Chapter:04:Laundry Service:

It was a rainy night in June. It rained heavily the previous night and the drilling drops of the water from the heavy rain pour out like a waterfall.

A young woman, about twenty years old came out of the bedroom, yawning, and raised her hands to stretch.

She was dressed in a simple gown and her hair was packed in a ponytail. she had a worn-out and sullen expression on her face. Nonetheless, that couldn't hide the beauty beneath those black eyes.

She looked at the wall clock and it was only 5:O, clock in the morning.

Looking at the cold weather and her groggy body, she wanted to go back and sleep for a while. However, she kicked against the idea and went straight to the laundry room.

She tried to switch on the washing machine. But, it wasn't responding.

Realizing what the problem might be, the young girl took a bowl and add a few pieces of clothes to the water. Took a chair and sat down, then she began to wash.

Suddenly, someone emerged from the entrance and threw a handful of clothes at her ferociously, “Wash them. Make sure they are sparkling clean, and not ragged like the other time” Bridget Presley said as she threw the clothes on her.

Ivy Haddock was startled by her action but she adjusted herself and looked up at the woman.

She must be used to getting such ill-treatments from them. After all, this wasn't the first she's been treated this way.

Feeling awkward from the silent treatment, she got from Ivy, Bridget Presley scorned and said, “What? Do you want to say something? Are you tired of living?” She asked.

However, Ivy remained unfazed and didn't reply.

“Have you got some nerves now, huh?” Bridget was ready to pick a fight with Ivy.

“Take, I want them ready by tonight!”

Another woman, Vera Quinn, came to the laundry room with a bag of clothes and hurl it at Ivy mercilessly.

After hurling the clothes at her, Vera Quin circled her hands under her breasts and looked at Ivy with disgust.

“You better hurry up and get done with this. You wouldn't want to keep us waiting” Bridget Presley said and looked at Vera Quin for affirmation.

“It's not possible for me to wash everything all by myself at this time. Moreover, the washing machine is faulty and my hands hurt from doing chores. I think you should take them to the laundry service” Ivy said, her tone being low and meticulous.

“What the hell! You've got some nerves, don't you? Did you dare to ask us to take the clothes to the laundry service? ” Bridget Presley flared up.

“What right do you have to complain about things? You are just a worthless piece of trash allowed to enter into this family by crook, the only thing you are capable of doing is the lowly works and you do have the nerves to eject?” Vera Quin said.

“It's not like I'm complaining about the chores. I'm just worried about you, your night might end up getting ruined if the clothes are not ready by the end of the evening. However, there might be a delay since the machine isn't working today”

Ivy explained, the tone of her voice was so low but high enough for the two women to hear.

“You think, you are so smart? Are you fooling around with us to avoid doing your work?” Bridget Presley couldn't be easily fooled by her words.

“If you don't believe me, you keep lurking around anyway. I will only get to wash the clothes after breakfast, and I still need to report to work”

Vera Quin listened to her words and found that there was indeed truth in what she was saying, “It's good to know, you have Common Sense at least ”

“Don't tell me, you believe her” Bridget Presley was still insistent.

“Don't you have a meeting to catch up with? If you wait for so long, you might up not getting anything. You better send the clothes to the laundry service now than later” Vera Quin said and took her clothes away.

Bridget Presley's heart was filled with anger and she wanted to continuously put Ivy in her place, but she didn't have a lot of time on her hands. So, she grudgingly took her clothes back and headed back to her room.

“You better not try to act smart with me next time. Otherwise, you won't be able to tell the rest of the stories” Bridget Presley said in a threatening voice, and then walked out.

Ivy sighed helplessly as she watched the ebbing back of two women, who were like her daily dose of headaches.

It's been two years and it still felt the same way as it felt the very time she was treated with revulsion.

She thought that pretending to be immune to their insults and humiliation would make things easier for her to bear.

Regardless, she was wrong and her heart still aches each time it happens.

She only wanted one thing in life. Just one thing to keep her going, love.

Ivy finished washing the clothes in the basin. She stood up and went to the balcony to keep them drying.

After that, she rushed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast along with the maids.

Even though, the maid could make breakfast, lunch, and dinner on their own. The family had forced her to do things like this, things which they deemed as lowly work to humiliate her.

They felt that it was best she does the work of the housemaids. After all, she wasn't any different from the maids in their eyes.

Making her do the lowly works would always keep her reminded of her lowly status in the Willard family. She was simply a social climber in their eyes and nothing more.

No matter how much she suffers, they never thought that it was enough, not even her own husband.

Ivy was frying the beacon while the maids chop the vegetables.

While she was still frying the same, the phone on the table rang.

“Ivy, I'm calling to remind you about the special guest at our hotel today. You better don't be late like you always do, I don't have to tell you the consequences if you come late this time” the high-pitched a woman from other side of the line said, in a mean threatening tone.

“Yes, Ms.Johnson. I won't come late this time” Ivy said in a firm tone.

“You better make sure of that. If not, I won't be responsible ”

With that, Ivy heard the buzzing sound of the line being disconnected.

Ivy was helpless about what to do at this point, if she stayed back and prepared breakfast for the family, she might end up losing her job at the hotel. And if she ran off without finishing the meal, she will get scorned by the family.

“Miss Ivy, why don't you hurry up to work. I will handle the rest of the cooking” One of the maids said.

She heard the conversation between Ivy and her boss, so she was afraid of what might happen.

“You know, I can't do that, Isla. You know how grandma is”

Ivy stirred the soup on fire as she spoke.

“Would you risk losing your job at the hotel for her sake then? You know how important it is for you to keep this job”

Isla wasn't ready to let her walk away from her benefits while serving the interest of other people, who didn't value her contributions.

Ivy had been the only one, who had shown her love and respect for the past two years she's been in the family.

Others simply looked down on her and treated her like a plague, especially the proud daughter's inlaws.

Isla didn't want her to lose herself.

“It's fine. You don't have to worry about it, I will handle it. Besides, the food is almost ready” Ivy said with a smile.

“You never listen to me, do you? I'm telling you to hurry up and leave for work...I will handle the rest of the work and grandma won't notice a thing. Besides, you've done all the work, I just need to lay the tables”.

“I don't want you getting chastised for my sake, Isla. I will just round off things here and you can handle the rest, is that fine by you?”

“Sure. Just be fast with it, we don't have much time left” Isla was worried.

Ivy was indeed worried about how things might turn out today. She was scared that Miss Johnson might have already run out of patients with her.

She wouldn't blame the woman if she did. After all, she has been much of a burden to her boss, Ms. Irene Johnson than a worker.

However, losing her job at the hotel will lead her to a greater disaster.

Nobody will be willing to hire a classless and uneducated girl like her.

Thinking of this, Ivy could hear her heart beating faster than usual and she wasn't even astounded by this.