have always been sticklers for their strict way of life. Their rituals are set in stone. There were always rules to follow. It was one of the reasons they weren’t fond of Mrs. Devereaux in the first place.”
My eyes widened.
Have I been looking for answers from the wrong people?
I was surprised she shared that with me. Onyx warned me that the staff knew better than to gossip.
Did he say that so I wouldn’t ask them anything?
My feelings for him were beyond distracting, and I started to forget that maybe I couldn’t trust him. He did warn me about that too. At least he wasn’t lying to me.
I’d become friendly with the staff. Maybe that was why she felt comfortable sharing with me. I waited on pins and needles to listen to what Susan was openly disclosing.
“I used to work for Mrs. Devereaux and the kids before they moved me to this property. She was such a lovely lady. Caring, funny, loved those kids. Such a great mom. Out of all the Devereauxs I worked for, she was by far my favorite. It truly is a shame what happened to her. Those kids were never the same, especially Onyx.” She paused, sighing in that defeated way.
“Mrs. Devereaux tried to change so many things and, in the end, it didn’t matter. She was laid to rest.”
“What happened to her?”
“Hennessy!” Elizabeth exclaimed in a pleased tone, suddenly making her way into the kitchen. “Oh my God, you look gorgeous!”
I swear she came out of nowhere. Everyone in this town had the ability to interrupt in the most inconvenient moments. I was beginning to think there were cameras everywhere.
I played it off, not wanting to make her suspicious of me. I mean, more than she already was. Elizabeth was dressed in a black gown, her hair pinned up, with diamond jewelry accentuating her wrists and ears. The necklace she wore was probably a million on its own.
She grabbed my hand, spinning me. “This gown, it’s absolutely perfect for you. Where did you get it?”
“What do you mean?” I pursed my lips. “I thought your stylist picked it out for me.”
Confusion spread across her face before she shouted, “Luis!” calling for my uncle.
Seconds later, he walked in wearing a tuxedo.
“Darling, you look as handsome as ever.” She kissed him, her red lipstick not leaving a stain.
It was the first time I’d seen them together since I moved in. They made a beautiful couple. Their babies would be a nice mix of genes. Onyx and I’s family would now be bonded through marriage, and that was still odd to me. Not that my uncle didn’t fit into this world. He obviously did.
I wasn’t any better, having feelings for her nephew.
Tío smiled, sliding his hand across her back while she placed her hand on his chest.
“Look at our girl, doesn’t she clean up nice?”
Tío nodded. “You look beautiful, mi nina.”
“You look nice too, Tío.”
He reached for my hand, pulling me toward him to wrap his arm around my back. “I’m going to walk in with the most beautiful women at the party. What a lucky man I am.” He kissed the top of my head. “Thank you for coming, Hennessy. It means a lot to us that you’re going to be there.”
Gesturing to the food, I acknowledged, “I cooked these dishes for everyone.”
He beamed, completely taken off guard. “You cook?”
My eyebrows pinched together. “Yeah, you bought me groceries a while ago.”
He thought about it for a second, asking Elizabeth, “Did you buy Hennessy groceries? I can’t recall doing that.”
“Honey, I don’t even know where the grocery store is.” She laughed in that pretentious kind of way.
If neither of them bought me groceries, then who did? And how did they know what I ate?
Before I had too much time to contemplate it, Elizabeth ordered Douglas to handle the food.
I intervened, saying I could take it, but she quickly objected, “Hennessy, you’re the funniest girl. Take over the food… so many jokes!”
Despite the Devereaux estate being right next door, Alfred drove us. I thought Elizabeth was going to shit a brick when I sat in the front seat with him. My uncle, on the other hand, hid a smile. I think he enjoyed me getting a rise out of his fiancée.
At one point, our gazes connected through the rearview mirror. I could tell that he was worried about something. His expression was that of a man who was maybe being tested.
It didn’t make any sense, but I felt his anxiety. Elizabeth was none the wiser, too wrapped up in fixing her makeup. I tried to compartmentalize everything I was thinking and the emotions that it stirred, but it was hard. I kept thinking about what my uncle said and how I knew the truth.
Under his breath for only me to hear, Alfred murmured, “Looks like you’re fitting right in, Miss Belladonna.”
Following his lead, I had to know, whispering, “Did you cut their security cameras when Mr. Devereaux was out of town?”
He didn’t answer me. Instead, he ordered, “Don’t run away this time. It’ll only be your demise.”
“What was that, Jones?” Tío chimed in.
“Sir, I was just telling Miss Belladonna how lovely she looked.”
I went to open my mouth, but we were already there, driving through huge iron gates, entering the enormous property. Luxury vehicle after luxury vehicle lined their courtyard driveway. There were millions of dollars parked on the pavers, staring back at us.
Once again trying to find my Zen, I inhaled a deep breath, instantly feeling so anxious about what I was about to encounter. I couldn’t help but stare into the eyes of the serpent crest on the peak of their home as we walked up to the front door.
“Oh!” Elizabeth grabbed my wrist, took off my grandmother’s bracelet, and insisted, “This doesn’t match.”
Before I could object, she was tucking it into her purse. I should’ve never let that happen, stepping into the lion’s den without protection.
“Don’t worry, Hennessy,” she proclaimed. “I’ll give it back.”
“It’s not that. It’s just—”
“Those are gorgeous.” She linked her arm into mine, walking next to me. “Where did you get them?”
I didn’t want to arrive empty-handed, so I picked a few roses and flowers from the greenhouse earlier and made them into a beautiful bouquet.
I lied, “The florists this morning when I went to buy the food.”
“They were open?”
“Mm-hmm…” I inhaled another deep, steady breath as the doors opened for us.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” their butler greeted.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” I repeated.
My heart pounded out of my chest as we stepped inside.
Their home still looked like a museum with columns, portraits, and antiques in every corner you walked through.
There were so many rooms on our way to the main area.
I usually entered through the back of the estate.
We were going to the opposite side of the mansion where I hadn’t been to yet.
Every time I was there, I couldn’t believe they’d grown up in such an extravagant and decadent palace.
It all mesmerized me. I tried to focus on one thing at a time, but there was too much to see.
It was all new to me. Every room we passed had a vintage feel, as if the decorations hadn’t changed in decades.
The creepy portraits with their eyes following you all through the halls. I couldn’t shake the eerie feeling of being watched. Come to think of it, I was starting to feel that way about my uncle’s estate as well.
It was a Devereaux’s after all…