Malee turned herself to left and right while looking into the mirror at the wardrobe’s door. She loved it. She thought she looked much better with the uniform. It was tighter and more suited to her body than the previous dress she wore yesterday. The rest of the ladies also helped her with combing her long hair to make it neater, and one of them even gave Malee one of her hair accessories. While they were laughing, the speaker at the kitchen turned on suddenly. It was the voice of Mary’s husband to inform them that young master just went past the gate.
Mary and Malee quickly rushed out of the room, came downstair and walked towards the house. They could see the bicycle lying near the steps of the main door and they quickly went into the house. Mary told Malee to go up to the room while she brought up the tea and cakes from the dining room. Malee nodded and climbed up the stairs to the second floor. The house felt much smaller, unlike the first time she had seen it. Maybe she was getting familiar with the house, or maybe it was the new uniform she was wearing. She felt more confident of herself than before. She arrived at the front of the door faster than she thought and she stopped while deciding to whether to to knock or to push it open like what Mary did. She tried pushing door but the handle won’t bulge at all. So, she resorted to knock on the door instead.
“Hi, please open the door.,” said Malee, trying not to shout but also not so soft that George wouldn’t hear it.
The door opened with George half-naked at the top. He was changing from the school uniform and thought it was Mary as usual who knocked on the door. Once he saw it was a girl his age, he quickly slammed the door to the shock of Malee.
“Who are you?,” said the voice from behind the door.
“Me, Malee. I was here yesterday remember?,” replied Malee. Surely, he couldn’t have forgotten her after one day?
The door opened again, with George fully clothed, looked carefully at Malee. He seemed to have recognized the voice but gave the impression someone who had not seen Malee before. Malee gave a smile, and his eyes widen at Malee.
“Oh, it’s you. You look so different from yesterday. Come in.,” said George with a wide smile on his face. The room was messy as usual with his bag and drawing papers on the floor and books everywhere on the table. Malee tried to clear the floor and papers as what she did yesterday. Mary with a cup of tea and a few biscuits came in soon after. She glanced at the state of the mess on the floor and shook her head at the young master, who looked amused at the situation. It took Malee a few more minutes to clear the papers and placed them neatly on the table.
“Thanks. Why not have some biscuits? You too Mary.,” said George as he extended his hands holding the cup full of biscuits. Both Mary and Malee hesitated at first but George insisted once more so they too sat down and took a biscuit each.
“How is Michael?,” asked George while finishing the biscuit in hand.
“You know how he is. Always sticking with his father. I keep telling him to go back to school but he wouldn’t listen.,” replied Mary. Perhaps it was the biscuit but Mary seemed more relax than yesterday. Perhaps, it was because in front of a stranger, Malee, she didn’t want to look too friendly with the young master.
“What about you Malee? Plan to go back to school?,” asked George while biting another biscuit.
“I left school about 2 or 3 years ago. I am not sure I would be good enough.,” replied Malee. She could do basic reading and writing but Malee doubted she could compete with her friends who had advanced further in their education.
“Oh, thats not the issue. You can take it slowly, like Mary here.,” replied George and at the same time, pointing to Mary. “She attended night classes while working here and now she has a degree.”
“Oh.,” that was all Malee could replied as Mary took another biscuit from the plate. Malee understood why Mary was the only servant that she observed to freely able to go in and out of young master’s room. She was not a usual servant like others, well educated in fact.