"I was wondering what kind of girl could have botched up a rescue attempt so badly. Now that I know it was you all along, everything makes sense."
"Go away."
Rome runs his nose down the side of my face, smiling at the way I shiver. "After all thes...
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AUNT MAE THROWS ME TO HELL ON MY FIRST DAY ON THE JOB.
"You're going to serve lunch to Ava Abernathy and her friends."
My breath flushes out of me painfully. "What?"
"You heard me. They're having a picnic outside right now," She snorts. "That is, if you think a picnic is sitting in a shaded gazebo while people dote on you left and right."
"Auntie -"
"I know, I know. As an employee, it's not my position to gossip about the Abernathy family members, but it's a great pastime so I do it anyways," Aunt Mae finishes chopping the cilantro and frowns. "What was I talking about?"
"Serving Ava Abernathy," I hesitate. "But Auntie, can't you get somebody else to do it?"
In the corner of the kitchen, two cooks set up a two-tiered cart with food. They bring pitchers of lemonade and trays of cucumber sandwiches, setting it up artfully.
Aunt Mae tilts her cutting board so that the cilantro slides into the soup, stirs it and then pours it out into a ceramic bowl with blue flowers. She turns off the stove, grabs the bowl and sets on the bottom tier of the car. Then, wiping her hands on her apron, she finally turns to me.
"I feel like we've had this discussion before."
"We have, but -"
"Yes, it was two days ago," She crosses her arms. "And I remember the exact conversation that we had. You said, Auntie help me because I'm a spineless coward and I responded with Winnie, you have to face your past sometime and then you agreed. Right?"
"Yes. But do I have to face it today?"
"It'll make it easier for tomorrow."
"I guess you're right," I blow out a puff of air. "It wouldn't feel right if I didn't argue against the idea at least once."
"I understand the feeling completely," Aunt Mae pats me on the shoulder before leaving to hound of some of the intern chefs. "Hey! What do you think you're doing with that amount of salt?"
I exhale heavily, then begin to wheel the cart outside.
The sun beats down on my back, blistering hot. Sweat makes my hair, even though it's short enough to barely brush the top of my shoulders, stick to my neck. The conservative maid outfit that Lady Abernathy makes us wear traps the heat inside my clothes.
Out of all days to have a picnic, did Ava have to choose this one?
I pass the trio of fountains, sculptured to look like sirens with jugs of waters, and hills of rolling dewy green grass. Around the meadows, sprinklers send mist into the air, dampening the bouquet of smells. I greet the gardeners on my way. They're hard at work trimming the hedges into even squares.
