Chapter Six

AVA

"Ava! Ava! Wake up!" Nicole shook her still sleeping friend, trying to wake her up.

Ava just groaned and turned on her side, shrugging off Nicole's shoving hands.

"Leave me alone," she mumbled in her sleep. Her voice coming out groggy.

"You'll be late for the interview."

That was all Ava needed to hear. Snapping her eyes open, she swerved her head to stare at Nicole.

"The interview?" She asked. She had got an email to come for the job interview and she had spent the rest of the day, picking out an outfit.

She had told Nicole that the interview was the first step to her answered prayers. She was so excited that even after Nicole had left for work, she had stayed awake till 2am in the morning.

Nicole was probably shocked to find her still asleep when she returned. Ava was told to show up by 9am and it was already thirty minutes after 8.

Scrambling out of the bed, "why didn't you wake me up?" The sheets tangled around her legs and sent her dropping to the floor, in a heap.

Nicole couldn't help getting amused by Ava's efforts in trying to hurry up. "I tried..."

Rushing to the bathroom, she slammed the door shut and in exactly five minutes, she ran out with a towel, wrapped around her figure.

Nicole spread out the outfit Ava had chosen the day before, on the bed. "Are you sure about this skirt?" She picked up the maroon coloured cashmere skirt and peered closely at it.

"Do you have a better choice?" Pulling on a black bralette, over her plain black panties.

Nicole turned to Ava, still holding the skirt. "I'm not sure about this, Ava."

Ava gave her brief glance, then started to dry her wet hair with the already wet towel.

It had always been a hassle ever since she was little. She hated how frizzy her hair was, especially when it gets wet. The dryer had stopped working, and she doesn't even have the time to use one.

Striding over to the dresser, obviously the prettiest thing in the room, she picked up a comb and ran it over her hair, then tied it in a ponytail with a rubber band.

If there was anything she could change about herself, it was certainly the hair.

"That skirt was bought by my grandmother. The last thing she bought me before she got sick. Probably four years ago." She told Nicole, turned to her, "it's a wonder how it still fits."

"It's not a wonder at all. You're just so little ." Nicole chided, handing her the skirt.

Deciding not to respond to that, she wore the skirt, zipped it at the back and reached for a green shirt.

It was true she looked little, probably looked underage most times, but it had never bothered her. Nicole had a bigger size and had never stopped reminding her

While she pulled it on and buttoned up, Nicole stifled a laughter.

Shooting daggers at Nicole, Ava dragged her hair out of the collar to let it hang free.

"You look ugly. Really ugly." Still laughing at Ava's outfit.

Turning to get a proper look at the mirror, she confirmed it. She really looked ugly. Her wet red frizzy hair, a green shirt and a maroon skirt.

She acknowledged she looked really funny and awkward. But she was running late and do not have a second option.

"The first thing I'm buying is a hair dryer, Nicole." Ava said, reaching up to run a palm over her hair.

"You need it more than I do, baby."

Reaching up to get her black shoes, she quickly wore them and grabbed her backpack and an umbrella.

Ava detested getting rained on and messing up her hair.

"Here. You should take a taxi instead of the bus." Nicole handed out some notes to her.

Ava was really awed by that. She hesitated for a moment, but Nicole pressed the notes into her palm. "You don't want to be late to your interview."

Giving Nicole a bright smile, she nodded. "Thank you for this."

"Now go. Don't get lost." She gave Ava a light shove towards the door.

"I won't." Ava answered and let herself out through the door.

Nicole shook her head in exasperation when ava rushed back in to take her phone from the bed.

*****

Ava couldn't help being grateful to Nicole, as the taxi pulled up in front of a mansion. She could now understand the look the taxi man had given her when she'd shown him the address from her phone.

Rayborne had got to be heaven. Ava was sure of this, as she wouldn't stop gaping and gazing out through the window as the driver sped through the really neat and beautiful streets.

Nicole hadn't mentioned a place like this, maybe she had never been there. Of course, she wouldn't know anyone that could afford such a place.

It was absolutely the place for wealthy people. It was serene, beautiful and so magnificent.

When the driver went through a gate and and sped on what seemed unending, Ava read the sign and the number and checked with her phone to be certain.

Ava was certain her eyes would pop out from staring too much at the beautiful flowers and decorated plants and trees.

Glancing around the exterior, she caught a glimpse of herself through the mirrored walls. Her hair was now looking so frizzy and all. The green shirt and her cheap cashmere skirt, made her feel like a cat.

Running a hand over the front of her shirt, she stood by the door and started to knock, but the door was immediately pushed open.

An older woman in a three piece suit, stepped out. Ava stepped back and gazed back at the woman.

Her hair was tied in a tight bun that no strand was astray. Ava wondered if she doesn't feel a headache from how tight it was. Her bespectacled eyes were fixed on Ava and her face, which was masked in little make-up, contorted as though she was scrutinizing her. She certainly was.

She held a file which she opened and looked from it to Ava.

Closing it, the woman- Victoria- raised her eyes to Ava, her voice concise. "You're..." Taking a quick glance at her wrist, "three minutes late."

Ava got herself on time to reply, but couldn't give an answer. Victoria watched her struggle to speak and knew right then that she was a bad decision.

Taking a sight trip down her length, Victoria held herself from rolling her eyes. Her outfit was a disaster waiting to happen, but deciding on not wasting anymore of their time, she pinned Ava with a death stare.

"I'm Victoria, your employer's secretary."

Ava nodded, knowing she had to say something, she tried again. "I'm Ava Fisher..."

She could see the disinterest in Victoria's expression. "I know. I sent you the email."

