Just to Live

On Monday morning, the “masters” returned. There wasn’t much of a bustle around the mansion since it was so early in the morning. The moon only just began to wake the sun up.

However, Tabitha was already wide-awake, busily cooking in the kitchen. After the night of the masquerade ball, she was in a pleasant cheerful mood. Others found around the mansion, humming happily and walking around with an aura of carefree joy. Her lovely mood didn’t wear off as she was preparing for a bountiful breakfast for her bosses.

Zacky sighed out of exhaustion. He trudged into the kitchen, having full intent on a Red Bull. He scratched the side of his cheek when he noticed Tabitha standing over by the stove, flipping a pancake.

Sighing again, he walked back out and into the dining room. All his best friends sat in the chairs, eyes glimmering at the food laid out for them.

“What is this?” Zacky asked.

“Breakfast!” Tabitha beamed, bringing in a platter of pancakes.

Zacky stared hungrily at the five large plates of pancakes, sausage, eggs, bacon, and crepes.

“Happy eating,” Tabitha grinned, walking back into the kitchen.

They were all surprised with the abundant breakfast, but didn’t complain. It almost felt like they were attending some cheesy “First Thanksgiving” dinner with the Pilgrims and Native Americans. Sadly, they were smack dab in the middle of the month of November, so the bountiful breakfast made sense.

As the five men ate their breakfast, Brian chuckled.

“What’s up chuckles?” Matt inquired through a mouthful of pancake.

Brian shrugged his shoulders and tilted his head to the side simultaneously. “I can’t believe we gave her a prom.”

“Me either,” Matthew admitted.

“Come on, she deserves it. A little fun in her isn’t that bad is it?” Johnny asked.

“True. She seems like a strong person,” Zacky said.

“And a good cook,” Jimmy added.

Their conversation was all over the place, yet they could all understand each other. They engaged in innumerable discussions such as this that they grew to know exactly what each person was speaking of.

“Do you think she’s going to quit again someday and pursue something better?” Brian spoke up, saying his worrisome thoughts. He felt selfish. He and Tabitha fixed their friendship. He didn’t want her to leave after he worked so hard to make her fear of him fade.

“I’m not sure,” voiced Matthew. “I wasn’t lying when I said great things will happen to her. I don’t know if I want her to leave though.”

Zacky shook his head. “You get attached to everyone who lives here.”

“I do,” he admitted. “I can’t help it though.”

“Yes, we know,” interjected Jimmy. “I see her as a very obedient little sister.”

“That sounds horrible,” said Zacky with a scrunched expression.

“She’s a maid. We’re giving her really good treatment. I think better than the other girls working here.”

“It’s only Matt doing that.”

Matthew rolled his eyes. “I realize this you know.”

“You like her, but she doesn’t like you,” Johnny pointed out, finally having a legitimate say in the conversation.

“Nope.”

“How are you so sure?”

“She doesn’t look at me that way. I’ve seen the other maids look at me like they want to rape me, but she looks at me like I’m just there.”

“Do something about it.”

“Like?”

Johnny smiled mischievously. “Show her you’re not just a workaholic. Show her your fun side.”

“Don’t think that’ll work,” Matthew exhaled.

“Why not?” Johnny enquired.

“It’s too sudden you know? Why would all of a sudden I act as though she’s my friend? I’ve been acting like an ass to her. I mean we act like she works for me and I practically own her. That’s exactly how it works out actually.”

“True. Give all of them a day off? Barbeque or something?”

“I guess that could work.”

Although Matthew sounded downtrodden and unhopeful, he liked Johnny’s idea of a barbeque. At least there, he could equally give all the women a day to relax so it didn’t look like he was favoring one person over the other. The only problem was the weather was too cold to have a cookout. He would have to wait a few months before he could initiate any sort of plan to talk to Tabitha. While he waited, he would have time to form a friendship with her.