The Choice ( a serial work of fiction) Part 8

I must have slept longer than I had intended. It was dark when I awoke and I could smell coffee coming from the kitchen. I cautiously found my way to the door of the kitchen , and found...my uncle.

" Come on, " He urged ," we have much to do tonight." As he spoke, he set a dinner of rotissaried chicken breast crisp and brown , mashed potatoes with steaming chicken gravy and green beans in from of me. " I know," he began " that you prefer tea usually but I am afraid that this is going to be a very long night for us both." I shook my head to clear it. I sat down. I tried the coffee. It was smooth , full bodied and dark . " Eat up, Rae, we have to meet some people tonight.

The chicken smelled good. I took a small piece before adding salt. " People like you or people like me," I quiered.

" Yes" he replied then hurried off. I could hear him mount the stairs and turn into my room. Doors opened and closed on the floor above me. I heard the tap in the bath run. As he came back down the stairs, he was full of instructions. "Finish eating, have some more coffee then go upstairs and take a bath. I picked out some clothes for tonight.

' I had a shower this afternoon, I could just dress..." I pouted. He shook his head then kissed me on the forehead. His lips were cooler than my skin but not icy like the dead.

" This is special . I think that it will help. " Looking around the room , he gathered up the trash and put it into a plastic bag. " I am sorry to rush you. We WILL have to improve the way for communication..."

I drank about half of the coffee that he had given to me and finished the meal. He shooed me up the stairs as he cleared the table . I heard the back door close as I went up the stairs. Great, he had to change into whatever or die to learn to take the garbage out without being asked. Too bad that Maria could not see THAT!

When I got back downstairs, he handed me three letters. I looked at him puzzled. "Its just a precaution." Great. I sniffed, first he picks out a dress for me to wear , then I am his secretary. I took the letters.

I looked at the addresses. The first one was to Maria. The second to his attorney. The third was to my cousin , Mary. " If you would not mind mailing those the next time that you go out."

" How did you know ..." I turned and looked at him, " That I had even been out yet?"

" Haven't you?" He looked amused as he spoke.

"Yes, but ..." This was annoying. " I suppose that I am being watched?"

" Lets say that there is security in place here. That is WHY you are HERE."

" Because I am your niece?"

" And your father's daughter." He snatched his car keys from the kitchen table, and turned to go. He looked handsome in his dark charcoal grey suit. It explained why he had picked out a dress for me to wear this evening. I felt very grown up in dressed in black . my auburn hair,allowed to dry on its own, formed soft waves. I followed him out of the front door, which I locked with a definate snap of the dead bolt.
The neighborhood was silent except for the sound of my pumps on the flagstones.

" Madam," my uncle clowned bowing low as he opened the passenger door," your carriage awaits."

"Thank you , kind sir . I will be sure to tell my uncle of your good service when next we speak." I flounced into the passenger's seat. His laugh at that was deep and low as it had always been. Maybe tonight would not be too awful. He closed the door behind me. I had just snapped the seat belt when I heard the engine purr to life. He seemed relaxed.