Mirielle

Standing at the front door of the Hearst residence, Mirielle leaned forward, cupping her hands to either side of her face to peer into the house through the window to the left of the double set of doors. No sign of movement. Standing upright, she checked her watch again, not quite eleven, before turning to look back at the collection of automobiles parked near the house, including Michael’s BMW. Surely there must be someone home she thought.

Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her cell phone, about to call Mortimer, when she saw a car she didn’t recognize coming up the drive, coming to a stop before several girls came piling out, including Madison.

“Hi Mirielle,” said Mortimer’s daughter, big beaming smile on her face, waving.

“Madison,” Mirielle replied in a friendly tone, returning the smile and tucking her phone back into the leather purse slung over her shoulder.

Crossing the distance to the door, “Dad is in the city,” Maddie said, puzzled why her father’s assistant would come all the way out to the house.

Mirielle nodded with a bit of an eye roll, “I know, he sent me out here to get a small flash drive from his office here, using the phrase ‘of crucial importance’ to the prequalification portion of the bid he’s working on. Voila, here I am come hither to do his bidding,” she explained.

Maddie chuckled, introducing the others girls to her before inviting her into the house.

“I though Michael might be here, I see his car here,” she said, turning her head to look over her shoulder at the automobile before stepping into the house. “I think he was a little put off when he left your father’s office yesterday.”

“Oh he’s around here somewhere I’m sure,” Madison replied, raising her eyebrows and looking left then right.

Mirielle laughed, “Up to his ears in mischief no doubt,” she said.

“Up to his ears in something,” the very pretty girl named Raven snickered, causing both Gennifer and Amber to guffaw.

“Usually when he comes by the office he moons over me like a love struck puppy, it’s actually kind of sweet,” she said with a grin.

Madison arched an eyebrow, looking the other woman in the eyes, “You do know it’s just a ploy of his to inveigle his way into your panties, right?”

“Oh absolutely, I’m fully aware of his intent,” she chortled, nodding knowingly.

“Are you also aware all of those little tokens of his affection are pilfered from Adelina, the old lady who sells flowers down in the plaza?” Madison asked, turning to look directly at Mirielle.

“The woman with the small cart? No,” she replied, face crestfallen.

Madison nodded slowly, “Yep.”

“The little shit, now I feel bad for taking them,” Mirielle said, frowning.

“Sort of guts the sweetness out of the gesture,” offered Madison, nodding slowly.

Mirielle nodded solemnly.

“And poor Adelina, I mean what’s she to do? Like you, she’s an innocent in this whole affair,” added Michael’s sister.

“Adelina?” asked Amber.

Turning her head to look at the blonde girl, “There is an older lady who sells flowers on sunny days in the plaza by my father’s building, and that’s her name. Adelina Dinescu. A couple of years back, I stopped and talked with her one day, she’s lived a very colorful life. She was born in 1914 in a place called Belin-Vale Transylvania, now in Romania,” Maddie explained.

“I didn’t know, next time I see her at the plaza I’m going to give her some money and set it right,” asserted the Mirielle.

“I suppose,” Madison said, turning away, “But what will that solve, you know, sure Adelina will be square but in the end what will Michael have learned?”

“Well straight off, next time I see him I’ll tell him I’m not accepting any more of his little offerings and that I’m not pleased by what he’s done,” she offered.

“Little offerings? That’s an interesting turn of phrase,” Madison said, limpid blue eyes sparkling.

A quizzical expression crossed Mirielle’s face, “What do you mean?” she inquired.

Madison chuckled softly, “Let me ask you girl to girl, what do you think of my brother?” she queried.

“What” As a person? Right now I’d like to wring his neck for taking advantage of that sweet old lady and for being such a douche,” she replied.

Madison’s smile broadened slightly, and she licked her lower lip, “Feeling kind of pissed, might want to confront him and express your displeasure?”

Mirielle nodded her head, “I knew he was kind of immature, but I didn’t think he was taking them. I’m not sure what you’re getting at by confronting him though?”

“Interesting,” she replied. “What if I told you there was a way you could share your feelings with Michael directly and help put him back on the right path, you know, understand the consequences of his actions, because let’s be honest, he certainly could use a serious comeuppance?”

The older woman nodded, “I’ll say, give him a serious attitude adjustment,” she snorted.

“It’s like last night when we caught him spying on our slumber party, trying to sneak peeks at my friends here when they were in little more than their underwear and then had the gall to act all dismissive about it when we caught him in the act,” Madison added.

“It’s true,” assured Gennifer, nodding.

“He didn’t?” Mirielle said, turning to look at each of the other girls.

Raven nodded. “Yep.”

“What did you do? Did you tell your father, because I’m pretty sure he read your brother the riot act about this weekend?” Mirielle asked.

Madison grinned lopsidedly and shook her head, “We’re all big girls here, so we took matters into our own hands, so to speak,” she stated.

Amber giggled.

“Mirielle arched an eyebrow, “What did you do?” she asked, curious.

Madison paused, contemplating, “Considering what a massive crush Michael has on you, it might be interesting to let you in on our ‘little’ secret,” she said, using air quotes around the word little.

Mirielle grinned, “You’ve got me all curious now, what is it?” she asked enthusiastically.

“You should show her,” encouraged Gennifer.

“Show me,” urged Mirielle,

Madison grinned, “Okay.”