Chapter Two: Servant

“Did you hear a word we said” my mother snapped at me bringing me back to the present. “Your sister's boyfriend and his parents have invited us for dinner at a fancy restaurant by the sea next weekend” I stared blankly at them for a moment. “Yes, I heard” though I didn’t really. “Don’t get smart with me,” she hissed. “Mother, it’s okay” Miracle cooed. “No, it’s not, Ruby, your sister was inviting YOU to come along. The least you could do was show some gratitude” she shrilled. This confused me. Why? Why would Miracle ever invite me?

It was as though she could read my thoughts. Miracle’s eyes misted over with crocodile tears. “ Ruby I know we don’t always get along, but you're still my sister. Even though we don’t share the same blood, I still want you to meet my boyfriend and his family. I have a feeling he might be the one” her words seemed to her an edge to them as though daring me to call her bluff. I don’t like this. It’s always when she pretends to be nice that she is planning to be the most cruel. Dread pools inside me. “I understand how you feel, he must be a great man if you’re this sure. I hope he makes you happy” I said it in the false cheery voice I use to appease them. But I meant none of it. Those words felt like poison to me. I wish her nothing but the worst.

Most might still be happy for her if they were in my situation or at least feel indifferent. But lately I found it hard to maintain even that for her. “I know you understand. And yes, he makes me very happy” she said with a smirk. Her eyes shone with malicious excitement. She had an air of knowing. What she knew, I don’t know but I’m sure I will soon. My mother relaxed. She was satisfied with my response. “Well now that’s settled, you can go and clean the house” she dismissed me as though I wasn’t her daughter but a servant.

I continued through the day doing household chores. I scrubbed every inch of the bathrooms, and vacuumed the hallway carpets. I grabbed a bucket and put bleach in it and diluted it with water. The liquid went back and forth in the bucket as I walked to the grand staircase. The stairs were white marble. Two on each side swirling to connect to the second floor. Ever since I was seven I was expected to clean this very staircase once a week. Or like today if someone was visiting it would have to be cleaned. It doesn’t matter if it was cleaned the day prior I would still have to clean it again.

I sighed and got down on my hands and knees. I picked up the cleaning brush and dipped it in the water and began to scrub. It was a long and tedious process. I wasn’t allowed to use a mop on the stairs or the floors. According to my mother mops carried bacteria, but mainly she just did not want streaks on her floors. It took me forty minutes for all the bathrooms. twenty minutes to vacuum all the carpets. By the time I was done with all the floors it had been four hours. And now I had to start on the staircase. I always try my best to be thorough but quick.

The faster I am done the sooner my body can get some rest. An hour in and I finished the first spiral of stairs. I take a brief break. Sitting where the stairs intersect at a small balcony with a silver rail. Suddenly the bucket is flying down the other spiral staircase. The liquid runs down it like a waterfall. At first I think it was a miracle because despite their hatred no one else in this family is so petty. But then I hear that familiar cackle. Cassandra. One of my family's many servants.

If there is one person more petty than Miracle, it’s her. She was one the newer maids. And once she realized she could get away tormenting me she never stopped. Mostly she would use verbal taunts, but sometimes she goes out of her way to mess up the work I did. Cassandra stood before me in her maid uniform with her hands on her hips. Her brunette hair was in a tight bun. “ Ruby, you ought to be more careful. You’re always making a mess. But I guess that’s to be expected of you. Always in the way, and yet somehow you’re always in everybody's shadow” she said it in a snide scolding tone.

I internally sigh. Hoping my face doesn’t betray me. “Thanks for the advice. I’ll make sure to keep it in mind” I say with a false cheery voice. I know better than to reason or try to appeal with her. Cassandra is a heartless termagant. She fancies herself the mistress of the house. When my mother and Miracle are gone she acts like she owns the place. And my brother and most surprisingly my father don’t care to correct her.

Cassandra's face is pinched as though she sucked a lemon. Clearly annoyed that she can’t get to me. “ Don’t you find it funny” she snickers. “What?” I ask, confused by what she's getting at. “That despite you being their daughter they treat you like a servant. Meanwhile, I can get away with not doing anything” she gloats like a child. It’s true though, I am more a servant than the actual servants. And for some reason Cassandra never gets in trouble for half-assing things and not doing anything at all. I don’t respond to this though. I am not going to give her the satisfaction by trying to come up with a reason for this.