Winter (Snow White, No. 2 Modern Prince Series)

Chapter 5 - Warning

I slept peacefully. For the first time since Rex came into my life I had a dreamless sleep. I have no worries and feel protected. Last night, I pretended to be asleep when Daisy came into the bedroom. She adjusted my blanket and kissed my head.

I also had two warm meals yesterday. I can't remember when was the last time I ate proper food. In the last two years, my meals consisted on cold cereal, a sandwich from the cafeteria at ENVY and leftovers from the private chef who cooks for Rex. 

They also gave me dessert. A sinful chocolate pudding thing. Darla laughed when I spilled some on my shirt and sucked it. I couldn't let a drop go to waste. With the amount of cupcakes Rex orders, you would think he would share. He gave me a nasty push once only because I looked at the sweets.

I grab a t-shirt and jeans from my backpack, get dressed and head to the shared bathroom. I sleep on the same floor as Daisy, Dottie and Darla. Doris and Dana sleep on the ground floor, and Daphne and Delia in the adjacent cottage. I can hear their laughter downstairs and it makes me smile.  

I comb my hair, but it is a useless process. I straighten my clothes and try to look my best. Daphne dislikes me already and I don't want to give her extra reasons. As I come out of the bathroom, I see Doris coming up the stairs.

"Good morning," I say.

"Hello, darling! I brought you uniform shirts. See if they fit. Otherwise I will get you some in your size," she hands me five gray polo shirts.

"Thank you. It's kind of you,"

"See you downstairs,"

I head back to the bathroom and try the shirt. It is big for me, even though it is my size. I've lost too much weight in the past two years.

Loud chat and big smiles receive me downstairs. I smell eggs and toast, and my stomach rumbles.

"Don't you look handsome in your uniform!" Dottie says when she sees me.

Daphne huffs and goes back to her newspaper. I guess she has nothing to say this time.

"What will be my tasks today?" I ask. 

"I made a list," Doris places a heaping plate of food in front of me. "As soon as you are done with breakfast, I will show you the place and give you instructions,"

"How old are you Winter?" Darla asks.

"I'm 18 years old,"

"Did you finish high school?" Delia asks.

I look at Daisy.

"It isn't my story to tell, darling," she says.

I tell them about the issue with Rex and social services. They all react with surprise, annoyance and lastly horror when I tell them why I got lost in the woods.

"You need to finish school. I can arrange for a tutor to home-school you,"

I'm shocked to hear the words coming from Daphne. 

"What?" she looks around. "We can't have an illiterate kid running around the premises," 

The ladies burst in laughter. Dana smiles, but no sound comes from her. I haven't heard her talk yet.

I follow Doris outside after breakfast while Daisy takes places behind the reception. The property is much larger than what I imagined. Besides the stables, which are Darla and Dottie's responsibility, they have warehouse for abandoned or sick pets. The inhabitants include guinea pigs, lizards, fish and even a sad-looking snake. 

"We got that one from a college biology lab. A bunch of kids from a school trip pounded on the glass. The poor thing stopped eating. I'm trying to nurse her back to health and at least she ate the mouse she got yesterday," Delia looks at the ugly thing with tenderness.

"Delia enjoys the unusual," Doris chuckles as we head outside. "Dana takes care of the cat pension behind the house. The warehouse used to be the cat pension, but with the dogs next to it, turned out to be a bad idea,"

"Dana doesn't talk much," I say.

"My daughter can't talk at all. She was born that way. If only my Sam could see what a beautiful woman she turned into," she says with sadness.

"Was that your husband?"

"Yes, we ran this place together, and I loved him very much. He left us too soon, but I know he is still here with me," she smiles.

We move to a large building which houses the dog pension. It has ample cages with comfy-looking pillows and food and water dishes. In the outside, it has a pool to keep them fresh during the summer months. I see Daphne between the animals and she looks happy.

"Well, here we are. Daphne? What he should do first?"

Is she leaving me with Daphne?

"I guess the poop in the yard has more urgency. We will move then to clean the cages," Daphne says.  

I get a roll of bags and a grabber and get instructed to pick as much poop as I can from the dog yard. As I head outside it looks like a mine field. I begin my work. It isn't glamorous, but it beats going to ENVY.

After working for a long time, I see that the small concrete terrace is also dirty. I get a pressure hose and spray the whole thing clean.

"What are you doing?"

I startle at Daphne's voice.

"The terrace was dirty. I cleaned it,"

"I can see that, but why?"

"I couldn't leave it like that after cleaning the yard,"

She looks around and my eyes search for any droppings left behind.

"Maybe you are not so rotten. Come inside. We need to clean the cages,"

The dogs head outside and I gather all the pillows and dishes. We hose each cage and scrub it clean. Working with Daphne is not so bad. I would take a million Daphne's before one Rex.

"Well done kid," she pats my shoulder as I fill food dishes. "After lunch, I will make the calls to arrange for a teacher. Don't look at me like that. I know I was rough on you, but I can't help it. My experience with men isn't the best one,"

"What happened?" I whisper.

"I was married and had a son. Things weren't the best in the relationship. He was always working and never had time for me. I met a younger man at a workshop. He gave me attention and made me feel alive. My husband found out when someone told him we were at a restaurant. He asked me to leave the house and had my things packed. I pleaded to my son to come with me, but he only looked at me with hatred. When I arrived to my... lover's house, I found him leaving the building with his girlfriend. He denied knowing me and called me crazy in front of the girl. I was a fool. I lost my reputation and worst of all, I lost my son,"

"How old is he?"

"He is 20 years old now. He was sixteen when I got kicked out,"

"And you never spoke to him again?"

"No. I doubt he wants to see me again. Winter, promise us you will be careful. Don't give your heart away as I did. When the right time comes, find a woman who loves you for you, who has time for you and who makes you laugh. Always be kind to people, but keep your distance until you are sure they can be trusted. You already have the experience with Rex, the wolf under the sheep coat. I checked on him, Delia isn't the only one handy with Google. It is business as usual for him with his Instagram selfies. People idolize him when his heart is black. Stay in the premises and you will be safe,"

I nod. I feel sorry for Daphne, but I will show him that men can also be good.