Dropping The Crown

Adani's POV.

When Mavielle left for her home, I was left alone in the wing. I took the time to wonder around the room and stepped into the shower.

Luckily for me, there were clean robes in the walk-in closet and I got into one. I was also lucky to have an unused toothbrush and toothpaste. I brushed my teeth and got into bed.

Sleep came easily.

*Knock Knock*

I awoke by a knocking on the door. I was hoping I didn't oversleep on the first day as I couldn't

locate an alarm clock and I didn't have my cellphone anymore.

I rolled out of bed and went to the door.

"Good morning, have I woken you?" Mavielle greeted and asked.

How was she back so early?

"I'm not late to begin my first day, am I?" I asked with doe eyes.

"Oh no. You have an hour and a half to spare. It's 6:30 am but you should be up to have your

breakfast. And I must guide you to the ways things are done around here and also a semi-tour of

the estate. We can't go through everything in one day," she explained.

"I understand."

"Meet me in the kitchen when you're ready."

"I will."

Mavielle left and I walked back into the room to get ready. I got into my maid uniform after getting out of the shower.

"Ah, there she is," Mavielle said as I walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning," a woman greeted me as she busied herself at the stove.

"Good morning," I responded.

"Beth, this is Adani, the new maid. Adani, this is Beth, the chef," Mavielle introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Adani."

"Likewise, Beth."

Beth was a beautiful woman and one can tell she took pride in her work just by the way she smiled while she did her job.

"Beth, we'll be right back. I'm taking Adani around."

"Breakfast would be served by then."

Mavielle led me into the hallway.

"Beth is very nice lady. Loves to smile and is friendly to everyone she meets. Breakfast and lunch are prepared by her every morning at 7:30. Can be a few minutes later or earlier depending on the menu. You wouldn't see her on weekends. A different chef would be here," Mavielle spoke as we walked to the direction of an elevator. We got in.

"We all have our respective areas and floors to clean. The estate consists of three floors. You'll be at the very top floor. The top floor holds the Grand Master Bedroom that Mr. Parriston occupies. Three Grand Guest Bedroom where his important guests sleeps be it family or friends. Each room has its bathroom you would have to keep clean everyday and report any damage, water leaks, etcetera."

The elevator came to a stop and we stepped out onto the top floor. Mavielle and I walked towards one of Grand Guest Bedrooms.

"Always knock before entering, even if you've no knowledge of someone occupying the bedroom," she firmly advised. She knocked, we waited, she unlocked the door and we entered.

"The room is beautiful," I said as I gazed around the gold and white theme bedroom. "Very."

"How many bedrooms does the mansion has?"

"Ten bedrooms. Ten baths. The mansion's main source of power is solar and there's a water

recycling regular facility on the far edge of the premises. It's used for watering the landscape and flushing the toilets. Mr. Parriston plays his part in helping the planet."

"I completely understand."

"Good. Follow me." We headed out of the bedroom and walked into what looks like a storage

room.

"In here you'll find all you need for your task. From buckets and cloths to vacuum and polishes. You're to return every item back to its place at the end of your shift."

"I understand."

"Speaking of shifts, work begins at 8:00 am and ends at 2:00 pm. You have an hour for lunch and a schedule to follow. You wouldn't be cleaning every day. Some days you would just have to do the laundry and that usually takes an hour or two."

Mavielle opened a folder she was carrying in the pocket of her apron and handed me a paper that reads 'Cleaning Schedule' at the header.

I was free on the weekends and even on public holidays, and I had one half day per week.

"Mr. Parriston would discuss your payments with you if he hasn't already."

"Okay."

"Let's head back to the kitchen. Breakfast should be ready."

We headed back to the kitchen and Beth was just setting the plates down on the island.

"Mavielle, have you seen my master keycard?" a lady asked Mavielle. She wasn't there before we left and she was dressed in a uniform like mine.

"I haven't. Did you check every room on the second floor?" Mavielle asked her.

"I did. I just don't know where the stupid thing went!"

"Well, don't let Mr. Parriston knows you've lost your master card. This is the second time this has happened. I'll have the mansion security program a new card to your floor."

"Thanks Mavielle."

Mavielle then hands me two keycards.

"The gold card unlocks every GGB. And the black card unlocks only one. The GMB," she informed.

"Thanks."

"Excuse me, wait a minute. Hold on a minute. The GGB and The GMB are the Grand Guest Bedrooms and The Grand Master Bedroom. What is she doing cleaning them?" the woman asked nastily.

"Because Mr. Parriston said so. You dare want to ask him why?" Mavielle told her.

"No. But I am asking you. I should be the one on the top floor. Not the newbie. Mavielle, this is messed up and you know it."

"Flamboyant, you need to calm down and lower your voice. Any issues you have, you should take it up with the boss himself. It's his house," Beth cuts in in my defense.

"Flamboyant, this is Adani. She's the new maid to the top floor. Adani, meet Flamboyant." "Way to rub it in, Mavielle," Flamboyant snorted. She turned to her plate and started eating. "Don't mind her. It's just her personality. She can't help it but be vicious," Mavielle said aloud and we sat down to eat.

Halfway during breakfast, a phone started ringing on a hook.

"This is Beth," Beth answered, "Yes, sir."

She put the receiver back on the hook and attended to a plate.

"Mr. Parriston is in his private eating room. One of you should serve," Beth said and placed his meal on a tray.

"I'll do it," Flamboyant spoke up as she hopped off her stool and made a beeline to the tray. "No. Adani should," Mavielle said.

"She probably doesn't even know where to find him!" Flamboyant retaliated.

Mavielle eyed her, took up the tray and handed it to me. Together, we walked out of the kitchen, entered the hallway and made a right turn. We walked until we reached a tinted glass door. "Push and enter. This is where Mr. Parriston eats every morning...when he wants to." Mavielle left me to it and walked away.

I inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, pushed in the door and walked into the room.

There he was. Standing with his back towards me.

"Good morning, sir."

He turned to face me. "Good morning."

I held the tray in my hand and used the other to set his tea and the breakfast plate onto the

table.

"Interesting how you handle my breakfast as a waitress," he said with twinkling eyes and a smile.

I looked in his direction. He was still standing with folded arms.

"I was obsessed with a cooking channel once and the chef explained it was bad manners to set

the tray down onto the table."

"What if it's a loaded tray and your left hand can't support the weight?"

"Then you should be aware of that and have an assistant. Someone to help unload the tray."

He nodded in agreement, unfolded his arms, unbutton a button to his neat suit and sat down. "Would that be all, Mr. Parriston?"

"No. Hold on."

He handed me an envelope. "I decided to give you an advance payment. You may have urgent things to do."

"I do," I beamed but my smile quickly faded when I remembered Wayan and the eyes out there looking for me.

Mr. Parriston studied my facial expression changes. "What's wrong?"

"I really wanted to get my form of identification. I would have to go in person but... I'm..." "Scared of being seen by him?"

"Yes."

"How about you write all the forms of identification you have. Passport, driver's license and I'll

take care of it for you."

"Really?"

"You have my word."

He pointed to a pen and a notebook at the edge of the table. I wrote my identification down and handed it to him.

"I'll leave you to your breakfast. Thank you again, Mr. Parriston."

I walked out of the room and walked right into Flamboyant who was standing outside the door with a keycard.

"Listen up here, Agoti or whatever your name is. It doesn't take minutes for you to drop a tray on a table and walk out of the room."

I looked at her. Her long straight hair was of a platinum blonde color. Her skin was ivory and her eyes of a unique red. I understood why her parents called her Flamboyant and I knew she and I were not going to be friends.