When I Find You

Chapter 3: Pre-Party

“Ava, the queen has requested your presence before the party begins.”

“Okay, I will be right there.” I spoke to the maid before she hurried back to the queen.

Queen Vivian Kane Wilkins I, a second mother to me, and though she already has 7 children, she wanted 8. Unfortunately, after the miscarriage of her eighth child, she was unable to have anymore children. She told me that she felt empty and lost, until she found me. The whole family welcomed me with open arms and has treated me kindly for the 15 years that I’ve been here. I knew better than to overstep boundaries, so I did my best to keep to myself, always running around with Andrea. I remember the night they all discussed adopting me, and it was the same night they wanted to give me the ‘Princess’ title. I wanted them to claim me as their family because of all the kindness they had shown me, but the princess title was not mine to keep. Queen Vivian pulled me to the side that day and whispered to me, ‘you have the title, but it can be our little secret’.

I didn’t want the attention of being a princess and I still don’t, but she wanted me to have the same treatment as the rest of her children and for that I’m forever grateful. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized, I wanted to do more in life and when she offered me a position at I.I., I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

Another knock on my door took me out of my thoughts. S**t! I was so lost in thought, I forgot I was supposed to see the queen.

“Ava, mom is sending me to get your ass, so come on,” Mauricio said annoyed that he was sent to retrieve me in the first place.

“I’m sorry, I’m coming!” I yelled as I opened the door of my bedroom and sprinted past him to go see the queen. I wasn’t ready at all and I knew she’d probably be even more outraged that I was still in my sweatpants. I knocked on the door and waited for her to invite me in.

“Come in!” She gently said. “Ava, is that you? I swear I… Excuse me, miss, why are you not dressed and ready for the party tonight? I put the dress in your closet and the mask is on your vanity? You better have a good excuse.” The kindness vanished in her voice and it was filled with concern. Her brows formed a crease on the bridge of her nose, as she looked at me through the vanity mirror.

I bowed in her presence, but I continued to look down so I couldn’t see her blue eyes filled with the rage. “I was in the process of getting ready ma’am.”

“Ava for the love of god, child. I’ve been telling you to call me Vivian for 15 years. Stop calling me ma’am, it makes me feel old. I just wanted to see you all pretty before the party, but as it turns out someone isn’t even ready yet. Well, I’ll see you downstairs. Please go get dressed and hurry. The party will start in 15 minutes.”

Tori and Camila walked in to see their mother. “Hi Ava!” They both said as they came and hugged me. “Why aren’t you dressed yet?” The queen made one of those sounds mothers make through their nose, the one where it’s like well, you f***ed up. I turned my head to look at her, as she was focused on the necklace in front of her.

“Well, that’s because your mother decided to request my presence before I had a chance to get ready,” I said sarcastically. Tori and Camila laughed with me and the queen walked over to laugh with us too. She gave me a hug and then proceeded to tell Tori and Camila what to do before the party.

I left to go get ready. Remembering what my sole purpose of attending tonight was. I put on the red dress in my closet. I showed my assets without being too revealing and it had a slit up my leg. It was classy and scandalous and I felt beautiful. I was ready for the party tonight.