"Oh!" That was all Ava could mutter.

Victoria started back into the house, not looking back to see if Ava followed.

Ava stepped into the house and felt her breath cease. The interior was totally stunning. The iciness that embraced her made her wrap her arms around herself.

It was absurd how it made her think of Salta. She never really loved how cold it was in Salta, but the iciness, it just made her think of home.

Was this how it felt to be in a rich man's world? Ava thought to herself, as her eyes bounced off the reflections of herself before they ran over the artworks that lined the glittering hallway.

"Ms Fisher?" Victoria called to the girl who now stood further away from where she had wanted her to be.

The redhead snapped her head round and fixed her eyes on her. Her face burned the brightest shade of magenta, as though she had been caught with her hands in a cookie jar that was meant for Christmas.

Victoria wouldn't blame the poor girl. She too, had been that way six years ago.

"I'm so sorry. It's such a beautiful place and..." She stopped talking. She was sounding like she was there for an exhibition and not to work.

Retreating to where Victoria was, almost at the end of the hall, Ava followed her into a kitchen which was twice the size of the apartment she shared with Nicole.

Can anyone be that rich?

Ava swore she had only seen such a kitchen in magazines. The kitchen had black drapes which were drawn to let light into the space. She could see the garden and the pool from the glass fitted french windows.

Contrary to the iciness that embraced her at the hallway, the kitchen felt so warm and cozy. There was a familiar hint in the air that reminded her of Grandma Sherri's banana fritters.

Trying to hide how elated she was, Ava turned her full attention to Victoria who stood beside the kitchen island, her expression the same; bland and stark.

"Ms Fisher..." Victoria started, keeping her voice mild, "I know this might seem unethical but I'm going to say it anyway." Her eyes speared Ava as she took in her hair, her wide eyes, her dry lips, then ran her eyes over her outfit, and down to her shoes.

"I don't think you're the right person for this job!"

Ava had felt the indignation since she met her at the door. Glancing down at her ugly back shoes, she knew why she was rejected.

She's not Bellamy material. Of course!

Tapping her perfectly manicured and red painted nails on the table top, Victoria took few steps towards Ava who hadn't responded to what she said.

"But against better judgement, you'll be given this job."

Ava's head snapped up. Her eyes wide with disbelief. "Really?"

Victoria turned and returned to where she was standing. "Just for three months, but if you make a mistake," her lips curling up in a sly smile, "any mistake at all, you'll be fired right on the spot."

Ava shook her head profusely, her hands jutting out as though she was being fired at.

"I promise I'll do my best. I won't make any mistakes. I promise."

Victoria nodded. "Good," taking graceful strides towards the kitchen counter.

"Your employer, Mr. McCaul's cook had to take a three month leave,'' she paused briefly. "And that's why you're here."

"I hope that you are efficient and can be trusted to do your job. He must not be disturbed anytime you're around. You must make yourself as invisible as possible so that you don't get in his way." She said swiftly.

She didn't need to ask about who she referred to.

"I can do that." Ava replied lamely.

"So, can you cook?" Victoria asked pointedly.

Ava didn't have to think twice about it because her head bobbed in conviction.

Victoria's gaze lingered on her face in disbelief. Well, it wasn't that she can't make a nice meal.

Grandmother Sherri and Nicole had both confirmed that she was a good cook, but they were the only ones who'd had a taste of her dishes.

She loved cooking but, there was never a proper time and place for it.

"I can make something for you_" she quickly offered.

"There won't be any need for that." Victoria interrupted. "Your job description in this house is to be a housekeeper and a cook for Mr. McCaul. I hope you can handle that."

Ava forced a smile at Victoria and nodded. Again. Her fingers clinched together as she tried to look confident under the older woman's scrutiny.

"His daughter's getting back tomorrow, so you'll be needed to make something really good for them. Fortunately, they don't have any allergies I know of," she intoned, crossing her hands over her chest.

Ava started to say something but Victoria interrupted the motion.

"He hates bacon egg muffins. So don't ever serve him those." Victoria informed her. It was really an important information.

Ava broke into a smile. A big, genuine smile. "I hate 'em too." She hadn't intended to say it out loud.

"Ha!" Victoria injected. She nodded in total agreement as if she were pleased to hear that. "Good to know that you have something in common with him."

Tucking an imaginary strand away from her forehead and behind her ear, "I'm really grateful to get the opportunity to work in a place like this. I promise to do my best." Ava said swiftly, her eyes roaming the kitchen and the really expensive appliances and wares.

This was her chance at having something better for herself and Nicole too. She would even get to pay off the hospital bills.

"You are to come in by 7 every day and leave whenever he tells you to." Victoria tore off a paper and scribbled something, as if she read her mind.

Sliding it to her across the table top, Ava looked down at it and felt her hair stand on their ends.

"Five thousand dollars? Every three weeks?"

Victoria didn't respond but glanced down at her wristwatch, and Ava knew that it was her subtle way of telling her that she needed to leave.

"If you agree to the payment_"

"I'm totally in. I'll start today."

For the first time, Victoria's lips curled up in a warm smile.

Walking to the kitchen doorway, she turned back to Ava. "I should probably give you a tour but I need to go now. I hope you find your way around and won't get lost."

Trailing behind Victoria to the front door, "I wouldn't but I still need to know where I'd find the cleaning equipments."

She whirled round to Ava, pinning her with an impatient look. "They could be somewhere around the house and it's part of your job to find them."

Giving her a jaded smile, "now if you'll excuse me."

While Ava watched the retreating woman, she could only exhale deeply as she returned to the cold house.

Walking further down the hallway, she went past the kitchen and decided on going on that tour herself.