Chapter Two

With determination, she marched into the kitchen, she met the maid doing the dishes, she called the girl, " Maria stop what you are doing and follow me" she ordered, still wearing the frown.

Maria continued washing the plates and she said, " okay, ma'am, I will quickly wash these ones and..."

"Leave them and follow me right now" she snapped at the girl.

The maid quickly rinsed her hands and followed her, Sophia stopped in the living room to carry her son before going towards the master bedroom with the maid following from behind, she entered the bedroom but the maid stood by the entrance.

"Come in" Sophia said, putting her child down on the floor and sat on the king size bed, placing two pillows on each sides of her already sleeping son, she indicated the dressing stool for the maid to sit on, which she obeyed hastily.

Sophia relaxed her face a little as she looked at Maria and said, " your mother called me yesterday and told me that something happened to you where you were staying before"

Maria's face dropped and she kept her eyes on the floor, visibly shaking, wringing her hands.

Sophia noticed how uncomfortable she was, " what exactly happened? How did it happen?" As she asked the maid, she listened for sounds in the living room, she expected Michael to come in soon, looking for the maid.

The dark-complexion girl breathed in and out heavily without talking.

"Maria?" Sophia called her softly, " you can talk to me alright?"

The maid shifted her weight on the stool and was about to talk when the door opened to Michael.

When he saw Maria, he looked surprised, he opened the door wider still looking at the maid who say comfortably in the room he shared with his wife, the previous maid who lived with them for four years and left just last month never entered this room.

' what is she doing here?' he wondered, looking from Maria to Sophia.

Sophia didn't meet his eyes, she kept her eyes on Maria as if she didn't know her husband was around.

Michael's unsmiling eyes went back to Maria, " please come".

Sophia stood immediately, she has been expecting this and she was prepared to confront Michael, " she is busy now, what do you want her to do for you?" She demanded harshly.

Michael looked at his wife to explain what he wanted, but changed his mind when he saw the ready-to-fight look on her face, the express on his face changed to anger.

He was the husband and the head of the home, whatever the maid was doing with Sophia must have to wait, he looked at the maid, she didn't seem to be doing anything anyways.

"Maria come" he said in annoyance.

She moved to follow him, but Sophia raise her hand up to stop her, " wait!"

Maria looked from wife to husband in confusion, Sophia asked her husband, " what do you want her to do for you?"

Michael's mouth parted in both surprise and anger, his wife had started again, ' what exactly is her problem?' he wondered.

Sophia continued, " we have soft drinks, different kind of wine, I don't want her to buy those alcoholic drinks, you and your friend can do whatever you like outside but please not in this house, respect me and the kids" she said decisively.

She vowed to put an end to some of those things Michael was doing, she hated alcohol and it's addiction, her husband had stopped drinking alcoholic drinks some months even before their marriage, if he wasn't drinking again, then he shouldn't buy for his friends, they surely would understand.

Michael pointed a finger at her and said, " Sophia this has nothing to do with you and you know it, you can't dictate to me what I should or shouldn't give my friend" he looked back at Maria and repeated, " please come"

Sophia stood up, " Maria stay!" She said defiantly.