A maid and two brats

10

Mrs. McCarthy sat on her high back office chair, reading magazines on cars as I walked into her office, carrying my backpack from school. It had been a long day, and I still had to say goodbye to Aunt Agnes at the airport then go back to Sam's to pick up my stuff before making my way here.

"Hello Darling," she pushed her glasses down as I approached her. "I am so glad you could make it. Please come in."

"Thank you," I said politely and clutched the bag in front of me before taking a seat in the exact spot I sat the first time I was here.

"Are you just returning from school?" she asked sympathetically.

"Not really, I had to make a few stops before coming here. My aunt sent her love"

"Oh, isn't she still in town?"

"She had to leave for an emergency sadly." I gave a tight smile.

"That's not a problem, you're in safe hands now." she gave me a genuine smile that melted my heart, before taking the office phone. "What would you like to have for lunch?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you had lunch?" she questioned raising a brow.

"I'm not really hungry."

"No problem, I'm sure some cookies would be fine then." before I got a chance at protest, she called one of the staff to bring in some cookies and tea for me and some coffee for her. Well, this would take a whole lot of getting used to.

"So while that is being arranged, we have to go over a few things, Debby."

"Of course Mrs. Mcarthy." I straightened to give her my full attention.

"Oh dear, please you can just call me Dalia." she waved it off with her perfectly manicured hand.

My eyes widened in surprise, but I managed to speak. She had to be the sweetest human on the earth. "Of course...D-Dalia." I stuttered.

"You'll get used to it." she snickered, and got to her feet. "so the first thing we have to go through is that you would have to be changing schools."

"What?" My brows furrowed.

"Before you react, please listen to me." she said calmly. "your school, according to what your aunt and I discussed—"

"...you discussed with her again?" for some reason, I did not know how to feel about that.

"Yes last night." she said simply, "and we came to an agreement that I will be standing in as a legal guardian for you for the time being until everything is normal for you again."

Scratch what I said about this woman being the sweetest human, she was an angel. She had to be. "Why would you even do that for me?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, Deborah..."

"No, I'm not offended in the very least." I clarified quickly, "I'm just wondering how you can be so nice to me even when you do not know me."

She smiled and covered the distance between us in a few careful steps. She took a seat next to me and held my hand. "It's not everyday life gives me a chance to use my power for some real good."

That came as a shock. The Google research I had done about her a few nights ago said a whole lot about her kindness and charities to various organizations which was why her generosity should not have come as a shock to me, yet it did. It was all too much.

"Thank you so much." I worked to hold back a sob. "thank you so, so much."

"You're welcome dear." she smiled and got to her feet, "so you will have to start a new school, every child that has ever had to live in this house went there too."

"We're in the middle of this year...... I won't be allowed in."

"That's not a problem. I had everything sorted out this weekend and you're due to start in a few days. I know it's a big change coupled with the move to a whole new school, but I just thought, if you're going for a new start, you should go all in. No regrets."

"This means so much to me, thank you so much." a streak of tear rolled down my cheeks and I wiped it with the pad of my thumb. This was probably the best news I had to receive in weeks. The fact that I no longer had to deal with the trauma from going to my old school every day, the bullies, the pity looks always thrown my way, the pressure to make it through every day, though I had a feeling that last part was going nowhere.

"It's okay. You will find everything you need to know about your new school as well as your new uniforms too,"

"I get to wear a school uniform?!"

" you do." she rounded her desk and took her seat back, "everything would be explained in your school brochure, it's in your room."

I could not hold myself back from getting to my feet and hugging her. Maybe the universe was finally finding a reason to give me a tug at their lips but I knew it was wishful thinking to hope that would finally turn into a real smile someday.

"Now it's time to meet the other's," she said as we broke apart. "Damien had been really excited to meet you since I told him you would be joining our family." of course there was still the one opposing fact that threatened any happiness that was coming my way. I managed a toothed smile, "also my husband would be coming home tonight, so you get to meet him too."

I nodded, trying to keep a straight face and not show how terrified I was about meeting her monster of a son. I had not exactly planned for this part, if I was being honest, I was really hoping he would just for some reason disappear from the face of the earth when I got here. Wishful thinking.

"Are you okay?" Dalia asked as we stepped into the hallway leading to the kitchen. She must have seen the worry on my face.

"Never been better." I gave a tight mile. My stomach was in tight knots.

"Good, because we're about to meet the others" she smiled and pushed the kitchen door open.

Damien sat with his back to me, still in his uniform that did nothing to his countless tattoos that ran from the back of his palm to his neck. Was he even allowed to have so many tattoos? Considering who his parents were, I got my answer. It was the one thing I probably disliked about him the most, that is aside from his mean personality.

He had a bowl of cereal in front of him as he typed away at his phone, laughing hysterically at the same time.

The other members of the staff who were in the kitchen dropped what they were doing as she walked in, me following behind her, but Damien seemed too oblivious or he just did not care. She cleared her throat softly. "May I have a minute Damien?"

"You can have five," he said without looking up from his phone.

"Along with your attention," she stepped closer to him and placed her hand over his phone's screen, he looked up at her with a vexed frown, "please baby. I'll be really quick."

"Ugh," he groaned, "fine, what is it?"

"I would like you all to meet Deborah, she's new here and would be living with us as a member of our small family from now on." All eyes diverted to where I stood next to the door, shrinking as a snail would from danger. I wished I had magical powers to make myself disappear as his eyes met mine.

Cold, emotionless, sky blue eyes.

"Hi everyone," I managed to give a timid wave as everyone said their welcomes, hi and hellos to me.

He stared at me in shock, blinking a few times, before getting to his feet swiftly, "You!" he turned to his mom, "What's she doing here mom?"

