Previously on Avenging Angels
The party turned into a complete disaster thanks to the girls and Lorenzo.
THIRTY-SEVEN
I took the empty cup and dropped it into the trash bag while biting my lower lips because I was about to burst into kindled laughter at any minute.
After the light was brought back on, the Bladderworts went upstairs one by one to change into clean clothes and calm their heads down from the shocking night it later turned out to be.
We maids were still in our dirty clothes, cleaning the hall as per Miss Helda's orders.
The stupid grin couldn't just leave my lips no matter how hard I tried and I was starting to get worried I would get caught laughing when everyone was wearing such a long face.
"Such a massive disaster" Francesca broke the silence and we all perked up.
"I know right. It went from Wow to Woah, all in a second" Sarah exclaimed.
"Who was Lorenzo Lentino something anyway?" Chloe asked and she was quickly hushed by Miss Helda.
"Nobody, I repeat, nobody should dare say that name whilst in this mansion, is that understood?" She gritted.
We all chanted our agreement and got back to work without saying a single word.
*****
I woke up with a jolt and sat up straight while running my hands through my black, tangled locks.
I pinched my eyes so I could see the time from the clock on the nightstand. It was just three am but the sleep has long left my eyes.
I uncontrollably yawned and scratched my throat when I noticed it was dry. Putting on my slippers and stepping out of the bed as furtively as I could so I wouldn't wake Chloe, I left the room to get some water from the kitchen.
I didn't have to on my flashlight because the light coming from the moon through the window was bright enough to lead me to the kitchen without any bumps in my way.
I stepped into the kitchen but halted when I noticed a solemn figure sitting by the counter, clutching a bottle.
"What are you doing up so late in the night?" the voice asked from behind the shadows and I stepped forward to see the face of the speaker.
"Miss Helda? I think I should be asking you that" I threw the question back at her.
The ever-glorious Miss Helda was sitting on a chair by the counter, wearing her long, white, loose nightgown with her grey-colored hair inside a hairnet.
I looked closely and saw she was holding a bottle of Scotch and it was already halfway finished.
"Oh, how I wish the sleep would come," she said in a melancholy manner and I frowned at the unusual tone of hers.
I poured myself a glass of water from the jug on the table and sat beside her.
"You know, drinking at this your old age can cause a lot of health problems," I said and she let out a dry chuckle which made me even more confused.
She really, is drunk.
"Are you worried about me?" she asked with a distant smile on her face.
"Didn't say I was. Just telling you as a matter of fact" I shrugged and sipped the water.
"Why are you drinking at this time of the night?" I asked after some silent minutes passed.
"Tonight is one of the nights that sleep totally leaves my body and leaves me in a huge mess as I am now" she giggled and I scoot away from her a little before I catch the crazy virus.
"You know, you remind me of someone," she said and brought the cup to her lips.
"Who?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"A very pretty girl," she said.
"She never hesitated to say what was on her mind and her sharp tongue raised questions wherever she went but she paid no heed to them and lived life the way she wanted," she said with her eyes filled with nostalgia.
"Who is she?" I asked silently.
"Who was she?" she corrected.
"Oh, I'm sorry" I apologized but for what, I wasn't so sure.
"I hate it when people say sorry when they hear of a person's death. You're not the murderer so why to apologize?" she mattered and I wondered if she was talking to me or just to herself.
"Who was she?" I asked again, the curiosity inside me having a hard time staying put.
"She was a beautiful princess, she had the eyes of the deep blue ocean and her long locks streamed with elegance. She was my little baby girl" she cleaned off the tears that escaped from her grey eyes.
"Your daughter? But we call you Miss, you weren't married?" I spurted out.
"Not only my blood and flesh can be called my child. And yes, I was never married. I did have a man whom I loved with my heart but his family wouldn't let me be his wife because he was of noble and I was just a lousy maid, not to talk of an orphan" she said in a clipped tone while staring at the air.
"That's kind of cruel. You shouldn't judge one by their status in life, even though my father was just a farmer, my parents had the most beautiful marriage"
"That's what you think. Some people are so dubious that even the sight of poor people makes them gag" she laughed out loud and I slightly cringed at the dry laugh.
"Sometimes, I see her in you. The way you talk to me without fear, your witty lines, and confident jokes.." she coughed and I rubbed her back.
"Thank you" She coughed.
"It's fine, Miss Helda" I gave her a small grin.
Suddenly she brought her old, wrinkly hand and caressed my cheek lovingly with a gloomy expression.
"Rose..."
"Umm...Miss Helda?" I called in a slightly scared tone with my eyes wide open.
"You're kinda freaking me out" I squeaked.
"Oh my dear Roseline, sorry I couldn't protect you," she said before she passed out on the counter.
"Miss Helda?" I called while shaking her arm but she didn't move.
Loud snores came out from her mouth and I facepalmed, not knowing what to do about the sleeping old hag.
And before I could realize what I was doing, I was knocking at the last door in the hall, peeping in case I would get caught by anyone.
"Chris" I whispered.
"Chris" I knocked softly.
"Please be a light sleeper. Please be a light sleeper" I closed my eyes and whispered.
I then heard a click which made me look up at the door to see it is open and I let a breath of relief slip out of my mouth.
"Rosa? What-"
I clamped my hand over his mouth and pushed him inside the room and closed the door behind us.
"What's going on?" he asked.
He was wearing dark blue joggers with a bare torso and his blonde hair was a total mess.
I tried my best to not stare at his chest so I looked at him in the eye and his blue eyes met mine.
"I need your help" I mumbled.
"Are you alright?" he moved forward and looked at me from head to toe, making sure there was nothing wrong with me.
"I am fine. The problem is down in the kitchen" I said and he looked at me while tapping his barefoot on the floor.
"Oh my God, you drugged her" Chris exclaimed when we entered the kitchen and I glared at him.
"Are you crazy? Of course not!" I scoffed.
"I came in the kitchen to get some water and I saw her there, already drunk so she later passed out. I didn't drug her, you bafoon!" I rolled my eyes.
"Just shut up and come help me" I whispered as I went and took a hold of her right arm.
Although grudgingly, he moved forward and help me get a snoring Miss Helda up and we put her hands on either of our shoulders as we slowly and painfully moved to the maids' quarters by the right side of the hall.
"I never signed up for this Shit!" Chris cursed.
"Neither did I, but somehow we are in this shit so might as well suck it up!!" I uttered sarcastically and through the moonlight shining from the window, I saw him roll his blue eyes.
"Wait!" he said suddenly and stopped.
"What?!" I scorned.
"I have an itch"
"So? We're almost there, just endure it"
"I can't. It's..." he hesitated.
"What?"
He mumbled something under his breath and awkwardly cleared his throat.
"What? I didn't hear you!"
"It's down there" he mumbled and I could have facepalmed if my hands weren't occupied at the moment.
"Ugh!!! Fine, Just do your thing, and let's get out of here!"
He took his hand off her back and leaned her weight on me. I struggled to hold her and staggered back a little which made me hit my little toe at the corner of the table in the hall.
"Dang it!" I cursed and the vase on the table fell at the same time Miss Helda slipped from my hands.
At the perfect minute, we heard a door lock being open and we both looked at each other with widening eyes.