Lazy lass

Exactly a minute later Roy entered the now empty hall and pulled a chair nearest to the door which belonged to one of the members, brought it straight in front of her, settling down. "I'm sorry if you were bored without me." He grinned.

Ignoring it Ella spoke. "You made a rule of closing down all meetings and the parlor by 4?" His smiled broadened at that question.

"You really want to know?" She crossed her hands together and leaned them on the table. He sighed and said simply, "I got tired of meeting dumb people for too long." She was shaking her head before he finished his sentence.

"I must be stupid for asking you questions expecting you to answer me directly. But... we both are too proud to be that easy."

"What do you suggest we do then darling? I gather the question bothering your mind is not about the rule but something else...?" He slyly replied, leaning back in the chair and just looking at her, observing her and wondering what she might be thinking now.

Ella bit her lip and leaned back in her chair mimicking him said, "You know it. Why ask me then?"

"Just confirming."

"You are at better advantage to do that," Ella said while wavering her eyes away from him and towards up above the entrance door where the camera was recording every detail that was going on, even though the parlor was closed officially. She returned her sight to him, slightly stretching her neck and waiting for him.

Roy leaned over to the table while snatching one copy of proposition near him, his eyes studied them page after page until he stopped at the third one. "Who is in charge of this? Surely not Park it seems."

Ella sighed at the change of topic and spoke the comfortable answer, "Mr. Bailey and Mr. Smith are leading it. Were you expecting something from Park?"

"Yeah. Seemingly he was the one to contact the Saudis the first time when this problem was issued," he said frowning. "For him to not taking the limelight is unexpected."

"Too many unexpected things happen Mr. Knight. We live up to that," Ella said while getting up off her chair to leave the parlor. She was heading out through the gardens when she decided to settle there for some time and basked in the already setting sun. Such sight is the only solace in here to help her get going. Taking off the heels she sat on the grass, while stretching her legs and playing with the ends of the weeds, pulling them through her toes. Letting go of any thoughts she concentrated on pulling out the weeds testing slowly until she snapped them out.

"Lazy lass."

"You should try it out. It will give a good exercise to your legs."

"What you doing here? Ain't the work over?"

"Yeah, it's over. That's why I'm here."

Ella was focusing on the unwanted weeds wanted by her toes when she felt something sitting in the corner of her eyes. She glanced over to see it was Mr. Walker and resumed her gardening skills.

"Why are you really here lass? I never thought you'd come back." Mr. Walker spoke softly considering they didn't have a proper conversation since she was here.

"Aren't you happy I'm here?" She faked a gasp, "You hurt my feelings John!"

"Aye, keep your antics on. Won't work on me." He countered back, after a few moments he bent his legs supporting his arms on them said quietly, "I wish you hadn't come back." That broke the chatter of her thoughts which she had kept at bay. Though Mr. Walker was an employee here, he did understand her whenever she ventured in the garden to calm herself or distract herself. Just like now.

"Not all wishes come true John."

"I hated this work from the start but had to do for a living. Then, after the need for living was not so needy, I found you to be another reason for being here." Ella heard him silently, pausing her toes while relaxing them. "Your father was the worst, no matter what he made you today. I'd rather have my daughter safe than teach her to enter the fight and making her believe to be trained for that damned fight. You... you could be harmed." Mr. Walker was breathing heavily thinking about the many things that man had performed with her.

"Someone will be safe by baiting the other's life in danger." She spoke accepting her fate.

"Christ Ella. Don't lose your mind like that man. There are other ways of protecting yourself."

"I'll grab that; when there will be John," Ella said turning to him with a soft smile featured on her face.

"Don't call me John! Only my wife does." John Walker got up brushing his pants on the back as though he was not already covered with dirt. She grinned at that and looked up at the night that had fallen. Thinking about her past times, the happy memories which weren't many but there with her and she treasured every single one of them. A lone tear fell on her cheek when she remembered her time with them the day, they had visited the opera.

Ella who was six at the time slept in the opera the moment they tuned their music. It was after the show was over did the actual fun begin. Her mother woke her up after the show ended where her father was already up and moving along to the backstage to talk about some matters. Ella's mother took the child along with her following her husband; where Ella came across the things laid on the stage making her eyes go wide at the size of them. In the back end these things looked small to be played through.

Sneaking from her mother's side who was waiting for her father to arrive back, Ella climbed the stage to look over the empty audience and went over all the strange objects lying around until she came over to the piano. She knew it was a piano as she had to attend the classes in her school. There was a necessity for the children to indulge themselves in an extracurricular activity. And if the children didn't have any they are designated in the piano class by default.

Thinking about those classes she knew always being scolded for playing any random key on the piano. But now that no one was there to say her anything she planted her ten fingers on the piano with a push, leading to a bland tune to be ringing around the hall. Continuing to push each and every key of the piano she enjoyed the liberty of doing whatever she wanted on it. Laughing excitedly, Ella jumped from left to right and back, playing her fingers on the piano while moving. After about five minutes of her rigorous energy driving, she looked up to the audience with a huge smile as though expecting a round of applause.

What she got was a clearing of throat from behind her, she turned with the same smile to find her father standing with a frown. Her mother wasn't too far from where he was standing, that disappeared her smile. Ella quietly moved away from the piano and had her hands behind her back hoping her father didn't punish her too bad.

Mark walked up to his daughter with Emma following him anxiously. He stood in front of the piano and said, 'Won't you play with your father?' Both the women looked wide-eyed at him, where Emma recovered and Ella blinked. To emphasize it Mark played the tune randomly just as his daughter was doing which looked funny to everyone, coming from an adult. As Mark played the off tunes, it screeched Ella's ears she covered them up; then he stopped laughing guiltily.

'Well some things are difficult to learn. For the both of you.' Emma said after watching the both of them trying to showcase their talent.

'In that case, why don't you play? You have the talent!' Mark said to his wife knowing she came from a well-bred family which taught her things as a proper lady was supposed to learn. She wasn't an expert but she knew better than them.

'Stop pestering with the instruments. They belong to the professionals,' she scolded the both of them.

'But Ella and me would like to learn a bit from you. Don't say no to her. Right Ella?'

'Yes! Mommy play!' the little girl adapted to her father's happy mood quickly to pull her mother's dress to the piano.

'Ella! Mark what are you doing? You are supporting this?'

'Lighten up Em. We all deserve it.' Looking at her husband she sighed and readied her hands on the piano while starting a cheerful tune. The music was enough for Ella to bounce her legs and jump around dangling one leg at a time. Her father scooped her from behind making her shriek and laugh thereafter, resulting in all of them laughing together.

Carrying his daughter, he was swinging her around, playing with her; those were the moments Ella cherished to her heart which reveled their affection as a family. Imagining them she entered the palace with a smile on her face.