It was a frigid morning the subsequent day. Andres woke up, he turned to his right and peeked at Andrea. Andrea slowly opened her eyes and she looked at him.
Andres leaned in smooching her on her face, "good morning."
Andrea chuckled and wrapped her arms around him.
Candy arrived at Andrea's condominium and she found the doors open, and walked in. She spotted Celia seated by the table in the large living room nursing a bowl of cereal and bowing her head weakly.
Candy sat besides her, "how are you Celia?"
"I'm fine. I'm just missing Andres. Every morning, we always had breakfast together, he'll always crack a lame joke, and he'd wipe my lips if he spots a stain. We just got married and we're already apart. I feel like we just separated in a month when it's just been yesterday, " tears dropped from her eyes, "Is it my fault I had to remove my womb just to live that I'll have to stay away from Andres in the name to have kids?"
"It's just for the mean time."
"I cannot spend a day without Andres, I could barely sleep last night. I miss his kisses, his big hugs, and messing with my hair. "
"If it will make you feel better, I'll go check on him, and Andrea."
"He might ask Andrea to make him sushi. Andrea might mess up the meal. Tell her that he likes his sushi salty."
"Alright." Candy nodded.
***It was 10:05 in the morning***
Andrea was standing at the dining table in Andres's mansion wearing a pair of peach shorts and a pink singlet. She wore a crimson lipstick, and a pair of Celia's most expensive glittering earrings.
Andrea was fetching a spoonful of noodles and pouring it on Andres's plate and she fetched a scoop of beef stew pouring it on the noodles.
Andres walked to the table, he was grinning from ear to ear and he advanced to her and wrapped his hands around her waist kissing her cheek. "The aroma...." He inhaled and exhaled, "it's inviting."
Andrea stroked his cheek staring into his glowing eyes grinning, "I'm happy that you love it sweetheart."
"Okay, let's go eat, " Andres pulled Andrea towards him as he approached his seat, and Andrea chuckled. He sat down and made Andrea sit on his laps.
Andres picked up a piece of the fried turkey feeding her. Andrea picked up a piece, stretched it to his lips, and he munched it.
"It's really savory." Andres licked his fingers. He glanced at the glowing earrings and her nicely combed hair, "you are really so beautiful." He kissed her on her lips.
It was 11:30am.
Andrea walked into the kitchen, and she picked up a pot from the cupboard. She glanced at a tray of the chopped cabbage on the table, and she furiously dropped the pot, it landed on the floor making a shrieking noise.
Lisa, the cook, shivered feeling nervous and the other cooks felt jittery.
"What is this?" Andrea yelled, she picked some pieces of the cabbage, and threw them back on the tray, "why are they so big?"
"They are not so big." Lisa said.
"Are you trying to tell me that I do not have eyes? That I can't see clearly?"
Lisa shook her head and bowed her head low. The other cooks bowed their heads.
"Is this the way to chop cabbages? Do you get paid just to get sloppy? Or are you all just stupid? How do you expect me to cook with this rubbish?" Andrea threw the tray of the cabbage on the floor, "chop the cabbage again, and I want each piece thin, and incredibly neat."
They nodded and chorusly replied, "yes madam."
"Good. I wanna start preparing my husband's lunch at 12pm, and you all had better be done preparing the items for cooking before it's 12."
"Madam Celia, it's just 11:45. We can not finish before 12." Lisa complained.
"I don't care. I just wanna see the items ready before 12pm sharp and the cabbage must be really tiny other wise, you all will get fired." Andrea stormed out and left to the living room.
Candy arrived at Andres's mansion and she was approaching the entrances.
Andrea sat on the couch watching the television stretching her legs on the settee and she laid her back on the pillows.
"Nanny Vida!" Andrea shouted, she did not hear any response, and she yelled louder, "nanny Vida!"
Vida hurried from the stock room, she dropped the mopper, and the duster she was holding.
She reached the living room and walked to Andrea's chair.
"Yes Celia."
"What? Did you just call me Celia without the madam?"
"But, I always call you by your name."
"Call me madam because I am your madam, you better know your place in this mansion, we are not friends. I cannot even be friends with a sickly, hideous old hag as you."
Tears dropped from Vida's eyes, "I'm sorry."
"Your apology is not useful for anything!" Andrea screamed, "make yourself useful by getting me a chilled glass of lemonade stupid."
Candy stepped into the living room.
"Stop Vida!" She yelled.
Vida halted and Andrea slowly turned, and saw it was Candy. She got surprised, and she sprang up to her feet.
