The Westbrook Games

Rejected

Clay and her sister were quiet , not by choice though .

Although , Clay could tell she had a lot she wanted to say judging from how her brows had temporarily assumed a new shape since they got here and had just kept rising for a while now . 

After the butler or whoever he was supposed to be had brought them into what appeared to be a lounge for receiving guests that were to be turned away after sixty seconds , he had pointed out chairs as if Clay and Jade were blind and then promptly left without a word .

That was ages ago and he still was not back .

Jade was now staring intently at the painting that had been placed on the wall opposite them .

It was dull and monochromatic and just generally sad to look at .

" It is probably a ploy , you know ?" , She said as she nodded at the painting.

Jade was whispering loud enough for anyone that was interested in hearing to actually hear , Clay did not feel like telling her to keep her voice down .

" Yeah , how so ? ", she asked , Interested in what she was going to say .

She had nothing better to do , she might as well humour her sister and listen to what she was going to say .

" The painting and waiting makes you want to run out , any guests that are left here long enough will do just that . We are only still here because it is literally a life or death situation ", she told her ,her voice carrying a teasing edge .

Clay blinked , she was disbelieving of how much sense her analogy seemed to make , not that she would ever tell her that .

" Which in our case would be my death and your thereafter pathetic life filled with memories of me and my ..."

Clay cut her a look to shut her up .

She had been too early to think she would actually make a rational statement that was at least false .

She recovered a few seconds later , Clay's only parental glare effect was beginning to sour .

" They could have at least served us fancy tea and weird confectionery like they do in the drawing rooms of Victorian themed movie ".

She tsked at this and went back to frowning .

" This is not a movie , so don't expect to use some scene from a movie to get by and please , do not make any weird quotes from even weirder movies ", Clay pleaded with her , hoping to dial back on her weirdness .

Clay warned her because she used to do that , she had a whole lengthy phase of when people made comments or asked questions , she would reply with responses that she had heard from movies or books where those same questions had been asked. 

It was unbelievably difficult explaining to a cashier that she wasn't being rude and was only making a reference to Salinger .

" Of course , it is not a movie .If it was , it would have made for a terrible movie ",she tsked at her .

Clay was about to ask her why she thought so when the butler guy returned .

He didn't so much as actually look at them , his eyes and entire face was so high up .

He did not really have to stress himself so much to show that he was better than them .

Clay was already well aware of her worth .

" Miss Willis , other Miss Willis please , this way ", he called , making sure to emphasize on the 'Willis' part of their names .

He was gesturing ahead not outside , they had been invited in .

She waited for Jade to pick up her backpack before they followed after the butler's retreating figure .

Jade was right , the house was Victorian themed even though the outside had looked quite modern like one of those houses from Home and Decor .

They kept walking deeper and deeper into the house , Clay had counted three dining rooms and several living rooms , a casino room too .

No wonder it had taken the butler so long to return. 

Walking back and forth would have taken time , especially with the weird gait he was assuming .

The whole house was paneled , painted and displayed exactly like a Victorian house .

When they eventually reached the grand staircase that was supposed to take them up to wherever they were headed , Clay realized that his suspicions were right .

This was not a Victorian themed house , it was actually a house built as far back as the 1800's , it had simply been remodeled and kept in great shape .

They did not climb the staircase though but instead went under it and through glass doors .

They were in a study that was full of books , the old leather bound kinds , first editions and ones that probably had personal messages from the writers .

A money library .

Clay scoffed at it all .

The butler turned around ," She will be with you shortly ", he called haughtily. 

He almost bowed before he probably remembered they were not up to his standard and instead huffed haughtily before leaving .

Jade laughed as soon as the man was out of the door .

" I can't believe I get to be in a Victorian house and also get to be scorned by a servant ".

I chuckled and bowed .

" Milady , is the house to your liking ? "

Jade lifted her gown with her fingers and spun away from me , succeeding in replicating an indignant huff as she moved .

" Sir Westbrook , I would solely appreciate your discretion on matters of my house ".

I straightened my back , getting more into character .

