Reaver's Servants
Ginger Morning
Something sweet wafted through Lakeview Manor on this early summer morning. From the kitchen to the foyer, beyond the main staircase and even towards the hallways, the smell of ginger tickled the senses of anyone who sniffed the morning air. Barry was one of the first to smell it, as he always woke up early to get everything ready. He went downstairs to find Miss Sarah already making breakfast, and the servants eating pancakes (except Rosie, who stood eating an apple). After a short conversation with Miss Sarah, Barry made his way upstairs to wake up Reaver.
In the corner table, the other servants happily gobbled down their pancakes. "Miss Sarah, these are delicious!" shouted Willa, digging her fork into another pancake.
"Leave some for Mr. Hatch, now." warned Miss Sarah, flipping another pancake.
"The ginger gives the pancakes a nice subtle flavor. I can't believe they grew so well." said Gordon, somewhat self-satisfyingly. "Oh, Willa; when you're done polishing Mr. Reaver's boots, just leave them on the front step and I'll grab them for him." Gordon added, drinking a glass of milk. Willa nodded as Beryl reached over her for the syrup pourer.
"I have a full day ahead of me. I have to clean out that fireplace in the study. It's gotten so dirty." Beryl murmured, drenching her pancakes in syrup.
"Why not just put a straw in that syrup pourer?" joked Gordon, looking over at Rosie. "Not having pancakes with us, Rosie?"
Rosie shook her head. "No, I'm allergic to ginger, remember?" She said, softly, finishing her apple. "Besides, ginger makes you forgetful." She said, as she threw her apple away.
"That's an old wives tale." said Willa, reaching for another pancake.
"Well, it's obviously true. Miss Sarah said save a pancake for Mr. Hatch, and you just ate the last one." said Rosie, nonchalantly.
With an embarrassed smile, Willa looked at her plate and giggled softly at the pancake sitting there with her fork stuck in it. "It's alright, I'll make more." giggled Miss Sarah. "I still have to make Mr. Reaver's tray."
Reaver shifted softly in his sleep as Barry slowly opened the door. "Master Reaver, time to get up." Barry said softly, as he shook Reaver awake. Reaver grumbled and rolled over. "Come now, Master Reaver, you want to set a good example for the servants. Besides, Miss Sarah is making a special breakfast for you." Barry said, jovially, as Reaver rose slowly.
His hair a mess and his eyes barely open, Reaver yawned and scratched his side. He glared at Barry, who was taking clothes out of the closet for the day. "What is so special about today's breakfast?" Reaver groaned as he sat up.
"Well, for one, it's breakfast in bed." said Barry, as he laid out an outfit on a nearby couch.
"Goody…" mumbled Reaver, sarcastically.
"And another…its ginger pancakes!" Barry licked his lips with a blush. After a big yawn, Reaver smacked his lips a bit.
In the kitchen, Miss Sarah flipped the last pancake onto the china plate and smiled as she reached for the syrup. "It smells delicious, Miss Sarah. I wish I could have a taste." said Rosie, as she picked up the plate and placed it on a tray.
Miss Sarah sighed apologetically as Rosie prepared the tray and balanced it properly. "I had forgotten you were allergic to ginger, Rosie. I'm sorry. If you want, I can whip up another batch without the ginger if you're still hungry." Miss Sarah said, with a smile.
"It's alright, Miss Sarah. Too much ginger makes one forgetful." Rosie placed the syrup pourer on the tray next to a small bowl of fruit and a cup of coffee.
Walking carefully, Rosie made her way to Reaver's room, and noticing the door was open, walked inside. "Breakfast, Mr. Reaver." She announced, as she placed the tray on a nearby table. Reaver sniffed the air as the scent of pancakes wafted to him. It made him smile, and feel like a small child again. Rosie prepared his plate and then let Barry take over from there as she went to pick up the laundry basket. Rosie grabbed the laundry basket and started to leave. She stopped when she heard Reaver almost inhale the pancakes. "Be careful, Mr. Reaver." said Rosie. "Too much ginger can make you forgetful."
Reaver watched as Rosie left the room. He swallowed what was in his mouth and laughed. "That's just an old wives tale." He laughed, as Barry filled up his cup of coffee. "I haven't had ginger pancakes since I was a child…" said Reaver, drinking his coffee.
"Wow, that is a long time." said Barry.
Reaver rolled his eyes and continued eating. "Delicious!" he shouted. "My own mother didn't even make them this good!" he continued to down his breakfast like a starving man.
