SUCCESSFULLY TROUBLED

Anita rose and observed her usual routine; switched the room monitor on, arranged her bed, tied her curtains and organized the room, took her clothes and did their laundry, took her shower, headed downstairs for their family breakfast, kissing her parents good morning and having the normal breakfast talk before heading to the city for another half a day with them at the shop.

Anita’s home had housekeepers and servants that were long people who served her grandparents, took care of her father and then her. But, even with the bevy of housekeepers. The three did not divulge them in helping with their bedrooms and laundry.

It was a law passed down from her grandparents but still they also felt it was already a mountain enough for them to take care of the castle and maintain the cleanliness of the large compound outside that spanned for an estimate of seven hectares. Maintaining the grass to be green throughout the year and being at the same height was not an easy task.

Then there were the farmwork and the domestic animals and the crops. Anita did not want to think of their backs where these servants slept.

But it was a home to scientists, where her mother was a doctor behind that pastry hat, her father was a medicine researcher and developer and pharmacist and not forgetting about her who graduated the best in zoology, genetics and ecology. Naturally, she was the one who wanted to learn everything.

When Anita was done preparing herself, she headed downstairs to have breakfast. Her parents were already downstairs when she arrived.

"Good morning, mom, dad?" She greeted, kissing both of them on their cheeks before having her seat.

"Good morning!" They greeted her back.

"Did you have a good night's sleep?" Her father asked.

"Magically," She replied before turning to her mother, "Mom, is there any mandatory task for me today at the shop?" She asked.

Her mother did not expect her question so she blanked momentarily before looking at her husband. Turning to Anita, she asked, "Not much more than the normal. Why?"

“I was hoping you could excuse me early today. There are some things I should sort out,” Anita answered.

Her mother gave her a meaningful look. Anita worked at the shop for only half a day and it was already Friday, the weekend was starting tomorrow. What was it that she wanted to do that she couldn’t do after her work?

“Baby, you only work for half a day at the shop. And you know why you have to be there,” her mother, Janet raised both of her brows, talking in a soft but stern tone, “There’s nothing that can’t wait unless you have a date!” Her mother added.

Her tone was irrefutable. But, Anita wanted the off so badly so she opened her mouth to speak but before she could say a word, her father, Jackson beat her.

“Child, what do you want to leave early for, that can’t wait? Today is Friday,” He turned to her.

After Anita graduated from college, she had been working at the shop and she never complained about it even when Jackson and Janet knew that they had blackmailed her into it. She had proved and grown to be one of the best pastry chef’s that there were certain customers who only preferred her pastry’s.

She would deal with her customer’s orders in the morning and ensure they were delivered before leaving the shop. Often, she left the shop for the house, or anything related to Tony like yesterday when she went for his birthday. Also, Anita has never asked to leave early or an off.

It was true to say that both parents had gotten used to seeing their child help in the shop. Also, it was Friday, she only worked for four hours every Friday and not seven hours like the other days of the week.

“If it’s not possible dad, it can wait,” Anita was looking dejected from her tone.

She poured herself milk and seemed to not want to continue with the conversation. She only wanted to see if she could find some information from Ben as the card the strange man who claimed to be Mr. Ronald’s friend read.

She wanted to know what he meant by those words he said to her yesterday and if he was sure he was offering the helping hand without any ulterior motives. How was she going to tell her parents that that was how she planned to use up the free time she was asking?

Jackson and Janet both exchanged a meaningful look. Anita was able to see their confusion behind their silence.

Anita was only seeking for Ben because she feared that maybe she had provoked a huge powerhouse than she thought. Also Mr. Ronald had threatened her saying that her choice might cause trouble to the people close to her.

Back then, her mother lost her family’s support for choosing to side with her father. No one from her family’s side had come for the wedding. This was a story she was told, but she could still see her unhappy face when she saw her family on the TV whenever something important or newsworthy happened. She could see the longing she still heard. She did not want that.

These were some of the reasons why she agreed with their decisions and never acted like she was forced. All she wanted was to give them the peace they had worked hard for and make sure they were happy at the end of the day. If it wasn’t for her mother telling her that a woman is destined to leave her family one day and join a new family, she could have remained and stayed with them till they were old.

“You know what? You can have the day off!” Her mother was not going to sit there and see her daughter’s dispirited face and said abruptly.

“What?”

“Mmmh!”

Anita and her father reacted to her sudden affirmation.

