Unpleasant Surprise

Charlotte

I was paralyzed with fear, understanding what had just happened. I was in deep trouble!

"But ma'am..." I still tried to argue.

"Get out!" she screamed. "Get out now! I want both of you out of my house! Leave!"

Tears started pouring from my eyes uncontrollably! What would I do? Where would I go?

"Mrs. Martina..." I spoke between sobs.

"Are you deaf, girl? I want you out of my house now, or I'll call someone to throw both of you out on the street."

"Let us at least gather our belongings," Nicole requested in a low, almost inaudible voice.

She had tears streaming down her face, but she was much more composed than I was. I was desperate.

"I'll send your rags through the driver," Martina remained firm.

"We need our documents, ma'am."

Nicole was quite courageous because, if it were up to me, I would have just run away. The fear of what was to come was taking over my entire body. I didn't want to be thrown out onto the street.

"Then grab your things and get out now," she conceded. "I want both of you out of my house as soon as possible."

She left the closet of Eloá, where we had been caught off guard by her unexpected arrival, and we hurried to the staff quarters to gather all our belongings as quickly as possible, leaving the house under the disgusted gazes of the other employees.

Apparently, someone overheard what happened and spread the news in the short time it took us to gather everything in a rush.

I was undecided about leaving with nothing but the clothes on our backs, but that was resolved when Martina was waiting for us in the kitchen.

"Here is everything you have to receive," she said with a disgusted expression and threw two envelopes on the table. "I don't want to see the two of you in front of me anymore. Now leave!"

It was extremely humiliating the way we left that house, and I felt like a stray dog being kicked away. I was in deep trouble.

Seemingly entering into a tacit agreement, Nicole and I walked slowly to the nearest subway station in deafening silence, each of us dwelling on our own thoughts.

I leaned against a pillar, pondering where I should go, feeling guilty for what had happened because if I hadn't pressed Nicole for answers about something that wasn't my business, it would have never happened.

"You're not to blame, Charlotte," Nicole said, wiping away a solitary tear.

"Of course, it's my fault, Nicole," I admitted. "If I hadn't asked you about things that were none of my business..."

"Martina would have found another reason to fire me," she interrupted me.

"I don't agree."

"Martina had wanted to get rid of me as the nanny for a long time, Charlotte. But she didn't have a justification to explain my dismissal to her husband. That's why I stayed for so long."

I fell silent, analyzing Nicole's words.

"She didn't want you to be Eloá's nanny either," she recalled what she had told me before. "But since Mr. Oliver always tries to help those in need, he would never say no to the priest's request."

I knew that Sister Catarina had asked the priest to intercede for me because he had connections with wealthy and influential men who attended his church.

"Let's go," she called, pulling my arm to indicate the way, something I didn't understand.

"I'm not taking this subway," I explained, thinking she was distraught.

"Yes, this one! Get in!"

She persuaded me gently, and I ended up giving in since I had no rush. I still didn't know where to go. I thought about temporarily looking for an orphanage while I figured out what to do. I had some money saved up, and I believed I could afford the rent for a cheap place for about three months, the maximum time I could give myself to find another job.

"I should wait for the next subway, Nicole," I said anxiously. "I'll see if the nuns will accept me at the orphanage, at least until I find somewhere to stay."

"You're not going back to the orphanage, Charlotte."

"I don't want to, but I need to, Nicole," I stated.

"You're going to stay at my sister's house, with us."

"I can't do that, Nicole!"

I knew that Nicole's sister was a generous person and would certainly welcome me, considering everything I already knew about her. However, I didn't think it was fair to burden Emily's life, as she already had her own problems.

Both of them were facing financial difficulties, especially because Emily's husband had been in Italy for eight months. He had gone to pursue an inheritance, but it had been over two months since they last heard from him, leaving the sisters worried. Additionally, Nicole was unemployed, and I had no job to offer.

I expressed my concerns to Nicole, but she was insistent, and I ended up agreeing to spend the night at their house. It was getting dark, and I wasn't sure if the nuns would receive me well. They already had many children to take care of and feed, and I didn't want to be another problem for them.

Oliver

I arrived home a bit later that night, as I had to attend a hearing where Reloading was one of the parties involved, which ended up taking much longer than I would have liked. 

I entered my room to find the bed neatly made, and Martina was nowhere to be found. I didn't bother searching for information about my dear wife. I didn't care where she was or what she was doing. 

The only thing I ever expected from Martina was to take care of our daughter with love and attention, two things she never did and that were making my life increasingly unbearable. 

At the beginning of our marriage, she managed to convince me that she was a loving mother, but time revealed the truth. 

My friends thought I didn't know who my wife truly was, but I simply didn't want to involve others in my already complicated relationship. 

After taking a shower, I went straight to my little girl's room because I wanted to at least give her a goodnight kiss, even though she was already asleep and wouldn't know that I had been with her. 

But to my surprise, when I entered the room, Eloá was still awake, screaming, while a lady dressed in a nanny uniform tried to calm her down, speaking some reassuring words. 

"What's going on here?" I asked in an elevated tone of voice, trying to be heard above their voices. 

"Mr. Mackenzie?" the lady asked uncertainly.