Back home, the housekeeper, Maria, rushed
out to grab my backpack.
She noticed I was alone, and Ashley wasn’t
with me, her smile faltered, and then she
asked:
く
“Honey, just you? Where’s Ashley? Didn’t she
come home with you?”
I didn’t answer, just washed my hands and
headed to the dining room for dinner.
The table was practically covered in Ashley’s
favorite dishes.
And the fried cod I asked her to make was
nowhere to be found. Instead, Ashley’s
favorite, baby back ribs, was sitting right in
the center of the table.
I was instantly furious.
<
But Maria, oblivious to the storm brewing on
my face, kept yammering on, ignoring David’s
attempts to stop her:
“Your mom might be late tonight, honey.
Maybe you should wait for Ashley before you
eat?”
“Did you and Ashley get into another fight?
You’re always picking on that sweet girl.”
“David, you go back and get Ashley. Don’t
want her getting lost again, like last time.”
Maria kept chattering away. It sounded like
questions, but it felt like I was being scolded.
く
୮
I started tapping my fingers on the table,
watching Maria as she turned to David, urging
him to go pick up Ashley.
“Just stop, please.”
Seeing Maria’s clueless act, David couldn’t
take it anymore and snapped at her.
Then, finally, I spoke, asking her calmly:
“Maria, where’s the fried cod I asked for
yesterday?”
Maria froze, finally realizing something was
wrong. She slowly turned to me and stuttered:
<
“Uh, well, I left a little late today, and the fish
market was all out of cod. So, I didn’t make
it.”
“If you want some, maybe tomorrow-”
“It’s not that small of a city, isn’t the fish
market the only place?”
I cut her off, not letting her lie to me.
“You left late, cod was sold out, but ribs
weren’t?
“Was it really gone, or did you just forget and
not want to make it!”
く
I grabbed the plate of ribs and dumped the
whole thing, plate and all, into the trash.
I don’t explode, and everyone around me
thinks they can do whatever they want!
“Maria, you listen to Ashley so much, maybe
she should pay your salary from now on.”
“I’m not repeating myself. Get all this food off
the table.”
“I want fried cod tonight. If I don’t get it, pack
your things and retire early!”
I turned and headed upstairs.
く
I overheard Maria and David muttering to
each other:
“What’s gotten into Brittany today?”
“She never cared about any of this before.”