"I told you last night, Deborah would be joining our family," Dalia explained. I could almost hear the silent plea "please Damien don't make a scene," she looked between us, her face morphing into worry at the glare I was shooting him and the surprised look he had on his face, "do you know each other?"

"It doesn't matter. I want her out of here right now." he barked, giving me a matching glare. He made his way to me in quick steps, but his mom quickly blocked him from reaching me.

"Would you both tell me what the hell is going on right now?!"

The staff watched quietly as the drama unfolded, I could tell it was not the first time they would witness such a scene. I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it. "I said it does not matter mom, I just want her out of my house right this minute."

"Damien!" she yelled, "I don't know what you're thinking, but this is my house and I decide who stays and unless you give me a tangible reason why she has to leave or why you're suddenly behaving like you need to go to the asylum, Deborah is staying right here and there is not a thing you will do to change it." when she turned to me, I wondered whether the anger written on her face was more really directed at me or the situation. "Do you want to explain what is going on here Debby?"

"Well...um..." I stuttered, wondering how I was supposed to explain her son's hate for me. I certainly could explain mine for him. "Damien and I know each other from the Ice cream shop where I work and we aren't really best friends." it was the best I could give.

"Is that true?" she asked him.

"Whether or not it is true does not matter, I am not going to live under the same roof as her," he barked. Why did he hate me so much?

"Good, you're welcome to move out." he looked stunned at her words. "And since you will not take the time to tell me why you have a problem with her presence, I'm glad I have passed the message. Deborah would be living here from now on, she's not a guest and I expect you to treat her like family. Is that clear?" she directed the last question to the rest of the staff who had not said a word all along.

They chorused a "Yes ma'am"

"Good," she took my hand, not sparing a glance at Damien who was seething, "come on darling, let's show you to your room. Where's your stuff."

"Um in the lobby." I managed to say. From the arrows Damien was throwing at me with his eyes, I could tell I was about to walk into a rough path and I considered if I should take a step back now or keep right ongoing.

"Is this all of your stuff?" Dalia asked as she saw the knapsack and single box I had taken along. I didn't really have much, so I only took the important stuff.

"The most important," I answered with a forced smile.

"That's fine," she beckoned on one of the maids standing in the corner. "take these to Cynthia's room please."

"What?!" Damien said from where he was watching behind us. "that's my sister's room."

"It was. There's no need to keep a room for someone who is halfway across the globe. She's having her second child and happy with her family, I doubt she would need her childhood room and I'm sure she would not mind giving it to someone that needs it more. Deborah needs it more, so it's hers now."

"f**k mom you are being such a b***h right now!" he barked angrily and stormed up the stairs.

If Dalia was offended by his outbursts she did not show it on her face. Instead, she yelled, "well this b***h is grounding you for two weeks,"

There was a sudden awkward silence, followed by the continuous slamming of doors that sounded through the house for a few seconds. Then some glass shattering and more doors slamming then silence again and then a scream, then silence.

Oh boy. I had to live with that for how long again?

"Miley, check what we need to replace this time," Dalia said tiredly and ran a hand through her hair. "David will be home tonight and I do not need him coming home to see the house in a mess."

Guilt coursed through me but more than that, disgust for Damien took center stage in my being. I thought his arrogant personality was unlikeable but seeing this, it only made me hate him even more. Dalia did not have to go through this because she was just trying to give me a roof. "I'm so sorry Mrs. Dalia, you're having these issues because of me and..."

She snickered, "It's not nearly your fault. It's my fault for letting his bad behavior continue for so long. Please do not blame yourself for what's going on now, I'm used to it, he'll come around once his father gets home. Come on, your room awaits."

My mouth dropped as the door to my new bedroom swung open. It was on the second floor of the mansion, at the far end from Damien's but still too close in my opinion. Being in the same house as the asshole was too close for me.

But I found no strength to voice any of my hate as I stepped into his sister's old room. I felt like I just stepped into a princess' room.

It was one of the most beautiful rooms I had ever seen, a highly sharp contrast to the room I had always known in my old house. Peach walls, dark hardwood floor, and the bed that looked like it was stolen right out of a barbie princess movie.

"I'm sorry if there's too much pink," she chuckled from where she stood at the door, "I hope you like it."

She was right about the pink, it was almost blinding. But I could not bring myself to complain, I loved it. "This is beautiful." I breathed, pivoting around slowly.

There was a large study table next to a long paned window that stretched from floor to ceiling, giving me a refreshing view of the green, natural view outside. I could imagine myself, sitting at that table, thoroughly soaked in one schoolwork or the other. Finally, no distractions of cars honking, cops patrolling or people fiercely going at each other. It would be just me and the quietness of the scenery in front of me.

I had to physically restrain myself from drooling over the walk-in closet. "It's stocked," I noted, looking at the arrays of clothing stocked inside. From casuals to jaw-dropping dresses to suits and shoes and whatever you could possibly think of to wear.

"She didn't take a lot with her when she left for school and I thought I'd leave a few. I thought of getting new clothes for you... but I wasn't sure seeing as you're a little...um...."

"Thin," I completed for her with a chuckle, "I get that a lot." my underweight had always been a highlight for the bullies at school. I had heard the words, you're too damn thin, you might break any day soon, you should eat more, so much that it no longer hurt or bothered me anymore.

"I would have said skinny, but okay. Tell me what fits and we'll see what we can do about the others."

I sucked in a sharp breath as I walked back to her. "I don't think words would ever be enough to express my gratitude for all you're doing for me right now Mrs. Dalia."

"Well good thing you do not have to say anything." she rubbed my shoulders gently, "get some rest and I'll have someone call you up for dinner."