With a chuckle, Barry finished laying out Reaver's outfit for the day. "Still, you should at least chew, or you'll get a nasty stomach ache." said Barry. Finishing his breakfast, Reaver stood up and walked to his already set out outfit, and then leaned against a nearby chair, grasping his stomach. "Told you…" muttered Barry, as he left the room. Barry walked up to Rosie in the hallway, who had gathered the laundry was Barry's room as well.
"Did you already eat, Rosie?" he asked. Rosie nodded.
"I had an apple, Mr. Hatch." She said, balancing the basket. "I'm allergic to ginger. Besides, it makes you forgetful." She said, carrying the basket full of clothes.
After downing some coffee to settle his stomach (which ironically made his stomach ache worse) Reaver started to get dressed. He put on his shirt and vest with a happy sigh. "Forgetful…what could I possibly forget? I go through this same routine every morning." He laughed, reaching for his hat. His hand touched the usual place on the table in his room, but found his hat missing. "What…who moved my hat?" he shouted, looking around. Barry walked back in to collect the breakfast tray. He ducked when a gunshot rang out. "Hatch, did you move my hat?" he shouted, looking around. Barry looked at the coat rack next to the door as Reaver tore his closet apart. "I don't ask for much, except for everything to be in its place, but apparently that's too much to ask too!" he shouted, as he threw clothes about. Barry took the hat off the coat rack and walked over to Reaver. "I mean, how hard is it to remember 'Do Not Touch Mr. Reaver's things'?" Reaver shouted, as he turned around. "When I find out who moved it, I'll…"
Barry held up the hat. "You must have placed it on the coat rack when you took it off yesterday." said Barry, handing the hat to Reaver.
Embarrassed, Reaver snatched up his hat and put it on. "Go make sure the rest of the servants are done with breakfast so we can start today properly." commanded Reaver, pointing to the door. With a soft chuckle, Barry left Reaver to fume in peace.
Going downstairs, Barry found the servants moving about in a panic. "Where are they?" shouted Willa, searching through a box. "Oh no, oh no, oh no!" she kept whining, as she almost tore a closet apart. Barry walked over to her and placed his balled fists on his sides. Before Barry could ask what she was doing, Willa ran up to him in a panic. "I was shining Mr. Reaver's boots, but now they've gone missing! I have to find them! Please help me, Mr. Hatch!" Willa shouted.
Barry rolled his eyes. "Where were you shining them?" he asked.
"Outside on the front steps, so I wouldn't get polish on the floor." She said. Barry stared down at her, making her embarrassment obvious. "Right…front step…" Willa muttered, running to the front door.
"Gordon probably already took them up to Master Reaver." said Barry, as Willa was turning the door knob. Willa stopped and chuckled to herself.
Barry shook his head and walked to the kitchen, where Miss Sarah was standing in the middle of the kitchen. "Mr. Hatch, I hope you won't think I'm stupid…" she started, holding a sponge. "…but I forgot what I was supposed to be doing at this moment." She whimpered. Barry studied her for a minute and motioned her over to the sink where a pile of dishes sat, waiting to be cleaned. As if it snapped back in her mind, Miss Sarah giggled as Barry stepped back. "Oh, right, I was washing plates. How silly of me…" she said, as she continued, both of them blushing.
As Barry was leaving the kitchen, Beryl staggered up to him. "Whoa…." She moaned, feeling about for something to leverage herself on. She looked dizzy. Barry chuckled as he watched Beryl spin around, trying to keep from falling over. "Mr. Hatch! Is that you?" she asked, her eyes closed and her hands out. She sniffed the air and walked up to him, feeling his face. "Yes, it is you, Mr. Hatch! I recognized your smell. Cheap soap and subtle, yet bad, cologne." She giggled, holding onto his arm.
Slightly offended, Barry sighed and put his free hand on his hip. "Where are your glasses, Beryl?" he asked.
"I took them off to clean out the fireplace hearth but when I reached for them, they were gone." She said, softly.
"Well, check the study some more, they couldn't have gone far." He said, redirecting her to the study. Barry felt the entire house had gone crazy. He had to get everything straight before Reaver came down. He then found Gordon, at the top of the stairs, trying to keep his wits about him. "Alright, what did you forget?" asked Barry, folding his arms.
"It's not what I forgot…" he said, looking as if he was trying to keep his laughter down. Barry's expression urged Gordon to continue. "Well, I went to Mr. Reaver's office to bring him his boots after Willa was done shining them, and he was in there, but…" Gordon snickered and walked down the steps.
