"She's just mad cos she use to be Rod's acting maid" Juanita informed her.
"Yeah," Lana nodded, a look of mockery on her face, "and it clearly got into her head!"
"Totally!" Toby added with a roll of her eyes.
"Oh dear me! I totally forgot, Aurora. I'll go get the food right away" Paula mentally slapped her forehead at her forgetfulness and scurried out of the room.
The rest of the girls dispersed to their different corner of bed.
"Aurora, did you have an accident?" Juanita asked, not leaving her side or making an attempt to.
"Um..yeah, kinda" she replied.
"Ow! It looks serious. Sorry about that"
"Thanks"
"Anyways, if you need to shower, I can lend you my shower cap, it's waterproof" Juan offered.
"Thank you" Aurora gratefully replied and Juanita stood up.
"When you're done with.. everything, I can brief you on our work times and give you a little tour around, if you want"
"Oh I do. Thanks again" Aurora replied.
"No P" Juan gave her a thumb-up and moved to her bed.
After Paula returned with the food in a tray, Aurora dug into it at once. Even with the prying gaze fixed on her every now and then as she ate, she didn't care until she had eaten to her satisfaction.
Soon, she was done and Paula took the tray out on her insistence.
Returning with a small bag that contained some clothes, she gave them to Aurora and urged her to go freshen up.
"Here you go, Aurora" Juan stretched the waterproof shower cap to her and Aurora took it from her with a smile.
Putting it on carefully, she walked into the bathroom.
Elena marched to the mansion with her brows furrowed and a grimace smearing her face.
At the entrance, she was allowed in on recognition and she stride straight to Rodriguez bedchamber.
At the door, she placed two solid knocks on it; although careful enough not to let her anger affect the knocks and make it seem disturbing.
"Who is it?" Rodriguez's voice rang out.
"Elena" she answered curtly.
"Come in" he allowed and she turned the doorknob to open the door before walking in.
She stood before him as he wrote down on a paper, not sparing her a glance.
"What do you want?" He inquired.
At the sharp tone of his voice, her anger lessened. "The new girl--
"Yes. About her, I was just just about sending for you. Starting today, she takes over your duty as my personal maid"
"What?" Elena grimace deepened, "so, it's true. And when do you plan to tell me about it? You had to wait until her arrival before you did?"
"Elena?" His voice was stern and then, she knew she had subconsciously crossed a line.
"I'm sorry, Rodriguez but I am your personal maid and I am not complaining about the position. I do not want to be replaced" she said sullenly.
"You were not. I told you before that you were just more like a substitute, until I hire someone for that position" he told her, his gaze still plastered on the paper but his hand had stopped moving and the pen now hung loosely in-between two of his fingers.
"But..what if I want to be?"
"You already have a position in this premises, Elena" he said stoically.
"Which you can change. How about you give her my position and let me continue as your personal maid" she suggested.
"No. And I don't want this discussion to go on. I'm not changing that decision"
"Rodriguez.." Elena called sultrily as she touched his shoulder.
"Stop" he told her firmly and she took her hand off immediately. "The new girl isn't exactly a worker like the rest of you. She's not even a member of this territory, she's a stranded girl that begged for a place to live, a roof under her head and in exchange for that shelter, she will be working for here for me. I placed her as my personal maid so I can keep a closer watch and examination on her" he explained. "She's a new intake and I can't just let her move around as she likes. I'm not completely certain about her"
"Oh" Elena mumbled, "I thought as much" a smirk displayed on her face.
"I know you'd never choose her over me"
"Irrespective of what I said, Elena, I expect that you let her carry out all her duties and only assist her since you have experience in this aspect of work. I don't want her making any mistake"
"Of course. You can count on me" Elena nodded, "so, anything else" she asked expectantly, biting her lips seductively.
"No. I want to be alone" he uttered.
"Oh o-okay"
The look wiped from her face and she walked out of his room.
Aurora watched keenly at her reflection as Roberto inspected the open wound on her head.
It was nighttime and before going to bed, she first went to Roberto first for a check-up.
He turned off the small light and shifted himself from her, settling on the stool beside the bed she was lying on.
"Fortunately, the wound is healing just fine, there are no casualties but still you should be extra careful and not do very strenuous work like I earlier said" he advised.
"Thank you" Aurora sat up on the bed.
Roberto took his equipment and began applying some medications on the injury and wrapping her head with a bandage.
"Roberto?" She called, ignoring the slight stinging pain now and then as he wrapped up her wound in the most careful way.
"Yes dear" he answered her.
"I'm scared" she breathed out.
"Scared?" He pulled away from what he was doing to glance at her. "Why would you possibly be scared?" Concern etched his forehead.
"Of..of working for Rodriguez" she said, whispering the name as if he was in the room with them.
Roberto sighed;
"Look dear," he took her palm in his, "I know Rod can be a pretty intimidating person, especially to people like you who doesn't know him too well but he's not as tough as he seems. And since he asked you to work here himself, he would never hurt you" Roberto assured.
Aurora nodded, as much as she wanted to believe that; to wallow in the possibility of Roberto's word and stop herself from harboring fear for her future boss; she couldn't.
"Yeah but..why do I have to work as his personal maid. Do you think he might have a motive for giving me that position?" She asked, fear hanging around her voice.
"Well, considering you're a new person and not known around here, I guess he did that so he can personally watch and inspect you. My boss is very skeptical when it comes to trust, in actual fact; he doesn't believe in trust and he doesn't give a hundred percent dependence on anyone. Roderiguez trusts no one.
I doubt he would harm you, Aurora. Considering the circumstances surrounding his growing up, he's only being cautious" Roberto explained, garrulous.
"I hope I don't die of fear before this inspection ends" Aurora hoped.
"I doubt you will, dear. To be on a safe side, just be yourself and do nothing that will make Rodriguez find you suspicious. Don't act intimidated in his presence even if you are and carry out all of his orders in your best capability. That way, he wouldn't be very focused on you anymore"
"And he will give me a different job?"
"Yeah, he might, it's not very certain but then, his attention will be completely off you. It'll be more like you're not even working for him" Roberto said.
Aurora nodded, her fear subsiding. She just have to follow all of Roberto's advise and in no time, she'll be fine. Having Rodriguez off her back is way better than having him watching and focusing on her in skepticism and curiosity.
She could do it! She hope she will be able to. She could only agree with herself in words and even her words aren't a hundred percent certain, she doubts she would be able to put her self-assuring words into action.
Actions speaks louder after all and Aurora could hardly believe her own capabilities when it comes to Rodriguez.
"Come-on now, my child," Roberto's arm on her shoulder diverted her from her thoughts, "you should go get some sleep now"
"Thank you, Mr Roberto" she nodded, standing up and walking out of the infirmary.