Relover

The Little Things

The insolent sun sips through the windows even though he needed no help to wake up. The alarm clock rang, but it was promptly silenced with a swift swipe of his finger.  Standing up, he closed the curtains, dipping the room into darkness and then walked to the bathroom. His cool gray eyes looked back as the water dripped from his face. Now he was fully awake. 

He tied his Bohemian red silk robe as he descended the old stairs of the manor, the extravagant golden chandelier made the embroidered J.B shine brighter than ever before. As he reached the bottom, he saw one of the maids carrying some towels. 

"Hey!" he yelled for her. 

The woman was startled to hear his voice but begrudgingly turned around to approach him. "Yes, sir?" 

He hesitated and asked, "Has anyone else woken up?"

"No, sir," replied the girl.

"Oh..." He scratched his cheek, his fingers dancing over the prickly traces of a growing beard. "What's for breakfast today?"

The maid looked slightly uncomfortable with his presence but managed to respond, "I don't know, sir. Mrs. Borgia usually tells the chef what to cook."

He tilted his head to the side as he contemplated her answer, "I want to eat a Panamanian breakfast. I have no idea what they eat here."

The girl hesitated, "Could I suggest something?" 

"Please, go," He nodded.

"Hojaldre with stewed sausages is very popular here, sir," she replied. "I eat it almost everyday." 

She smiled slightly as he returned the smile, his expression warm and pleasant. "Then, I'll have that, please," he said. "It sounds delicious."  

"I will go tell the chef, sir," The maid nodded before beginning to walk away, but she didn't get far.

"Wait," The man said as he approached her, "I have something to tell you..." He placed his hands on the pockets of the robe, "You know the first name of Mrs. Borgia?" 

The maid nodded, unsure of where this conversation was leading, "Yes, sir."

He leaned in slightly, his voice soft but steady, "Call her that. Whatever it is."

The maid blinked, clearly taken aback by the unexpected request, "Does she know that...?"

He interjected with a slight chuckle, "If she gets upset or tries to correct you, just tell her it's what Mr. Borgia instructed. Pass the message along to the rest of the staff, please."

"Alright, sir..." The maid walked away, now not so joyous.

The man continued exploring the manor, his keen eyes taking in the grandeur of the sunroom with its gorgeous view of the garden and the distant sit out. The conservatory, with its diverse plant species, piqued his interest as well.

He laid on the couch of the sunroom, staring at the ceiling, when the same maid stepped inside.

"Sir, breakfast is ready," The girl said.

The man sat up without haste, "Has anyone else woken up?"

"Not that I know, sir," The girl shook her head.

"Let's go then..." He mumbled as he left the room, the maid following closely behind. "Do you know if the house has been remodeled?"

"Yes, sir. Mrs.- Leah ordered the renovation of the sunroom and part of the family wing about three years ago," the maid explained. "Quite a lot of items were painted over, mainly in those areas."