They passed the exclusively spacious living room that was finely designed and arrived at Rodriguez room after climbing a small flight of stairs. Juanita pulled the door knob and it gave way instantly into the room, they entered and Juan left to get some other cleaning equipments from the store room.
In her absence, Aurora couldn't help giving the room an observant look.
Although, It's not her first time being in Rodriguez's room but the time she was here, Rodriguez was also present and because of his presence; she was too scared to even hold her head high, needless to say; look around his premises.
The room was simple and contained almost everything she feels a Mafia's room should be occupied with.
Pictures of half naked girls took most of the wall space in which it was posted on, guns and a few other ammunition took a different position on the wall, some wildlife drawings and empty spaces; that looked more like a desert; took a space on a different side of the wall and a withered rose sat differently in a frame.
Aurora's eyes dimmed at the sight of the beautiful and neatly hung frame and what it held. It was placed on the study table, probably as the center of attraction.
It's almost impossible for one to stare at the table without noticing the picture frame and what it contained. She wondered why Rodriguez would have a picture like this. The frame was too beautiful and expensive looking to be holding a withered rose in it.
She ended up shrugging, why should she be surprised by anything a mafia does after all? She averted her gaze from it, her palm clasped on one another and resting on her thigh.
In the middle of her eye-tour, Aurora's gaze subconsciously met with something seated at the far end of the room, very close to the wall.
It was covered but she could tell that whatever it was should be rectangular in shape.
"I'm here!" Juan returned to the living room, handing a cleaning pail to Aurora. "I'll do the mopping, you dust clean the electronics and other items in here that requires cleaning"
"Okay" Aurora nodded, she dragged the cleaning gloves up her palms and took the cleaning sponge from the pail to begin work.
"Rodriguez's room is hardly ever dirty, that's one benefit to anyone with your position" Juan started.
Aurora didn't respond to that as she occupied her mind with doing her part of the task as quickly as she could so they can leave as soon as possible.
"So, tell me Aurora; have you done this kind of work before?" Juan asked again.
"I haven't" Aurora answered.
"Oh, so what made you apply for it? The cash?"
"No, I-I" Aurora moistened her lips with her tongue, lost for words. "I needed a place to stay. I was made to work here in exchange for that" Aurora answered in a simple term.
"Oh, little wonders why Rodriguez gave you that position" Juan said in a supposed mumble and Aurora was about inquiring what she meant when she began talking again, "well my mom worked here for..well, a very very long time and when I rounded off with high school a month ago, I decided to join her here" Juanita elaborated to her.
"Oh" Aurora's lips circled.
"So, what happened to you?. Did you get into an accident?" Juan asked.
"Not exactly. I just had a few hits on the head during an attack that I was escaping from. I passed out and automatically woke up here"
"Aww, that is quite sad! I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I hope you feel much better now?"
"I do. Thanks to Mr Roberto"
"Yeah, everyone loves him around here, he's like the best specialist here" Juan nodded, "so since we're catching up pretty good, can we be buddies?"
Aurora finally glanced at her, she could see the excitement in her eyes as she waited for her response.
"um okay" Aurora replied her.
"Cool!" She beamed, "I'll just call you Rora, is that okay by you?"
Aurora shrugged lightly, "sure" a honest smile curled up on her face just by watching the bubbly girl before her grin in excitement at their newfound friendship.
Aurora could help but feel amazed by her actions and it caused her to wonder why anyone would be so giggly about a thing as 'friendship'
Well, she definitely doesn't know how it works as she haven't had any 'real' friends herself. Her parent were her only friends but there was a little restriction on how they had fun since they weren't in her age group but Aurora didn't exactly mind, her only problem was them not always being available and obstructing her from having a view of the outside world.
She knew they tried their best to be the perfect friends for her and thinking about it now, she realised how ungrateful she has been to them for that. Despite all their efforts, she wanted more and even after they gave it to her, she became even more ungrateful and wanted so much more and that want.. led to their death.
"Do I need to clean that?" Aurora pointed to the rectangular object by the wall that was draped over with thick clothes.
"No, not today" Juan answered her.
Aurora nodded and went on with work. The curiosity in her felt despondent.
When they finished up with the room, Juan returned the equipments to the kitchen and they walked out of the room, heading to their quarters for breakfast.
Their breakfast space was a long flat table set in the midst of the room, chairs were arranged around it and everyone had their own space on the table for their food.
"You should eat up, Rora, we are usually given twenty minutes at most to finish up so we can go serve the bosses their own breakfast" Juan leaned and whispered to her.
"Oh" Aurora moistened her lips, stabbing another piece of the bacon and filling her mouth.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it" Juan assured her with a smile, "it's not very hard, I promise"
Aurora nodded, the stored food in her mouth made it almost impossible for her to talk.
After breakfast, Juan helped her carry her used dishes to the kitchen for washing.
"It's nothing" she responded when Aurora said a word of thanks to her. "And is it not time for you to go to the infirmary for your dosage of medication for the day?" She had asked.
"Oh you're right. I'll be back"
"Inform Madam Paula before you leave" Juan told her.
"I will" Aurora thanked her and scurried off to the where madam Paula was at the doorway of their quarters, dishing out instructions.
"Um madam Paula?"
"Yes dear?" Paula answered her.
"It's almost eight, I need to go to infirmary-
"Oh of course!" Paula cut her off with an immediate nod, "I was informed. You go ahead, I'll have Juan and the others fill in for you"
Aurora thanked her and journeyed off towards the infirmary.
At the door, she placed a solid knock on it.
"Mr Roberto?" She called, knocking again. "It's Aurora"
"Oh come on in, child" he approved her entrance and she walked in.
"Good morning. You're just in time"
"Yeah, I came immediately after breakfast" Aurora told him.
"Come sit, dear" she walked over to the recliner in the room.
Just as he brought some bottles of medicines from his drugs shelf and handed it to her; they heard a rough and continuous coughing coming out from the next room.
"Oh he's awake" Roberto said with a glint of happiness sparking in his eyes, Aurora gave him a questioning look as he moved away from her and began picking stuffs out of his shelf. "Um take two pills each out of those. It should hold you up until evening, I have to go check up on a critical patient"
"Oh sure!"
Roberto left in a hurry and Aurora opened the bottles in her palm, she took two pills each as Roberto instructed and gulped it all in a grimace with a glass of water. She returned the bottles to the table and stood up to leave, just as she pulled the door open; she found him standing right in front of her; probably about to knock since his palm was curled to a fist and raised towards the door.
"Hi?" He flashed her a half smile, "are you the one in charge of the infirmary?"