Chapter 11
I sighed and J gave a frustrated look as he moved away and ran his hand through his hair before backing out and heading out of the kitchen. I bent down to pick up all the fallen over pieces of salad.
“Shipment from Moscow will be coming tonight, wear it and I will see you at 7” without another word he left the room. And I willed myself not to spill any tears; it was annoying how he just wanted me for my body. If he really wanted that why couldn’t he just do it to someone else? I was starting to get sick of him, sick of his playing, sick of him using me as if I was nothing. But then again where else could I go? He took all my money, he had separated me from my family, he has all my qualifications and I couldn’t get a job so the best that I could do was to patiently wait and hope that things would turn for the better, or at least when he stops giving me the silent treatment I didn’t deserve!
“Oh dear! What happened?” I jumped at Mrs. Slater’s sudden entrance.
“I-I’m so sorry mom, J came in unexpectedly just as I turned and he gave me a scare, I’m so sorry, I’ll get quickly started on a new one!”
“Oh sweetie its fine, salads only take 2 minutes to make at most!” I gave her an apologetic look and she just cupped my cheeks with her palm and gave me a motherly kiss on the cheek. I straight away got to work, I dug out the necessary vegetables from the fridge, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, onions and tomatoes before I placed them on the chopping board and started slicing them up as nicely as I could.
“So Harley, about the party tonight, have you brought a dress along with you?”
“Well, you and your famous surprise parties mom, I didn’t remember to bring a dress but J told me that a shipment from Moscow will be coming in. What about you mom? Another gorgeous Herve Leger?” Last time J and I visited the Slater house Mrs. Slater had thrown one of her huge parties and she wore a gorgeous magenta and orange striped bandage dress. Mrs. Slater gave a chuckle.
“No, not this year sweetie maybe a new season Pucci or Prada”
“Nice mom, super classy!” I gave her a wink as I put the finished salad on the main table. “So when are the help and decorators coming?”
“Soon dear, I think they will get started when we are having our lunch, ” about 10 minutes later everyone was gathered in the lunch room, the windows wide open letting the breezy wind be the source of cold air, the smell of the salty sea and the delicious food wafted around the room. The kids were chattering happily about which power rangers they were, Diana and Natalia was helping Mrs. Slater prepare the dishes Clark and Mr. Slater were both talking business, Robert was busy attending to Christopher and Ulla and Anthony have yet to appear from their room. I on the other hand was setting up the last minute table necessities wondering where J was. Then I remembered Ivy, was he with her?
“ALRIGHT EVERYONE, TAKE YOUR SEATS” Mrs. Slater yelled out, clapping her hands to get everyone to come sit down and start eating.
I was about to take my seat at my usual place but Ulla and Anthony came in just in time and she grabbed my hand so that I was sitting in between her and Victor. After everyone was nicely seated the feast began, everyone took their share of salads, meatloaf, sandwich with French toast and ham, there was meatball spaghetti as well and fries, every meal at the Slater house was like a full blown party meal. Ulla passed me the bowl of salad and I rolled my eyes. Of course that’s the only thing she would eat but with a baby in her flat stomach she should really eat more. I put a tiny bit of salad onto mine and Victors plate who sulked at me before I passed it onto Diana. Next I took the huge bowl of spaghetti meatballs and dunked quite a bit on Ulla’s plate who gasped in horror before forking some onto mine and Victor’s plate with a triumphant smile.
