The Familiar Stranger

Ariel woke up with a sour taste in her mouth. Memories of the night before came flooding back, as she tried to rinse her mouth out with the strongest mouthwash she could find in her bathroom cabinet. Her parents were coming to visit later on in the afternoon and she could not afford to let them see her fall apart. Not after telling them she was doing so well since moving to her own apartment in the city over 6 months ago.

Agatha and Marcus DuPont loved their daughter Ariel, but sometimes she left them no choice but to loathe her as well. Of course they took some blame in how she had turned out. With all of their absences overseas for both work and leisure, it's no wonder she was out of control!

Ariel had been raised mostly by her Gammy Tallulah DuPont. A very strict and authoritative figurehead if ever there was! Hugging a block of ice would give off more warmth then it would to hug Gammy! But Ariel didn't hate her Gammy entirely. After all she had her to thank for this brand spanking new apartment and the healthy bank account that was hers to do with what she wanted.

Agatha placed the bouquet of her mother-in laws favourite flowers on her rather splendid grave stone. It really was a beautiful work of craftsmanship. Of course, only the best for dear Tallulah! Agatha did not waste time shedding any tears. Tallulah would definitely not be missed! Out of respect for her heavily grieving husband Marcus, Agatha would visit Tallulah’s grave site every Sunday at 2:33pm. The exact time she had passed. Marcus just didn't have the strength to do it himself. As cold as that woman had been towards others, she always showed so much love for her only son.

Ariel raced around the apartment, double checking everything was neat and tidy. She did not need her mother's OCD way of thinking to surface today. She already had enough on her mind! Hopefully her folks would leave after their dinner at Paulo's restaurant rather than returning back to her place for coffee.

"Agatha darling, please try not to be so critical of our Ariel. She really is trying to show us she has grown-up these past 6 months. I know you still have your reservations. But I feel she needs our support especially after the loss of her precious Grammy".

"Oh come on Marcus! You of all people should know there was no love lost between those two! Tallulah made it quite clear she never wanted us to marry right from the start! I do appreciate her offer of taking care of Ariel while we travelled, I really do. But even her own granddaughter couldn't break through that "ice-queens" heart!"

Marcus stood staring at Agatha with the look of a man who had been struck in the heart by a fatal blow. His face all contorted and twisted. He had never spoken up about his wife's constant snide remarks and criticism of his mother before. Today that was going to change! She had chipped away at him over the years, to the point he felt as though something had snapped inside of him!

Ariel peered out her living room window to see if her parents had arrived. She noticed that there was someone standing outside her front gate looking towards where she now stood. Eyes widening, mouth agape, Ariel felt a sense of panic invading her thoughts and her body. She could sense an anxiety attack coming on! That face, there was something oddly familiar yet unfamiliar about it at the same time! Whoever he was, he struck terror in her heart!

I see you Ariel. Looking at me like a "fraidy cat". And yes, you should be very afraid indeed!

Ariel searched madly through her medicine cabinet for her bottle of anti-depressants prescribed by her doctor over 6 months ago when she had been diagnosed with severe depression and insomnia. Thinking she could find natural alternatives to manage her sleeplessness and anxiety, she had never even attempted to take her prescribed pills until now that is. The stranger had triggered memories from long ago when she was a small child living with her parents in the grand old Victorian house be quested to them by her dear “Grand-Pere” Félix DuPont the third. Such a warm and generous soul if ever there was. How he ended up married to such a cold fish like Tallulah is anyone’s guess!

Siegfried tried hard to suppress the urge to slip in through the main entrance way of Ariel's apartment building, when another tenant used their key card to gain entry. He could have easily placed his foot in the doorway to prevent the glass door from clicking back into place, he was only inches away. But he had waited far too long to stuff up his plans that he had been working on for a very long time. No, he would not fail to finish what he had started all of those years ago, not this time.