" Of course , that could be arranged milady . As long as I am accorded the honour of having your first dance on your coming out ball ".

Jade twirled around as she laughed .

" A coming out ball ? Really ? I will never understand our founding fathers ".

Someone cleared their throat behind us and we both whirled to see who had possibly been watching us .

Clay had assumed whoever was supposed to "be with us shortly " would come through the door, hence , the embarrassing display .

She stood behind the shelves even though Clay was positive that no one had been in this room other than she and Jade .

She stepped out from behind the shelf , into the light , affording them a view of her face .

She was tall like hee father had been and had the dark red hair that her father and Clay also had , hers was a pixie cut much like Clay's except that Clay cut hers herself .

That was where the similarities ended though , she had frown lines when she was obviously too young to have them .

And even though Clay always suggested to her sister to get to know people before judging them, that seemed completely unnecessary if this woman was a subject matter .

She had a look that suggested she had been forced to deal with scum .

Clay made the classical mistake of stretching his hand towards her .

" I am Clay Willis ", she Introduced.

Her statement was followed by silence as she continued to stare at them .

Jade hissed and pulled at her arm .

" Is the Judge after knowing for awhile rule still in effect ? "

Clay flushed , she was sure she had asked on purpose .

But , finally the woman showed some emotion .

Her gray eyes blazed and her nostrils flared as she looked even farther down her nose at Jade .

" I know who the both of you are and I couldn't care less . What I would like to know is why you are here ", her voice was sharp and felt like needles .

Her gaze had been fixed on Clay as she talked , her voice reminded her of the evil stepmothers and older women from Disney movies .

She had unsettled all of Clay's speeches and she stood with nothing to say .

She looked down at Jaymie and placed her hands on her shoulders .

" Uhm , my sister . This is my sister , Jade . And Jay is a really great kid...Jay is short for Jade , you know ?", she was stuttering .

Clay was suddenly sweating and speaking incoherently .

Her pride and anxiety were clashing arbitrarily , she forged ahead though .

" Well , that doesn't matter. You see Jay is sick , that's Jade . Jade's sick ".

" I was keeping a lid on it ,since the doctor told me the hole wasn't large and many people with holes that large lived till over eighty ".

Clay flushed , she was ruining this , she sighed softly and closed her eyes.

" Jade has a hole in her heart and the doctor says it keeps widening . Cardiac catheterization was supposed to be an option but Jade also suffers from Congenital Arrhythmia , so Catheterization is not advised".

Clay opened her eyes and smiled at his sister, she was grinning , a lopsided grin.

" Our only option is a heart transplant ".

Clay had finally said the word , she had not been able to process or think it since she had heard it and now she stared at Jade's face as she broke the news to their Aunt and Jade together .

Her smile did not falter , she smiled like she trusted Clay to do it right .

Clay raised his head to look at his father's older sister .

Her eyes were hollow and unwelcoming .

She observed the both of them for a short while , her eyes resting on Jade's shoulders where Clay's hands massaged her sister's collar .

" So , the girl has an Atrial Septal defect , quite pitiful really ".

Clay had not been expecting sympathy but the indifference she was showing scared her .

" I'd like to know Clay Willis , why exactly are you talking my head off over the child's sickness ? "

Clay blanked, she stared at her , her eyes becoming moist .

" I'll do anything you want , I'll work and pay everything , please .Please , help my sister ".

She must have fallen on her knees at a point , she was staring at her legs and her shoes now .

She bent and flashed Clay her white underwear , they were face to face .

" You don't seem to understand Miss Willis , if you are here based off something you heard from your father , you are very wrong .The day your father stepped out of this house , he ceased to be a member of this household , hence making you unwelcome ".

She stood up and turned around , heading for the glass doors that led outside .

Clay had no idea what was going on , she just kept begging and sobbing softly .

" Please ....please ".

Her aunt turned around after she opened the door .

" Get out of here now ".

She stepped out of the door and Clay could only hear as her heels clinked as she walked farther away .

" Let's go home , Clay ".

Her sister said but it sounded more like a plea .

So , Clay got up and prepared to take her home .

'It will work out' was what she kept chanting as they left .