Chapter 52: The Admonishment

The guest drank some water and wiped his mouth one last time before folding his napkin neatly and placing it on top of the table. He stood up, holding on to the table as he did so to support himself.

“Thank you,” he said, looking at Flora and Pablo before approaching the door that led to the entrance hall. Flora smiled at the guest and thought how weak he looked for his age. He looked overworked and the lines around his eyes were much more pronounced.

“You’re welcome, Sir,” replied Flora and she walked towards the table to get the used plates and utensils. Pablo followed her and picked up the water pitcher and glasses. He was silent and Flora felt uneasy. The only noise in the dining room were the clatter of the utensils and the tinkle of porcelain as they were placed orderly in the food cart. When they were done, Flora came behind the food cart to push it back towards the kitchen. Pablo stood in her path which stopped her from pushing the food cart any farther.

“Stop,” Pablo said, his