Wine Glass

Excerpt;

What is it?" He asked me

Do you need anything, Mr. Uh,sir?"

Wine," he said.

CHAPTER TWO

Mr. Stridha sat down and arranged his clothes. Soon after he put his phone aside, my sixth sense kicked in. I quickly stepped forward and grabbed hold of the glass jag, turned the cup, and poured water into it. He did not even flinch a muscle. I figured he might have been so used to that kind of treatment, and he must have been expecting it.

There I stepped back, drowsing in his perfume fragrance; it was sweet, moderate, yet catchy.

Are we supposed to watch him until he finishes eating? If so then that was my chance to look at him further. Another strange thing happened, my shirt was pulled lightly from behind. When I turned again, I was standing there alone. They had all left the table. Why me again? I joined them with a bit of shame. Miss Gilet kept her eyes locked on me; I could sense it. We cleared the table when he finished and left.

Finally, we get to go home. "Erica," she called me again. Yes, ma'am." I responded so innocently while looking at her. "Lean to behave yourself around here," she said and turned. "The car is outside. Be sure to be here on time, and don't forget your clothes when you come in. The driver will pick you up early tomorrow."

We thanked her, "I thank , Miss Gilet, before we left. It was quiet in the car; perhaps everyone was tired or they were busy thinking like me. The girls were pointing at each other, okay? In a whisper, one of the three asked the driver, "Sir, what time will you pick us up tomorrow?" Ooh, he responded, "You can call me Jeff. Okay, ya, Jef," she said, then Jeff spoke again after he giggled.

"Jeff," echoing her resolve, it's Mr. Jeff to you, he added.

Ooh"

Yes, and you're," he asked her. "I am Jenny, was her reply. Were we being stupidly naive or busy that none of us thought of asking each other about names?"I see, and the others? He insisted. Call me Penny. Penny was the girl who asked Miss Gilet earlier.

Okay"

And I am Jefferson. "The girl on the front seat spoke excitedly, Jefferson?" Jeff asked, like he was not sure she was saying the truth. Well, well, we all doubted her because the girls, Jenny and Penny, both acted so surprised. "Yes, Jefferson, she said plainly. "Yay, I get that a lot. You're not the first, so I won't pay attention to it," she said.

And the remaining one?" Meaning me and everyone said "Erica" like it's a mime, Jeff looked in the rear mirror to look at me, and I looked at him as well. "What!" I thought. He smiled at Erica, the quiet one. He continued, "You're not much of a talker, am I right?"

I did not retort to that; I was too busy with my brains and imaginations. Jefferson saw that I ignored his question by looking away with no intention of speaking. "Well, will you answer Jenny's question, Mr. Jeff?

Oh yes, you should be ready by 6:30 a.m.

Mr. Jeff, drop me by the Conner here," I suggested, and the genius penny thought otherwise: "No, Mr. Jeff, since she did not even answer back at you, why don't you drop her last, to teach her a lesson not to misbehave in the future?"

Surprisingly, Jeff seconded that brainless suggestion. What is he? Is he a dummy?

Erica, did you hear that? What do you think?"

Is he asking me? I forced the door open without a warning. Jeff hit an emergence break at once, causing all of us to lean forward with no balance, grabbing hold of anything near. "What! Are you crazy? Penny spoke first. "What were you thinking? You could get us killed, Erica?" Jefferson spoke her mind.

I was wondering, "Do you still want to drop me off last, Mr. Jeff?" I asked

Everyone was looking back at me, and I didn't mind. "I'll drop you first, Erica, Jeff said. No, "Mr. Jeff. She said at a conner, Drop her here. It's my responsibility as your driver to ensure you've safely arrived, Jenny."

Yes, but it's not Erica's." penny added

If you're done chatting, I'm tired. I want to go and rest," she replied.

Jeff stepped out, closed the door I had opened, and drove me home quietly. No one spoke again; it was a quiet space for my thoughts at least. He reached me home, and I got off without a word. I knew no one would answer me anyway. I slammed it, and I sighed heavily. My mother was waiting for me outside our house. 'Erica, you've finally returned my child."

Yes mum I was beginning to think it would take forever. She smiled. I left you something to eat.

Mom, don't worry; let me just freshen up and sleep. I'll be leaving in the morning again.

That night, my mother sat on my bed, watching me sleep. "You'll get used, Erica. It's a rich man's mansion. A lot should be happening there. When are you moving in?"

