02

Under the covered entry, Belle pulled keys from her cardigan pocket and unlocked the door. With enormous eyes, Mary stepped in and circled around before she pulled her phone from her back pocket. She typed quickly in her notepad app and showed Belle.

Belle smiled. « Yes, this may differ from what I originally stated in our emails. But after some thinking, it made more sense for you to have a fully private space with resources away from the estate. »

She checked the watch on her wrist before retrieving her phone from her cardigan. « You must excuse me, the event coordinator has arrived at the front doors. Are you sure you’re comfortable attending tonight’s party ? »

Mary nodded. In the last email exchange, Belle gave her the choice to start the following afternoon or join the day of a celebration. After learning Belle was the housekeeper for Nathan Vanderbilt, she knew she’d recognized his name as she had heard of him over the years, but rarely. From simple research, the splendor of the home featured in blogs about him and multi-million dollar homes in their state astonished her and her sister were. Recent news, online, revealed he won the title of ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’, in a famous business insider magazine–‘1080 Magazine’. On the cover, he leaned against a desk in a beautiful office. His hands were in his pockets and his head tilted up. He was without a smile on his face. Handsome, but with distant eyes, she thought.

Nathan Vanderbilt–Son of an Empire.

While he didn’t start from nothing, his take on real estate began early, before continuing the legacy of his late father’s footsteps. Making the right connections at the right time last year, he won the contracts of two of the largest apartment developers in the coastal region by the age of twenty-eight. He wasn’t just a wealthy man ; he gained fame.

She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a little afraid, but Belle had assured them there would be little interaction with him, as he was awfully busy. Though, the scarcity poked Mary’s curiosity more. Who wouldn’t want to see their famous employer celebrated glamorously ? Plus, she came to work and learn. An event would be the perfect opportunity.

Small hands closed around Mary’s palm. A key rested in the new live-in maid’s hand. « Thank you for accepting this job as quickly as you did. Please, accustom yourself to the space, and when you are ready to find me, send a text. »

Belle answered her phone and footed it toward the main house. After pulling her suitcase and removing her canvas shoes, Mary tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and recognized the surrounding stillness again. But this time, it filled her with excitement and emotion. To the left was a small living room with loungers and another television above a fireplace. To her right, there was the high breakfast table with four high chairs before the natural light beaming from the windows.

She ran up the stairs to the bedroom loft, where there was a queen-sized bed and a recliner next to a small vanity in the corner. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and took pictures throughout the house before sending them in a group text. Mary hurt her cheeks from smiling harder. As the next hour passed, Mary unloaded her things while on a video call with her sister.

« Show me the vanity again, » Nellie said, and she flipped the camera. From the mirror, she sat on the small chair and pretended to put powder on her cheeks before fluffing her hair.

When her sister finished laughing, Mary asked, « Is he still asleep ? »

« Yeah. This time he cried himself into a nap. » Nellie answered and sadness took her face. « He’ll be okay, as long as you call him whenever you can. »

She studied her big sister’s expression. Tears brimmed in her eyes, causing a moment of hesitation. « I will. »

« Don’t you cry too, » Nellie said with a cracked voice. « I already did enough of that. It stressed me I couldn’t be there to help, but I couldn’t reschedule Buddy’s appointment again. »

A smile jerked at Nellie’s mouth, but the distant drift in her eyes was familiar. Mary flattened her face into her hands and said, « I did it by myself. »

« I know. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. »

« We had to do it this way. »

« No. We didn’t, but it’s temporary. This isn’t ideal, but I love you, and your health insurance is incredible. Let me wake your nephew up so we can go see mama. »

Nellie stood and whispered about calling later as she moved from the living room into her dark bedroom. They blew each other a kiss and ended the call.

Mary locked the guest house and sent a text while approaching the mansion. The outdoor living echoed with mixed voices responding to or lending commands over bouquets of flowers, floating pool decor, and string lights. Retracing her steps into the overhang, a table with white peonies called her attention. With delight, she sniffed them. If she could, she’d love to have a vase back into the guest house for her table.

« Excuse me. Where is Ms. Korhonen ? »

Mary jerked around and froze. An arch-browed woman with a determined, firm jaw stared at her in question. Wearing a stylish green pantsuit and holding a tablet, she appeared important. The skin furrowed around her eyes. « Nevermind. »

When the woman advanced through the outdoor living, Mary cursed under her breath. Already she messed up, she felt. If she would help, she would have to try harder. Just then, Belle replied by text, saying to find her in the chef’s kitchen. She followed the coordinator’s path through a secondary entrance from the outdoor living and walked into a massive kitchen. The room was busy with varying piles of ingredients, from thin slices of smoked salmon, rainbows of cherry tomatoes, miniature squashes cut in half, figs, and an assortment of nuts. She salivated at the aromas, eager to see the future arrangements for their presentation. Tearing away from the palatable wonders, she surveyed the area to realize the small woman wasn’t in sight. Was this not the chef’s kitchen ?

From a hall across the way, Belle walked in the kitchen, peering at her phone. The woman advanced and Belle hardly put her phone away when met with two kisses on the cheeks.

Belle pulled back with a flustered smile. « Valentina. It’s good to see you again. »

« Same to you, Belle, » Valentina said, removing the cover from her tablet. « So, let me go over the plans for the evening, give you your peace of mind, and disappear to make all the magic happen. »

Belle looked at Mary and gestured that she come closer. « Uh, b-before you do that. This is the young lady I called you about before. »

Valentina turned her eyes before her head. « Oh ! Yes, I remember. I’m Valentina Lauren. »

Mary looked at Valentina’s extended hand. She shook it with barely a grip. Valentina pulled back and turned questioning eyes on Belle.

Belle finished warmly. « And she’s just arrived and new to all of this. »

It was then a tune-filled whistle echoed from outside before footsteps clacked into the kitchen. Valentina rolled her eyes and Belle put a hand on Mary’s shoulder to exchange a look of reassurance. Mary squared her brows until she saw a tall man in a gray plaid suit swing into the kitchen.

He ripped his opaque sunglasses from his face and pointed with them. « I see beautiful ladies, but I hope this unfamiliar face isn’t the size four you told me about, Belle ! »

She laced her hands together and rested her chin on her knuckles. « She is, but she’s not–« 

« Not a size four, » He finished with concern before placing air kisses with Belle. He pulled back and scanned Mary’s frame. He shook his head and shooed them away from the kitchen into an interior hall.

« I’m sorry, » Belle peeped.

He looked back and sighed. « Don’t apologize to me, honey. Cici is the one you gotta worry about. She’ll be happy and angry at the same time. It’ll be amazing for me to watch. »