Time Is The Key To Everything

Chapter 7: Decorations

Author's note: Cassidy's POV in this chapter.

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I stood before the front door of Paul's giant house. For some reason, my nerves were starting to get the best of me. I had to keep reminding myself it was only December 4th. I had 20 more days until I would finally carry out James' plan and confess my love to Paul. Yet, I was still worried. What if something happened today?

I shook off the thought. I had never been so nervous to see Paul before. We were simply putting up Christmas decorations around the house. I'd be home in a few hours.

I finally rallied up enough courage to knock on the door. Paul opened it almost immediately and told me to come in. I smiled and walked into the house. Sweet scents of cake and tea filled the air.

I took off my long black coat revealing my black, white, and orange dress. Paul offered to take my coat and hung it up on his coat rack.

"Thanks." I smiled at him.

"You're welcome. Thank you for coming over to help me decorate." He laughed.

"No problem. I love decorating." I replied, thinking of my own house.

The outside was mostly plain with a few lights and knickknacks. However, most of the countries would probably have a heart attack if they saw the inside of my house.

There was a tree smack dab in the middle of the house with rainbow lights and various other decorations on it. Other flashy decorative items lined the room in every little place they could fit into.

My maids always had fun decorating with me as well. They hung strings of popcorn and ribbons all around the house.

Basically, during the month of December, the entire interior of the house was an explosion of colors and popcorn. We all found joy in decorating every year and so far every year my boss didn't seem to care.

Paul took my hand, suddenly, and I tried to hide a blush that was about to encase my face in red. He led me quickly up to the attic.

The small room contained tons of dusty boxes. Almost all of the boxes had "decorations" written on them in black marker.

Paul walked over to a corner where all the specific decorations for Christmas were held. I began to follow him towards the boxes when I noticed a duster leaned up against one box in the opposite corner of the room.

I walked over and picked it up. I began to dust off the boxes almost automatically.

Paul must have seen what I was doing because I felt his hand enclose around mine. He slid the duster out of my hand slowly. I watched as it crashed onto the floor.

"Please don't dust them off, my princess. You're not my maid anymore." Paul whispered into my ear from behind.

I turned around and noticed sad look had crossed his face. I sighed and picked the duster back up. I leaned it back against the box where I had originally found it.

Years ago, I had lived under Earl's rule and Paul was my boss. I suppose that was the time when we really fell in love. It was also the time we fought the most. Paul would neglect poor Faizan while I tried to take care of the small boy as if he was my own child.

When only the three of us were left in Paul's large house, we became more of a family. Paul started to care for Faizan and tried to teach me how to play music. I never was able to learn the piano, but eventually learned to play the harp.

Anyway, I'd clean the attic so many times when I was a maid that it was almost instinctive. But for his sake, I had stopped and settled with picking up a Christmas decoration box instead.