“I have to run. I mean I have to go to the house. Whatever you do, stay here and I will bring you back something to eat. I know you must be hungry, but I’ll be back shortly. Stay put all right?”
Malcolm understood but he had a request of his own. “Perhaps I can have a bath on this night? I do not think I can take my current state of dishabille any longer.”
Summer’s cheeks flushed at his gentle request. How insensitive of her. “Yes I will make arrangements for a bath as soon as I return and I will get some of my dad’s clothes. I think you are the same size. After all if you will be here, you will have to dress like a native. Now be good until I get back.”
~~~~~~0~~~~~~~
Lunch was a disaster of cold ham, soggy bread and withered lettuce. Summer did not have the time to prepare the usual fare for the family and her aunt was livid. With a grim face, her glacial eyes bore into Summer, and she enunciated each word carefully “You are a spoiled brat of a girl, and I will not bear your presence much longer. Cook us a proper meal or so help me, I will turn you out on the street on your ears today, do you hear me girl?”
Summer swallowed with a quick nod, and ran back to the kitchen. Her hands shook and her breaths came in nervous puffs. She couldn’t afford to land on the street, because she had Malcolm to think about. On her own she could make it in her cave, but with Malcolm that would not do. She had to find a way to help him and that meant being at her aunt’s beck and call just a little while longer.
With deft movements, she threw bits of chicken into the frying pan, sautéing them in butter, adding sliced vegetables to the mix and whipping up additional compliments. In record time she scurried to serve the multiple courses, in hopes her aunt had forgotten her soured mood, but that hope did not last.
“I have decided that I will personally overview the cleaning for the rest of the afternoon Summer. Charles has called to say he will be here tomorrow and I want everything to be spotless. Don’t get any ideas of running out to the beach, or it will be the last idea for you my girl. Now clean up the kitchen and after we eat, I will supervise your work, each and every step of the way.”
Without responding to her aunt’s threat, Summer raced back to the kitchen, time of the essence. With a scant few minutes to spare, she had to get something to Malcolm, return, clean the kitchen, serve desert and get ready for whatever her aunt had in store.
With a dash she threw two slices of bread, cheese, ham and lettuce together, added a huge splash of dressing, got a thermos and filled it with juice. With a printed cloth, she quickly tied the bundles together with one eye on the clock and one eye on the kitchen door. In a flash she sneaked out the back way, and ran like the wind down the cobble pavement, out of the front gate and down the path to the cave.
Malcolm reclined on the bed, surrounded by some of her books when she ran up to him, threw the food into his lap as yelled over her shoulder “I don’t have time to talk, but here is some food. Will be back later. Stay here. Bye!”
With a prayer on her lips, she fled back to the kitchen a moment before her aunt came to find her locked in battle with a dirty pot, blackened around the edges. “I’m just cleaning the pot Aunt Vivian. It was burned a little this morning and I have to scrub it really hard.”
With a suspicious gaze, Vivian’s razor sharp eyes glanced around as though sensing something out of place, but a quick overview indicated nothing out of the ordinary. “Carry on Summer. We will be ready for desert soon.”
When she left, Summer deflated like a balloon and her legs felt like rubber under her. She struggled to get her breathing back to normal, and stared out of the window to the gardens beyond. The beautiful blooms with tender green leaves did not inspire the same
Malcolm understood but he had a request of his own. “Perhaps I can have a bath on this night? I do not think I can take my current state of dishabille any longer.”
Summer’s cheeks flushed at his gentle request. How insensitive of her. “Yes I will make arrangements for a bath as soon as I return and I will get some of my dad’s clothes. I think you are the same size. After all if you will be here, you will have to dress like a native. Now be good until I get back.”
~~~~~~0~~~~~~~
Lunch was a disaster of cold ham, soggy bread and withered lettuce. Summer did not have the time to prepare the usual fare for the family and her aunt was livid. With a grim face, her glacial eyes bore into Summer, and she enunciated each word carefully “You are a spoiled brat of a girl, and I will not bear your presence much longer. Cook us a proper meal or so help me, I will turn you out on the street on your ears today, do you hear me girl?”
Summer swallowed with a quick nod, and ran back to the kitchen. Her hands shook and her breaths came in nervous puffs. She couldn’t afford to land on the street, because she had Malcolm to think about. On her own she could make it in her cave, but with Malcolm that would not do. She had to find a way to help him and that meant being at her aunt’s beck and call just a little while longer.
With deft movements, she threw bits of chicken into the frying pan, sautéing them in butter, adding sliced vegetables to the mix and whipping up additional compliments. In record time she scurried to serve the multiple courses, in hopes her aunt had forgotten her soured mood, but that hope did not last.
“I have decided that I will personally overview the cleaning for the rest of the afternoon Summer. Charles has called to say he will be here tomorrow and I want everything to be spotless. Don’t get any ideas of running out to the beach, or it will be the last idea for you my girl. Now clean up the kitchen and after we eat, I will supervise your work, each and every step of the way.”
Without responding to her aunt’s threat, Summer raced back to the kitchen, time of the essence. With a scant few minutes to spare, she had to get something to Malcolm, return, clean the kitchen, serve desert and get ready for whatever her aunt had in store.
With a dash she threw two slices of bread, cheese, ham and lettuce together, added a huge splash of dressing, got a thermos and filled it with juice. With a printed cloth, she quickly tied the bundles together with one eye on the clock and one eye on the kitchen door. In a flash she sneaked out the back way, and ran like the wind down the cobble pavement, out of the front gate and down the path to the cave.
Malcolm reclined on the bed, surrounded by some of her books when she ran up to him, threw the food into his lap as yelled over her shoulder “I don’t have time to talk, but here is some food. Will be back later. Stay here. Bye!”
With a prayer on her lips, she fled back to the kitchen a moment before her aunt came to find her locked in battle with a dirty pot, blackened around the edges. “I’m just cleaning the pot Aunt Vivian. It was burned a little this morning and I have to scrub it really hard.”
With a suspicious gaze, Vivian’s razor sharp eyes glanced around as though sensing something out of place, but a quick overview indicated nothing out of the ordinary. “Carry on Summer. We will be ready for desert soon.”
When she left, Summer deflated like a balloon and her legs felt like rubber under her. She struggled to get her breathing back to normal, and stared out of the window to the gardens beyond. The beautiful blooms with tender green leaves did not inspire the same
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