Ariel swallowed the bitter pill down with a strong shot of Glenmorangie whiskey. Her Grand-Pere’s tipple of choice.

“Ariel my petit pois, imagine these flavours that I am about to describe to you, rolling around on your tongue. A fresh and balanced taste of vanilla, boiled sweets, very creamy, tiramisu, toffee. And to finish, a gentle, malty and very fruity burst for your taste buds to enjoy!”

Ariel loved how her Grand-Pere’s eyes rolled around as his lips smacked together in appreciation of the amber fluid he so enjoyed. She had only been all of 12 years old when he passed away so suddenly from prinzmetal angina a rare heart condition that had gone on for years undetected. By the time it was discovered, Ariel’s dearest Grand-Pere was beyond any form of medical help. He passed away 2 years after his diagnosis, from the comfort of his own home surrounded by all of those he loved. And yes, that did include Tallulah.

Agatha and Marcus maintained a stony silence throughout their half hour drive from the airport to their daughter’s apartment building. It was all they could do to remain calm and civil with each other so as not to alarm Ariel when they arrived. Of course their marriage was over. But that was something they would deal with once their visit with Ariel was done.

Siegfried sat in his car eating a freshly baked jelly doughnut he had purchased earlier on that morning. It is always important to bring along comfort food when planning a stake out. Of course it had been a box of 6 delicious, soft, powdered sugary delights. Now as he held his last sweet treat in his sausage like fingers, Siegfried found himself crying over memories of when “She” used to bake these very morsels of pleasure, just for him. That memory suddenly left a sour taste in his mouth causing him to retch, stomach acids gurgling in protest, he opened his car door just in time to allow the flood of undigested doughnuts spurt out onto the tar sealed road beside him.

Agatha and Marcus pulled into the private undercover carpark with their guest key card at the ready. Still maintaining their silence stance, they parked in the parking bay that matched the number on the ticket that the machine had spat out for them on entry. Agatha did a quick check in her compact mirror to see if her eyes were still red from crying earlier. They still looked a little bloodshot, but would pass for “tired eyes” which would make sense with all of the travel they had done today. Marcus didn’t even look at her as he grabbed the wine and housewarming gifts they had purchased for Ariel prior to catching their flight that morning. Agatha took a deep breath to swallow back the tears she felt pricking at the corners of her eyes. Putting on a brave face was going to be harder than she thought!

Ariel felt butterflies skipping around inside her stomach as she raced downstairs to greet her parents. She knew she had nothing to be nervous about, they were her parents for god’s sake! But something kept gnawing away at the back of her mind, as though forewarning her that something bad was going to happen, and she just couldn’t shake it!

Siegfried cleaned himself up as much as he could. Swishing the cheap travel- sized mouthwash around his mouth to dull the taste of regurgitated sweets mixed with bile. He stepped out of his car towards the boot, deliberately taking his time as though he had all of the time in the world. He wanted this to go down precisely as planned. Reaching for the brown tattered brief case he had kept with him all of these years. A thoughtful gift from “her” when he had been promoted at his father’s law firm where they had met. She was just a temp receptionist covering for Scarlett while she was on maternity leave. But in the short time she worked at the firm, she made quite an impression on young Siegfried. He was smitten and for fear of never seeing her again, he made his feelings known as he walked her to her car on her very last day.

Ariel found herself swept into a bear hug from the moment she opened her apartment door. Her daddy had always been such a hugger! Something she had missed since leaving home. Her mother was a little more formal with her affections, clasping Ariels hands in her own and leaning in for a soft peck on her daughter’s cheek. Just as she was about to close the door, A large well shoed foot wedged itself against the door frame. Ariel gasped in surprise and almost knocked her mother over and she stepped back in surprise!

Agatha turned to see why her daughter had reacted in such a way. Her face turning a pale white as she saw “his” face! A strangled cry escaped her throat causing Marcus to turn alarmed at the sound of his wife in distress.

