Part 59

Zander went to Jake's, and up to his old room. He knocked, and called: "Rosa, you still here?"

She opened the door.

"Come in, sweetheart."

"I wanted to see if you were still here."

"I'm getting ready to go."

"You'll find me before you leave, won't you?"

"What for? I'll get everything of yours out, too."

"I want to say good-bye the right way this time."

"No need. I'm staying here. I have a job."

"What job?"

"A very good job. I'm gonna be the butler."

"The butler?" he laughed. "Where?"

"Your mother's, silly."

"But you've got your family in Miami. You must've had a job there."

"My two nieces will be here soon. One is to be the groundskeeper. She's good with the plants. The other - just the general maid. I had a job mailing packages. Low pay. Long hours."

"You really want to?"

"Of course, sweetie. Of all the employers I've had, the best one is your mother."

"It gets really cold here. In the winter. Like you've never felt."

"I'll live. It seems many people stay here in winter and they survive."

He laughed a little. She poked him in the arm. "Come on. You think that's funny."

He laughed.

"Your mother will turn on the heater in the house, I bet. It's a nice house. A great job condition, to get to live in one of those kind of houses. I remember."

He smiled. "If you're sure you want to stay, that's the best thing I've heard in ages."

"Come and see the house."