I wryly smiled.

“I have just baked some cookies, and I’m sure you’d love them.” she childishly chuckled and dashed inside the house.

I found her behavior too phony for a woman I knew never actually approved of my relationship with her children.

Though she had never voiced her displeasure, her attitude betrayed her most of the time.

I thought the wrap-around porch was like a scene in a whimsical movie. The rainbow of cozy sofas, warm rugs, colorful terracotta, glazed pots of Philodendron, Begonia, and Snake plants, and the choicest antiques uniquely adorned it.

A swing made of rich oak hung in a corner from the ceiling, and a vintage rocking chair stood not so far from the swing.

The wooden railing was festooned with a medley of large and small bright petals, and the beauty added to the glory of the daydreaming effect the entire place had on one. A wave resin table graced the center of everything.

Melissa returned with a beautiful tray of freshly baked cookies and a fancy teapot.

“Yunnan,” she said, smiling.

I smiled to myself, remembering Christian and that fateful morning I brewed the tea for the first time.

“It tastes very nice.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” I appreciated gently sipping from the ornamented tea cup.

It was indeed nice.

When I thought I had been welcomed enough, I asked her the real intention of inviting me over.

“Allison mentioned that you now work for Christian as his assistant…”

“Yes, ma’am,”

“I decided you’d be of good help since you used to be inseparable from both Allison and Christian.”

Where exactly was this woman heading to?

She cleared her throat, slightly altering her countenance to make her seem more serious.

“I need you to speak to Christian; I need you to convince him to take back Aurora,” she eventually said.

My heart sank.

So I had come from Laketown to this countryside to be requested of such a diminishing favor?

This woman was totally incredible!

“I can’t possibly do that,” I refused.

He didn’t even love Aurora!

“Melissa, I don’t think it is right to manipulate your own son like this,” I stated firmly.

“Even if I think it is what is best for him?” She frowned.

“He is an adult, and he can make his own decisions.”

“But he’s making the wrong ones! This decision is both healthy for him and the company!” She exclaimed.

“The company?” I scoffed.

“Ye-yes,” she sheepishly stuttered.

It was obvious she was doing all of these for the company and the company alone. She apparently was not putting her son’s feelings into consideration.

“Why act stubborn? Just do what I say!” She cried.

“ But-”

“If you could just talk to him, I know you could make him see reason. He must know that his marriage to Aurora is critical to the company.”

Marriage?

I was beginning to get irritated.

“I am not comfortable with it. If you truly care about Christian, you won’t try to control his feelings, let alone his decisions. Since we are talking about Aurora, you should know better.” I confidently said, preparing to take my leave.

Melissa looked frustrated.

“I’ll leave now. You bake really well; thanks for the hospitality.” I said and walked out of the porch.

The sun was shining resplendently in the sky, lightly burning my skin as I made my way out of the property.

*****

As the driver rode past, I thought I might have seen a sports car resembling Christian’s.

It was possible it was his since I had not gone too far from the farmhouse.

Since it was a Sunday, I thought about church. I had not listened to a sermon in a while now. However, church made me think of the cemetery and my father.

The church cemetery possessed an unmatched serenity.

It was one of the places people would never naturally think of visiting, but it was a prominent landmark in my life.

I remembered I had read a passage where an author had written something like; I fancy three settings; the firmament, the earth, and the grave.

It was unusual, but it struck me differently.

A sense of peace enveloped me; the only sound I could hear was the incessant chirping of the birds.