First Time at His House

Chapter 2

The kitchen was huge. Abby felt a little out of place as she looked around at the shiny counters and spotless floors. Everything looked perfect, like something from a magazine. She spotted the list Mr. Edward had mentioned on the counter.

The tasks were written in neat handwriting:

1. Dust the living room and library.

2. Vacuum the rugs in the main hall.

3. Organize the pantry.

Abby nodded to herself. “Okay, let’s do this,” she whispered.

She started in the living room. It was massive, with tall windows that let in so much light and furniture that looked too expensive to sit on. She picked up a dusting cloth and got to work, moving carefully so she wouldn’t break anything.

When she got to the bookshelves, she paused. There were rows and rows of books. Some looked old, with worn covers, while others were shiny and new. Abby ran her fingers over the spines, wondering if anyone had read all of them. She shook her head and kept cleaning.

Next was the library. It wasn’t as big as the living room, but it still felt fancy. The shelves stretched to the ceiling, and the room smelled like polished wood and old paper. Abby dusted every corner, her arms starting to ache. By the time she finished, she was tired but proud of how clean everything looked.

After the library, she grabbed the vacuum for the main hall. The rugs were thick and soft, and it took a lot of effort to move the vacuum over them. She kept glancing around, half-expecting Mr. Edward to show up and inspect her work. But he didn’t.

The last thing on the list was the pantry.

Abby opened the door and stared. The shelves were full—cans, jars, and boxes were stacked everywhere. It wasn’t messy, but it wasn’t organized either. Some things were out of place, and she could tell it hadn’t been sorted in a while.

She rolled up her sleeves and got to work. She grouped the canned goods together, lined up the jars neatly, and moved the snacks to their own shelf. It was slow and careful work, but Abby didn’t mind. She liked seeing it all come together.

Just as she was stepping back to admire her work, a voice made her jump.

“You must be the new girl.”

Abby turned quickly to see an older woman standing in the doorway. She had gray hair tied back in a bun and a warm smile on her face.

“Yes,” Abby said, her voice a little shaky. “I’m Abby.”

The woman nodded. “I’m Mrs. Rose. I’ve been here a long time. Mr. Edward asked me to check on you.”

Abby felt nervous but managed a small smile. “I’m almost done with the list,” she said.

Mrs. Rose walked into the pantry and looked around. She gave a nod of approval. “You’ve done a good job,” she said. “Not everyone gets it right on their first day.”

“Thank you,” Abby said, feeling a little relief.

“Mr. Edward likes things done properly,” Mrs. Rose said. “He can be strict, but he’s fair. Keep working hard, and you’ll do fine here.”

Abby nodded quickly. “I’ll do my best.”

Mrs. Rose smiled. “Good. Now, why don’t you take a break? There’s tea in the kitchen, and I baked cookies this morning. You’ve earned it.”

Abby hesitated for a moment. “Are you sure? I don’t mind doing more.”

Mrs. Rose laughed softly. “Take a break, dear. There’s still plenty of work tomorrow.”

Abby followed her back into the kitchen, where a pot of tea and a plate of cookies were waiting. She poured herself a cup and took a cookie.

As she sat down and took a bite, she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time. She felt like maybe, just maybe, she could really make this work.