New Memories Created at Villa 9
Angélique Fox was a world-class estate manager. Dan had sent an email ten hours ago—his plane was due to land in four hours and she still needed to ensure all of his items were positioned like he would want.
The estate had more than enough "extra" furniture to fill a villa, but Angélique knew she could bring in new items and "stage" the villa as well. She understood her job and her employers. She had movers and people to help her position everything, set rugs, décor, and put Dan's clothes into the closet of the master bedroom—Angélique oversaw it all.
She was now going over everything with a fine-toothed comb, and the workers waited in the living room to make sure that everything was acceptable. Angélique Fox checked each room of the six-room villa. Once she was done, she dismissed all of the workers and locked everything up.
Dan and David followed each other to Blue Serene Lake. It was still early and they had not slept in twenty hours, but both men wanted to get to work. They got to the first set of buildings at the lake—Amber Ann's lake house, BonBons Sereins, and the information-gift shop. Dan's eyes were fixed on BonBons Sereins and the black SUVs parked outside of it. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles going white and his wrists tensing. He was not just going to chase his wife; he was going to regain her.
David went straight to the main construction of their property and Dan went straight to villa number nine. As Dan got closer to the villa, the trees got closer and closer to the road. They were tall, old trees, and their canopies reached over the road like a protective awning. The road dead-ended in front of the villa, with a small car park to the side.
Dan put in his code and then used the fingerprint from his right pointer to enter the villa. He brought his luggage in and went straight to the master bedroom. He smiled—everything was perfect. He stepped out on the deck off of the master bedroom; the view of the lake was amazing. He pulled out his phone and snapped it into the gimbal. He knew Angélique had set up one of the downstairs bedrooms as his studio, but he had his equipment bag right here with him. He had decided to take a few videos and have them edited for the channel later.
He panned the camera over to the view and he began:
"Hello my beautiful people, as promised here is one of our villas on Blue Serene Lake. I will give you an extensive video of the exterior later, but look at this view from the upstairs master bedroom. This is villa nine and it is our most secluded. Just look at how the trees surround the lake here and how beautiful and clear the water is. Listen guys, it's true that—due to city zoning issues—we had to stop construction and we cannot book, but we will get construction underway again and we will be booking soon."
He brought the camera around to his smiling, immaculate face and smiled big into the lens.
"But you can't book villa nine for a while because this will be my headquarters. I am going to show you the beauty of Blue Serene so you don't have to guess. Keep watching guys, you will be in love!"
He ended the video and was just about to start another one from the other end of the deck when he heard the doorbell. He frowned and pulled up the security feed. He almost threw his cell phone when he saw Amber Ann waiting at the door. He looked to his bag and thought about what he had brought back for her from his trip. He smiled and headed down to the door. At the door, he calmed himself and opened it.
Everything he had been about to say flew from his mind when he became caught in her smile. He stood at the open door looking at her for far too long. Amber Ann cleared her throat and brought him out of his daydream.
"I—I'm sorry. Come in."
"No problem, Dan. Angélique stocked the kitchen, but I told her I would bring you some things to eat until you were settled in."
"Oh, thank you. But I will have a cook and a housekeeper start..." He paused because he didn't know when they would start.
Amber smiled again, and again his brain went fuzzy. "She told me they both start tomorrow morning."
"You're right." He smiled at her.
Amber shrugged. "Can I come in?"
Dan actually jumped. "Of course, I am so sorry." He took the boxes from her hands.
"I have a bit more in the car." When Amber turned to get the other things, a guard stood a bit behind her with them in his hands.
Once everything was in the kitchen, Amber Ann began to unpack everything. She had cold brew coffee and sun-brewed tea she had prepared at BonBons Sereins. Dan watched her put everything away and begin to put a breakfast sandwich together for him. Even as she worked, Amber could feel the tension in the air. Dan couldn't seem to get his thoughts together and he couldn't wipe the smile from his face. Through it all, they were both awkward. It was like they were freshmen in college again—meeting for the first time—only this time Dan was the one infatuated and Amber was the one who was not invested.
Their roles had reversed.
Dan enjoyed his breakfast of a fresh bagel breakfast sandwich, fruit salad, fresh juice, and coffee. He stared at his wife. He had forgotten just how good her cooking was.
"Wait. I brought something back for you. I was going to give it to you later, but..." He shrugged as he ran from the room and up the stairs. Amber looked to the door as if she could still see him. Her mind was stuck in a loop: 'He brought something back for me?'
He seemed to come back faster than possible, and she started when he rushed back into the room. He had a crude, handmade wooden box in his hands. He was breathing heavily, a goofy smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He silently handed the box to Amber. She frowned, but she couldn't help but smile as well. She sat down and ran her hand over the intricate hand carvings and she felt her heart beat faster.
It was beautiful.
She felt nervous, her hands trembling as she moved to open it, and once she did, a small gasp escaped her lips. She looked up at Dan—as if to say, "Is this really for me?"—and Dan could only smile stupidly at her and hope she looked through the box without prompting.
Amber looked down and saw a beautiful, smooth, multicolored crystal wrapped in a see-through gauzy mesh. Beneath it were handmade tools—tools used to cut out the mineral muds she used in the spa. She looked up at Dan again, wide-eyed with excitement.
"Thank you." It came out as the smallest whisper. All Dan could do was nod.
They sat in awkward silence for a few moments more—Amber mesmerized by her gift and Dan mesmerized by her looking at it. Amber suddenly cleared her throat. "Thank you for this, Dan. Thank you very much. I collect unique tools like these—tools used to complete tasks that have been passed down for generations. Thank you so much. Um, I really should get back to work."
"Of course, of course. I have to work as well."
They awkwardly walked to the front door together and Amber practically stumbled, then ran to her car. Dan closed the door and leaned his forehead against it. He felt like an idiot; still, he had to smile. She loved the gift, and he now knew she collected things. He was learning more and more about his wife.
Amber Ann sat in her vehicle, the intricately carved box clutched to her chest like the most important thing she owned. She closed her eyes, worked to calm her breathing, and felt her heart pound in her chest.
Dan had actually changed.