Drowning Ocean

Chapter 4

I woke up with heavy eyes as a ray of sun sneaked through the curtains covering the window. Sh*t. I want to sleep. I still want to sleep. The door rang, which made me gasp. Wearing an angry face, I jumped out of the bed and marched towards the door.

"Are you shi-" Like as if something got stuck in my throat, I didn't continue what I was suppose to say because of a  housekeeper standing in front of me, smiling. 

"Good morning Miss Gal-"

"For the nth time, call me Miss Zale? Okay?" The lady lowered her head in shame.

"Y-yes Miss Z-Zale." 

"Good." I simply said. "So, why are you here, disturbing my morning?" 

"Uhm, Senora Galdoni called the office earlier, miss Boucher immediately ordered me to come to you to say that Senora Galdoni wants you to go back home to Paris."

So that old lady is looking for her child? Wow. First time.

"Okay," I was suppose to turned back but she spoke again.

"Miss Zale, I guess your mother-"

"Don't ever dare say that word if you still want your job," I glared at her, and secretly gathered my fist in anger.

"I'm so sorry Miss Z-Zale. I better get going." 

She swiftly lowered her head and quickly got out of my sight. I sighed very deeply. Is this how your morning supposed to be greeted?!

I banged the door after I had gone back inside. I don't care if that door would break. I can let it be fixed or I can just buy another one to replace it. Arghh!! I'm not a child anymore! Why does she have that attitude to let me feel that I am a child when she never treated me  like one?! I am the owner of this hotel. I am the owner of an another hotel in Paris, and in London, and in America-

"Why do you have to torment me like this?!"

I jumped back to bed and let my tears flow to express my anger. I admit, I wished she treated me well. I wish she had been a mother to me. But that was before. I wished that before. But time and hopelessness hardened this innocent heart. I've accepted the fact that she can't love me the way a mother and child should do. I've accepted the fact that our relationship would be wax colder through the years. But why is it still hurting to think about it sometime? 

"Daddy..." I mumbled out.

"Da-ddy..."

___

I opened my heavy eyes. I sat down, and stared at the small opening in between those curtains. A ray of sun wants to pass through. But it can't. The curtain is too big. It's weak. It needs more force.  I touched my cheeks with my palms and felt those tracks of tears. Tears. That word has been so usual for me. I grabbed my phone and checked the time. 12:26pm. I hadn't had my breakfast nor my lunch. Who cares? 

I went inside the bathroom and took a shower. As the water freely slide through my skin, a silent smile escaped from me. A flashback popped up in my mind. Yesterday was... unexpected. Yesterday was a simple day but its memories would be hidden here in my heart. I thank the ocean for giving me somewhat silence and happiness, even for just a day.  It's been a long time since I had that genuine laugh. 

I exited the bathroom and quickly went to the closet to dress. I found myself picking a lose cream shirt and a navy blue checkered skirt.  I retouched a bit and applied a lighter shade of my velvet lipstick. I want to just roam around the town and spend the afternoon in the cliff. I stopped at what I thought. 

Cliff. Cliff? 

A smile escaped. Cliff. There is another word that has been added in my vocabulary. I grabbed my bag and headed towards the door. When I was out, I stopped again, and went back. The journal. I forgot the journal. The conductrice would be angry at me again. I hurriedly went back and grabbed my journal in the study table. I slid it on my sky blue sling bag and went on. 

When I reached the lobby, a multiple of employees greeted me. I smirked. They must have noticed that I am not in a good mood today. I know I look like a cold-hearted millionaire. With a right color of sunglasses, you might say I'm bossy though. But I was raised like this. To be cold. To be hard. 

"Miss Zale, your lunch is already served." A skinny middle-aged lady approached me. 

"Thank you miss Boucher, I'll head right away."

She followed me through the Resto. I could sense something bothering her so I opened up a question.

"You can ask me anything miss Boucher." I asked, as she tries to catch up with me.

"I'm sorry Zale, but I'm just bothered."

"About what?" I continued walking.

"Your mother is looking for you. I think you shou-" I stopped, which made her cut off her sentence.

"Thank you miss Boucher," I paused, and she lowered her head for an incoming preaching from me. 

"I know you have been dad's most trusted employee for years. I know you just cared for me miss Boucher. But I know that you know that there are some situations in life that cannot be fixed. You know what I mean. You have seen what I mean." I turned around and continued walking.

"But Zale,"

"Miss Boucher, I know you witnessed our family. Dad is the only bridge. And after dad, there is none. No one can bridge our relationship. She chose this. She raised me up to be this. I'm sorry miss Boucher." 

