An Innocent Mistake (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 20

Next afternoon, I can't miss the pumped up spirit of Ragenite standing like she would dash out of the house at any time. Knowing the reason isn't enough to erase my confusion, but I am instead surprised to witness the course of revolution occurring in her attitude and behavior. Her extra kindness seems unsatisfying. It is the temporary coating that even the silver-ness shines from her.
"Hurry, hurry, Bethany. We don't have a second to waste," she says, running here and there to clean the immaculate well set house. It has become her habit that if there is anything out of order or not, just touching over it satisfies her energetic soul. Either the body is capable of affording the cost.
"Where are we going?" I ask in chaotic, bustling moment.
"You silly girl. This is not time to kid around. We are going to lady Clara's house to inform for babysitting. Not a hard thing to remember."
I am not that aware that she would kick up in hurry, enthused to jam up on this. The smile and avarice eyes are well self-explanatory last night if I have paid enough attention. She meant yes in that way.
Standing in the midst of the staircase, I appear like a stiff figure in a icy cold environment. Except I am feeling a different cold from the way she is acting. I can't somehow gulp down my throat.
"But I thought you said no, even to that lady." I say.
"You mean Lady Clara to be respectful. I had once, but it doesn't mean anything." She declare.
I nod even though Ragenite has started looking somewhere else.
Sniffling in the stuffed nose, I turn around to head back to the room. Two pair of my clothes deserve to be in laundered which I have earlier realized that there isn't any washing machine. The house runs in a old-fashioned style. Ragenite would whip the dirt out of clothes as it is deep soaks in water and powder detergent. Giving it a few good wash and wringing it to get rid off the water she hangs out at the back of the house. There she has two tight strings that are tied to the post on each side and often clothes would be hanging up there, pegged on the windy days.
The only one I prefer to wear for a good repetition was my crimson outfit with jet black capri bottom. It would suit me like a young, jolly girl, who likes to be surrounded by lovable people.
As I would twirl in a girlish excitement sticking the outfit against my body, I drop in discovering that walls are naked. They aren't accustomed to mirrors or aesthetic furnitures. Instead I feel being mocked by them. Later I swiftly jump into my new clothes and brushed my hair neatly. I watch my hair swing in the bathroom mirror in a sleek wavy shape, giving it a pretty, stylish look.
I don't realized that I am taking too much time when a knock strikes at the door, a pleasant invitation for me to get out. It maddens me when Ragenite's knock scratches my dainty smile, flipping it into a scorning frown. At the moment I desire to misbehave and teach her my rules with the point of my finger.
Opening the door, Ragenite scans my dressing from head to toe and deflates a sigh. "Now let's go." I know there is more to say than what she has brought to her tongue.

We trot down few blocks and Ragenite somehow begins to look puzzled. She halts in her following steps and in an arching brow she tips the chin with the finger and demurely turns around in utter confusion, like she was dropped in an unfamiliar state.
"Is this the place? I kindly don't remember it." Ragenite say. "I see the same houses."
"What if we just go and get some ideas from these front yards, it can tell you which one you worked at."
"Good idea." She exclaim.
We walk down few more blocks which arouses the exhaustion in my legs. The way begins to seem longer than yesterday. Looking at the front yards I wish that this is it and no more to walk. Even Ragenite beside me, over arches holding her knees to move. Her limps lax and the thudding of her heart is visible through her fragile chest.
"I believe we have come far. This isn't looking familiar to me." She plans to take a turn and I am about too that I see the house across the street, while we stand at the turning block. I see the navy blue sloping roof and white posts propping it.
"Ragenite, wait. I think I found that house over there." I call out merrily.
She sees and plants her footsteps towards it." Yes. Yes. We found it. Let's go. Hurry, hurry." She shoves me forward by pressuring her palms on my back.
As we reach the house, wound to a short distance. Ragenite keeps whispering me to talk straight about babysitting and not about any silly things.
The door flings open and Lady Clara is the first one to see us. She seems less eager. But stresses a smile for a good welcome.
"Hey, Bethany. It's you. What's up?" Lady Clara says in a dull version.
And Ragenite has started poking me in the back, not showing herself as a roof of an adult but hides behind me. I wonder if lady Clara has even noticed her.
"Hi, Lady Clara. I'm fine. How are you?" I balk.
"Fine, fine. You are here alone?"
What do I do? I think to myself. This would be embarrassing if Ragenite shows after a while. What impression would it bring on us.
"Oh, no, Ragenite is here." I move to divulge her. "I would never come alone."
