Silent

Chapter 18

We make a quick meal of eggs, toast, sausage, strudel, and berries. It's all fairly easy so I can do most of the cooking while Mr. Dussel, the cook, does his inventory check and explains job details to me. There was never once a time I even needed to speak, I barely had to even shake my head or anything, he just gave me the recipe cards and I took it from there.

There's a lot of time left when I finish so I use it to put a little extra effort into positioning the food on the plates in appetizing and decorative ways. Looking over everything I feel quite proud, it looks good, Mr. Dussel seems pleased also. "You are a very talented young lady, that's for sure; you can follow a recipe like no one I know." He comments gazing across the dishes.

I take that as a huge honor, he's been doing this for years. Although I'm pretty sure he's exaggerating at least a little, I still appreciate it. "You know how to serve?" He asks and I nod, I've seen how it's done many times. For an informal breakfast first drinks are served and then the rest is just brought in to be self-served. 

"That's very good, Ms. Tomskee was lucky to find you." He states. "The dining room is straight through there." He says pointing to a large door. "The table settings are already placed so Mr. Otoroka is probably waiting in there now." He adds, causing me another rush of panic.

I've been dreading this moment. I don't want to even have to be in the same room as him again but unfortunately, I don't really have a choice. I am grateful he didn't fire me, I owe him a ton, It's not that I don't like him, he's done nothing wrong, but I don't think he'll want to be around me either at the moment.

I carefully lift the heavy glass pitcher, filled with cold juice and carry it to the door. Turning the handle, it silently swings open just enough for me to enter through, then I close it back behind me. The room is a large dining hall, a long hardwood table fills the center and chairs carved with intricate designs line it. Tall windows reach up towards the high ceiling and flowing golden curtains fall from the rods. They are all closed blocking out the light almost completely, but still small amounts manage to spill through the sides, barely enough to see by, but still enough.

Sitting at the farthest end of the room, almost invisible in the shadows, is a small motionless figure. I know it's him; I gather the courage and slowly continue walking. I draw nearer and it appears darker on this side of the room but I can still make out his outline as his head slowly turns in my direction. A deathly chill shivers down my spine when the glow reflecting off his eyes suddenly appear staring at me from his position; resting his head in his crossed arms on the table top.

"You're too quiet." I hear a groggy voice in the dark. "I like knowing when someone is standing in the room with me." I don't know what else to do so I set down the pitcher onto the table, intending for it to make a little noise, but the thud is immediately absorbed by the thick table cloth.

"I would ask you to open a curtain, but unfortunately I have a terrible headache, and light only makes it feel worse. Kind of like my head hitting a marble, tiled, floor. Only again, and again, and again..." He fades out in a sarcastic tone before, very slowly, lifting his head and straitening up a little. I hadn't noticed when he was lying down but he's holding a pack of, what used to be ice I'm sure, to his head.

"When you go back into the kitchen, would you mind also bringing me another pack of ice?" He asks in the same quiet and unsteady voice, making me only feel worse, especially since I have no idea how to answer. I just shake my head no meaning I wouldn't mind, although I doubt he can even see.

I just quickly turn on my heels and leave as fast as possible. Getting back into the kitchen Mr. Dussel is gone but there is a note sitting on the counter, it says he had to go out for a few things and that as soon as I served just to leave the dishes in the sink and he would do them when he got back.

I rush around looking for a freezer, which I find three of, in the first one is just meats but in the second after digging around a while I find a few ice packs. They are frozen together but two spoons and a butter knife later, I manage to finally pry them apart. I pick up the porcelain bowl of eggs and carry it and the pack out the door once again. "You're back." He says sounding a little surprised when I am standing right next to him. "You didn't answer so I wasn't sure if I had upset you or something again." He adds in a coarse tone.

He's lying his face pathetically in his arms again, his voice muffled by the fabric of his sleeves. I just ignore the fact that he meant that to be offensive and set the bowl on the table in front of him. Carefully I set the cool pack down by his head and immediately turn to leave again.

I go in and out, arranging the food on the table. I also try to help him serve some onto his plate when i see him struggling. Heseems a little annoyed by it at first but I feel so bad I don't know what elseto do. Every once in a while he just mumbles on about random things, mostly all though end up being kind of insulting and sarcastic, but I still listen. If I could actually see him talking directly to me, I don't think I would have been able to, but I can't.

It takes forever but finally I'm finished. The dishes are in the sink and I'm heading out the door, he's still sitting in the dark dining room alone though. I think he fell asleep when he was done eating because that was about when he stopped talking. Either that or he just got sick of not getting any replies.

Walking down the halls I decide I will try not to think about any of it anymore and just focus on work. I don't see anyone; even the service room is abandoned. I find my task list and read over it, it seems like a lot but I think I can do it. The jobs are all simple like; dusting, sweeping, and mopping.

There are about 9 different rooms that need to be cleaned so I decide to divide the work up, I calculate that I will have about 6 hours for doing my housework today so 40 minutes for each room, I can adjust it as I go because then I'll know which rooms take the longest.

Of course usually I will have 7 hours because I got a late start but I think my goal will still be the same, so that the extra hour can be used for just in case I need more time for cleaning or I have a lot of extra tasks that certain day. Sounds like a plan to me.

I finish working it all out in my head and immediately get started. I have two and a half hours before lunch so I will finish the first two rooms and get started on the third before taking my break.

It's easy enough; it is hard work but not too tiring, and definitely a lot less stressful than running or even working with people who run a business. The only thing I was worried about was being around other people and finding everything, but I didn't even have to be, neither were a problem. Everything has been quiet so far and with the map I don't get lost even once.

It looks like the whole downstairs has recently been fully stocked, almost every closet you look in there are brand new mops brooms and other cleaning supplies which makes everything go even faster.

I don't know how important the Otoroka Family is in business or social standing but I think they must not be as prominent as I was expecting because this household is just so much more laid back and not at all as over protective as the Soto Estate.

There you could rarely ever find a room unoccupied by a guard, butler, or maid, especially in the downstairs, and we've never had any less than 4 downstairs maids at one time. It's comforting to know it won't be the same here, although I know it will be a little different when Ms. Otoroka returns along with all of the butlers.

I actually have enough time to finish all three rooms before break and I'm pretty happy with how they all look too. I'm not sure where to go or what to do now though. I put all of the supplies back into the closet and walk out from the living room I was just cleaning.

The only thing I think will take a while on the list is the library and I have an extra ten minutes already so maybe by the time I get to that room I'll have a lot more.

I walk back down the hall quietly admiring their large paintings and artwork as I go. I get to a portrait of Mr. Otoroka. It looks just like him. His cold blue eyes look like their staring right through me. I can barely stand to look at it, I want to cry again, things are not going well. I can't see how this will possible get any better any time soon either.

I, slowly, walk down the hall to the staff lounge and brace myself for a crowded room before opening the door.