I stood by a corner where the desserts were being served to the guests as I watched my mom serving the guests along with other chefs.
I was silent the whole time as I couldn't stop thinking of what happened earlier, those men, their voices. I just knew I had heard them before and not long.
I kept on discarding a thought that keeps on popping on my mind, I really didn't want to think about it not after what has happened.
"Kira what is it?" My mom questioned me when she noticed I have been silent for a while.
"Nothing mom I am just tired." I told her with a small smile on my face, Which was also the truth because I really wanted to go home and rest already it's been a long day but with the way this party was going I don't see it ending anytime soon because it was filled with adults partying like teenagers.
I studied them one by one and I noticed that they all look expensive even though most of them were very old, I knew some of them were grandparents to rich grandkids already.
I was beginning to have a headache mostly due to their awful and unnecessary loud cheers and laughter. "Take this." One of the chefs serving the desserts said smiling giving me an ice cream in a glass cup. I smiled as I took it from her, "Thank you." I told her, "You are welcome." She said and turned back to what she was doing.
My mom whispered a thank you to her appreciatively and she nodded smiling and also whispering about how cute I was.
I smiled inwardly as I had never received a compliment like that from an outsider asides my family.
"May I have your attention everyone!" I heard someone say from the front and it turns out to be Mr Jones, He wanted to address the guests, Mrs Jones was beside him as they both held a champagne flute in their hands smiling.
"No words is able to describe our appreciations to the honorable guests present here to Grace our humble event, A big shout-out to Mr mayor." He said raising his champagne flute towards the mayor's direction, The mayor nodded his head in reply smiling as everyone cheered.
"And every other honorable guests of honor thank y'all so much for attending means a lot." He added as he concluded his speech which earned him an applaud from the guests.
"And we would also like to appreciate the three skilled chefs and their assistants who made wonders tonight with their appetizing and enjoyable delicacies, A round applause to them." She said beaming and clapping alongside the audience in the direction that we were.
My mom including all the rest of the chefs bowed slightly in appreciation of the honour, They all looked very happy and it's nice to see my mom happy like that, I also smiled.
The whole party ended an hour later and the guests started to head home, It was ten pm already and was late. Most of the guests were slightly drunk, Thank God for them they won't be driving themselves home as they all had chauffeurs who was going to do that for them.
We all waited until they were gone before clearing the whole hall and putting everything back to place, Both Mr and Mrs Jones were seeing off their guests to the parking lot before bading them bye, They both looked alright as none of them were drunk in the slightest.
It took another two hours before the whole staffs could get everything back together, Both me and my mom assisted in putting back all plates, teacups and glasscups including champagne flutes in their racks where they belong.
We all got ready to leave as soon as we were done with the clearings, Both me and my mom were in a hurry because it was late in the night already and it wasn't safe to walk late in our neighborhood as it was very dangerous to do that because that's when all kinds of bad thugs carry out their bad missions.
My mom had assured my dad we would come home safe that they should go to bed but my dad was not hearing any of that as he promised to be at the bus stop waiting for us so we walk home together.
He said grandma is not able to sleep too because she is worried somethingthing bad might happen to us on our way back. My mom is not afraid of the dark that's why it doesn't bother her too much to go home this late except that she was worried about me that she was starting to regret bringing me along with her.
"I should have let you stay at home, Am sorry Kira for bringing you along and putting you through all the stress." She apologized as we approached the main exit of the mansion.
"Why are you apologizing mom you did nothing wrong, None of us knew that we were gonna be a party today and it was fun to be here actually, Everybody is nice, I was wrong for giving a bad impression of this place and people even when I haven't met them yet." I told her and she smiled.
"Mrs Houston!" We heard someone called as we were about to exit the big mansion, It was Mrs Jones, She had changed into a night robe and had gotten her make-up wiped off.
"You are leaving? And without my knowledge." She interrogated us as she approached us in a fast pace, "Um Mrs Jones, It isn't like that at all, The thing is we have to get home now as the rest of the family is waiting for us and I thought it would be best if we did that without you knowing because we felt like it would be a disturbance to you as you have been stressed out the whole day." My mom explained with a warm smile.
"Ok but isn't it too late already? Most of the chefs are sleeping over why don't you and Kira do the same." She said and I was surprised she remembered my name, Wasn't expecting it so I smiled inwardly.
"Am sorry Mrs Jones we won't be able to sleep over because right now my husband is waiting for us at the bus stop and we don't want to disappoint him by not showing up.
"Ok then if you say so, But before you go could you please join me in my office for a private chat I promise it won't take long." She said and both me and Mom exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.
"Wait here." My mom told me before walking alongside Mrs Jones to her office. I was starting to feel sleepy and was so tired but I forced my eyes to stay wide open because home is still far.
My mom came back not too long after she left with a smile on her face and a small white envelope in her hands which made me wondered what they could have talked about that resulted in the big smile on her face.
"What's wrong mom, why are you smiling like this." I ask her also unable to resist smiling also as it was so contagious. "I got paid for today's job!" My mom whispered and squealed happily as she held my hands in joy, "Really!" I asked with my eyes widened.
"Of course Kira, it's true, Oh my gosh I can't believe it." She said fanning herself with the envelope in a dramatic way. "Me too Mom, I am so happy for you." I said as I hugged her.
"Oh I love this mother-daughter bond here." We heard Mrs Jones say from behind us, We turned towards her and my mom showed her gratitude once again.
"Oh Sarah you don't have to thank me all the time, You earned this one consider it your pay, And it's getting later both of you should be heading home now and you can also take the day off tomorrow okay." She told my mom.
"Thank you Mrs Jones." I tell, "Oh you are most welcome, I also look forward to your more of your visits Kira." She said and beamed at me, "Take good care of her Sarah she is a nice kid." Mrs Jones told my mom.
"I will ma'am, thank you so much." my mom replied back.
"I have also informed one of my personal chauffeurs to take you to where you are to board a bus to East Harlem, I hope you don't mind." She added, "Oh no not at all that's generous of you ma'am." My mom said In appreciation.
We went outside the big mansion as soon as Mrs Jones went back upstairs, There was a car waiting for us already with a chauffeur by it side, We greeted him before entering inside.
We bade Mr Philip bye from the car as he opened the large gate for the car to pass through, He smiled and waved back at us as the car sped away.