4

Leah had left a paper attached to the refrigerator, with the address and which drives Evangeline would need to pick up. She had already given instructions on how she wanted her daughter to get her hair red and curly. Evie would need to tie it in a tidy bun and no thread could be out of place.

"What did I say about your hair?" Leah asks, as soon as she sees her daughter at the gate of the mansion.

"You know my hair doesn’t stay in place. Especially after two buses and the subway.”

The security guard has Leah decide what to do on the inside. She then grabs her daughter’s arm and pulls it, while the girl admires the immensity of the house in front of her.

They enter through the back, which leads directly to the gigantic kitchen. Several people went and saw, in a hurry and bumping into others, who were busy filling trays. The guests would start arriving any minute.

"Carol?" Leah calls the older woman who was yelling at another. Carol was the boss of that kitchen and organized any party there. "This is Evangeline. My daughter.”

Carol didn’t even look in Evie’s direction. She took a plastic wrap and threw it in Leah’s hand.

"You know where the bathroom is... NOT TO USE THAT WINE!”

The old woman leaves mother and daughter behind and walks behind the human being who had taken one of the most expensive wines that family kept.

"Come on, Evie.”

Leah grabs her daughter’s arm and takes her to the tiny staff bathroom. There was nothing but a toilet, sink and mirror. No one was allowed to shower there. Not even Carol, who was over twenty years old working for that family.

"Wear this.”

Evangeline takes the black fabric out of the bag and almost laughs. It looked like a sexual fantasy, so short.

"Is this a joke?" she asks, looking at her mother. "Is there anything longer?”

"Evangeline, do you or do you not want the money that this work will bring?”

"I do, but...”

"Then shut up and get dressed.”

Leah had no patience with anything and that included her daughter. She didn’t hate her, but she couldn’t feel mother’s love for the girl either. Evangeline’s father dumped them in that trailer park when life started getting complicated. And although she knew her daughter had nothing to do with her husband’s departure, Leah found it easier to blame her than to have any other reason.

Evangeline could not avoid the face of disgust, when she finished wearing the small uniform. She had buttoned her blouse up to her neck, which made Leah roll her eyes as she fastened her white apron.

“This is so..." she says, opening the first buttons, which left the breasts of Evangeline show. "Now yes! There will be rich men at this party. Maybe you’ll get a tip...”

"Mom! Damn it...”

Before the two can start a family DR, Carol knocks on the bathroom door and rushes them out.

Mother and daughter are put in a single row, where trays of champagne are delivered to them, while the boss of the kitchen rain begins to list what they could not do. In short, all they were supposed to say was: good night, is served? and without much eye contact.

When they started walking into the party atmosphere, Evie couldn’t stand the curiosity to face everything. The paintings, the expensive vases, the Persian rug I was standing on. And while chanting the phrase that Carol had taught, Evangeline kept staring at the stairs leading to the second floor.

One of her biggest flaws was being curious. Since her mother had mentioned about the second floor and forbade her to go there, this was the only thing that ran through Evie’s mind.

"Is that champagne?" A loud, husky voice blew the back of Evangeline’s head as she stared at the ladder.

Almost knocking down the tray and the three remaining bowls, she turns and faces the thirsty man. She tries not to be intimidated by the strong and penetrating look he had. Or how he looked extremely handsome in that suit, which looked more expensive than the trailer Evie lived in.

"Yes." She finally answers, giving a slight cough. "Is it served, sir?”

"Please. Without that of sir. I am Alec. And you?”

Evangeline would have answered, but Carol’s frightening gaze across the room made her smile and quietly walk away.

As she turned, Alec followed her with his gaze. His eyes first focused on his slightly upturned ass, for that round skirt, but what caught his attention most was the red and shaggy hair.

He did this for an entire hour. As she walked among the guests, he followed her stealthily. And being the smart girl she always was, Evangeline realized. So the same way he was watching her, she started to do the same.

Evangeline was standing with a tray of canapés when she saw a man approaching Alec. They exchanged a few words and then climbed the huge stairs. It wasn’t long before a few more big men in suits did the same.

She stares at other people, trying to get a hint of curiosity in the other guests' faces, but none of them cared or looked up the stairs. After all, Evangeline was the only person in that house who didn’t know whose party it was, what they were celebrating or what those men were doing upstairs. But she was about to know.

Evie took a tray of champagne glasses and had the perfect excuse to snoop around. She climbs the stairs calmly, trying not to draw attention or knock down what was in her hands.

As soon as she reached the top of the stairs, Evangeline felt that the thin band that held her hair together could break at any time.

She walked to the famous forbidden door and did not think twice before pushing them. The two immense wooden doors, opened to the sides and made all eyes around the table, stare at it.