"I'll hope Zale. There is still some time."

I sat down and before she left I whispered,

"I hope too."

_____

At the middle of my meal, I spotted a family eating lunch together a few chairs away from me. I was surprised that the little girl turned around and met my gaze. She smiled at me. Her mother called her and fed her daughter. I continued eating my meal. A message popped up in my phone. 

Marycha Galdoni: Zale, where are you? I'm worried. Ten months have passed. Where did you go? You should head back here at Paris. I want to talk to you about something. Come back home.

Seriously?! Go back home? Where is my home? I've been abandoned. Years ago. Dad was my only home. How dare her be concerned about me? Her concern is money. Fame. Power. I am her last thing to be concerned of. 

Me: Why do you care anyway? What do you want to talk about? What do you care about how I spent my ten months without you? I have a business of course. That's what I'm handling for the past ten months. Of course, I wouldn't be that mad. Because you don't know anything.

After I sent the message, I immediately blocked that number. Why hadn't I blocked her number before? I shrugged at the thought. When I put down my phone, I was startled to see the little girl was already standing beside me. 

"Hi!" She said, and waved her hand. I smiled. 

"Hello! You are pretty." I said, and arranged my seat, facing her. She lowered her head, smiling. I guess she liked the compliment.

"Do you like this place?" I asked the little girl. 

"Yes yes! I love the bathtub! It's big! And the bed! And the TV!" She exclaimed. Her parents looked at us and smiled.

"Are you a visitor here? or do you live here?"

"We live in a big house you know. My teddy and all my dolls are in there. Maybe you can visit us." She said. I let out a giggle.

"Really? How did you know to speak English? Are you an American?"

"Oh oh, I learned that from teacher! She says I'm an A-me-ri-cun. My daddy lives in the big tower where people kiss and such. My mommy lives in our big house far away from here. You need to ride an airplane." 

"Ohh," I reacted, realizing she's an American and her father is maybe French. How did this little girl knew that The Eiffel Tower is romantic? Tss. Kids these days. 

"I guess your mommy is still feeding you." I said as I gestured my hand causing her to turn around and waved to her mom.

"Mom! I found a new friend here! She's nice," She shouted, causing other guests to look at us. I saw her mother lipsing 'Sorry' to me. I nodded my head accepting her apology.

"Are you also a visitor here?" She asked me, while fixing her dolls hair.

"No, and yes." I replied.

"You are a half guest? So your right body is a guest and your left is not?" She said, puzzled.

"No," I said, laughing a bit.

"I am the owner of this hotel," I explained.

"Ohhhh!!! You own our room too?" She excitedly asked. I nodded in response.

"Even the bathtub and the tv? and the bed?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"Can I be also an owner of many bathtubs?" I smiled, patting her head. 

"Of course! If you always listen to your dad and to your-" I paused at the thought of 'mom' and continued, "Your m-mommy and your teacher, then you will have a big building full of bathtubs." I smiled. Her eyes sparkled. Her mom came and took her back to the table. She waved her hand and said goodbye, then continued eating. I giggled and shook my head for a wonderful lunch conversation. I ate two more spoonful of beef steak and called for miss Boucher. 

"Yes miss Galdoni? You called for me?" She approached me and I finished my lunch by wiped the sides of my lips.

"I'm going to town today." I simply replied while browsing my phone for some messages.

"Do you want me to ready the car?" She asked.

"No, I'll go through by myself. I'll be back at 6. Please tell the housekeeper to clean my room. Don't touch my office. Just the bedroom and the bathroom. Also," I stood up and faced her.

"Kindly give that family two coupons, I'm fond of the little girl." I said.

"y-you mean, the discount coupons?" 

"Yes. I'll see you later miss Boucher." I waved and didn't turned back.

_____

the city

It took me 10 minutes to get off the cab and dropped me in the market. The smell of bread, pasta, seafood and other things blend the atmosphere here, which makes it look really like a market. I slipped my way through the crowd, causing my body to stiffen as I find my way out of the crowd. I ended up in the bread and pastry section of the market. Slowly and instinctively, I examined each stalls that offers me pastries at such a low price. 

'I have a bunch of that in my hotel,'     I reasoned. 

I looked around and found myself walking through a street full of cafe's and resto's. Tsk. I went back and found myself interested in the pastry stalls. I somewhat want to help. I don't know. Sometimes, the smaller business has a better quality of pastry than the cafe's here. I just feel it. 

