Just to Live

Matthew kept his word. Seven days later, Tabitha was back in her old uniform. She found it weird that everything she left behind earlier in the year hadn’t been touched. Her neatly folded clothes didn’t move from their spot in her dresser.

After trading outfits, she returned to the Relaxation room located on the bottom floor. Gasps of utter surprise rocked the room as everyone looked at her. They rushed towards her, asking countless questions and refused to give her time to respond even if she wanted to provide answers. It took Matthew’s slamming of the door that alerted all the women that they wasted their time interrogating Tabitha.

Tabitha looked at Matthew as everyone else around her frantically finished tying their hair up. He refused to look at her and even made sure his eyes would stay away by wearing his aviator sunglasses. He didn’t see how his shades would help, but he decided to wear them anyways to look mean and stern. He was going to remain businesslike with her, and nothing would falter his plans.

Unlucky Tabitha was the last person to leave the room, feeling Matthew’s glare planted directly on her back. She wanted to know why he was so belligerent towards her for apparently no reason. She wanted to turn around and inquire why he was in such a bitter mood, but decided against it. Something made him change from the kind man she knew.

Once again, she felt alien in the mansion. This added another reason to why she didn’t want to stay.

The only time she saw Matthew was when he checked on all the maids in the morning. Brian seemed to have disappeared. She wasn’t complaining; she didn’t have a strong covet to see either man’s face. She wasn’t quite sure how she would act if she had to cross paths with them. It was definite that it would be an awkward experience. ‘It doesn’t really matter,’ she thought. ‘Matthew’s going to ignore me and Brian’s going to look like he wants to tell me something, but can’t.’

Around the kitchen table, all the maids crowded around Tabitha, again asking her exactly what happened and why she disappeared. Tabitha had to think quickly. She had the power to make her bosses appear as condemning monsters. She could tell the other women vague details or the entire story. One look at Eleanor made her want to tell the entire story, in a way.

“I was sneaking out every week to see my mom and sister so I could give them money. They found out and locked me in the basement for three weeks. My mom came here and asked to see me. That’s kind of where it all went down. I didn’t want to stay anymore. What was the point if they thought I was some spy?

“Uhm, we were living on the streets for a while. Apparently, I got a really bad fever and almost died. Matthew found us and “saved” me. Now I’m back here. Yay, amazing story.”

Giving the other women time to process her story, Tabitha walked over to the kitchen counter to slice a small piece of apple pie to her plate. By the time she sat back down, some of the women still hadn’t moved. Their faces showed they were in dreary-like states. Tabitha began to worry until one sighed.

“He’s so admirable!” she sighed again.

Tabitha rolled her eyes. ‘Admirable, my ass. That’s called guilt.’

“So handsome!” another person blushed.

“So sexy!” yet another woman cried.

“So your boss,” Tabitha reminded them. They fell from their daze and walked over to the kitchen counter for dessert.

Vanessa sat next to Tabitha, poking at her slice of apple pie. Tabitha watched in amusement at the apple mush Vanessa made of her pie.

Tabitha touched her shoulder. “Hey are-”

“I’m sorry!” Vanessa gushed. “I shouldn’t have told you about the security code. I’m sorry I didn’t try to back you up when Brian and Matthew grilled you. I’m sorry you had to go back outside and suffer. I’m sorry I’m a horrible friend. I’m sorry you’re back here when you hate it. I’m sorry.”

“Friend?” Tabitha whispered. It had been so long since Tabitha had a friend.

“Yes!” Vanessa screeched, tears brimming her eyes. “You should really hate me right now. I’m the reason your life is hell. Hit me or something. Please.”

“We don’t condone violence in this house,” Brian taunted in an egotistic voice, almost as though he actually wanted to see the girls fight. He passed by all of the women with a water bottle in hand. For a brief moment, he looked at Tabitha, but then left right afterwards.

“What just happened?” Vanessa asked quietly so no one else could hear.

Tabitha shrugged. “Brian was the one who decided to leave me in the basement. He feels guilty.”

Any color that remained on Vanessa’s face drained so she looked paler than ever. Her red hair shone bright than before. “He…Oh my god!”

“Don’t tell anyone,” Tabitha said urgently.

She nodded her head, pursing her lips tightly. She wanted to tell one of her other bosses that Brian was the one who confined Tabitha, but realized that they must have known. In addition, she knew she couldn’t. The last time she let out a secret, she hurt people.