Enough Already

Rayna's POV.

For a moment, I feel silent, rooted to the spot as I tried to wrap my head around Maggie's words. It felt as if my heart had literally stopped beating. Tilting my head to both sides as if trying to weigh my options, while actually trying to understand how she could have made such a mistake, I narrowed my gaze.

“I don't think I understand what you just said, can you explain better please?” I asked, as a look of confusion masked my face. “What do you mean by you used the wrong ingredient?” 

“I should have been more careful ma'am, but I was carried away.” she said, her eyes suddenly moist with tears. “As I returned to the kitchen to do the dishes, I realized that I'd used the wrong ingredient.” 

“You were carried away?” I asked, letting out a laughing scoff. “Then why are you still here? If you were carried away, why are you still here or did what carry you suddenly return you?” 

“I am so sorry ma'am.” she said, with an apologetic look in her eyes. 

“Don't tell me that!” I snapped, as a flash of temper lighted my eyes. “Firstly, you tried to burn down my house, and now you've mixed whatever ingredient you're not supposed to use. Is this your first time? Or are you purposely doing all these?” 

“No, ma'am. It isn't my first time.” she said, shaking her head. “I didn't know how it happened.” 

“Of course, you wouldn't!” I shot back, my eyes glittering with anger. “Do you have a child you're taking care of? Or better still, are you married yet because it's only if you're married that you can have a child or else it's the other way round.” 

“No, ma'am, I am not married yet.” she said, her voice was so husky as to be almost inaudible. “And I do not have a child.” 

“So, what in the world were you thinking about for goodness’ sake!” I yelled, gripping the sides of my head as I tried to calm myself. “How much more would you ruin until you realize that you're making mistakes, huh? Tell me! What am I supposed to do now? Who even has any idea what ingredient you added into my meal which you shouldn't have? What am I supposed to do with you right now?” 

“I have made a mistake, ma'am, please forgive me.”

“No, you've made two mistakes.” I said, indicating with two fingers to her face. “And those mistakes have come in the space of an hour. I mean, who does that? Who works without their mind in what their doing?” 

“I am…” 

“Don't you dare say that word again.” I said, my voice matching the hardness in my gaze as I cut her off. “You have been sorry since you got here. Or are you planning on changing your name to sorry, huh? Is that what you're planning to do? Or aren't you even tired of saying the words? I can't even count how many times I've heard that word from you this evening and yet you still want to keep saying it?” 

“It is because I don't know what else to say ma'am.” she said, shaking her head.

“Good.” I yelled, my voice almost rising to the heights of the roof. “If you don't have any idea whatsoever of what to say then kindly keep quiet. I do not want to hear that you're sorry anymore. The next time you say that word close to me then consider yourself jobless.” 

“I am—” 

The rest of the words died in her throat as she recalled my words quickly.

“Oh, you still want to say the words again, right?” I asked, letting out a laughing scoff. “Did you serve Onyx too?” 

“No ma'am.” she said, hiding her hands behind her. “She said she had something to eat before coming down here so, she would rather eat tomorrow.” 

“I guess she's so lucky then.” I said, with a shrug of my shoulder. “And you? Have you eaten the meal?”

“Not yet ma'am.” she said, shaking her head while evading my gaze. “I was just about to serve myself when I realized that I'd made a terrible mistake.” 

“So, I guess this affects just me, right?” I asked, letting out a bark of laughter as I turned around to gather my thoughts. “What was I expecting? I knew that you wouldn't have gotten a taste from it yet. However, I need you to show me the ingredient you used instead. Go on. Let's go to the kitchen.” 

She reluctantly turned around and proceeded to the kitchen while I followed behind her. I couldn't say exactly if she knew what she was doing here. Or perhaps, she'd figured out who I was, and she was trying to tell me through all these mistakes that she knew who I was. Or what better way to explain trying to burn down my house and mistaking the ingredients used for cooking with the wrong one? 

In the meantime, as we arrived in the kitchen, she began to pace back and forth with a rather confused look on her face.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked, with a tinge of curiosity in my voice as I leaned against the kitchen countertop with both hands folded across my chest. “What are you looking for?” 

“It was right there.” she said, looking more confused than her words as she pointed to a spot close to the sink. “I am sure of it.” 

“You are sure of what?” I asked, turning to see where she'd pointed to. “I can't find anything here which means that it wasn't there to begin with. Is there something wrong other than the fact that you don't put your mind to what you're doing? Are you forgetful too?” 

“No, ma'am. I'm definitely sure that I kept it there before leaving the kitchen.” she said, dropping her gaze to floor. “Oh, there it is.” 

She lowered her knees in a squat as she picked it up. From the sound it made when she picked it, I knew it was something sealed in a wrapper.

“Here it is ma'am.” she said, extending a hand towards me with the ingredient in her grip.

“Isn't this—”