On the way, she met with John and Michael, who were carrying pots to the garden. They refused her offer of help, only for her to resume her way towards the back of the servants’ house. It was just, for they were struggling with the amount of clothes needed to hang dry from both the family and from the servants themselves. As usual,  the family clothes were dried first on the on separate hangers away from the servants’ uniforms. Malee saw a few of them worn by her while she was staying in the house to follow Georgia and smiled at the initial difficulties she had when she was given them to wear.

She helped to carry the rest of the clothes out from the washing machines into the garden and to hang them up on the bamboo and ropes. The sun was bright and the soft breeze meant that they did quickly the work before they went back into the house for shade and rest, along with the drinks prepared by Mary. Malee didn’t see Mary while she was in the garden, so she must have come down much later after she brought the breakfast to George. Perhaps she was having a conversation with George, Malee thought to herself. Mary looked on as the fellow servants were resting from a hard work under the sun while talking about the dinner previous night.

The phone besides Mary rang, pausing all activities in the room. It was a direct line from the house. Mary picked up the phone and talked for several minuted with the other side, which everyone assumed was the master or the mistress. Once she put down the phone back on the wall, everyone else stared at her with the news of the latest conversation.

“No lunch or dinner for today. It is a rest day for all.” said Mary before turning around and walking up into her room quietly. Just as she disappeared into the upper floor, John came running into the room, out of breath from running in the hot sun.

“They have left the house.” said John, not explaining to whom he was referring to nor needed. Everyone in the room knew who John was referring to, the family. The looks around the room surprised Malee. They owned the house, the garden, the traffic lights and probably the police station too. So why couldn’t they leave the house as and when they wanted? One regular must have noticed the look on Malee’s face from John’s news.

“It is very rare for the whole family to go out without accompanied by any of us. Especially Mary.” whispered the lady beside Malee. No wonder Mary looked down and out from the call. It must upset her knowing that they were taking George without her care.

“Malee, wants to go out to beach with my friends?” asked John. For him, it was a very good news, for he had been busy helping his father with the garden and all. A full day of rest meant no rest for him.

“Yes, why not? Take some money from the drawer and have fun.” said his father, who just came into the room with an empty pot. John’s face beamed at the mention of the money and quickly ran up to the upstairs like a sprinter.

“You too go change into a normal dress and bring some beach-wear.” said Michael to Malee, who nodded and also went up to her room. By the time she came down with the dress and the bag full of the beach wear that she wore with Georgia, John was already at the door waiting for her.

“Hurry, I called my friends. Lets go.” said John, while  waving his hand like a monkey to the smile and laughter of the rest. Since John couldn’t talk to the twins as friends, everyone was relieved Malee had joined the servants and more so with approval from George and Georgia. There had been several children before her, but they were sent to other places by either of the twins, leaving John as the only child among the servants. With Malee joining, he had someone he could talk to and play without pretensions.

“Is she ok?” asked Michael, referring to his wife.

“No. You should see her. What happened this morning?” asked one of them.

“I am not sure. They asked for 2 cars and left saying nothing. It was all very sudden.” replied Michael before going up the stairs to see his wife.