As Ambrose strolled into his garden, the evening sun casting a warm glow over the lush greenery, he couldn't help but replay the conversation with his friends in his mind. "Take Marcella to Dubai," they had said. But how was he going to make that happen? He wondered, his mind racing with possibilities.
Just then, he spotted James, his loyal butler, and called out to him. "James, my good man, would you kindly inform Marcella that I need a bottle of wine? I'm in the garden, enjoying the evening breeze."
James nodded promptly and disappeared into the house, leaving Ambrose to his thoughts. Meanwhile, Marcella's heart skipped a beat when she heard Ambrose's voice. She had been avoiding him since their last encounter, unsure of how to face him after rebuffing his advances.
But when James delivered Ambrose's message, she knew she couldn't hide forever. With a deep breath, she made her way to the garden, the bottle of wine clutched in her hand. As she approached Ambrose, she kept her eyes cast down, her greeting barely above a whisper. "Good evening, sir."
Ambrose looked up, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart flutter. "Good evening, Marcella," he replied, his voice low and smooth. "Thank you for the wine. You're a lifesaver."
Marcella's nervousness dissipated slightly as she handed him the bottle, their fingers touching briefly in the exchange. "You're welcome, sir," she murmured, her eyes still cast down. Ambrose's gaze lingered on her, his expression unreadable, but his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.
"Hey Marcella, take a seat, would you?" Ambrose asked, his tone friendly but firm.
Marcella hesitated, her eyes darting towards the house. "Sir, I'm in the middle of some chores...I shouldn't be taking a break right now."
Ambrose waved his hand dismissively. "The other maids can handle it, Marcella. I need to talk to you for a minute. Sit down, please."
Marcella slowly lowered herself into the chair, her eyes fixed on Ambrose's face. "So, Marcella, have you done any traveling besides Beverly Hills?" Ambrose asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Marcella shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "No, sir. I've only been here for three months now. Before that, I was in Sinaloa."
Ambrose's eyes lit up with interest. "Sinaloa! I've heard great things about that place. But let me get straight to the point, Marcella. I've got a business trip coming up next Tuesday...to Dubai."
Marcella's eyes widened slightly, her mind racing with why Ambrose was sharing this information with her. "Ok, sir," she replied, her voice cautious.
Ambrose: "And I want you to-"
Marcella: "Oh no, sir, please don't sack me! She exclaimed , please don't let me go!" She begged, her eyes welling up with tears.
Ambrose: "Marcella, calm down! I'm not going to sack you. I just want to tell you that you're going with me to Dubai as my assistant."
Marcella: "Assistant? But sir, I don't understand why me? Why would he choose me from all the maids in this house?"she thought to herself .
"Marcella, I need someone to assist me with various tasks and errands, and I've observed that you're exceptionally skilled and efficient in your work. Your attention to detail and dedication to your duties are truly impressive. I think you would be the perfect companion for my trip to Dubai." Ambrose smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "And of course," he thought to himself, "I have other plans for you, plans that go beyond mere errands and tasks."
Marcella was still reeling from the shock, her mind blank and unable to form a coherent thought. Ambrose dismissed her with a nod, "That's all, Marcella. Get yourself ready, you can go now." She felt like she was in a daze, the words "Dubai" and "assistant" echoing in her mind like a mantra. What did he need an assistant for, anyway? She couldn't wrap her head around it.
The next day, Sunday morning, Marcella woke up with the weight of their conversation still heavy on her mind. She dragged herself to the kitchen to tell Rosella about her day off, but her Rosella noticed something was off. "Marcella, are you okay? What's wrong? You didn't finish dinner last night, and you look like you've lost your last marble," Rosella said, concern etched on her face.
Marcella took a deep breath and spilled everything to Rosella - the Dubai trip, the assistant job, the whole shebang. Rosella's eyes widened in shock, but then a huge grin spread across her face. "Why aren't you excited about this, Marcella? You get to travel, see new places, and assist Mr. Ambrose! This is amazing news! Lighten up, Marcella, you'll be fine! Or are you sad because you'll miss me?" Rosella teased, trying to lift Marcella's spirits.
