1
The trees at the Quare manor, we're swaying and their leaves dancing in the air.
Just like every part of the gigantic and beautiful Quare family estate, the garden glowed with luxury. The bright sunlight shone directly at the lazy butterflies that perched on the lines of the pretty red, blue, white and yellow roses. The butterflies finally flew away as footsteps could be heard from behind.
Levi sat motionless on the bench under one of the trees, his hands clasped on a sheet of paper, his gaze fixed on a dump of hibiscus nodding towards the movement of the wind.
He felt so out of place. Florida was where he would rather be, flourishing in his business or eating pizza with his noisy neighbors. Instead beautiful prison when he had finally succeded (after three failed attempts) to get away.
The manor was his birthplace, a place he now owned, but his childhood years spent here were mostly him in a wheelchair or lying on his back with his body connected to life support machines.
He had gotten used to living in Florida over the past five years and it was too sudden (him leaving Florida). Almost like a bad dream which he hoped he would be awakened from any minute, probably by a loud noise from viel, his robot or his extra huge st bernard, Cela, barking at the first sign of sunlight.
But no, his robot was shutdown by him before the trip and Cela was in the luxurious Quare dog house, probably gnawing at a bone.
It wasn't a bad dream, it was even worse than a nightmare but it was real and he was in real shit.
He had received a call from his mum, crying in a soft tone and conveying to him in a barely audible voice, the news of his father's death. Not that he necessarily cared about the grumpy old fart but he was shocked that the old man had died in his sleep, while leaving behind a huge dept to pay.
He had listened to this news over and over from his father's lawyer that he was so sure he was going to lose it.
His father's right hand man and lawyer, Mr Wimmering, had hardened his face and bluntly told him in an even tone that his father, the old fart who couldn't even let others have peace after his death, had left a lot of depts both to companies, individuals and banks.
Everything was mortgaged, including the manor, their huge farm and the company the family ran. And even that could only settle a handful of individuals and a few companies.
He could easily turn his back and leave if he could, but he had to think of his pitiful mother and his little sisters.
He had asked for a solution of course and the second old fart (as he had began to address Mr Wimmering) had asked him to actually get married to a rich girl in other to save the company and his home.
It wasn't that he was in any relationship or anything like that, but he didn't want to marry a rich stranger. He wanted love, he had started going on blind dates and was in various dating apps (that was a start).
Marrying a sassy, sophisticated, arrogant and bratty heiress was definitely not in his monthly goals.
He was still sitting in the garden when his youngest sister, Anastasia ran over to him with a smile on her face, taking a sit beside.
"What a bore", She said "Oh, Levi. I've missed you".
"Pumpkin, you called me last week to get you a designer dress that you never wore".
"But that's different and mum refused to let me wear the black dress to daddy's funeral".
"I see".
"Do you know, I like you more than anyone in our family".
"Thank you" He said, his eyes lit with amusement.
"For our aunts and uncles, I can't stand them, talk less of their noisy kids. The truth, I only loved dad because I had to and I never loved Evan. I might have loved Marliah if she hadn't died before I was born, 'might' because mum makes it hard to care for dead Evan and Marliah."
"Ana!" Protested Levi
"And Nichole, I'm stuck with her. She's no better than saint Marliah".
He was taken aback. He wasn't close to this sister of his as she hadn't been allowed to visit his sickbed.
"Are we poor Levi?"
"Poor?, No, not as bad as that".
"Really? I thought we had lost everything. It would have been so adventurous. Do you know Nichole to Antonio?, Not that you would know who he is. He came from Los Angeles, I heard it's wonderful over there. Have you ever been there".
"No. Antonio, what does he do?"
"Nothing but preach. Oh, he is also an importer and exporter of ruined cars, think of that. He is just like Nichole. I'm only 15 and everyone is trying so hard to bore me, what's to become of me in the next 5 years".
"Ohh"
"You'll let Nikki marry him, right?"
"Of course, I have no say in the matter"
"Well mum says you do".
"Ohh"
"You know what?, I think the make a lovely match. And their baby would be Jesus Christ, the reborn".
Taking his little sister's hand with a laugh, Levi walked into the house, leading her beside him.