“You can have the day off but you still have to come with us to the shop,” Janet said. The two were looking at her with wide confused and shocked eyes. They were waiting for Janet to make them understand. She had given her an off, so why ask her to head to the shop?

“You know that Miss Clementina and her grandchildren will not eat any pastry made by someone else,” Janet started.

Anita and Jackson both breathed in relief when they realized they had cut their breath waiting for Janet’s explanation. Miss Clementina was an old woman who had loved the shop and after Anita had baked some croissants, doughnuts and a birthday cake for her during her grandson’s birthday and it was also an emergency.

She had appreciated the service Anita gave her and had listed herself as her number one customer. The old woman made it a mandate to visit the shop on Tuesdays and Friday’s for Anita’s service and like her life depended on Anita, she often refused to be served by anyone else. Since everyone feared her wrath, Anita was her only chef. It was better too because she gave out tips.

Anita could even remember one day when that old woman asked her why she was still not married to her boyfriend if she had one.

“That old woman is manic when you don't follow her request,” Jackson was shaking his head as if he could vividly see Miss Clementina going rogue in front of him, “It looks like you still have to come with us, child.” Jackson added.

They had a peaceful family breakfast as everyday after the conversation and left for the city. Anita took her yellow Posche today and was not riding with her parents. After arriving in the shop, she was only helping with the service until Miss Clementina’s arrival. She was done by her order in no time and even offered to take the woman to her car. She was wearing an amiable smile, but as soon as Miss Clementina’s car left the parking lot, Anita felt her hairs on her back rising and she felt a chilling killing intent that spooked her.

Her smile froze as she tried scanning the area. Nothing was looking out of place and the street was as busy as a normal Friday street would be. She was scrunching her brows deeper when she realized the killing intent was gone. Like it was only meant for her to notice it.

In the next second, she relaxed and a whisper in her head told her. “You are imagining things Nita.”

The oddest thing was she felt it and it was so ethereal like someone was hiding in the shadows and that person wanted nothing but to tear her into tiny little pieces. The killing intent was made for her.

“I am really getting it in my head. I mean it’s working. If he threatens me so that I can start having real day nightmares, then it is really working!” Anita mumbled to herself, shaking her head as though she was now convinced that the reason she felt that kind of threat was because of Mr, Ronald’s threat and what his friend said.

She ran her hand behind her neck massaging it with her palm like it would calm her nerves. She sat outside under one of the shades made for the customers looking at the tallest tower in the city. It was THE PALMERS. That was where Tony worked. She felt as if there was a slight difference in the air surrounding the tower and the air that was breezing through the city. But she couldn’t put a finger on it.

‘You are seeing things Nita! Focus!’ A voice whispered in her head. She closed her eyes shutting them like she believed it would solve her issue when she opened them.

From the shop, two parents were wearing suspicious looks of worry as they stared at their child through the view given by the wide windows. They were none other than Jackson and Janet. Janet moved closer to her husband and slipped her hand in his arms, “What do you think is wrong with her?” She was still looking at the view outside when she spoke.

“I am not sure. One minute she was smiling at Miss Clementina, the other minute she looked troubled and now I..can’t say,” Jackson shook his head tapping the wife’s hands.

“She is done here, she can head to whatever she wanted to look into earlier. By the direction she is facing, is she looking at The Palmers?” Janet asked.

“She is…closing her eyes?” Jackson asked her in return.

Who would stare at a direction with closed eyes?

“You saw him kiss her forehead yesterday night. Is she perhaps confused or conflicted?” Janet tried. It was every dream of every parent to see her daughter marrying someone who will be nice to her. She couldn’t be judged.

Jackson only shook his head. When Janet wanted to head to her daughter, two figures from a parked car beat her to it. The car had just arrived and they seemed to be rich arrogant kids by the way they walked. One was two steps ahead with his hands deeper in his pockets.

But, the two parents weren’t able to close their almost drooling mouths. He was a beauty with an innate arrogance. It justified his actions and it made no one want to deny his every action.

…

Outside the shop under the shade, Anita was still shutting her eyes trying to reorganize her mind when she heard a sport’s car engine come to a halt at the road near their shop. She thought it was another normal customer so she did not bother opening her eyes or standing to welcome the other party because her parents and the other shop’s waitresses would be doing so.

Everyone had been informed by her mother earlier that she was only there for Miss Clementina today.