I walk up to the large oak door of the mansion. I don’t see a doorbell. I look for one of those fancy door banger things but there’s nothing. I knock on the door lightly. The door is solid and feels like nobody would be able to hear me inside. I still wait a minute or so before knocking louder.
Nothing.
I almost feel like I need to say a secret word for the door to open magically before me. Ala-kazoo?
A noise comes through a tinted globe on the door frame, startling me. “Please come inside.” The woman’s voice says.
I turn the knob and open the door. The architecture of the home almost takes my breath away immediately. The floors in the foyer are white marble with a spiralling staircase leading to the top floor. A large dangling light feature illuminates the entire foyer. It strikes me that my home was almost as large as the foyer itself.
I glance at the top of the spiralling staircase and see a man lighting a cigar. It’s Arthur Cain himself.
He smirks at me while blowing out a large cloud of smoke. “You must be Noelle. Please join me up here.”
“Okay!” I yell back, ashamed that my voice carries so well in this large home.
It feels like an eternity has passed before I make it to the top of the staircase. When I do, Arthur Cain is poking at a large natural fireplace, a large cigar firmly in his mouth. A younger Asian woman is by his side. When he is done with the fire, he hands the poker to the woman, and turns to me.
“I hope the trip here was comfortable.” He says.
I nod my head. “I love riding in the Escalade. I liked it. I think I’ll buy one someday.”
Arthur smiles at my comment. “I spoke to Ted Silvers before you came. I know the last few days have been hard for you Noelle, but I’m excited that you’re here.” He waves towards the Asian woman. “This is Marta. She will be working with you to make your life here more- comfortable. She will also be giving you a tour of the premises. I’m sure this all may seem too much, but while you’re with us, I want you to think of my home as yours.”
I get ready to give Mr. Cain my thank you speech. I practiced it all night. I walk up to Arthur to shake his hand, but he grabs the poker from Marta and starts going at the fire again instead.
Marta turns to me. “I’d love to show you around if you’re ready?”
Arthur Cain blows a wide cloud of smoke and continues to poke the fire, seemingly uninterested in my presence now.
I turn to Marta. “I am.”
Marta starts to walk towards the staircase, and with Arthur Cain’s back still to me, I reluctantly follow. Midway to the stairs I turn to him again. “Mr. Cain.” He turns slightly towards me. “I just want to say- thanks. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
He takes another poke at the fire and fully turns to me with a slight smile. “You’re welcome.”
I follow Marta down the stairs. She asks if I want a glass of water or a bottled one for the tour, but I turn her down. She shows me the massive main kitchen, apparently there are three in the home. An older woman is stirring a pot of tomato sauce. The smell of garlic, onions and parmesan is like heaven.
Marta waves towards the chef. “This is Anna Green. She is here for most of the day until eight in the evening.”
Anna wipes her right hand on her apron and puts it towards me. I shake it and she smiles. “Very happy to meet you. If you ever want anything from the kitchen, and I mean anything, dial three on any phone in the guest house and its synced to the kitchen line.”
I continue to shake her hand, amazed at this service. Although the tour had just begun, I already know the house will be incredible. The features of the house will be amazing, but right now the idea of being able to get whatever food I desire, with just a phone call, is like I’ve died and gone to heaven.
Marta continues the tour with showing me the dining area. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Cain has one of those long dining tables. I can only imagine how it would be eating on one end with Arthur Cain on the other.
Marta shows me the large living room. It feels weird to me when I don’t notice a television anywhere. I imagine that’s how rich people are so wealthy. They don’t waste their time with acting like zombies in front of a tube all day. Then Marta shows me the entertainment center, which is in its own soundproof room, and I quickly change my mind. The room looks almost like a mini movie theatre. Now I’m surprised he can get anything done besides staring at the large screen all day.
Marta leads me back to the foyer, past the spiral staircase. “Are you not going to show the upstairs?”
Marta waves her hand at me dismissing the idea. “It’s just Mr. Cain’s office and a few bedrooms. Follow me please.”
We head outside and in the near distance I can see a very large pool. They designed the pool to look as if it is some natural lake in the middle of nowhere. Large rocks behind the pool are formed into a mountain. Water runs through the peak of the mini mountain into the man-made lake. Marta warns me that although most of the pool is shallow, the deep ends are marked by red streaks on the sides.
I’m in awe that I have access to the largest pool ever and it has a fucking waterfall. I have an intrusive thought of
