Chapter 3 - The Perfect Stranger.
Damon Wright? Caelia thought as she dropped the silverware and it clanked on the fine China.
"Careful!" Rachel whispered as she collected the rest of the silverware from her as she tried to to regain her composure.
"Why don't you go in the kitchen and start bringing in the food. That'll be a much easier task."
Rachel said and Caelia hurried into the kitchen, avoiding the gaze of Damon on her way out of the dining room. He was the stranger she met the night before. The one she refused to give her number. Caelia never thought that in her wildest dreams that she would ever see him again. After all it was quite unusual that she was seeing him again.
"Are you okay?" Her mother asked as she handed her a platter of kale salad with carrot ginger dressing.
"Yes, I'm fine mum. Just a bit overwhelmed." She murmured as she looked at her mother and her mother smiled at her.
"Oh sweetie, you'll be fine. Just take it one at a time."
She said as she patted her daughter and Caelia walked unto the dining room with the platter of salad.
Luckily, she didn't find Damon, nor did she find any other member of the family until they were all done serving the food and Mrs Margaret dismissed them.
"That wasn't so hard was it?" Her mum asked with a bright smile on her face as she offered her a bowl of oatmeal and fruits.
"It's hot! Just like you like it. Eat up quick before Margaret finds some work for you to do."
Her mother hurried her as Caelia took a small spoonful of oats filled with blueberries. Soon the rest of the maids, Rachel and Greta started walking in to have their breakfast and the kitchen became a little more lively.
Maybe being a maid wasn't so bad after all. Caelia thought with a bright smile.
"Caelia! What are you doing here?"
Ms Margaret called out in a booming voice as she walked into the kitchen amidst the chatter and everything died down.
"I'm having breakfast..."
She said as she pointed to the oatmeal and Ms Margaret scoffed.
"Breakfast?!! Breakfast is for people who are done with their work. And you have not nearly started working. Go back to the dining room and wait on the Wrights."
She said loudly as she pointed to the exit. Caelia briefly glanced at her mother who sighed.
"All you have to do is basically stand in the dining room. If they need anything, you will be there to assist them."
Her mother said as she threw her a fresh napkin. Caelia caught it before it hit the marbled floor.
Margaret turned back to glare at Caelia's mother.
"Just because she's your daughter doesn't mean she deserves special treatment."
"I'm just telling her what to do. Like you should have."
Her mother said as she walked out of the kitchen leaving a fuming Margaret with a lost Caelia.
Caelia did as she was told and walked to the dining room, silently standing by the door as the Wrights family went on without observing her. She was the least but grateful for that. But that wasn't going to go on for so long. One of the two blonde haired twins was the one to call the member's of the family's attention to it.
"So you're Lourdes's daughter?"
"I see the resemblance."
She added as she gawked at Caelia who was becoming increasingly self conscious.
She said and Caelia slowly nodded. Damon quickly looked up and his eyes met hers before Caelia averted her gaze. Embarrassment burning in her eyes.
"Look up."
A low sultry voice said and Caelia traced the voice to be Mrs Carolyn Weight. The woman had a stunning face, one that even age couldn't compete with. Wide set blue eyes and an oval face that had smooth cheekbones and a pointed chin. Her hair was a deep blonde and shoulder length. She was wearing a grey chiffon shirt and she had a face full of makeup. The twins Olivia and Sophia sat next to their mother's side. Both in different outfits but similar styles. It wasn't hard to pick out who was who. One was glaring at her with her honey blonde hair with gold highlights and the other was much more focused on her food than the dissecting of Caelia.
Damon sat at the other side of the dining next to his father who was at the head or the table. His father didn't even blink nor did he raise an eyebrow ever since Caelia entered. And Damon. Oh Damon could simply not take away his eyes away from Caelia.
He had been thinking about her all night, wondering about who she was. Being the son of the former mayor he knew quite a lot of people in Staunton. So seeing Caelia for the first time was not only strange but interesting.
He had been a little bit disappointed in himself for not being able to get her number, but he respected her decision enough to let her be and he was more than elated that he was able to see her again. She was quite shy, he thought as she was staring at his family in between her bangs. Her midnight black hair was in braids behind her back and he missed seeing her unruly wavy hair. Even if he had only seen it once.
She looked petite in the uniform and he was wondering where all the curves that he had seen the night before had gone beneath the shapeless uniform.
He felt annoyed that his mother loved to have a maid on standby to watch them while they ate. It was a silly and annoying tradition that he didn't like, although he never had a problem with it until he saw how uncomfortable Caelia looked standing in front of them.
"Caelia right?" His mother asked and she nodded.
"Yes ma'am."
"Well, I hope you're a much better worker than your mother."
Mrs Wright said as she looked away and went back to her food. Olivia sniggered.
"Yes, hopefully maybe this one will prove to be much more useful."
She added and her mother shrugged in answer.
"I really hope so."
Caelia stayed quiet for the entirety of their meal, assisting them when their napkin fell down, which Olivia tended to do often. And helping to pour a glass of sparkling water or wine, which she had to be extra careful while doing for Mr Wright.
Finally, they were done with their breakfast and Mr Wright was the first to leave. Followed by his daughter Sophia
Caelia could see that Damon was somehow still lingering in his seat by playing with a piece of toast and Caelia silently prayed that he wouldn't get the chance to confront her. She didn't know what she was going to say if she talked to him, in fact, she didn't want to talk to him. She just wanted to mind her business and not get into trouble in the Wrights household.
Mrs Wright seemed to notice her son's hesitance to leave the dining table.
"Come Damon. I have to talk to you."
She said and Damon left the table with his mother. Olivia was left, Olivia who had cleared everything on her plate but was watching Caelia intently.
"Are those contacts?"
She asked and Caelia shook her head.
"No."
"That's no ma'am to you! Got that?"
She warned and Caelia nodded.
"No ma'am."
"Better. When you're done here, I need you to help me clean my room."
"Sure Ma'am."
Caelia said knowing that she probably wouldn't be the one to do it since there was a cleaning schedule.
"Well, just be real careful and don't go stepping on any toes here. You look like a troublesome one so I'll be watching you."
She said as she left the dining and Caelia released the breath she was holding immediately. She had been so scared when Olivia was moving dangerously close to her. That had been too much for her to handle.
She was glad it was all over as she started clearing the table, slowly and slowly until nothing was left.
Since she had not yet been assigned duties for the day, Caelia assisted her mother with washing the plates and returning the silverware while the Chef dealt with the leftovers. It took them a while since there had been so many variety of meals and when she was finally done her mother excused her.
She was on her way to the maid's quarter's when she ran into Damon.
She looked around and found out that he he had her cornered, she didn't even know where he came out from. She was still getting accustomed to how huge the mansion was and the only route she had mastered was the one that led to her room.
"And as fate would have it, we meet again."
He said and Caelia shook her head.
"This is just a mere coincidence."
She said and he raised his eyebrow.
"Really? Do I get your number now?"
He asked and Caelia shook her head.
"Under the circumstances I'm afraid I can't give you."
Damon nodded his head slowly.
"I understand. But I really hope you'd give me a chance to talk to you. We can even be friends."
Damon said and Caelia resisted the urge to scoff. She could not be friends with Damon no matter how much he wanted them to be friends. She was just a lowly maid.
"I have to go. I have chores to do."
Caelia said as she walked away ignoring Damon's statement.