“Mary, why are we here?” asked Malee after Georgia had dived into the ocean. She couldn’t understand why Mary and her, two servants from the house, were accompanying Georgia to a private beach and not washing vegetables and preparing for dinner in the kitchen with the rest of the servants.

Mary got up and came over to the table besides Malee.

“Turn around. I will give you sunscreen as well.” said Mary. As she was applying the same brown liquid onto Malee’s body, she explained to Malee.

“Firstly, she doesn’t have any friends here since she had left the country to study overseas when she was very young. Secondly, we need to be closer to her during the ball.”

“Ball?” asked Malee.

“It is a party to celebrate Master coming back from overseas. And to meet George’s finance as well. There will be a lot of very important guests. at the event. For that, the family needs not just the servants but also people who can look out for them.”

“You mean I will be joining them in the party? I have never been to any parties.” asked Malee with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes. You and I. The rest of the servants are either too old or not well-connected with the family. It is not easy to trust people you don’t know well.” replied Mary as she made her ways down to Malee’s legs. Malee could only make a soft nod. She was being treated unlike what she had been used to. Mary too was surprised by how hard her legs and arm muscles were for a girl of her age. The feeling was not the same as when she was rubbing on Georgia’s body. In fact, Malee’s body felt much tougher than even her son Michael.

“Ok, now you do it.” said Mary, placing the bottle on the chair and laying face down on the chair. Malee took a soft squeeze on the bottle for the liquid to ooze out of the head onto her palm and then started applying them on Mary’s body as she had seen her doing the same on Georgia. Mary wasn’t sure she was doing it intentionally or not but it was more of like a massage than a rub. It was a good massage too as Malee’s palms packed more power than her while squeezing her arms. She started feeling sleepy after a while under the umbrella with the gentle breeze of the ocean complementing Malee’s warm palms.

“Ahem.” The sound of Georgia woke Mary up from her brief nap and she nearly stood up in fright to the laughter of Georgia.

“Oh Georgia, you are back. How was the swim?” said Mary, while hurrying over back to her chair for the towels.

“Hmms, from the look of it, you must have done a good massage on Mary. Do on me as well.” said Georgia.

“Massage?” asked Malee. She had absolutely no idea what that word meant.

“Help her with drying her logs first.” said Mary while helping Georgia with her wet hair.

Malee took a towel and dried off the water from the legs till they had been dried. Georgia waited for both to stop before going into the house, which Malee presume was to change of her clothes. She came out with a much less revealing clothes and a bottle.

“Here. Use the oil to massage me.” said Georgia, handing the bottle to Malee.

“Rub the oil on your palms like before and gently apply on her body.” translated Mary, emphaising the word “gently”.

Malee took the bottle and squeezed it the liquid out as before. But it seemed to her palms that the liquid from that bottle was much warmer than the other liquid. With Georgia laying on the same position as before, she applied the oil the same method as how she did for Mary, from upper body and legs.

“Squeeze harder.” said Georgia softly. So that was what Malee did.

“Oh! Thats good a swedish massage.” grinned Georgia. Malee wonder what is a swedish massage but continued her way down the legs with a not-so-gentle squeeze along the way to the sound of Georgia.

“Good. very fast but better than most of the massage here. Now let me rest.” said Georgia. Malee was expreienced enough to know it meant they were supposed to go elsewhere so that Georgia could rest undisturbed.