Across the Years (Beymani)

Chapter Thirteen: Not In Our Stars

Beyoncé's POV

While Normani and her father enjoyed their breakfast, a simple porridge was prepared for the other guests at the inn. I delivered the meals, then assisted in clearing the table after Normani and her father were done eating. Once that task was complete, Thomas, the cook, prepared a hearty breakfast for us. It consisted of eggs, bacon, toast, and milk freshly squeezed from a cow just a few hours earlier. The milk tasted a bit different than I was used to, but I was thirsty and I didn't mind. Surprisingly, all the food was good.

My new coworkers and I all sat down in the staff's kitchen as we ate. Being the newcomer, they asked me a lot of questions about my life in America, as well all the battles my father had taught during the Civil War. As rehearsed, I stuck to my cover story and did my best to not trip over my lies.

Following our meal, Emily was assigned to clean the dishes and the kitchen while Mrs. Clark took me to assist with various other household duties. I could only wonder what she would have me do first.

From a closet, Mrs. Clark retrieved a greenish ceramic pot with a lid and handed it to me.

"Your initial task will be to empty the chamber pots. If you're not familiar with them, take this and empty the contents from Mr. Hamilton and Miss Normani's bedrooms. Once you take the chamber pots into the privy outside, you'll find some soap in the downstairs closet to thoroughly clean the chamber pots and the slop bucket. Once cleaned and dried, the pots should be placed back under the beds. When you're finished with that, you may assist me in changing the linens."

Chamber pots? Seriously? I've traveled back more than a hundred years to save the love of my life, and of course my first task for the girl of my dreams was to clean up her waste. It took every bit of acting skill I had not to visibly cringe at the thought.

I simply bowed my head, grabbed the slop bucket, and set off to work. Heading upstairs, I first went to Mr. Hamilton's room and found the white ceramic chamber pot under the bed. Pulling it out, I couldn't help but gag as I saw that it had clearly been used.

"So, Beyoncé, how did you spend your summer vacation?" I muttered to myself as I emptied the vessel. "Oh, I took it easy. Just cleaned up buckets of shit, no big deal," I mused sarcastically.

Next was Normani's room, and I felt quite different as I entered. Though I had a perfect reason to be there, I felt like an intruder standing in the middle of her bedroom. Mrs. Clark had informed me that Normani had gone riding this morning and wouldn't be back until lunch, so I wouldn't have to worry about an awkward run-in.

The first thing I noticed was the faint scent of wildflowers. I could see a bunch of them in a vase by her bed. Moreover, the room itself featured a large four-poster bed, an antique dresser, and a vanity table with a chair. At the foot of the bed was a large trunk and a small bookcase in the corner.

I felt an odd thrill as I walked to her dresser to observe the belongings she neatly laid out. I picked up a comb; it was the very same comb that, in present day, I would find a single strand of her hair on. It looked much newer and had much more hair caught in it than when I first saw it. It felt so strange to be holding it again, knowing that it was in its rightful place.

A few moments later, I quickly snapped out of my reverie as I realized that messing around in Normani's room would not be a good idea. So, I retrieved the chamber pot and did my duty despite how gross it was.

When I finished the rather unpleasant job of emptying and cleaning the shit and piss buckets, I helped Mrs. Clark change the linens and scrubbed the pantry floor. After that, I polished the silver. In this household, there was always something to do and always something that needed cleaning. I never really had much of a moment to stand still.