Marcella couldn't help but crack a small smile at Rosella's enthusiasm. She decided to loosen up a little, letting Rosella's positivity rub off on her. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad after all...
When Marcella arrived home, Beatrice was still fast asleep. But as soon as Marcella entered the room, Beatrice stirred awake, rubbing her eyes. "Hey, girl! I'm so glad you're back!" she exclaimed, noticing Marcella's struggles to muster up a smile. "What's going on? You look like you've lost your last marble."
Marcella sighed, flopping down on the bed. "It's just... everything that happened at the house. Tricha ,one of Ambrose girls was so mean to me, and Ambrose... well, he was being Ambrose." She rolled her eyes. "He wants me to be his assistant in Dubai, can you believe it?"
Beatrice's expression turned sympathetic. "Ugh, I'm so sorry, Marcella. That sounds like a real headache. Do you want to quit the job?"I can get you another,"
Marcella shook her head. "No, I need the money. But thanks for the suggestion."
Beatrice nodded. "Just be careful around Ambrose, okay? He might try to get his way with you. You know how he is."
Marcella nodded, taking her friend's advice to heart. "I will, thanks for looking out for me, Beatrice."
As they chatted, Marcella's thoughts turned to her son, Alejandro.Marcella dialed Isabella's number, her heart swelling with excitement. She couldn't wait to hear her son's voice. After a few rings, Isabella answered, and
Isabella's voice was warm and cheerful as she answered the call. "Marcella! Oh, it's so great to hear from you! How are you doing, my dear?"
Marcella smiled, feeling a surge of love and gratitude for her friend. "I'm doing well, Isabella. Thanks for asking. How about you and Alejandro? How's my little man doing?"
Isabella laughed. "He's growing up so fast, Marcella! He's doing great in school, and he's always talking about you. We miss you so much, but we're managing okay."
Marcella's heart swelled with emotion. "I miss you both too, so much. But I'm glad to hear that everything is going well. And thank you, Isabella, for taking such good care of my son. I don't know what I would do without you."
Isabella's tone was sincere. "You don't have to thank me, Marcella. I'm just happy to be able to help. And speaking of which, thank you so much for the money you sent over. It was a huge help, and we really appreciate it."
Marcella waved her hand, even though Isabella couldn't see her. "Oh, it was nothing, Isabella. I just want to make sure you and Alejandro are taken care of. But how is he really doing? What's he into these days?"and Isabella quickly called Alejandro
"Hey, Alejandro! Come quick, your mama is on the phone!" Isabella called out, her voice filled with excitement.
Alejandro's footsteps echoed in the background as he eagerly made his way to the phone. "Mama! Mama!" he exclaimed, his little voice bursting with enthusiasm.
Isabella chuckled and handed the phone over to him. "Here you go, kiddo. Your mama wants to talk to you."
"Hey, mama!" Alejandro's cheerful voice filled the line, and Marcella's eyes welled up with tears.
"Hey, mi amore! How are you doing? How's school going?" Marcella asked, settling in for a long conversation.
Alejandro chattered excitedly about his classes, his friends, and his latest interests. Marcella listened attentively, asking questions and offering words of encouragement. They talked about everything from his favorite video games to his dreams of becoming a scientist one day.
As they chatted, Marcella felt a pang of sadness. She wished she could be there in person to see her son grow up, to attend his school events and sports games. But she knew that wasn't possible right now, and she was grateful for the technology that allowed them to stay connected despite the distance.
After a while, Isabella chimed in, updating Marcella on Alejandro's daily life and sharing stories about his antics. Marcella laughed and thanked her friend for taking such good care of her son.
The call lasted for over an hour, with Marcella and Alejandro saying their goodbyes only when Beatrice called her for breakfast. Marcella smiled, feeling grateful for the time with her son and for Isabella, "thank you Isabella ,Isabella replied "don't mention Marcella".
"I love you, mama," Alejandro said, his voice filled with affection.
"I love you too, mi amore," Marcella replied, her heart full of joy. "We will be together soon, okay?"
"Okay, mama. Bye for now."
"I love you too, mi amore," Marcella replied, smiling. "Bye for now my love.