At four o'clock into the evening,
Vivian opened the door to the Page mansion and walked in. She wore a pair of cosy red slippers, red high-waist skinny jeans, and white camisole top. Coupled with her straight long caramel hair which fell effortlessly over her shoulders, her amber eyes, and her figure which was abnormal for someone who had just given birth not long ago, she looked like a respectable but laid back woman. Her warm-ivory skin also matched well with her choice of clothes.
Holding her red blazer in one hand, and a pastry bag in the other, she walked into the house with a frown. It was clear she was stressed out and wasn't looking forward to returning to her three kids.
However, she stood at the corridor and didn't walk further
"Why is the house so quiet?" Vivian mumbled as she gently set down the pastry bag on a nearby table. Usually, around this time the butlers and maids would be running around the house trying to control the maddening Page twins. She was still lost in thought, when Butler Frank walked out from the kitchen
"Madam, welcome home" Butler Frank greeted and she greeted him back
"What going on here?" Vivian asked "Why's the house so quiet?"
"Well, Miss Maria is teaching the young master and mistress, fourth grade science....they're too concentrated to disturb anyone" said Butler Frank
"Maria's here?" Vivian exclaimed as she almost dropped her blazer "When did she arrive?"
"Master Mark dropped her off at noon....he wanted to surprise you and the kids" Butler Frank said and paused before adding "She seems to have taken over the role as the kids' nanny"
Vivian didn't say anything as she picked up the pastry bag and walked towards the living area.
As soon as she entered inside the living room, the twins had just finished solving an equation.
"Done" they both said in unison
Maria picked up their notebooks and compared their equations to the one she had already solved. Her legs were crossed and she had a serious expression on her face as she read through their work. She looked like a school teacher but to Vivian, she had seen a splitting image of Mark.
"Well-done" Maria said while nodding "You two only missed it by two points but at least, from your workings, it's clear you paid attention" she said while giving the twins a high five.
Dan turned his head to the side and spotted Vivian so he nudged Cia
"Welcome back, mum" the twins said in unison and Maria looked at the door before abruptly standing up and bowing her head slightly
"Welcome back, Mrs Vivian" Maria said as Vivian fully entered inside
"You don't have to call me that....it makes me feel old" Vivian said while trying to wave it off "It seems like I've had to trouble you again"
Maria stood straight and shook her head "You haven't troubled me. In fact, having to run around doing three jobs was more stressful" she said "I finally have one stable job. And it's even something I love doing"
"You've really helped a lot" Vivian said "If you need anything, don't feel shy to ask"
"Thank you. I...." before Maria could finish what she was saying, Vivian hugged her
"Just call me Vivian.... no Mrs" Vivian said before pulling away
"Since you're home now, I'll be on my way...Vivian" Maria said while she picked up her things and dashed towards the door "Goodbye everyone"
"Bye" the rest said as they heard the entrance door open and shut
"Where was she off to in such a hurry?" Vivian said "She didn't even get to taste my pastries"
"She said, she's meeting with a friend" Cia said while she and Dan packed up their notebooks and headed for the stairs
Once they were gone, Vivian opened her right hand and a couple of strands of hair were in her grasp. She dumped her blazer on the sofa and fished her phone out before calling someone.
She spoke on the phone in a foreign language and when she was done, she stared at the strand on hair in her hand
'Mark, you've been acting strange ever since Maria arrived' Vivian thought before bringing a plastic bag out from her blazer's pocket 'And that case file, I'm sure it had something to do with her' she placed the hair into the bag, and put it back in her pocket before taking a donut out from the pastry bag and biting down on it 'Mark, who exactly is Maria to you? And what are you hiding from me and her?'
******
Maria had already spent ten minutes talking to Vivian and it took time to walk from the Page mansion to the black and gold gates. By the time she had managed to hail a taxi, it was already four twenty.
As soon as she got into the taxi, she ordered the driver to take her back to New York City's Là Cafe. It was going to take more than an hour this time to get there; due to the traffic jam. So, when the driver pulled up in front of the café, it was already five thirty.
"Thank you very much" Maria said as she got out of the car and paid the driver before walking into Là Cafe.
The bell at the door chimed which signalled the entry of another customer. Maria looked around and noticed that people were still eating and drinking despite it almost being closing time.
