chapter 11: Help the boss
While they were preparing, Kyoya went to check on Ms. Priti. He saw her cooking dinner for tonight, but while she was cooking, he spoke to her:
-" Ms. Priti, are you finished?"
-"Just a little more, sir. Why? Are you hungry? If you are, I can..."
-"No. Do not worry."-he interrupted her politely.-"I just want to ask you something."
-"But, of course, sir!"- she responded with a slight bow, out of respect.
-"Could you please take care of the mansion, while we are gone?"
-"Of course! You can count on me."- she said loudly with a wide smile.
-"I do count on you. I always have."
-"You can count on me for everything, sir."- she said, this time more quietly, refering to the fact that he can always tell her when he feels upset. It was her attempt to show him comfort and support after the last incident with Ren. Although, Priti was too young to have worked in the mansion while Ren was still a resident, she could still not stand that woman. She really liked and respected her boss, and wanted him to be happy. She was grateful to him for supporting her financially. Priti was a college student from India, who come to Japan, in order to study tourism. Kyoya provides her with money, by paying her to work for him, and her own bedroom in his house, so that she would not need to look for a dorm, in exchange for her services as a maid. They both had something to gain.
And he liked her too. Priti was a competent employee and it was always easy when she was around. He was grateful to her for always being there for him and for treating his daughters well. For the twins, she was like the older sister they never had. In other words, she was indeed more than just a maid, although he has never said that to her.
Priti was so mad at Ren, for intruding and insulting Mr. Ootori again. How much she hated that woman. Who did she think she was? She and Mr. Ootori are not husband and wife anymore. It was she who left him and she who left the girls. And yet, she still has the guts to keep coming here uninvited and unwanted, mocking her employer and threatening him. And the worst part was that she feels absolutely no shame. She is proud of it, instead. She just had no standards. Was she really Simran and Nandini's mother?! If she was allowed to, Priti could just hit the witch in the face with her own broom.
But right now, it is no time for anger. She was going to take care of the mansion, while the Ootori family are enjoying their vacation in Olympiaki Akti, like Mr. Ootori ordered. She wished she could help him more. Maybe she could prepare him tea. Yes, why not?
With a platter of tea in her hands, she went to Mr. Ootori's office and stopped in front of the door. She knocked and waited for an answer.
-"Come in!"- he said from the other side.
She opened the door and entered the room:
-"Sorry to disturb you, sir."- she said.-"I just thought that you would like some tea."
-"No, you are are not disturbing me at all. I would love to have some tea. I need something to do to relax."
-"Thank you so much!"- she said while putting the platter on his desk.
-"I thank you, Ms. Priti."- he said with a warm smile and took a teacup.
He drank a little bit and stopped for a second and looked at his maid:
-"This is a very good tea, Miss."
-"I was really hoping for you to like it."
He drank again. The tea was indeed pretty good. And it really helped him feel better. It was warm and had a very pleasant scent.
-"You know, Ms. Priti?"-he broke the silence unexpectedly.
-"What is it, sir?"
-"Except for keeping the mansion clean, while we are gone, I also expect you to make sure that Ren will not come here again."
-"Of course, sir!"
-"We should really be more careful when opening the door."
-"I know sir. I apologize."-she felt embarassed.
-"No, I do not blame you. Just saying."- Kyoya was not blaming her. Part of him felt just as guilty as her.
-"Okay, sir."
-"I think that things between me and the twins got better."- he changed the subject.
-"Yes, I noticed that."-she happily joined.-"You have a progress with them. Like it was yesterday when you relationship was so cold and distant, but now... You look like different people."
-"But I know that there are still some other things we should work on."-Kyoya knew that were still some things that were ignored between him and his daughters.
Back in the girls' room, Simran and Nandini were packing their stuff, but Nandini had something else on her mind. Something was bothering her, but it was not the upcoming trip.
Priti was very proud of herself, that even slightly, she managed to make her boss feel better, but it was still not enough for her:
-"Um, sir! Can I ask you something?"
-"Yes, you can."
-"Where is your next trip going to be?"-both out of curiosity and out of desire to give him advice, she started to ask him questions about their next destination.
-"I still have not picked yet."
"Yay, this is my chance." she thought. Advice about travel destinations was the only thing she came up with. She did not want to intrude too much in his privacy. She was afraid to ask him about his personal life or choices, things such as why he married Ren in the first place, why did he react that way when Ren mentioned his father, what kind of backstory he had with Mr. Suoh... She wanted to know more about him. She disliked that she had such an interest in her employer, and yet she could not help but wonder.
