The It Group

Lopez Residence. 8:15 P.M.

Lopez Residence.

              Tuesday, August 14. 8:15 P.M.

Ashley walks out of her bathroom wearing a blue tank top - with her name written in blue letters inside of a purple oval that goes down to the end of her top vertically - purple leggings and her hair is swept to the side in a French braid.

Ashley's bare feet stop once they make contact with the black carpet as someone knocks on the door. "Come in." Her maid and guardian, Andréa Cites, a Jamaican-born woman with a curvy figure, chocolate skin and hair that comes to her chin walks in. Her dark eyes narrow as she searches for Ashley in the dim lightening of the room. With a sigh, Ashley claps her hands twice and the lights come on to their full capacities, which forces both women to blink a few times to adjust. "Yes Andréa?"

"Dinner is served." The maid responds causing Ashley to eye the intercom on the wall behind her, rolling her eyes and turning to face her guardian. Andréa hates technology. She refuses to communicate with Ashley through the intercom, not for lack of knowing how to use it, but because she feels that's just being lazy. She also refuses to take the elevator and hates when Ashley uses it, saying "that is why Americans are so lazy, they do not have to move an inch anymore. Everything is done for them."

Ashley stretches out as she walks towards the side of her king size bed, which is placed in the middle of her room. She bends down to flip her fluffy slippers around before slipping her feet in and walking to Andréa. She whips an arm around Andréa's elbow and they both walk out of the room together, closing the door behind them.

Ashley stares longingly at the door across from hers belonging to her twin brother, Alex Lopez. With a sigh, she and Andréa head to the staircase and walk down the stairs, even though Ashley would rather take the elevator.

At the bottom, a passageway right across from them leads to the foyer, with a hall dividing the two rooms. A family portrait that was taken when Ashley was ten years old is right above the fireplace in the foyer. Ashley and Andréa take a left into the hallway between the foyer and the room the stairs are in. They walk pass the dining room and enter the kitchen, which is right after it.

Ashley lets go of Andréa's arm and goes to sit at the white table on the right side of the room. Robert, her chauffeur, is already sitting at the head of the table. Andréa sits across from Ashley and once she sits, Robert bring his hands forward. The women mimic his movement until they are all holding hands. "Dear Father." Robert begins praying. "I pray over the food set on this table. I pray that You bless it Father. And that You don't let it cause us any harm. I pray Father, that You bless the hands that made this food and the people that are going to eat it. I also pray for this household Lord, that You bless it and do not let anyone walk through those doors if they mean any harm. I ask Father-" Ashley sighs, mentally rolling her eyes. "That You bless those that barely have anything and those that are building up Your kingdom on Earth. All this I pray in Jesus name, Amen."

"Amen." Ashley and Andréa say in unison.

"I heard that sigh young lady." Robert's blue eyes narrow at Ashley as Andréa begins to serve the food.

"Sorry." Ashley mumbles. "But you did make that prayer way too long."

"A prayer is never long enough." Robert replies, taking his plate from Andréa.

"Whatever." Ashley grabs a fried cheese and begins to eat it while Andréa serves her the mangú.

"Your parents called." Andréa tells Ashley as she places the last bit of the smashed plantains on Ashley's plate.