Ryder's Plaything

CHAPTER TWO: Tbe closest thing to a family

Ava's POV

I wake up ten minutes before my alarm grinds out it's horrible sound everyday, today is no different.

As a small child I learnt early from Marie that waking up early was a much needed art for a lady who intends to run her home well.

I turn off my alarm and stretch in bed for a minute. The Santos estate is on the outskirts of town so the temperature is usually low and the nights are cold.

I hate to leave the warmth of my bed, but a girl gotta do what a girl's gotta do. After switching on my bed side lamp I put on my heavy night robe.

Standing before my dresser I look at the girl in the mirror, I remove my hair bonnet and let my curls fall to it's full length that reaches my waist.

My eyes are black just like my hair, my eyebrows are thick and my full pink lips on my small oval face assures me of the girl looking back at me.

I chuckle when I recall a haunting story Marie told me about a stubborn girl who fell into her mirror on the wall and was trapped in there forever because she would always look at her mirror for hours every day.

I remember how scared that made me as a ten year old girl. I stayed away from my huge mirror for weeks. Now whenever I look in the mirror I'm always brief about it. Old habits die hard so they say.

Going into the bathroom for my morning rountine, I let the shower run so the water could get hot by the time I'm ready for my bath while I brush my teeth. When I'm done I get into the hot tub filled with warm water.

After my shower I use my big fluffy towel to wrap round my body and a smaller one for my hair. After drying my hair I comb and pack it in a neat tight bun on my head.

Going into my walk-in closet, I take out my outfit for the day. After putting on my undies I wear my uniform.

I know what Marie Santos will say to me immediately she sees me in my nursing uniform.

‘’I've told you to stop acting like you're in the hospital Ava. You're at home for God's sake!’’

Then I'll give her the same response. ‘’ I am a professional nurse ma'am, home or not I have to act like it'’.

She would smile, shake her head and let me be at the end.

Marie is like the mother I never had, and I thank the universe for making our paths cross or rather for placing me in her vegetable garden as she's told me a thousand times.

After the night Marie found me in her garden, the only trace of Identity I had was my name carved into my gold necklace on my neck. And I have never taken it off because it's the only thing I have of my real parents.

She tried for several weeks to find my parents but didn't succeed so she decided to keep me herself.

She took me as her own daughter ever since and only told me of the truth how she found me, when an eight year old me asked her why I didn't bear Santos as my last name. She said it was best to keep my true Identity, and I will probably realize it when I become older.

The Santos is the closest thing to a family that I know which is probably the best thing that ever happened to me too. So I don't really miss my real parents, even though sometimes I imagine what they will look like.

I became a nurse because that was the only way I knew I could care for the sick Greg Santos but as I fondly call him Don Santos.

So here I am, the In-house nurse of the sick man. Even though the Teaching hospital where I graduated as the best student offered to pay me a lucrative salary, I refused being retained at the hospital.

I'm going to the Don's room now to check his vitals and if he's not in his usual fiery mood, I'll give him his breakfast and medication.

I first knock on his door and waited for his signal to come in. You dare not enter without his permission.

It’s very early this morning, and I’m seeing a very grumpy Don perched on the edge of his bed. It will be better for both of us, if I just check his vitals and make sure he's ok. I'll leave the maid to get on his nerves.

The old man seems to be getting easily irritated these days. I don't blame him anyway, at just 65 he has suffered three heart attacks, and the doctor telling him he'd be lucky to reach the age of 70 just yesterday kind of put the icing on the cake.

I'd give my heart out for a transplant for him if I could. But the Don in his words ‘’I will die as a real man Ava, I don't need nobody's heart you hear!’’

At twelve he bought me my first pony and taught me how to ride, at sixteen he taught me to drive and at eighteen bought me my first car. That's enough reason for me to call him my father.

I became a nurse because of the Don, and it's frustrating that I can't really do anything to help him in his condition.

Closing his door gently behind me, I made my way to the kitchen to help the maid get started on breakfast. Today is Thursday and Marie likes her breakfast in bed because it's her day for total rest as she claims.

I reach the kitchen but Juanita is there already, humming a tone in Spanish while she made toast and eggs for breakfast. I grab a tray and set Marie's meal, adding a strawberry cake which is her favorite dessert.

With one knock on her door, I gently walk in with her breakfast tray in hand. Her bed is empty, she's standing in the balcony.

Her posture looks down and sad, something's not right I can feel it. I place the tray down on her bedside table and joined her. I said nothing, just stood by her and let the trees dancing in the morning breeze do all the talking.

After what seemed like several hours, she finally said .

‘’Ryder is coming home from Germany tomorrow Ava’’.