A young man walked up to Maria. He was dressed in the café's uniform and was staring at Maria for a long while without saying anything. It was quiet clear that he was a teenager and also new to the business.
"Can I have your phone number?" the man asked before shutting his mouth "Sorry about that. I meant to ask something else....I didn't mean to...."
"Just stop talking, kid" Helen said from behind the man as she used a menu to whack the back of his head before turning to Maria and smiling "Damn girl, you look hot"
"Thanks, Helen" Maria said
"Come with me" Helen said as she walked off while pulling Maria with her over to the counter stool. She walked behind the counter and brewd two cups of coffee. She dropped one in front of Maria and took the other. She reached down below and cutout two slices of shepherd's pie and put them in two different plates with forks.
"Mm" Maria hummed as she inhaled the delicious smell of the shepherd's pie "Wow. Who made this?" she asked as she picked up a fork and took a bite from the pie
Helen walked around the counter and sat on the stool beside Maria "Remember that neighbor who claimed her children loved you more than her?" she asked as she also took a bite out of the pie
Maria drank some of the coffee "You mean Annalise?" she asked while eating and Helen nodded
"It turns out she quit her former job and opened a bakery at a business center in New York City" Helen said while holding the coffee cup in one hand "She's also dating the manager here. But he still pays for her pies" she chuckled
"Her former job was at a company's food and nutrition department. It was so demanding, she never had time for her children" Maria said while playing with her fork "Plus, she's also a single mother. It's a good thing she quit. It's a seven to nine job and she'd been working like that for nine years"
"I would have gone mad and quit after two years of work" Helen said with a chuckle as she took another bite of her pie
"Liar" Maria said flatly "You and I have worked three jobs everyday from nine in the morning to eleven at night, for the passed eight years. Compared to Miss Annalise's former job, ours takes the the cake" she took a bit out of the pie and drank her coffee
"Alright, alright. Forget about it" Helen said immediately "So, how did everything go? I know these aren't the clothes you wore when you left the apartment today. So come on, share some gossip"
"Calm down, okay?" Maria said as she took the last bite from her pie and finished her coffee. She licked her lips before saying "So, what would you like to know?"
"E-very-thing" Helen said as she stacked her plate on top of Maria's before dropping the mugs on the stacked plates
"Well, I got the job" Maria said with her hand on her chin "Mark surprisingly kidnapped me and took me to a boutique. I don't know how much any of the things he bought for me, costs. But he sure does have an expandable budget" she said "I almost got into an argument with him...well, we did get into an argument but it was solved very quickly"
"Yikes" Helen let out "He probably received a thorough scolding from you"
"Yeah. And I feel ashamed. He's such a nice guy and Vivian is quite the lucky woman" Maria said
"You jealous?"
"Their family sort of reminds me of everything and everyone I've lost. Naturally, I'd be jealous....and I am"
"Did anything else happen? You came back so early....unlike last time"
"Vivian finished from work early and I made sure I tired the kids out enough. So they won't have the strength to disturb their parents"
"That's so nice of you"
"Oh. I just remembered something" Maria said as she reached into the pocket of her blue hot pants and pulled out some keys
"He got you a car?"
"Nope" Maria said "He got me a house in Mill Neck because it's close to his mansion"
"So, you're moving out?"
"I'm not moving without you" Maria said with a sigh "You're my best friend and you're like a sister to me. You've always been with me ever since my parents died....Will you live with me, again?"
Helen grabbed the keys and smiled "Sure. I hate paying rent, too" she said and the two laughed
"When are you getting off from work?" Maria asked
"Right now" Helen said as she got up from the stool and looked at the young man "Hey kid" she called out and the man looked at her with a blush on his face
"Yes, ma'am?"
"You're gonna have to clean up the whole store, wash the dishes and pay for me and Maria's meal. I'm closing up early" Helen said as she undid her tied up hair and loosened her apron
"What?" the man exclaimed
"I've got something important to do with my friend" Helen explained "You probably won't see me until next week Monday"
"Oh. Okay" the man said as he saw Helen drag Maria with her and left the café. The man looked around and saw that everyone had finished their meal and was exiting the café. Plates were on every table along with cups and cutlery, and a few used napkins. The man sighed "I just started today and she's already punishing me" he grumbled
******
The two women didn't enter a taxi and instead took a walk towards their apartment. Getting a cheap apartment in the safe district of New York City, was really hard. So they had to settle for the medium district which was neither safe nor dangerous, with a rent of one thousand, seven hundred and sixty dollars. With their wages, and having to pay that same rent every month, there wasn't really much left to go around.
