“George, have you heard any news about the master coming back next week?,” asked Mary once she had closed the door.

“Yes, he emailed me last month. He said he would be back at home for a while this time.,” replied George , wondering why this is news since it had been spreading among the servants since last week.

“Do you also know your sister would also come back as well?,” added Mary.

“WHAT? Why?,” George replied in shock, nearly spilling the water bottle he was holding in his hand. It was painfully clear to both Malee and Mary that George was ignorance of this news. He looked stunned for a while without saying a word before he could open his mouth.

“How do you know?” asked George to Mary.

“Mistress told me to prepare her bed and clothes by this weekend.,” said Mary.

“I see.,” George went back into his stunned mode again, staring at the wall at the thought of her coming back into his life again.

Mary gave the signal to Malee to follow her, and both of them left the room silently without disturbing George, who was lost in thought. They went down the stair and into the kitchen door where the rest were already there preparing for dinner. Apparently, the news spread fast in the house. They weren’t surprised when Mary told them young mistress was also coming back home from overseas, but they didn’t seem to welcome her arrival. Malee became curious who she was and why George was so stunned by her coming home. Wasn’t she his sister?

“They are twins, only a few seconds apart. She came out first. But she was special.” May explained to Malee while chopping garlic.

“Special?”

“Yes, she was very special. A child prodigy. She could replay any music at the grand piano in the lobby by 3 just by hearing on the radio. She completed the University by 11 and she left for overseas 2 years ago.,”

“Wow. Were they, George and his sister, close?,”

“Yes. They were very close. They used to play with my son in the garden when they were young. All three were just little children then.,” whispered Mary while wiping her eyes. Malee couldn’t tell if those tears were because she was chopping garlic or she suddenly remembered those moments.

“Then, they was he so shocked?,” continued Malee who was getting bolder with her questions.

“Because George was afraid of her. He was a special, too. But she was at another level. George could manipulate to everyone in the house, including his father but not here. She knows.,”

“Everything?” Malee asked in surprise.

“Yes. Everything. There was nothing hidden from her. Even the master was afraid of her sometimes.,” Mary replied.

Malee couldn’t imagine someone who could understand everything. It sounded like witchcraft or black magic to her. She continued washing the vegetables but couldn’t get the picture of what Mary had described George’s sister out of her mind. They did the preparations for the dinner before long and the servants, along with Malee, went back to the servant’s house for a shower and rest. Malee noted everyone became moody while they were walking towards the house, unlike what she had observed in the afternoon. She couldn’t wait to see for herself the person whom everyone feared, George’s sister.

The dinner went uneventfully,, and she noted that even the mistress wasn’t a usual cheerful self that night. Malee helped with the cleaning of the plates after dinner and joined the rest for dinner in the servants’ house. It was a silent dinner, unusual for them. Even Michael and his dad were not speaking about the new garden. It was as if they had been told that the world was about to end. Malee joined in the silence and quietly left for home after the dinner with Mary giving her the pay for the day. It wasn’t much for likes of George, but for Mary; it was infinitely better than pushing the cart in sun and rain. She had more than she every eaten from the snacks she had from George alone and all she had to do was clean plates and hang clothes.

And it was that way for the next few days with the doom and gloom on everyone’s faces, including George. Then, the day before the master and George’s sister had arrived, and that was Malee’s life was changed once more.