Beneath the Surface

Katy's Point of View.

I would appear rude if I said I didn't want to be here. And I was tempted to say it anyway. I didn't want to be here. But when I suggested to Morris that I would rather have dinner in the comfort of my bedroom, his reply shook me to the teeth. My belly grumbled, clearly disagreeing with the repercussions of missing dinner at dinnertime.

"The thing is... You miss a meal here, you can forget about eating at all. It's a kind of a rule."

"Well, how is he sure that you don't sneak the food from the quarters to your bedroom? He's not even there. It doesn't make sense."

He chuckled a little. "We all eat at the dining table. It's not a hidden thing. I'm serious, you were not briefed at the interview about it."

"Wait, so you're telling me that the moment we're called in right now to eat, we are actually going to sit down with the boss and eat with him?" Interesting.

He laughed this time around. "You should see your eyes. They're so huge." He nodded still, "You act like it's an impossible thought."

"This kind of thing does not happen every day. I have kept houses for..." She paused to remember. When she couldn't say the exact amount, "Years. I'm a little bit certain that bosses don't do that."

"Well, you've never worked with a boss like Mr Cooper before."

"Yes I know, but doesn't he like his privacy."

"He thinks it's better to eat with people than talk with them. That's kinda his business module." Interesting. I wish I had notes! Oh, why hadn't I come with notes?

"Are you guys allowed to talk then? When you're all eating and without the rule of silence in the diner table?"

"Well... There's always a place of exception for everyone. Really for the boss, it's the dining table."

So here I was. Seated. We were all seated. Funny enough, the host was late. Nobody wanted to break the roaring silence. Morris pretended not to stare at Adelaide. Adelaide couldn't stop checking herself out in the tablespoon. I, on the other hand, couldn't pull my eyes from the porridge that staring at me. We were meant for each other. Truly.

"This looks amazing, Didy." Morris finally broke the silence, smiling at Adelaide. She smiled back and shrugged.

"Doesn't it? Although, you should taste it first. You might be disappointed with what you eat."

"I trust you that much. Besides, since when have you ever not cooked wonders? I'm just complimenting you before I eat it. I have confidence in you." Morris said quite sweetly. If his eyes weren't glued to hers, I would have claimed his words there for me. How could she not be aware that he loved her? It was either she was blind or maybe she knew, she just didn't want it to be the case. Maybe that was it.

Carson finally came to the dining table. His hands were wet. He dried them behind his denim, smiling brightly at us. Oh, wait... He was smiling at Adelaide and Morris. He definitely looked at me when the smile was close to vanished.

"Ah, this looks amazing." He said, inhaling the aroma of the food.

"Doesn't it?" Adelaide said again. What did she even mean by that? She sounded proud.

"It does." He smiled at her. She seemed to melt in her seat. Morris wouldn't look up at them. He was hurt. How could she not see? Aargh!! I rolled my eyes. It was the only way I could let the frustrations out.

"Anything wrong, Miss..."

"Philips."

"Ah, yes, Miss Philips. Anything wrong?"

"No sir. Why do you think that?"

He squinted at me, then shook his head. Oh, so now he was keeping tabs on my expression? Okay, maybe I should have let Johnson have this case. He was too particular, for someone that dealt on arms. He was too much... Not in a good way.

"Nothing. Could you help us with grace please?"

Dangerous arms dealers pray? This was a first. I placed my palms together and hunched over. "Thank You, dear Jesus, for the food You've given and the health You have given and Yourself You have given. Help us do the same now and forever, Amen."

"Amen." The table chorused.

I took a small bite out of my bread, before allowing myself a spoonful of porridge. If I was alone, like how I usually am back at the office, I would have moaned at the tastiness of the meal. Okay, now I knew Adelaide was a romantic, maybe crazy romantic, and a great cook. Did the word 'great' do her justice? Probably not.

"How are you liking the estate so far? Miss..."

This man had to be suffering from amnesia. Or maybe he was just trying to get me to snap at him so he could finally get the chance to fire me. Nice try, Cooper. With a bright smile plastered on my lips, I answered. "Miss Philips. You could just call me Josie, since you keep forgetting."

"I prefer Miss... Philips. Yes." Sure you did. "So?"

"So..." Two could play this game.

"I asked how you're liking the estate so far? The grounds are extensive and private, surely that's enjoyable enough for you."

Oh, was he full of himself? It was good to be at the center of his focus, but I could tell that he was just trying to see me say something I shouldn't. "It is. But so far I have found that I enjoy the company of the birds more than the convenience of the size. I mean, it is good and all that but I just prefer the songs of the bird. And of course, the ornaments are something I couldn't quite get enough of." If I didn't know better, I would say he wasn't pleased with my answer. His jaw throbbed. "And of course, Morris was such a good host. Adelaide too."

Adelaide seemed to smile at being mentioned. It would please her if I decided to cut my hair and change this girl's jeans into male rompers. I knew she was only acting on a scale because I was a female, just like her.

"You spoke like a poet." He said, after gulping down from his champagne glass.

"I read a lot of poetry."

"Ah."

There was a measurable amount of silence before he decided to speak again. "If I wasn't so busy with work, I'd plead with you to give me cooking lessons, Adelaide. You're just too good in this thing."

Adelaide chuckled softly. "I try. In fact, I don't think I've quite reached my potential. My mother was a guru in the kitchen. Still is. That's what I hope to do."

"You are. And since you say you're still going in about it, it's obvious you won't be going anywhere in the meantime. Maybe for a long time."

She smiled again, trying so hard to cover her reddening cheeks with her napkin. It wasn't quite necessary, Morris had already seen. Morris' hand tightened around his champagne flute. 

"There might be a lot of activities and I hope you all can be active. I'll be doing a lot of things, you guys will not be seeing a lot of me and I will not be seeing a lot of you, but I just want you to stay focused. Alright?"

I nodded. The others answered.

"There's going to be another new worker here. Morris might be very busy with me, you may not be able to tend to the grass. Hence, I hired a new gardener. He arrives tomorrow, between Morning, afternoon and night. Test him well, will you?"

"Sure," I answered, quickly. Realizing I was the only one who didn't nod, and that Carson's eyes were on me, seriously I longed to bury myself in the porridge.

"Thank you, Miss Philips." Oh, so he could remember after all. "You start tomorrow. Let's see what you got."

When dinner was over, I offered to help Adelaide clear the table while Morris and Mr Cooper said whatever they wanted in the privacy of his office. And even though she'd said no more than once, I still insisted.

"I really enjoyed the porridge. I'm surprised you don't run a restaurant with all that skill." I said, trying to be civil atleast. The silence in which we worked made me uncomfortable.

She smiled small. My mom says the same thing, but for some reason, I just... I want to stay here."

The reason was the blue eyed man she couldn't stop gawking at during dinner. It was quite obvious. I was determined to be nice to her. So my words would be.

"Well, as long you're quite happy with what you're doing now, that's okay."

"I suppose so, yeah." We carried the dishes to the kitchen and while we stacked the dishwasher, she finally stood up straight, eyes flashing with determination.

"There's something about you that might help me with Mr Cooper."

"Okay... Help you, how?"

"Nail him."