To Malee, the person standing at the entrance looked strange. She was tall with her skirt cut from the left leg till it exposed part of her skin all the way till her upper thigh. She was also wearing a tight t-shirt with a deep slit in the middle. On her hand, she wore plenty of bracelets and several stones on her fingers and on her neck, hanged a beautiful gold necklace. She looked like an actress from a movie rather than in an actual living person.
“What is happening here? Why does George has black stains on his face?,” asked the lady sternly. The tone shocked Malee, but she noticed that Mary’s whole body was shivering with fright.
“Nothing happened here. I am having tea and spilled some of it,” answered George calmly. Unlike Mary and Malee, he was a picture of serenity.
The lady looked relieved from George’s assuring answer, but she noticed Malee and that there seemed to be an extra cup. Servants were not supposed to eat and drink with the family, especially George. Her eyes wondered as if she was about to ask but afraid of George countering her.
“Oh, thank goodness. I couldn’t let anything happen to you. Oh, and the floor looked messy. Mary..” said the lady, completely changing the subject.
“It is ok. Malee here is our new hire and Mary is showing her how to keep things tidy. Oh, and Mary, I finished both cups, must be thirsty,” said George without missing a beat. Mary gave a sigh of relief and smiled. If the mistress found out she brought an extra cup for Malee, she would get an earful, or even lose her position as the head of the servants.
“Why? You have Mary, and why wasn’t I told?,” replied the mistress with another set of questions. She didn’t seem to like things happening in the household without her knowledge or permission. It was especially concerning George, as Mary was specifically tasked with taking care of him.
“Oh ah, I need someone to carry my bag to school. It is getting heavier,” replied George. He wasn’t expecting such a question from his mother and nearly lost his cool before recovering it expertly.
“That is why I always said we will send and fetch you from school..”
“Why are you here, mother?,” George interrupted. “Professor Thomas will be here soon.”
“Oh yes, I am here to speak to you about your father. He will come back next week. Mary, please prepare for it,” replied the mistress while turning to face Mary.
“Yes, mistress. Will brief the servants right away.” replied Mary with a bow. Malee too had a bow with Mary’s hand pressing her head down, nearly touching the floor.
Mistress paused for a while, looking them down, and left just as suddenly as she came. George stood up and walked towards the door before slamming it in disgust. Malee took a brief look at George’s face and was surprised by the expression on it. He no longer was a boy laughing on the floor, but became an adult filled with hatred.
Mary took her hand and quietly showed her to collect the papers on the floor and neatly stacked them on the table. Then they quietly retraced their steps towards the door, trying to avoid young master’s eyes, and out of the room. Malee felt the grip on her wrist became softer as they were out in the corridor and down the stairs. Finally, Mary let go of Malee’s hand as they were out of the house, into the garden.
Malee couldn’t understand why drinking tea with George would give so much trouble to Mary. To her simple mind, it was something to drink when you were thirsty. She couldn’t have guessed how expensive that cup of tea she had drunk nor the price of the cup she held in her hand. For once, she realized how much pain and anger George must go through each day to be special. Standing outside the house, she suddenly felt like a bird out of its cage.