I swung my head up. "You knew I was going to be staying there, mom?

Everyone who works at Stridha's stays at Stridha's," she answered.

 Just great! More tiresome days are ahead.

At 6 a.m. sharp, Jeff was outside my house. My mother woke me up, Erica. That man is outside," she said. "That man? I echoed, "Yes, the one that dropped you off yesterday; it's the same car plate, mother assured me. What! He said, Half passed 6; what is he doing here?

Just prepare Erica and be quick about it; you don't want to report late to work." I kept quiet I understood my mother, gating that work meant for me to aquire the money I need for my college education, so it was important that I did not slack. 

I got up, and when I finished bathing, my mother had already packed a small bag for me. I felt bad about it, and I was eventually leaving home. What have you packed, mom? I asked because most of my things were still intact in my room.

Just a few things you'll need; you will be given a uniform to wear, my dear Erica; it's only occasionally that you'll dress casually." Right, she's right; that clearly slipped off my mind.

Jeff was still there when I walked out of the house. I hugged my mother goodbye, and she continued, "Be a good girl and be obedient, okay?"

Yes, mom," she hugged me back. I entered the car, Jeff closed the door again, and I did not even say a word to him.

Good morning, Erica." He waited for my response. "Sorry, I came before the promised time. The thing is, the others stay quiet at a distance, so I thought I should start up early so that... When he looked at me, he stopped talking. He saw that I wasn't concerned at all. What was the point in him saying all that, as if it were going to change anything?

I was contemplating about the kind of business my mother does, which anabled a little serving because it's all we depended on for sustanance. 

We picked up all the girls and went to the mansion. We arrived just in time. Miss Gilet was there, waiting for our arrival. This way, ladies, she told us: We followed suit, and she showed us our rooms; we each got a personal room. I smiled inward.

"Be in the kitchen at exactly 7:10 a.m."

It was a normal routine; all we had to do was set the table and clear it afterwards, not so hard at exactly 7:10 we would report for duty, and at 11:30, during dinner it's only when Mr. Stridha is home; his cousin Miss Mercy was so simple; she would eat her food from her room, so routine was needed; and Mr. Muya, the young Stridha, would come down to get what he wanted from the kitchen most times, so it was not so hard of a job.

The other chores had others to attend to them; no one could give an excuse for why they were late because every one of us had a specific thing to do at any given time. A second day was not challenging. The third day Mr. Stridha came home was a little unusual; it was at midmorning that he rushed home and went up to his room. Miss Gilet thought it was wise to give him something to quench his thirst. "He must have had a bad day.

Go up, Erica, and ask if he needs anything." Miss Gilet ordered me. I swiftly obeyed and went upstairs to his room. His door was slightly open. "I need a moment with you. Where are you?" Mr. Stridha was on the phone. "Just get here, Shelly; don't keep me waiting." He tossed his phone on the bed. I was standing there. He saw me as he was turning, his buttons on his shirt half open. He looked at me without a word, and I looked back at him. I didn't know how this worked. Should he ask them? Should I just ask him?

What is it?" He asked me

Do you need anything, Mr. Uh?"

Wine," he said.

I was startled a little because he slammed the door immediately after he said Wine 'with a curved lip.

I went down the stairs to tell Miss Gilet about what he told me. Miss Gilet went to ask someone to pour it so I could take it up with him. Instantly, she left. Miss Shelly walked in, rushing up to Mr. Stridha's room. Then Miss Gilet came back and gave me a glass on a small tree. "Make sure you don't spill any. Walk slowly, but be fast. He hates waiting." Miss Gilet finished talking, so I took the wine up, walking fast while observing my balance.

The door was halfway open, so I assumed he might have left it open because he knew I was bringing his glass of wine to him. "C'mo, Shelly, I can't wait. I'm too high." Mr. Stridha spoke, then I hurried in, thinking he referred to the wine. When I entered, I saw something long penetrate into Miss Shelly as he lifted her next to his waist. I don't know what it really was. They were kissing, and I put the cup slowly on the table. No one saw me; their eyes were closed.

But I waited a while, watching them, and she impatiently removed his shirt. Nothing made sense to me, so I turned to leave the room.

As I turned, my thoughts clouded me, and I was unsure whether to inform him about the wine or simply leave. Alternatively, was I supposed to wait until he finished drinking it before I cleared the empty cup, as we typically do when he's eating or drinking?

What's the best thing to do here? I asked myself.

 To be continued.