“Don’t leave me.” George repeated. Malee wasn’t sure what was happening, but she knew George well enough within a short time they had met that he wasn’t “all right” at all. She sat back on the bed again and wondered what to say next.
“Is there anything I can do?” asked Malee. If there was one thing she learnt from selling on the street was that you shouldn’t wait for your customers to tell you what they wanted. You should ask them what they wanted, if they could not decide on their own. George looked up from his palm and stared at the wall in front.
“No, there is nothing you can do now.” replied George as a matter-of-factly. Not even Georgia could, thought George. It was his fate, birthright, and he must bear it alone. He stood up and walked towards the large mirror in the room and looked at himself. Fate destined him to be the master of the house and everything else as long as he could remember. Failure was not accepted from him. He let out of long and heavy breath, then he turned around to the bed where Malee was sitting. A fried potato seller from the street. Perhaps it too was fated.
“Bring me the coat from there.” commanded George. Malee understood from the tone that he expected absolute obedience. She stood up and walked over to the hanger beside the bed to take the black coat from the hanger. George must have been already wearing the pant lying near the mirror. He must have thrown it there before he went to sit on the bed before Malee come in. Malee held up the large coat for George to place his hands in to complete the suit. George buttoned up, wiped the tears on his face, combed his hair and looked at himself in the mirror. There he was, master of all.
“Let’s go.” said George before leading Malee out of the bedroom and the drawing room and down the stairs into the dining room.
Mary was worrying about George when Malee didn’t come back with him as she expected. She looked at the clock on the wall to check again when did Malee went up to George’s room.
“Don’t worry, he will come.” said Georgia. Mary nodded. She felt reassured by Georgia’s confirmation, but still there was a nagging voice in her head that telling her something was wrong with George. She glanced at Georgia’s calm face and wondered if George had told Georgia on issues, but not to her. She waved away the thought. George would confide in her before anyone, including his sister, and Georgia would know even if George had not told her anything. She could detect the slightest hint of lies and worries from people around her since young. That was the magic, not her hyper intelligence.
Just as Mary was about to go up to the room herself, the door opened and Mary saw a man in a black suit. On second look, it was George, the same boy who, recently, was crying around because his sister was bullying him. Both Mary and Georgia stood up from their chairs with no one saying anything. The master of the house had arrived. Mary walked out of the chair for George to sit in and then pushed the chair back to George for him to sit. Georgia remained standing for a while before Malee got the hint. She walked over to Georgia and quietly pushed the chair for Georgia to sit.
Mary went to the intercom and spoke a few words in it and came back to stand close behind George. Malee did likewise, but behind Georgia. Soon, the rest of the servants carrying the dishes came in to the room, but unlike before, Mary had her attention on George. Everyone was moving without speaking another word, and yet each understood what needed from him or her. The flowers on the table differed from what Malee had seen that morning, probably John had replaced them recently. They placed a wine bottle in the ice near to the twins and Mary took out of the can and opened the bottle before pouring for George. It was a small amount compared to what George usually drink. Malee did the same for Georgia, mimicking Mary in every step.
“Have you decided?” asked Georgia while cutting a small slice of salmon in front of her.