For the next few days, life went about the same usual for Malee and the rest, albeit sense of doom and despair on everyone’s faces. As the day to master’s return got closer, Malee noted that some servants became more active and less noisy than usual. Michael and his father worked almost the whole day in the garden, watering and planting new flowers constantly. There were also much more clothes to wash and hang for Malee. Even George wasn’t as cheerful as before, to which Malee put it down to news of his sister coming back along with the master.

“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…

Malee left the room as quickly as the mistress ordered her to fetch Mary and soon caught up with her closing the door of the professor’s car. Mary looked at Malee, was nearly out-of-breath and wondered what had happened. Malee informed her of the request from the mistress to come back as soon as she caught her breath, and both of them ran up the stairs to the young master’s room. They entered the room as the mistress was still admiring the drawing and quickly made a bow.

“So, that settles it. Good.,” said George as he went through the door from which Mary brought out the printed photo, the room which seemed only he and Mary had access to, leaving three of us with assorted bewilderment on our faces. We looked at one another as to wondering what to do next till the professor cleared his throat.

George said the word second time as he stared at the drawing coming to life in front of him. Malee was too engrossed in the action to notice George eyes looking at her hands with amazement. She was supposed to be worse than him, but it was not going the way he had expected when he asked her to take his place in front of the board. The night market wasn’t the same as the printed photo, but he could see the people moving, smoke rising from the snacks being prepared and the street lamps. At least, he could recognize the location and the scene.

George walked to the table and picked up a slice of strawberry cake as Malee took his place in front of the drawing board. He couldn’t care less how she would draw it, but knowing she had attended any formal education a few years back, he doubted it would become out any better than his. He sat down on the chair and extended his hand towards a new beer bottle till Mary gave him a stern look. He gave a cheeky smile back and retracted his hand. Mary was his biological mother’s personal care taker and had been taking care of him since he was a baby. No matter how much she behaved in front of the other servants in the house, she was not afraid of him.

“But George, you know well studies have shown that art inspires people in other areas too.,” smiled the Professor with his mouth full of a swiss cheese cake. “Who knows? You might become the minister of art and culture one day.”

George led Mary to a flat metal surface besides the monitor and placed her hand on the surface for a few seconds and then did the same for the other hand till there was a click sound from the speaker. Satisfied that the machine registered the hand prints in good order, he too placed his right hand over the surface.

“Yes, he said that to me before but I think it’s better to call him as a young master in front of others.,” replied Malee. “That’s the problem with them. They don’t want him to get too close with people like us.,” continued Michael, putting emphasis on the word “us,”. “We used to be very…

With that done and dusted, Mary took the plastic bag full of cash aside and offered to refill the biscuits, to which the young master declined. He would have tuition class soon and need to prepare for it. He still had yet to take a shower after coming home from school. Mary turned to Malee as she stood up.