#Chapter5
They left the garden and farther down the compound was a little house, Gina pointed at it, /"Mrs. Paulina said that used to be Mr. Eric's drawing room, but since I came here, I have never been inside./"
/"Why?/" Lilly asked, she could remember she had been there once, Shane had taken her there to meet his father, she still remembers the beautiful bird he was painting when they entered.
/"Mrs. Lockwood keeps it locked up, no one is allowed there I think./"
/"Oh./" They continued walking and Gina kept telling her the do's and dont's of the house while showing her around. They finally ended up in the kitchen which was bustling with activities with a lot of girls doing this and that.
/"Gina, come here immediately and you Lillian join Diane in cutting the vegetables, no time for dilly dallying/" a very fat woman with mixed up gray and black hairs said. She was short and her face was round, wrinkles were visible on her face but one can still see that she must have been a beauty doing her young days.
Lilly looked around and seeing a blonde girl cutting vegetables, she believed her to be Diane so she walked up to her, /"hi./"
The girl looked at her but said nothing, continuing with her work, /"I'm Lillian, it's nice to meet you/" Lilly persisted.
/"I hope I can say the same about you. Now stop talking and start cutting. I wouldn't want Mrs. Paulina shouting at me/" Diane snapped.
/"Oh/" Lilly said nothing anymore and picked up a knife then joined her with slicing the vegetables.
No one said anything except for Mrs. Paulina who was throwing orders around and sizzling sounds of the boiling pots.
In time, some male servants joined in the kitchen to do one or two things. Everybody was busy, minding their own business and doing their jobs. Lilly did a mental count of the maids in the kitchen and they were five, three she already know their names and two she doesn't. She can't find her mom so she believed she must be somewhere else in the house.
The breakfast was finally ready and Gina took out Mrs. Lockwood's food while Martha shared for others. In time, the kitchen was compiled as everyone entered to eat their foods. Abigail entered then with two older women like her, they were the first to be served food along with Paulina before the rest.
As everyone settled to eat, Lilly finally have the chance to count the whole servants. They were all fifteen in total along with her. Five males and ten females. The older ones were her mother, Mrs. Paulina and the two women that entered with her mother, while the younger ones were Gina, Martha, Diane, her and the two she doesn't know their names. No wonder the house is sparkling clean, there are enough servants to do the work.
/"Patience, hurry up and take food to Greg and Gabe/" Paulina's voice rang out.
/"Yes Mrs. Paulina/" a brown haired girl answered.
Oh so that's her name, one down and one to go, Lilly thought.
After the breakfast, they all started to arrange the kitchen. When they were done, they dispersed, each leaving to do one or two things. Lilly entered the living room to memorize every thing better, Mrs. Lockwood already left for work so she doesn't have to be afraid of bumping into her.
She looked up at the staircase, her mind played a vision for her, a boy carrying a younger version of her as they watched his parents having a heated argument. The pain in his eyes when her mother was carrying her away, she sighed, she really wish she could see him again. That's if he can remember her for she is sure she can remember him, she has never forgotten his face after all. His gray eyes that looks upon her with all the gentleness in the world, his black hair just like his father's, his smile that always dazzle her even at such a tender age. Unknowingly, a smile graced her lips.
/"What are you smiling at?/" She heard and turned to face Diane who was staring at her with a frown. Lillian checked in her memory to know if they have met before but no, she got nothing. So why is she hostile towards her? She can't say, therefore she made a mental note to avoid her in the coming future.
/"Just some fun memories/" she shrugged.
/"Which are?/" Diane crossed her arms on her chest and asked.
/"I don't recall ever being told I have to tell you about my memories./"
/"Humph/" Diane harrumphed and walked passed her out of the door.
Wow, some people can be something else, Lilly thought, she looked away from the door to see a girl smiling to her. She is the last maid she doesn't know the name.
/"Don't mind her, she has been like that since I remember, whenever there is a new maid, she makes it her habit to be rude during the first few weeks./"
/"I see, was she rude to you too?/"
/"I was here before her. I have been here since I was fourteen./"
/"How old are you now?/"
/"Nineteen. And you?/"
/"Eighteen./"
The girl smiled and approached her, /"I'm Nora./"
/"Lilly./"
/"I know. So Lilly, why are you here? I have known your mother for a long time and she never spoke of you coming here to join us./"
/"Actually/" Lilly paused, not knowing if she should tell her her reason after just meeting her for the first time.
Nora smiled, /"it's okay, you don't have to tell me now but I hope we can be friends. I have wanted to be your friend for a long time now. I use to see you sometimes when you will come to pick your mom./"
/"Oh. I hope we can be friends too./"
Nora smiled, /"come, let me show you around./"
Lilly wanted to tell her that Gina has done that but hey, there is nothing wrong with another tour, besides it can give them some bonding time. /"Okay./"
They left the living room through the front door, chatting like long lost friends who finally meet again.