Growing Into You (First Draft; Unedited)

xi.

Jayen

“Jayen there you are!” 

We had just stepped out of the shower room when Maj hurried up to us. She was flush and her hair was falling out of place.

“Oh, I’m sorry I was in the shower-”

“Doesn’t matter.” Maj clasped her hands together awkwardly. “The lady wants you to join her for dinner.”

“What?” I stopped in my tracks.

“I know, dear, but she insisted.” Maj tilted her head. “At least you wouldn’t have to eat with Jinan. . .”

I rolled my eyes. “I like eating with you guys. I don’t want to sit across from the lady as she criticizes me again.”

Maj shrugged her shoulders. “I am sick of using my polite voice and mannerisms. I miss it being just us.”

Aoife smiled. “I know I haven’t been here long but I already miss it being just us.”

We laughed and Maj put her hand on Aoife’s shoulder. “It doesn’t metter how long you’ve been here. When we start working here you join the family. .  .unless we don’t like you. So you’ve got nothing to worry about!”

“Wait but why does she want me there?” 

“She told me to tell you that she wants to discuss the garden and landscapes.” Maj smiled. “You better get on up there.”

I nodded and headed down the hallway. When Lord Damon was still alive and well we never dinned with him. He ate completely alone unless he wanted us to wait on him. The maids would spend an hour waiting on him before joining the rest of us for dinner. I’ve never eaten with someone high up. Are my manners ok? Is she going to yell at me? Do old people still care about elbows on the tables? 

My parents were sticklers for manners. I had to be on time and perfect or else I wouldn’t be able to eat with them. Of course they still feed me I just had to eat in my room alone. My parents were a mix of strict and relaxed. I could wander around the village and surrounding forest but I could not be rude in anyway. I didn’t even have to be outwardly rude, even if I just didn’t say hello in the proper tone my parents would be angry. Joshua was free to do whatever he wanted though. He could burn a house down and they’d be okay with it. Well, he would never do that. He was always really polite and gentle.

My heart was racing. I could feel it thumping in my head like a metronome. My hands felt weak- my mother used to tell me that means I had low blood pressure- and I couldn’t walk straight. I was slowly making my way over to the dinning hall door. It was large and went almost all the way to the ceiling. The doors were a heavy dark wood with red designs carved into the wood. 

I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. 

I pushed the door open to a view of a long table. Lady Dupon was sitting at the far end of the table, facing the door. She was drinking from a glass full of a dark purple liquid.  My heart wouldn’t slow down.

“Come.” She motioned to the seat on her right. “Sit down.”

I nodded and walked over to the seat her eyes followed me but she did not move her head. My seat was already set. There was a glass of the same liquid next to a plate of meat. I sat down and kept my head down.

“Do you know why I asked you here?” Lady Dupon swirled the liquid in her cup.

“Maj told me that you wanted to talk to me about the garden.” I met her eyes. She had a cold expression like she was looking through the window at a snow storm; a mix of disappointment and intrigue.