Ann groaned loudly immediately after Grace left the room before collapsing on the bed and dozing off. The sound of a brisk knock on her door, followed by the doorknob being turned, roused her from her sleep.
"What? How can you still be sleeping by this time?" Grace asked in an annoyed tone as she glared at Ann, who drowsily looked at her.
"To the bathroom! Now!" She commanded in a very angry tone, making Ann move Immediately.
Grace quickly browsed through the closet to pick out the outfits for the day and changed into hers as she waited for Ann to get back to the room.
A few minutes later, Ann joined her, and under Grace's watchful eyes, she dressed up and applied everything on her face and body the way Grace had asked her to.
She sat back to look in the mirror... It didn't look bad at all, she decided. Maybe one good part of it all was that by the time they eventually swapped bodies. She would have learned so many things and have become a better and upgraded version of Grace with good manners.
"I just realized we didn't talk about the marriage plans. What should we do about it?" Ann asked Grace.
"I'm still trying to work something out. I'll let you know when I have it figured out," Grace said.
"Now let's go to the dining. And remember, If you're asked a question you don't know, kindly don't answer... Choke, if you must, or whatever but try to memorize the question, so I can tell you about it when we are alone," Grace said before opening the door to let Ann pass through the door before her.
"Good morning Miss Grace." The maids greeted with a smile, and Grace gritted her teeth when Ann smiled back and greeted them with a nod.
What on earth was Ann doing? Why was she being so friendly with the helps? Grace wondered as the maids served them breakfast.
"Miss Grace? Can you share your recipe with me?" The maid dared to ask with a hopeful smile making Grace glare at both Ann and her.
"What recipe?" Grace asked curiously.
"Miss Grace prepared breakfast the other day, and it was really nice," The maid explained excitedly.
"You prepared breakfast?" Grace asked Ann shooting darts at her with her eyes.
"I will give you the recipes when I get back from work. I hope your brother is feeling well now?" Ann asked the maid, who looked at her with wide eyes.
"How did you know my brother was sick?" She asked in surprise.
"I overheard you telling your friend about it," Ann said with a kind smile.
"He feels much better now. Thanks, Miss Grace," The maid bowed before leaving happily.
"I think we are satisfied now. We should leave," Grace said, rising from the table.
"I'm not satisfied. I still need to eat," Ann said stubbornly, then continued eating when she realized that Grace was just trying to punish her for being too friendly with the helps.
"If I say we are satisfied, then we are," Grace told her in a low, angry voice. She couldn't risk either her mother or Zoe misunderstanding her again.
"How about I develop an ulcer on your behalf? Or better still, I allow you to boss me around so your maids can see how weak you have become?" Ann asked in an equally quiet but sarcastic voice as she settled down to enjoy her meal.
"You better eat too. I care for my stomach the same way you care for your body," Ann told Grace with a triumphant smile when Grace sat down.
She knew Ann was right, so she grudgingly ate the meal. She would hate for the house helps to see anyone bossing her around, and since Ann was currently her, she couldn't boss Ann around in the presence of anyone else.
"Okay! I'm ready to leave," Ann said with a smile as she burped loudly.
"What in heaven's name was that?" Grace asked with a disgusted frown.
"Sorry, it was an involuntary action," Ann said with an apologetic smile as she stood up to leave.
"So disgusting!" Grace muttered before following Ann.
"Hold on. Zoe is supposed to resume at the Dance academy today. I should check in on her before leaving," Ann said as she took the stairs.
"Ann, I don't appreciate you interfering in Zoe's life like this. Mother would go crazy if she found out about Zoe dancing," Grace warned, following closely behind her.
"Your father gave her his permission. It is what she loves to do," Ann said before turning to look at Grace.
"What do you love to do apart from bullying people and being mean?" Ann asked Grace with hands crossed over her chest.
"That is none of your business!" Grace muttered angrily.
"Sure, it is my business. I am you at the moment. So I need to know what I love to do aside from being a narcissist," Ann said with a smile.
"Watch it, Ann!" Grace warned.
Ann tapped lightly on Zoe's door and stepped in when Zoe answered sleepily. She walked over to the bed and sat down beside Zoe, who was still wrapped in her duvet.
"You're ready for work? You look like you're back to yourself," Zoe said, admiring her appearance.
"Yea, I'm feeling much better. I just came to check in on you and find out when you'll be leaving for the dance academy," Ann told her while patting her hair gently. She realized she had grown quite fond of Zoe in the short time she had spent with her.
Zoe glanced at Ann, who stood behind her sister with a quizzical expression on her face. "You look good," She told her.
Grace wasn't sure if it was an insult or a compliment, but whichever it was, she chose to ignore it, so she simply bowed in response to Zoe's comment.
"I'll be leaving by 11 am. I'll tell Mother I'm coming to check on you at the office. So please cover for me if she should call," Zoe said. She was glad she could now confide in her sister and share such secrets.
"Okay then. Make sure you call me if anything comes up," Ann said before giving her a peck on her forehead and standing up to leave the room.
"Sis?" Zoe called, making Ann pause in her stride and turn to look at her.
"I think I kind of love you more now," Zoe said, driving a knife through Grace's heart.
"I love you more, Zee," Ann said before turning to leave with Grace following behind her.
'How could Zoe say that to a stranger? How could she love someone she had just met more than her?' Grace asked herself sadly.
The stranger is you but with a better attitude than you. A voice in her head told her.
***********
"Isn't it time you returned things to normal? You're messing up their lives," The goddess told the deity with a frown as she looked at Grace's sad face.
"They all haven't learned anything yet. Until they all become better people, things will remain as they are," The deity said, smiling broadly with his eyes fixed on Ann's face.