Helen opened their room door and walked in with Maria. As soon as she turned the lights on, she met the whole living room in disaster
"Those damn bastards living upstairs broke in, again" Helen shouted "I'm gonna kill them" she walked towards the fridge and opened it
"Just leave it" Maria said "Let's just pack up our stuff and leave"
"They stole the leftover lasagna, the leftover casserole and...." Helen pulled out an empty tube cup "....my favorite tube of yoghurt"
"We'll just meet with management, return the house key, and leave" Maria said
"What of our stuff?" Helen asked with a frown "We both spent a lot of money. And this isn't the first time it's happening"
"We just need to hold on longer" Maria said "Don't be too rash"
"I know" Helen said as she shut the fridge "But we need to at least, pack what's of value to us" she said before kicking away some trash and heading to her room
Maria sighed before noticing a framed picture on the table. It was a picture of her and Helen during the new year's celebration.
She picked up the picture and smiled
"This is definitely coming with us" Maria mumbled as she walked towards her room with the picture
They spent about thirty minutes packing up what they needed and both met back in the living room. They looked at each other's stuff and didn't say a work as they both walked out of the room and took the stairs.
Helen sat outside the building with her luggage while Maria spoke to management. As soon as Maria came out, they hailed a car and drove straight to Mill Neck.
Helen had an unfathomable expression as she stood in front of the duplex right next to Maria. The whole time, she had been staring at her phone but as soon as she looked up, her eyes were glued.
"Maria, this is a freaking tiny mansion" Helen said
"Well, that's Mark for you"
"I'm heading inside" Helen said as she reached into her pocket and took out the house key. She had been with the key ever since the café. "Oh, I have so got to explore this place" she said while rushing to the door with a book under one arm and the key in the other. She put the key in and twisted it before kicking the door open.
Maria stood to the side and shook her head before walking into the house with the rest of their stuff, and shutting the door.
******
After Helen finished exploring the house, she calmly sat down in the living room
"Now, what are we gonna eat?" Helen asked as she saw Maria walk to the deepfreeze and open it
"Seems like Mark cooked dinner" Maria said as she took out some of the dishes from the deepfreeze "There's lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, and....some soup. I've already started warming them up"
"Good. I'll go take a shower in my room" Helen said as she stood up and took the stairs.
******
"Ah" Helen moaned as she sank her body into the bathtub filled with hot water and lavender soap before leaning her head against her shoulder. She sat up a bit and on her chest, the same tattoo Maria had, along with an arrogant '01', was placed a little above her right breast. She frowned when she saw it reflected in the bathroom mirror.
"Glad that nightmare's finally over" Helen mumbled as she relaxed herself and shut her eyes. Without knowing it, she dozed off....
She could see herself running in her sixteen year old body. She was barefooted, and her clothes and hair, were haggard and dirty. She ran on the cold floor with shards of glass littered everywhere as she beckoned for someone to help her. The cuts on her feet made blood to seep from them and leave a trail of blood.
Her body finally gave out and she fell, skidding across the ground. Causing the glasses to be lodged in her skin and cuts to appear on her exposed legs and arms. As though adding to the gloomy atmosphere, it began to pour and she was immediately drenched. The last thing she remembered, was seeing the shoes of a man as he pulled her by her hair, back the way she came from.....
"No" Helen shouted as she looked around. She was still in the bathtub and she hurriedly got out and wrapped a towel around herself before leaving the room. Standing in her bedroom, she noticed the bowl of soup and a bit of lasagna, on a tray, by the nightstand. She walked towards the food and noticed a note on the table.
She picked it up and read it
[You're taking too long in the bathroom. Eat it before it gets cold. I'm heading to bed.
PS there's no need to worry, everything's gonna be just fine - Maria]
"Silly. I'm meant to tell you that" Helen murmured as she said on the bed and although relaxed now, she frowned 'I'll never let that happen to us again'