The first time he talked about my clothes, I was insulted. I know that I wear cheap clothes but look at him. Anyway, who am I to disagree with him? I am just a new employee who just signed the contract that I have not even read. Well, who knows if clothing is one of the contents of it? I'd better just shut it and not argue about it since he is my boss.
I forced a smile and nodded as I finally stepped out of his study room. Only then that I was able to breathe freely. I calmed myself before I started to look for me, Celestine.
"Over here!" She took my attention. Miss Celestine was seated in the garden area of the mansion. She was with a gardener, chatting, probably waiting for me. I walked fast to approach them, then sat beside her with a heavy heart.
"How did it go?" She excitedly inquired, but I was in no mood to share what just happened. I didn't speak for a few moments then said with a frown afterwards.
"I signed the contract."
"Well, what was in the contract? Was he not joking that I can go and leave for five months?"
"Definitely not my contract and closes five months being his caregiver. I didn't read the others because he just related to me then I took the paper to sign without hesitation. All I wanted is to finish the conversation and leave that room. I felt so suffocated."
The gardener broke a smile. I noticed it, so I stared at him, waiting for possible words that might cheer me up coming from him. So, he did.
"Don't worry, five months is not that long."
"I know. But I don't know how I will be able to survive those five long months with that kind of boss. He seems so cruel or arrogant, maybe?" I added.
I am confident that the gardener will not extend my words to our boss, because why would he? He will be in bad shape if ever he does, and somehow, I feel comfortable speaking with him because I know that Miss Celestine trusts him, which makes me trust him too. Besides, he will be my new friend during my stay in this mansion.
"Don't worry, our boss is a little bit moody, but not all of the time. Anyway, he won't stay here for so long. He will come and stay for two days, three days and leave just like that. You just have to bear with him for two to three days and every two weeks."
"I'd be happy if that's the case, but it is not." I frowned heavier.
"What do you mean?" Miss Celestine and the guard almost spoke in duo.
"He told me that I will go with him wherever he goes. It was part of the contract." My shoulders were too heavy to express the reality about what I just heard from my new employer. Only then did I realize that I wanted to ask them something.
"By the way, what are we supposed to call the boss? Is the word Sir, OK?"
"Yes, just call him, Sir. We were used to that address. Don't worry, there's not much attention being given to how we address our employer." Miss Celestine was the one who answered this time.
I nodded as I directed my gaze towards the tree in front of us. I'm so uncertain of my feelings, but I know that I don't have any choice.
"Don't worry, Madeline, once I make sure that you are safe to come to the Philippines. I will call you; I promise." Miss Celestine assured and offered, which made me feel relieved. I know that I should be thankful for her because of this opportunity that she has given to me, given the fact that I came unannounced.
"Thank you, Miss Celestine, I will look forward to that. But there is one thing that I am worried about. What if, alongside going out with our employer, I will meet with the family that I was sold to? You see that family is very influential as well, and I don't have two doubts that they might cross paths or they already have a cooperation, who knows?"
I finally expressed my honest worries.
"Oh, speaking about that. Sir, ask me the details about you as to where you rushed to me here and I had no choice but to be honest with him. Look, I didn't want to offend him because we are asking for a favor, right? So, my only option when we were having a conversation was to be honest with him and, you know, I'm so grateful because he didn't make a comment about it and just said that he will take care of everything as long as I convince you to serve him as his caregiver." Only when I heard Miss Celestine explain that I understood why he seemed to not ask a lot of things about me when we were conversing.
"Oh, so that explains that he didn't ask me any more details about my personality." I sighed.
"Just be patient with our boss. You will be in good hands." The gardener assured me. It was only then that I realized to ask his name. This is my very first time meeting him. Maybe he was just employed a year ago or later.
"By the way, we keep on talking here, but I don't know how to call you yet. I am sure that you already know my name by just how miss listing keeps on dictating it." I politely smiled. Astronauts offend him. I really meant wanting to know his name so that I could address him properly.
"Well, yeah, just call me Jack. I am a Latino and that must be very obvious." He introduced. He was right. He looks like one. But of course, I don't want to assume it's better to ask if he was the one who dictated it.
"OK. Nice meeting you, Jack. Thank you for being so welcoming. I am looking forward to working with you in this mansion."
"Of course. Of course. Nice meeting you too, Madeline. Don't hesitate to look for me if you need anything, most especially that Miss Celestine is leaving tomorrow."
I was surprised to hear from Jack that Miss Celestine is leaving as early as tomorrow.
"Oh, that soon?" I suddenly felt sad. Although I know that she had to leave because that was her excuse to our employer, I didn't expect it to be too soon.
"Hey, don't think that I am abandoning you. I offered to our boss that I will stay here for a week to guide you, but he told me that I can leave as early as tomorrow because he will be the one to take good care of everything, especially making you familiar with the things that you have to do when he is around. Even I myself wondered about that kind of offer from our boss, but of course I couldn't disagree with him, so I just nodded."
Miss Celestine's words surprised me. Really, there was that kind of conversation?
"Oh, I didn't know that everything was well prepared when I was on the boss' side."
I broke down and laughed. I didn't know what I was laughing at, but I just felt like laughing until I teared up feeling sorry for myself about what was happening to me.
I really couldn't believe how things suddenly flipped for me!
Early in the next morning, Miss Celestine was already pulling her luggage out of the maid's quarter. I intentionally woke up early to meet with her because I know that she is living at dawn. If I am to be asked, I would prefer the maid's quarters to stay, but I couldn't be the one to choose because I was instructed to stay in the bedroom beside our employer's bedroom.
"Have a safe trip. Give in touch with me please." I hugged her. It was my only way of sending her my message of gratitude. Thanks, that there are still distant friends like her because if she wasn't here, I really didn't know what to do. Or maybe I am already in that same room right now where the big boss sent me last time.
"Yes, I promise that. You take good care of yourself here, Madeline. I will see you in five months, but if something unexpected comes up, just ping me. I will always be welcoming to you in my home country."
"What are you two talking about? Isn't it time to leave already, Celestine? The plane wouldn't wait for you if you get late and I am not paying for another plane ticket for you."
The arrogant, familiar voice was heard again, and this time I'm no longer scared, but irritated. How could he stop even a short conversation between friends? Is that how cruel he is?!