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There are people coming in and out of the kitchen, the staff room. Women wear gray dresses with white trim on the collars and sleeves like me, and men wear white shirts with black pants. Our uniform here at The Pleiades.
There’s giggling and talking and even shoving. The entire house is awake and hard at work.
I climb down the stairs, call out hellos and his, until I reach the staff room. People are already sitting down and Tina, who went in earlier than me because she has no problem waking up early, is saving a seat for me.
As soon as I sit down, Mrs. S walks in and Tina leans over to whisper, “Right on time. Who would’ve thought?”
I’m kind of famous or infamous for being late so I just flip her the bird under the table; I’ve been busted before for doing it in plain sight.
Tina simply giggles.
Mrs. S takes her seat at the head of the table and everyone falls silent. There’s coffee and tea and cookies in the middle – courtesy of Maggie and her staff – and together with the long dining table and straight spines and serious faces, this could be a scene from Downton Abbey.
“Good morning, everyone,” Mrs. S greets us, looking around, her eyes stopping on me. “Very glad to see everyone in here and on time.”
I smile. Though it might have looked like a grimace.
“So, today, we have a little change of plans.”
Mrs. S is smiling and I don’t have a very good feeling about this. If she’s happy, then that means something is wrong. She’s never happy and neither does she let anyone else be happy. Namely, me.
“Today’s a special day.” She keeps smiling and my frown gets bigger. “To celebrate this unplanned but special occasion, Mr. and Mrs. Prince are having a party. I know that it’s a little short notice but I want most of you in the ballroom. I want every inch of that place clean and polished before the decorators get here. I’ve assigned some of you to work with them and I don’t want any mistakes or complaints, got it?”
She pins everyone with a glare until we all nod.
“Tonight has to go smoothly. It’s probably the most important event you’ll ever work on here at The Pleiades. Well, one of the most important ones, at least.”
Okay, she’s killing us and she knows it. Her eyes are gleeful and filled with joy. I’ve never seen her like this before, all excited and cheerful. And she isn’t even telling us about her so-called special day.
“Isn’t any of you going to ask me what’s the occasion?”
“Will you fire us if we do?” I mutter under my breath and Tina snorts.
Mrs. S glares in our direction but thankfully, Leslie, one of the girls on the staff, asks her about it.
Mrs. S turns her attention away and smiles. “Today’s the day that I, among some others who have been working here for decades, have been eagerly waiting for.” At this, Maggie and a few other senior staff members beam. “I’m so very pleased to say that tonight’s party is in honor of the Prince who’s returning to The Pleiades after three years. Our very own, Master Zach.”
Master Zach.
I can see her mouth moving but I can’t hear her. Her voice seems to be coming out of a tunnel or from somewhere deep down and far away.
Suddenly, all I can do is feel.
The racing heart, the savage butterflies in my belly. The tightness in my chest.
Shakily, I run my eyes around. Everyone is calm and focused. Mrs. S is still talking but all I can hear is his name.
Zach.
He’s back.
It was him, wasn’t it?
I saw him last night, or rather, caught a glimpse of him before he disappeared. It wasn’t a dream or my imagination.
I didn’t make him up.
Oh God.