"Bonjour mademoiselle! Voulez-vous avoir de delicieuses collations pour plus tard? Essayez notre nouveau croissant au chocolat a la mangue!  (Hello miss! Do you want to have some delightful snacks for later? Try our new mango chocolate croissant!)" A tall, old man blocked my path pointing his hands towards his small dirty stall beside a big cafe.

 I narrowed my eyes at his smell. But instead of ignoring, I looked at him and smiled. I felt mercy for him as he led me to his stall. He had five barley loaves displayed, and twenty pieces of his special menu. I examined as he went to the stall and someone called out his name. Full of curiosity, I simply sneaked and saw a little girl crying and looking out for him. My heart lurched. With their condition, the girl wearing only her shorts and no top, showing off her bare body with her ribs, I sniffed a tear away.

"Combien coute votre patisserie speciale monsieur? (How much is your special pastry sir?)" I asked, hoping i could help them by buying some of his bread.

"oh, 10 euros seulement madame (Oh, 10 euros only madam)" The old man answered. 

"Puis-je en essayer un? Ne t'inquiete pas, je paierai pour ca.  (Can I try one? Don't worry, I'll pay for this.)" 

"Madamoiselle bien sur, vous l'aimerez! (Sure miss, You will like it!)" The old man answered confidently. 

I took a bite and out came the mixture of chocolate and mango. My God! Why is its taste so heavenly?! I've never taste something like this! The dough was well kneaded and so soft. It melts in your mouth just like the filling. And the powdered milk that covers the bread adds taste as a whole. My God! 

I finished that one bread and drank water. 

"est-ce que vous seul faites ca? (Do you alone bake these?)"

"Oui Oui! mon petit-enfant m'aide aussi a  petrir la pate! (yes yes! My grandchild also help me in kneading the dough!)" He proudly said.

"Je n'ai jamais goûté un pain comme celui-ci auparavant. (I've never tasted a bread like this before.)" I complimented his bread, making him  giggle and widen his smile.

"Pouvez-vous faire des commandes groupées tous les jours? (Can you make bulk orders everyday?)" I asked. I want him to give a nice start before winter. He looked up and simply nodded. I smiled as I give the proposal.

"Connaissez-vous le plus grand hôtel de la ville? (Do you know the grandest hotel here in the city?)" I asked.

"hmm oui, c'est les hôtels Galdoni. (hmm yes, its the Galdoni hotels)"

"Pouvez-vous en faire 300 tous les lundis, mercredis et vendredis? Et je placerai votre pain sur l'un de nos stands de buffets dans la section pastry comme l'un des meilleurs? Alors les gens reviendraient pour ce pain? Cela sonne-t-il bien monsieur? (Can you make 300 of this every Monday, Wednesday and Friday? And I will place your bread on one of our buffet stalls in the pastry section as one of the best? So people would come back for that bread? Does it sounds great mister?)" I proposed. This bread needs to be known. And I'll be the one to make sure it will. 

"uhh-" He can't speak because of my offer. I smirked. Tss.

"Je vous paierai 15,000 euros pour chaque livraison que vous faites. Est-ce une affaire monsieur? Vous pouvez commencer demain? Il y a beaucoup de clients dans mon hôtel ces derniers temps. (I'll pay you 50,000 Euros every delivery you make. Is that a deal mister? You can start tomorrow? There are a lot of guests at my hotel lately.)"  I winked. He was dumbfounded and teary eyed. He carried the little girl in his arms, and couldn't say a thing but just to cry.

"Je ne sais pas quoi dire mademoiselle. Je suis si heureux que vous ayez apprécié mes compétences. Je suis prêt! J'accepterai votre offre. Je vous remercie! (I don't know what to say miss. I'm so glad that you appreciated my skills. I'm ready! I will accept your offer. Thank you!)"

I smiled. I explained to him all the details about the delivery and the payment. He happily nodded to every news I give him. the little girl can have some new clothes soon.

I bid them goodbye and happily went on. I missed this feeling. My dad used to let me see orphanages and make me realize how I'm such a blessed child to have both parents beside me. From that day on, dad used to hold charity works and also feeding programs to bunches of orphanages and also to the street indwellers. When he passed away, my mom didn't continue such work. 

She just knew riches. She just knew herself. She never knew anyone even her own-... daughter...

_________

author's note

hey everyone! Please give a comment over here if you relate to Zale, about her relationship with her mother. Or so called mother? Let's find out in the later parts of the story!