Chapter 9 Can I have a minute?
Chapter 9: Can I have a minute?
Florence went back downstairs with the soiled beddings and headed to the servant quarters where she quickly changed into another uniform and headed to the laundry room to put the clothes in the washing machine.
She then proceeded to the living room and saw Allan casually resting on the couch.
She immediately went and smacked him on the head, giving him a hard glare.
"Ouch, mom! What was that for?" Allan said returning her glare.
"Who told you you could sit here? You are not a guest, you are here to clean. What's wrong with you boy?"
"So let me get this straight, you clean it but can't sit on it? How is that fair?"
"It's not about what's fair. This is my job, Allan and I take it very seriously. So please stick to what you are here for and don't you dare cause any trouble or else I promise, I'll break your legs."
"I obviously don't understand the rules so why not release me from this punishment already? I promise I will get your money back".
"In your dreams Allan. How do you intend to get the money. Are you going to rob a bank, or perhaps sell dope?" Florence asked with a silent rage.
"Hey mom, I'm not a thief!"
"Says the guy who took my money without my permission."
"Okay I deserve that. But still, I'm not a thief, and I don't sell dope."
"But you smoke it, don't you? Is that what you used my money for? Look Allan, I might not be home all the time, but that doesn't mean I'm oblivious to what goes on with my kids. I know more than you think." Florence said to her son who had a shocked expression on his face.
He thought he hid it pretty well, but she was responsible for his laundry and she could tell the smell of weed anytime, any day.
"If you are done cleaning the living room, then go clean the foyer. Mr. Nixon is expecting some guests tonight so there's a lot to do. I need to go and assist the chef with preparing the meal. And before I forget, you have to clean the formal dining room also. That's where the dinner will be hosted.
When you are done, you come and join me in the kitchen to carry the dinner wares to the dining room."
"Mom! That's like a gazillion things to do. Are you telling me that this castle only has two staff?" Allan couldn't help but complain.
"Four actually. The second house keeper is on maternity leave. Then we have a butler, two chefs, a gardner, two security guards, a driver, and a pool boy who comes every now and then to clean the pool when it gets dirty. So in all, we have 10 staffs.
The second chef only comes around when there is an event or when the house chef is unavailable. So I will be assisting in the kitchen seeing that the chefs have a lot to do and my colleague is not available.
Now that I have answered all your questions, get to work. The formal dining room is the second door to your right down the hall. The first door is the family dining room so don't mix them up." Florence said as she turned away and disappeared into one of the doors.
Allan knew that there was no getting out of this punishment so he decided to get on with it. If he finished his chores on time, maybe his mother would let him go home.
Grumbling to himself, he picked up the vacuum cleaner and his duster and went to the foyer to get it cleaned.
Meanwhile, Golden had come out of her room and stood by the stairs, watching the drama between mother and son.
She felt a pang in her heart as she saw them. She could hear what they were saying.
She didn't mean to eavesdrop. She was coming down to drop her plate in the kitchen, but then seeing them banter, she was tempted to stop and listen.
She missed her parents a lot. The house used to be filled with playful banters when they were alive.
Now it was too quiet and hardly had any life in it. Varney was always busy with the company and she was always locked up in her room.
So seeing the drama between Florence and Allan made her feel a certain way.
Allan with a disgruntled look on his face, and Florence with a stern look threatening to break Allan's legs if he didn't do what she asked.
She quickly hid when she saw Florence turn to head towards the kitchen.
When she was sure that Allan had gone to the foyer, she came out of hiding and went to drop her plate in the sink.
She went back upstairs to her room and changed into a proper slippers. She didn't bother changing her clothes because if her school mates saw her they would point and laugh anyways so there really was no point changing into something else.
If she was going to be mocked, she would rather be in comfortable clothes.
She ran her brush down her hair quickly and using a scrunchie, she tied it up in a loose ponytail.
She applied some powder to hide her puffy eyes and just a light lipgloss because her lips were dry.
She finished the look with her fantasy perfume by Brittany Spears. She grabbed her broken phone, her headset and her purse and headed downstairs.
She paused by the cabinet under the painting Allan had been admiring and picked up her keys.
She was going out with the Black Rangerover Sport. She stopped by the kitchen and informed Florence that she was going to the mall to have her phone fixed just in case Varney got back and asked for her.
Allan who had just finished dusting the paintings and cleaning the artworks that lined the foyer didn't notice Golden on time and bumped into her.
This was the second time it was happening in less then 5 hours.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you coming," he said as he tried to steady her from falling.
He noticed his hands were on her shoulder and quickly dropped them.
"Can I talk to you real quick? I promise not to take your time." Allan said to Golden.
"Sure! What do you want to talk about?"
"Ermm... I had no idea my mum works for you. If I had known I wouldn't...you know come..." Allan who had never stuttered before found himself suddenly stuttering.
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Is there anything else?" Golden asked, completely masking her emotions.
"Well about Friday night, I..."
"I really don't want to talk about it. You fooled me once, but I promise, I will never fall for it again. Look, I have some errands to run so I will get going." Golden immediately left without looking back.