“Gooood Moooorrrnniinngg!” Christine said as she incessantly pounded on the front door of the Hutchins’s residence. “It’s quarter after five! Rise and shine! Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
I hate being up so damn early in the morning! she thought to herself as she repeatedly pressed the doorbell. This is the only exception.
The door opened and Dolph stood there with a scowl.
“Since you need not be informed,” he said, “madam had me call the police. Now, beat it.”
As Dolph proceeded to shut the door, Christine quickly whipped out her gun from the inside pocket of the black windbreaker she wore and placed the gun’s barrel between the doorframe and the door.
“Oohhh, not so fast, blondie,” Christine said. “Open up.”
The door opened slowly.
“Open wide,” Christine said. “Wider. Now say, ‘Aahhh.’” She let out a mischievous chuckle with an ear-to-ear grin and her eyes twinkled with mischief.
When the door opened wide enough, Christine stepped inside with the gun pointed at Dolph.
“You know, missy,” Rose said as she came into the foyer. “I have had enough—”
“No, you haven’t,” Christine said. “Not nearly enough.”
“Is that necessary?” Rose asked as she eyed the gun.
“Look, you Hutchins dragon, my name is not Missy and you had better start calling me by my proper name.”
“Need I say your name is not worth wasting my breath, just as I am wasting it right now with you?”
“Actually, I came here to apologize for everything,” Christine said. “For all the hardship I’ve caused you.” She put the gun back in her windbreaker.
“You are wasting your time, let alone mine.”
Rose turned and walked into the living room. Christine followed behind, as did Dolph.
“Wait a minute—” Christine said.
“Child, I do not wait for anyone,” Rose said, “least of all, you and your kind.”
Rose sat on the couch, picked up a home renovation magazine from the coffee table, and placed it on her lap.
“Dolph, have Iris fix me some tea,” Rose said, then gently pressed the front of her turban.
Dolph nodded and went into the kitchen.
Christine stood directly across the coffee table from Rose and glanced at several magazines and a plate of breakfast pastries on the table. “Wha—?” she said. “No tea or pastries for moi?”
Rose glared at Christine, then returned to the pages of the magazine before her.
“You know, we’re two of a kind,” Christine said as she seated herself on the sofa. “Really. We could do so much together.”
“Dream on.”
“I just want to be your daughter. After all, I am your daughter. Together, we can share in the wealth and power, the glory each of us have worked so very hard for.”
Iris came into the living room and placed the cup of tea on the table. She curiously looked at Christine for a few seconds, then turned and headed for the kitchen. Christine effused a mocking shrug with a sneer behind Iris’ back.
Rose flipped through the magazine before her. She picked up her cup of tea, sipped it, and gently laid it in her lap.
“So,” Christine said with a loud sigh. “Where’s your husband? I haven’t seen nor heard of him at all. Is he dead, too? Did you kill him like you killed your first hubby, Charlie? He was my daddy, too, ya know. Do your measly servants know what you really do for a living?” She flashed a toothy grin.
“There is a phrase,” Rose said, contemplative. “‘Tough as nails.’ I am one thousand times tougher than that.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, I’m a million-gazillion times tougher.”
“May the best woman win.” Rose forced a chilling smile at the corners of her lips, her eyes narrow slits of scorn. She sipped some more tea.
“Indeed, I shall,” Christine said. “You know, I may be the princess of the Valley, but mark my words, I’ll be queen of the hill one day—and soon.”
Dolph answered the knock on the door and returned with two uniformed police officers.
“All right,” Christine said as she rose from her seat. “Have it your way. Nonetheless, I’m not done with you, yet.”
“Is that a threat?” Rose asked.
“No. That’s a promise, and the funny thing is the cops can’t do anything until after something actually happens.” Christine chuckled. “And by then, it’ll already be too late.” She turned to the officers and chuckled some more, then cleared her throat. “I was just leaving. I can show myself out, thank you.”