“Please do not be alarmed Marcus. I am not here to harm anyone I assure you”.

“Wh-who the hell are you? And how do you know my name?”

Agatha bravely stepped forward to stand face to face with the man she had had an affair with all of those years ago.

“It’s alright Marcus, darling. I kno-know him. He’s Ariel’s rea-“

In that moment, Ariel let out an all mighty scream as she lunged towards Siegfried armed with a baseball bat she kept in the coat closet just beside the door.

Marcus managed to grab the bat before Ariel could inflict any harm on the stranger. Pulling her once again into a tight bear hug embrace.

“Marcus, Ariel, I am so-so sorry! I should have told you both about Siegfried years ago. I just. Well I couldn’t bear to break your heart. Marcus! I know how much you love Ariel as though she were your own flesh and blood.”

Siegfried stood muted, in shock over Agatha spilling out their secret affair and the news of him being Ariel’s real father. All of the anger and pent up rage he had felt over Agatha’s sudden decision to leave him, taking their unborn child with her, vanished in an instance as he saw the pleading eyes of his one true overflowing with tears.

“Mum, Dad? I-I-I  d-d-don’t understand!”

Marcus gently ushered Ariel over to the kitchen table as Agatha and Siegfried sat opposite them, quietly waiting for Ariel to calm down and stop shaking. Marcus stared at Agatha and Siegfried sitting side by side as though it were a natural thing to do. He felt only sadness at the realisation of losing both his wife and daughter all in one day.

Siegfried decided it was time to speak.

“My dear Ariel, my daughter. Oh how I have wanted to speak those words to you for so long! After your mother left me I was in such a sad dark place. I wasted so many months feeling the poison of anger floating through my thoughts. By the time I felt strong enough and clear-headed enough to pursue your mother, I was too late. She had vanished without a trace!”

Ariel couldn’t look at this man, this-this stranger who dared come into her home and break up their happy family! Okay so they had their moments where they didn’t always get along. But doesn’t everyone?

“It’s all true Ariel, I left in such a hurry that I didn’t think how my actions would affect anyone else. I was young and selfish without a care about anyone but myself and you of course”.

Marcus cleared his throat as he looked towards his wife with a look of surrender written all over his face.

“Agatha, I am sorry too! I shouldn’t have forced you to remain silent about Ariel’s real dad! I am ashamed that I did such a thing! I will completely understand if you want me to back down to let, um, sorry I don’t know your name?” Marcus said as he turned to acknowledge Siegfried.

Siegfried glanced over at the man who had taken on the role he had desperately wanted to be in. He felt a wave of sympathy wash over him as he reached to grasp Marcus’s hand.

“Marcus, my name is Siegfried. Siegfried Francois. It is finally a pleasure to meet you. I am sorry I came at you in such a forced way! I acted out of desperation and anger that I wasn’t thinking straight. Please. Forgive me?”

Ariel moved her glance from her father’s face to her “real” father’s face with feelings of confusion and utter disbelief! What the fuck had just happened?

Sensing her daughters mixed emotions, Agatha clasped her hands in her own once more, to comfort her in a reassuring way that everything was going to be okay. Of course, there were big changes ahead. But she felt with strong conviction, this rather odd situation would somehow work out.

Feeling somewhat defeated and extremely tired, Ariel accepted that her life was going to change. And perhaps for the better. Now that she had not one but two dads. Her once fearful feelings towards the stranger sitting across from her, were quickly replaced with curiosity. There were so many questions racing around inside her mind. But it was the rather loud sound of her grumbling stomach that took the forefront, pushing aside her need for answers.

“So, I made enough food to feed an army. Shall we eat or what?” was all she could find the words to say.

Yes, these were strange times indeed. And although Agatha and Marcus would still be separating, they would always makes sure that they came together for their daughter. Siegfried would also be included in her life of course. And perhaps that spark that was once felt between Agatha and Siegfried, would once again ignite.