Ragenite is placed in an awkward position. Her nervous face looks for a better expression to display but is far lost. It is a surprise if anything good pops out of her. She drops the dress from her grasp and it slides down like the stage curtains during the intermission scene.
"How are you, madam?" She possesses regret of her actions which I can easily point out, when the dubious grin trembles in its curve. Like she halts for choosing that to her best ability.
In return, Lady Clara nods without a hiss.
With the hand that is still invisible to Lady Clara, Ragenite pinches me to signal for the main talk. I quietly cry in tiny pain.
I clear my throat and spoke. "Um, Lady Clara you remember about coming over for Cole? I am willing to babysit him. Even though I am so little." I turn and gives a mocking glance to Ragenite. The blankness in her eyes blinks at me and I abandon looking at her.
"Wow. That's a great news. Am I supposed to believe this." The charm and merriment has bought back illuminating her new born expressions. "You don't know how much Cole would be happy to know that you are gonna be coming over almost every other day. And most of the time I am out and Cole is against Hannah. You know siblings fight."
"I am even excited to come over." I say.
"I'm sorry I have forgot to call you inside. Will you not mind stepping in?"
"Of course we would not mind but we have somewhere to go. Sorry." Ragenite randomly interrupts at least I don't have anticipated her to speak. And overall she lies.
"Alright no problem at all." Lady Clara says amiably. Today she wears a different color shirt; dark brown, which doesn't seem bad at all on her. Instead it gives her elegant grace with the beige collared shirt and a paisley floral headband.
"By the way how much are you gonna charge per hour? " she asks without becoming hesitant.
"That. I am not sure." I say.
Ragenite pulls me to one corner off the doorsteps and murmurs. "Charge thirty dollars. Believe me it's the best." Thumping the opinion on my hand. But I am not satisfied. That somehow sounds a lot to me and also selfish.
"No I don't think so." I whisper back. "That's a lot. I think twenty dollar is the best."
"You are disobeying me now, why won't you stick with the price I told you?"
"Because that sounds too high and Lady Clara might lower the price for just a little kid. You are not thinking."
I face off her and go up to Lady Clara to tell her that I am charging twenty dollars. I can see how much relieved she feels that I demand low.
But it sure maddens Ragenite, something I am already aware of. Now I am slowly starting to understand that she wants people to follow her made up rules that kicks everyone in their faces if a word of their opinion is muttered out. Nonetheless I do what makes me happy. That not much favors her. But sometimes she would win over.
🔸
Most of the time when I eye up to her, the flare of anger fills her eyes. As she starts looking at me from her work, I shift my sight away. She is peeling potatoes and dicing onions. I smelled what she was about to cook but the actual cooking aroma hadn't begin to emanate yet. She was just preparing the vegetables.
"Go hang some clothes in the back."
"Where are they? Which ones?" I rose from my chair, rocking little away for the space to bring my leg out.
"They are in the bathroom in the red bucket. Be careful it's kind of heavy."
"Okay."
I went and spotted the red bucket by the white-washed tub and struggled to carry it outside. When she said it was heavy. She really meant it.
Bringing it outside in a small spaces background, I launched a sigh dropping it on the floor. The day was at its peak of sunshine and the wind fluttered blowing my hair. I tucked the bangs back behind the ear and fished out a long dress of Ragenite, heavily soaked. I squeezed it to drain out the water and hung high on the line. The sun affected so much in my eyes that I could barely see where my hand was reaching.
Another gust of wind swiftly blew and I bothered the bangs tickling the forehead to sweep them back where I had fixed them before. Then pulled out a light handkerchief and clipped it with the clothes pin because it was small enough to blow away.
Lastly, a silk triangle scarf was lying the empty bucket, floating in the water which upon picking wasn't bad. And hung that too with the clothespin. The rest in the bucket was water. I spilled on the grass, happy that it wasn't being wasted. Some living thing was drinking it and probably thanking me.
I then went inside and saw the table empty. Ragenite must have gone to the kitchen. But there were still some onion husks scattered on the floor. By the soft pressure of wind they stepped away from the table area. I went and picked them and dumped them in the garbage bag outside the kitchen.
A waft of smell drove by and I pleasantly sniffed in. I couldn't figure what was she cooking. I cocked my head in the entrance and again smelt. It sure did smell delicious and would eventually taste even better.
When Ragenite motioned I pulled my head out and before I would be caught sneaking up on her I chased to the bathroom to drop the bucket.
I wondered if Ragenite would command me to wash dishes. It wasn't that I looked forward to it but in fact hanging clothes for drying was better. Not much work and no groaning.