Lena woke slowly, head pounding and mouth dry. She lifted her head from the pillows and stared around her former bedroom.
It was just dawn from the colour of the light peeking through the dark and heavy drapes.
She dimly remembered her Grandfather getting her into bed and something else had happened. She lay in the warmth of her bed and desperately sought to bring forth the memories of the previous night.
She and her Grandfather had been having a drink to celebrate her twentieth birthday. A single drink should not have affected her so drastically.
It had, however, been the seventy year old single malt her Grandfather reserved for only the most exciting of celebrations. Perhaps the whiskey was simply too strong for her.
She decided to reconstruct the night in the most linear manner she could manage, starting with the phone call that brought her to her Grandfather's house.
"Lena my darling, I realise you've plans for your birthday tomorrow but as is traditional in our family when a woman reaches her twentieth year, we will take communion in the family chapel tonight on the eve of the day of your birth. I expect you at the house by seven this evening." Her Grandfather had intoned in a voice that brooked no dissent.
"As you wish Grandfather. I look forward to seeing you. I've missed you since I moved out. I miss our chats. As for tomorrow, well I won't be going out. I've decided that this year I just want to relax and have a quiet night in with a good film." Lena had said.
"Ah, very good. Stay the night here then. We will make an evening of it. I have missed you as well my sweet Lena. I hope that I can convince you to move back in with me so be prepared to listen to my persuasive arguments to that effect." Her Grandfather had replied.
"I would love to spend the night Grandfather, but I quite enjoy my little flat in the city so you may try your hardest but I believe I can withstand your entreaties. Perhaps if you were to find a suitable bribe of some sort I may reconsider..." Lena had trailed off a hopeful tone in her voice.
"Yes my sweet, I must always bribe you for your affection." Her Grandfather's reply had become somewhat impatient.
Lena had decided to take a calculated risk, she knew her Grandfather hated her living out of his house, even though it had only been a few months since she had moved out.
"Please Grandfather, give me an increased allowance and I'll be back under your roof before you know it." Even to Lena's ears her voice had sounded petulant.
She knew she owed everything to the man who had raised her but she always craved more from him. In this instance his money.
"Enough Lena. Come by at seven and we will discuss the terms of your return to me then. I've no wish to haggle over the phone." And with that her Grandfather had disconnected and left Lena chewing her lip in dismay.
She had pushed too far. She actually hated her time away from her Grandfather but had hoped he was desperate enough for her to return to finally give in to her demands.
Lena remembered the phone call and her arrival at her Grandfather's house well enough. He had kissed her warmly on the cheek and held her fast against him for a protracted hug when she first saw him.
They had retired to his study for a drink of that potent whiskey...it had tasted of smoke and vanilla, and then she remembered her Grandfather's face looking down into hers as she sat boneless in a deep leather recliner.
Lena struggled to remember more and she felt so tired, fuzzy headed and sore all over. She lay quietly in her former bedroom and wondered how she had ended up her with no memory of the previous night after the drink.