"Vida, you are not serving her. Isn't that right Celia?" Candy smirked.
"Of course." Andrea wore a fake smile feeling jumpy.
"Excuse me." Vida quietly walked out.
Andrea folded her arms and furrowed her eyebrows, "what are you doing here Candy?"
"What's wrong? Can't I pay a visit?"
Candy frowned upon her.
"As you can see, I'm doing okay. You may go. And next time, don't interrupt me when I'm talking to my maid."
"Need I remind you Andrea, you are not Andres's wife, you are just Celia's twin, so do not act so bossy."
"You are just Celia's friend, you do not tell me what to do."
Andres happily ran to the living room as soon as he spotted Candy. He approached her, and he hugged her, "how're you doing Candy?"
Candy smiled wildly, "okay."
"Since you're here, you should join us as we have lunch. Celia is preparing fried rice."
"No, that won't be necessary since Candy was just about to leave. Isn't that right Candy?" Andrea smiled wildly.
"Yea."
"Okay, I'll see you off." Andres was walking behind her, and Candy saw Andrea almost slipping, "Andres!" She groaned.
Andres scurried to her and he held her from falling, "what's wrong babe?"
"I..i hurt my ankle." She wore a pair of pleading eyes.
"Sorry love." He held her in his arms and dropped her gently on the couch. He sat down and she stretched her leg on his laps and he held her right foot massaging it.
"Where does it hurt?"
"There, that area." She pointed at her ankle, she moaned quietly, and noticed Candy staring at them and she frowned, "what're you still doing here Candy? Aren't you leaving?"
"Yea, I better leave." Candy feigned a smile.
"Take care Candy." Said Andres.
Candy walked out.
It was five in the evening that same day. Andrea arrived at Celia's apartment and hey proceeded to the living room.
"What's up Celia? Why do you want to speak with me?"
"Candy told me what you did to Vida. Is it true? Did you really humiliate her?" Celia frowned upon her.
"So what if i did? Why should I care about the feelings of an ordinary maid after all, she works and gets paid." Andrea shouted.
"Her feelings matter a lot to me, because she acts like a mother to Andres. Vida is a kind and peaceful lady so it's not fair that you disrespect her. I highly regard all the servants in the mansion, and i want you to do the same."
"So old fashioned and pathetic. Sometimes I wonder if you are classy. Those lowlifes, are meant to serve, and I will not ridicule myself mingling with them. I am not as dumb as you."
"You can call me dumb, but I won't take it next time if you mistreat Vida."
Andrea yawned loudly, "whatever."
"Candy also mentioned to me that you faked to have twisted your ankle so Andres will feel sorry for you."
"Oh I see that blabbermouth has been talking a lot." Andrea folded her arms.
"Andrea, it seems like you are taking advantage of Andres's tenderness just to have fun. You can not treat my husband like a puppy just because he listens to you."
"So what if I want Andres to be sweeter to me? Did I ever get such attention from mum and dad? No! Rather they were always distant from me, and so strict that I couldn't even get pampered when I feel hurt. But you, they always pampered you and overlooked any wrongs that you do, because to them, you're the Saint." Andrea yelled.
"Do you think dad and mum loved us by the measure of our actions? They sacrificed so much till their last breath to give us a good life."
"But you had their most attention and affection, while I always waited, stood unnoticed like an idiot hoping that they'll notice how I feel, what I want, and what i really like. You can easily criticize me because they never for once unnoticed you." Andrea laid her face on her palms whimpering.
Celia felt bad and she advanced a few steps to her.
"Andrea I am sorry that you felt that way. I wish you told me, i'd have gotten mum and dad closer to you."
Andrea sniffed, "it's no use you feeling sorry for me, they are already gone. I don't want you spying on me. I don't want Mae to come again to the mansion."
"Candy is family."
"Well, id appreciate you respecting me, and not spy on my every action. I hate being watched. I had promised you I will update you about Jacob so sending Candy to spy on us, is unacceptable. If you want our deal to continue, you gotta stop letting Candy visit."
"I will on the condition that you do not disrespect Vida."
"I will. Andres booked for a ticket to a resort for our honeymoon." Andrea smiled wildly.
"Let's switch, I'll go for the honeymoon with Andres since I miss him terribly."
"You can't."
"Why not?"
"Cause, Andres has not yet made love to me. And the closer we get, the more the chances I'll be pregnant."
Celia held back her tears, "fine, you can go for the honeymoon. I'll risk anything to have kids. Take care of yourself over there."