Royals in Toledo

Chapter 5

The orientation wasn't too bad. Maya was patient with me and discussed the routine. I can't memorize everyone's names yet, but I will get there. I have a year for that. My thoughts were cut short when Selma, the one in charge of the maids, came in with plastic bags. She is in her early sixties and a little on the thin side. Her black hair is always in a neat ponytail and she wears dark red lipstick.

"Listen up, everyone. We have to wear uniforms from now on. The kitchen wears maroon. Gray for laundry and green for housekeeping. That's the only way we can tell each other apart, so we are not asked to do tasks that we're not supposed to do."

I raised my hand because I didn't know what to wear. "What about for personal assistant? I can't possibly wear all three colors? I have to do laundry, make food and clean up after Sir Aaron."

Selma smiled a little. "You are the new one, right?" I nodded. "For you, you're going to have to wear brown."

Brown? Is she for real? Can't it be purple? Yellow? Something that is a little livelier than plain, old, boring brown?

"You don't like it?" The tone of her voice was different. I can tell she's not very happy with me. "Just letting you know that Sir Aaron was the one who chose that color for his new assistance. If you want to request a different one, you're going to have to talk to him. However, please be reminded that you might be charged for a new set of uniform, and it will be deducted from your pay."

I was speechless. The pay is not even that much, and I have to pay for a new set if I want to change the color? I guess I have no choice but to suck it up.

While everyone else was busy trying to get their uniforms the right size, Maya noticed my silence and nudged me with an elbow.

"Brown is not that bad. Besides, you can change before we travel back to the apartment." She smiled at me with reassurance.

"Easy for you to say. You don't have to wear them every day."

"Cheer up. Just think you're going to be paid for wearing brown, and it's not going to be so bad."

I got the medium-sized uniform, and it's weird how it fitted me perfectly once I tried it on in the washroom. It was as if my boss knew I was coming and it would fit me. I shook my head because I knew it was impossible. He couldn't have known me prior to this meeting.

I heard a knock on the door and it was Maya.

"I'm almost done," I said to her as I was changing back to my regular clothes. I have to wash my new uniform before I wear it tomorrow.

"Okay. Just letting you know it's almost lunch and Sir Aaron usually takes his soup and sandwich to the pool area."

"Is it ready?" I was thinking that the other maids in the kitchen had prepared it.

"No. You have to cook the soup and make the sandwich. He likes egg sandwich. You know how to do that, right?"

I can make a sandwich, but I don't know how to make soup. Am I going to be fired on my orientation day? This sucks.

In the kitchen...

I had been staring inside the fridge and was wondering what I was going to make. Those culinary classes that I skipped with Ara would have paid off by now if I had gone. I heard someone clearing her throat, and it was Selma, standing behind me.

"Was the air conditioning of the house not cold enough that you had to open the fridge to cool yourself down?" She looked so serious that it stopped me from matching her sarcasm.

"I..." I scratched the side of my neck. "I was just looking for ingredients for the soup." Selma raised a brow then turned to leave.

I looked up some recipes on the internet and picked the one that looked pretty. The good thing is, all the ingredients I need are available, so this should be easy. I can do this.

While everyone was busy with their tasks, I started to chop veggies. Traditional Basque porrusalda is a hearty vegetable soup with flavours of onions, potatoes, leeks, and carrots. Garlic and salt give the soup its flavour, and dried salt-cod is a common seasoning for porrusalda. However, I don't have dried salt-cod. I am not worried. It's optional.

The big kitchen is big and there are so many drawers that I don't know which one to open first. I need a measuring cup. But after opening every drawer on the freaking planet, there was no measuring cup in sight! It was frustrating, so I just had to do without it. I followed the recipe and, because I'm not a fan of leek, I didn't taste the soup. While it was simmering, I boiled some eggs and cooled them down afterward to make the egg sandwich.

***

I was so excited about serving the first soup I'd ever made in my entire life. I even told the others that there was some left in the pot. I found Aaron by the poolside. He was reading a comic book, but what got my attention was his toned abs. He wasn't wearing any shirt, except for the cyan board shorts which is not very... thick. The thing between his legs weren't exactly small.

The sun was hot, but I felt that it was hotter than usual with the sight in front of me. I would be lying if I said he's ugly because he is really gorgeous. If only he was not so arrogant, I'd say he's not all bad.

I put the tray down on the table near his side and cleared my throat to get his attention. He didn't bother to spare me a glance. Does that mean he doesn't want to eat? I picked up the tray and turned to leave when I heard his voice.

"Pardon?"

"I said, where do you think you're going with my food? I've been waiting for my lunch all day."

If there is an award for the most exaggerated man, that would go to him. All day? I only cooked for forty minutes! What is he talking about? I tried my best not to roll my eyes.

"What's this?"

"It's a porrusalda and egg sandwich. I didn't know what juice you'd like, so I prepared mango and pineapple. If you want something else, please let me know and I will get it."

"No. This should be fine." I stayed there just in case he needed something else. Aaron looked up and said, "You can leave now."

I am not used to being dismissed by anyone except for my parents, so when Aaron did it, it made me upset. I was about to say something back when Maya came to get me, and I am suddenly reminded by the heavens that I am Aaron's personal maid. It's only natural that he gives me orders. It's going to take time getting used to this.

We walked back together in the house and I asked her if she had eaten lunch.

She shook her head and said, "I was waiting for you to come back in, but you were taking awhile. Sir Aaron likes to have lunch alone." I frowned. "After you bring him his food, just leave and he'll ring once he's finished."

"Ring??"

"You didn't see his bell?"

I couldn't tell Maya that I was looking at something else when I arrived, as it was not appropriate. So I just shook my head as a response. While I do admire men both on television and in magazines, meeting someone like Aaron was different, and it's new to me. He can rouse so many emotions in me without even trying, which makes me uncomfortable.

"So you think you'll like working here? Sir Aaron is not too bad once you get used to the routine here."

"Let's see. But if there's an opening in housekeeping, I'd rather do that than be his personal assistant," I said to her truthfully.

"I don't think any housekeepers will be leaving their post soon. Just think about it this way. It's a job, and you have to earn money to keep—"

"A roof above my head and feed myself." I finished the sentence for her and Maya laughed. "I'm really struggling with—"

Maya and I heard the bell and we both looked at each other.

"ZIA!" Aaron was screaming on top of his lungs and I don't know why.

"Run!" said Maya who was behind me as I walked back to where Aaron was.

"What the hell did you put in this soup?!" I saw his vomit on the side of his chair.

Without thinking, I tasted the soup and I almost spit it out. To save my pride, I swallowed it. But the damn soup was saltier than ocean water! Damn!