Rosie walked up to Barry at that moment. "Everyone ate ginger this morning. I told them too much makes you forgetful." She said, softly as she walked down the stairs.
"Don't start with that again, Rosie." shouted Barry. "Women who are only wearing one stocking shouldn't point out flaws." He added, pointing to her bare leg. Rosie blushed and ran back up the stairs, toward the servant's hallway. Barry scratched his head and met the rest of the servants in the foyer, where they usually gathered to see Reaver off. "She didn't even eat any and she's forgetting things too." He laughed.
Beryl, having found her glasses, stood next to Willa, who had a smudge of boot polish on her cheek. Barry took out his handkerchief and licked it, wiping the smudge off her face. Gordon, still chuckling, joined them. Miss Sarah looked at him. "What's so funny?" she asked.
"You'll see in a minute." Gordon chuckled, trying to keep his laughter down. Rosie soon joined the rest, straightening her stockings. Barry walked off at that moment to dispose of the soiled handkerchief.
All the servants stood, and waited for Reaver to come down the stairs. They watched him approach the top of the steps, and the blushing and giggling commenced. "Good morning, my doves." He said jovially, as he sauntered down the stairs. "I'll be at the factory office today, so I won't see any of you until tonight. Be good, and do whatever Mr. Hatch tells you." He said, as if addressing children. Reaver stopped at Miss Sarah, who was blushing softly and trying to hold down her laughter. "Miss Sarah, have dinner ready for me when I come home tonight. I would like steak tonight, is that understood?" he asked. Miss Sarah nodded, blushing. "Use some of that ginger tonight. I hear ginger steak is quite delicious and your pancakes put me in the mood for ginger today."
Reaver looked at his servants. He noted they were all smiling. "Well, it's good to see everyone in such good spirits." Reaver said, with a smile. He picked his cane out of a nearby umbrella holder and started to leave as Barry returned. "Hatch, you're in charge as usual when I'm not around. Make sure everything on the chore list gets done today." He said, opening the door.
"Master Reaver…" Barry started.
Reaver waved his hand at Barry's concern and started to leave. "Now, Hatch, I know you can run things for me while I'm gone today. I've always put you in charge when I'm away and you have yet to disappoint. I should be back around sun down. Tatty-bye, everyone!" he shouted as he left.
Barry ran up the stairs quickly as the servants burst out laughing. "Well, they do say ginger makes you forgetful." said Miss Sarah, wiping a tear from her eye.
"I tried to tell him earlier but he just kept interrupting me whenever I tried." said Gordon, holding his side.
Beryl took off her glasses and held her hand to her eyes. "I am so glad I found my glasses." She laughed.
Rosie laughed, with a somewhat self-satisfied tone. "I guess we won't be having ginger with anything for a while." She laughed. Willa couldn't stop laughing long enough to say anything.
Barry zoomed by them, holding something under his arm. He flew out the front door, hoping to catch Reaver. This made the servants laugh harder. Barry ran up the path, where he could see the guard at his post, leaning against the wall of his little hut, laughing. "Master Reaver!" Barry shouted, trying to catch up to his boss.
Reaver smiled at the sunny day, thinking it was a good idea to walk today instead of taking a carriage. "Forgetful, the wonderful me? I swear my servants can be so ridiculously superstitious. I go through this routine every day." He said happily, noting the day was a lot cooler than he thought. "I mean, what could I possibly forget?" he muttered to himself. Reaver didn't notice a little ways behind him, Barry was running up, waving something in the air.
"Master Reaver! You forgot to put on pants!"
N'cha, you guys!
Looks like Barry had the final line this time haha.
Just a quickie here I've been working on since…last night haha. Don't worry; he's wearing underpants and his boots, so he's not completely naked from the waist down. I just thought it'd be funny to imagine him half-way through Millfields and not realizing he was wasn't wearing pants until it was too late.
There is a Japanese folk belief that myoga ginger makes you forgetful, so I used that here. Myoga is good with miso soup, you guys should try it. Don't eat too much, though! Apparently, there are tons of ginger recipes online, and ginger steak is pretty good. You barely taste the ginger, it's barely a hint.
Next Installment: another quickie. Rosie's got a secret, and it's not what you expect, especially from Rosie!
I have quite a few quickies coming up for you guys! So, updates out the yin yang!
As always, please review and recommend me to your friends, and maybe I'll give you guys more Reaver in his underpants action! More detailed, though haha.
Reaver and Barry Hatch belong to Lionhead.