A Mediterranean style luxurious villa stood high at the peak of West Lexington Hills. The house looked like something out of a high end property magazine. The number 13 was carved in stone at the entrance gate which opened automatically with finger print recognition scanner.
Riding in a Lamborghini already felt like she was in a whole different world than the one she always knew. Entering the home was another level of surreal. This was where Joshua Reynolds live with his family, a man she only knew from the silver screen. A man whom her mom idolized almost as much as she idolized Harry Styles.
The first thing she saw was the massive garage with 4 cars lined up inside. None of which she had ever seen in real life. The vast landscape was well kept, everything looked spotless from the outside and she could see at least four people were working on the entire garden.
“Are your parents home?” she asked nervously before entering the floor to ceiling double door in front of her.
“My dad’s car isn’t here, so … probably not,” he said.
Once inside, the atmosphere was different. There was a stench of stale cigarette in the air mixed with the cold damp air conditioning that feels like it was never turned off. There was no one around maybe because how big the rooms were that people or whoever is in the house got lost in the vastness of the premises.
Marlon hung his key on the key rack where the other car keys hang. She followed his lead hesitantly as she looked around the enormous living room where a whole wall was dedicated to Belinda Mayhew’s swimsuit photos like a magazine spread.
“Marlon … is that you?” a voice startled them.
Hazel looked at Marlon who seemed surprised and quailed by the voice they heard. A figure emerged from behind the sofa, her striking blonde hair dangles all the way to her waist. She was wearing a sheer beach kimono, a cigarette on one hand, she turned to look at them. Her eyes bloodshot, glassy and heavy, just like how Marlon’s eyes looked often times.
“Mom,” Marlon said with a flat tone.
“Who’s your lady friend?” her speech was dragging as she pierced her gaze at Hazel.
“This is Hazel … my friend from school, she’s my student guide.”
Belinda smiled. It wasn’t a friendly smile, more like she was amused. “It’s nice to know you can have an actual friend … instead of those losers leeches you call friends.”
Hazel didn’t know what to comment on that, she forced a smile, “Hi Mrs. Reynolds.”
Belinda’s expression turned stiff, “Mayhew … I don’t use my husband’s name … it’s a waste of money to change ones name when I have a perfectly good name I can use.”
Hazel cleared her throat, “Sorry … Mrs. Mayhew … I didn’t know.”
Belinda’s eyes never turned from her, she took a drag of her cigarette and blew a smoke, “That’s okay … now you know.” She let the cigarette hung on her lips and tied her hair up. She may have been in her 40’s but she looked like a fashion magazine ad without even trying. She still have her super model body that was visible once she stood up. She was wearing a bikini underneath the sheer kimono and that was the first time Hazel ever saw an actual super model in bikinis.
“How’s school?” she clipped the cigarette between her index and middle finger.
Marlon hesitated then said, “It’s good actually … the principal asked to see you in his office within this week … or dad … or both … he wanted to tell you about my progress.”
She let out a sinical chuckle, “You should call your dad for that … after all, it was his brilliant idea to put us in this God forsaken town in the middle of boredom-ville while he goes back and forth to the city to fuck his mistresses on my fucking bed.”
“Mom,” Marlon snapped at her.
Belinda looked at Hazel again as if she was reminded that they were in the presence of a stranger. She was unapologetic about it, instead she lifted her whiskey glass from the table and took a big gulp. There was a bottle of liquor next to where the glass had been, it was almost empty and it was not even 2 PM.
“What are you doing home so early anyway?” his mom asked.
“We’re going to study, you know I have extra lesson everyday … you and dad put me up to it,” he sounded annoyed.
Her mom laughed lightly, “Right … I forgot …” she put out her cigarette on an ashtray and blew out the last smoke. “Well … a normal life will do you good, Marlon, so you can appreciate how hard other people have it … no offense, Hazel.”
None taken, she thought to herself and forced a smile instead. It was one of the most intense conversation she ever had without saying really much of anything.
“There’s nothing normal about my life … not that you even notice,” Marlon said under his breath. His mom might have heard it, or not, she didn’t react to it.
“Run along then … I’m late for my swim,” Belinda said. She picked up the bottle, “Don’t forget to call your dad and tell him to come home and take care of his shit for once in his life.”
Marlon didn’t say anything to that. “Let’s go,” he said to Hazel who was as eager as he was to leave that room.
“Nice to meet you … Hazel …” Belinda said lazily.
“Me too,” she replied though she didn’t mean it.
Marlon walked in the direction opposite where his mom was going. He didn’t say anything but Hazel can see he was hiding his emotion from her. While Hazel was still coming out of the peculiarity of her first meeting with Belinda Mayhew. It was unexpected to say the least, she had never met a mother like her before. She kept glancing at Marlon who was walking one step ahead of her, his expression didn’t change, it was flat, he was emotionless. She wondered if he was supressing his feelings or was it a daily occurrence that made him indifferent about the whole thing.
They stopped in front of a room down the hallway, Marlon opened the door and let her follow him in. The room looked like a study that was never used. Though the shelves were filled with books and files and whatnot, it smelled like a room that’s never been occupied. There was a series of framed pictures of the family. Marlon looked much younger in those pictures and his brother was in them too. They looked happy in those candid pictures.
Marlon closed the door behind them, he struggled to say something, knowing that Hazel must’ve had thoughts running through her mind after that initial encounter with his mom. Hazel looked at him and felt the awkwardness in the air.
“My mom … she’s … uhm …” he couldn’t find the right words.
“Drunk?” Hazel finished his sentence.
He looked at her, “Yeah … she was drunk.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea to let her swim in that condition?” she tried to sound as nonchalant as possible.
“She’s fine … we have staff around the pool.”
His words hang in silence.
“I … uhm … I’d appreciate it if you …”
“I won’t tell a soul,” she knew what he was trying to say.
He pursed his lips, “Thanks.”
She didn’t ask anything else either, but she now knew a little bit more of what made Marlon seemed like a troubled kid.