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Fox Willow had been an awesome sight. The circular drive, a mile from the road, with the flagpoles in the center of it, and the house sitting on land as far as Evie could see. It was three stories high with a useable attic, Jemma had told her. There were buildings in the back far from the swimming pool and tennis courts. Jemma told her they had once been servant's quarters and now that they would be living at Fox Willow, the buildings would be used again. Evie couldn't quite get used to the maid, the cook, the butler, the valet, the gardener, the seamstress, and the chauffeur. It seemed like Jemma always upset each one of the employees. Jemma liked to cook, to sew, to work the earth and cultivate beautiful flowers or delicious vegetables, to clean, to do her own shopping at the market, and her own driving. Jemma had seemed born to do all those things. Evie had known people in California who had servants such as the ones at Fox Willow. Those people never lifted a finger to help any of their employees. She wondered why Jemma was different. Her hair was shiny and practically dry when Evie laid the comb down on the mirrored tray. She turned her face in profile at the mirror and crossed her eyes trying to catch her reflection. Evie really liked her face. The nose that she had thought big as a small child fit the face now. Her amber eyes reminded her of the copper crayon she liked to color with. Her mouth, though not very wide, had lips that were full and pink. At ten years old, she already stood 5'. She stood up from the pink brocade covered stool and turned sideways. She pulled her pajama top tight around her and looked at the small bumps on her chest. Jemma had explained, rather stiffly and clinically, about the changes her body would go through in the next few years. First, Jemma had said, she would have a growth spurt followed by breast development. The woman had given Evie her first bra three months ago. Now Evie was wondering how to tell Jemma that it was getting too small. When Evie was bathing, she had noticed some funny hair that had started to grow in her armpits. She didn't like it. It made her feel dirty somehow. Evie knew that Jemma didn't have hair under her arms because she shaved it off at every bath. Evie wished she could sneak into Jemma's medicine cabinet and retrieve the razor. Not only for her armpits but her legs. Even with blonde hair, Evie could still see the long fine hairs on her legs. She wanted her legs smooth and shiny like she saw on the models in the magazines. She also wanted to ask Jemma about the thing on her thigh right below her hip. It was a dark spot, light brown in color, and diamond shaped. Evie had heard a lot on the news about skin cancer. She was scared that the thing on her leg was turning into cancer. It was funny that with yearly trips to the pediatrician for her development check ups, he had never mentioned the place on her leg. Evie knew that it had been there for a long time, as long as she could remember. Evie walked over to her canopied double bed and before crawling under the pink percale sheets; she picked up the book she was reading and her teddy bear. She switched on the light located just above her right shoulder on the wall so she could read and flipped the switch on the overhead light. Snuggling under the warm bed covers she propped her pillows and began reading. Most often she fell asleep clutching her stuffed toy with the book lying on her lap. Evie knew that when Jemma turned in, she would turn off the small light and put the book on the nightstand. The teddy bear would be left in its place giving the little girl the comfort that no one else could give to her. As Evie read her book about the lives of several young girls who had formed a club, Jemma sat at the desk and read the article on the woman - Evie's grandmother that she had never really known. In fact, Evie had only met her once. A woman that Jemma didn't want Evie to know whether personally or otherwise. A woman Jemma would protect her charge from at all costs. As the woman read and absorbed each word, she wondered what the woman was doing now. Stay tuned for Part Two Wendy's Wonders - My Main Page! |