"...That was quick, how did you find a taxi so fast anyway?" Miss Lin asked as Mia handed her coffee.
"Oh I got lucky, One Mr. Colin shared his ride with me, and turns out we were both heading to the hotel."
"Well, you got lucky today." The woman told her nonchalantly as she sipped her coffee.
Mia nodded, staring at the older woman. Miss Lin was in her early forties and Mia secretly thought that she was too old to be a 'Miss.'
She had a brown shade of eyes, her bleached blonde hair looked tired and unhealthy. Mia could tell that she hadn't cared for it in a long while. To her, Miss Lin was openly single, but she had little or no time for herself.
She was slender and delicate. Her pale skin made her look even frailer and fragile but she wasn't, she was a strong woman who was dedicated to her work and Mia looked up to her though, she found her bossy and quite annoying.
"So for today, you're going to be stationed on the fifteen floor, making beds, tidying the floors and all of that you do, got it?"
"Mm." Mia nodded,
"Great, don't piss the guests or do anything stupid, alright?" She gently patted her shoulders before walking away.
Mia went up to the fifteen floor to carry out the routine duties of the guest room attendant.
She had been working here for nearly a year now and she did her job with professionalism. She had the job of cleaning the guest rooms, cleaning the bathrooms, making the beds and changing the linens and the corridors.
---
"....Oh my God, it was so embarrassing when I spilled coffee on him. And to make things worse, I stood there staring at him like I was dumb." She told Betty in the hallway, Betty worked as a floor supervisor and Mia worked under her. They weren't formal with each other, since they had known each other a while before Betty helped her.
Betty laughed out loud as she held her stomach.
"Why are you laughing? I made a fool of myself". She complained.
"Hello! You did. I didn't. Why would you stare at a man like that? Haven't you seen one before?" She teased.
"You probably dropped out of outer space and landed on Earth. Well, welcome to Earth, Mia where the really handsome species are called males, boys, and men. Get yourself one, Mia". She said.
"Get yourself one, Mia". Mia mimicked terribly.
"Like there's a store I can just waltz into and say 'Hi. One boyfriend please'". She retorted making Betty laugh even harder.
"All I'm saying is that you should get out more, you have no time for these things, all you do is work because of your aunt and I know Miss Lin keeps bullying you—"
"It isn't bullying, Betty! It's getting on her good side so I can get a promotion."
Betty chuckled,
"If you say so, Mia."
"I've got to go now, before—"
"Before I catch you two lazing around instead of being at your duty post!" Miss Lin snapped, "Talking about getting boyfriends!" She added with annoyance,
"We're sorry Miss Lin." The ladies mumbled,
"And you! How can you be like that, don't you want to get married and have kids!" Miss Lin snapped.
"Do you really not have a boyfriend?" She added,
"…Y…Yes Miss Lin." Mia stuttered while
'Miss Lin was really on our discussion.' Mia thought as she listened,
"Huh?! Mia, how can you not have any idea of these things—"
"I do. Although, I haven't experienced it first hand, but I read in novels and it's really beautiful". Mia smiled sheepishly.
"Ugh! How pathetic. Let me guess, you haven't gotten your first kiss yet, right?"
"NO!!" She said in defense,
"Jesus! Mia, you're a hopeless romantic!" Miss Lin sighed as she rubbed her forehead and then mumbled something about Mia ending up like her.
"I'm going to set you up with my nephew, Brad, you two would make a lovely pair."
"Miss Lin, you really don't have to do that—"
"But still, I'm in charge here—"
"Miss Lin—"
"Tch!" She tutted then suddenly turned to Mia and gave her a sharp look.
"Hey! What the hell are you two still doing here!"
---
Later that evening, Mia got to her apartment and found all the lights where out. She managed to find the switch and turned it on. The sight in front of her was really irritating.
Her pathetic aunt laid lifeless across the messy room. On the coffee table was a display of empty beer bottles and cigarette butts. The room had a strong stench. It was probably the alcohol mixed with Marijuana.
Mia let out a small sigh and walked past there.
".... Mia.... Is that you?" Her aunt suddenly drawled.
Mia rolled her eyes,
"Hi, Aunt Megan." She replied as she marched to the fridge.
"What's for dinner?" She asked in her drunken state but Mia ignored her.
"Did you get anything for dinner?" She questioned further.
"No." Mia replied calmly as she searched the fridge looking for something edible.
"Don't you have money?" Aunt Megan asked.
"No, I don't."
"But it's November. Next month is December. Aren't you saving up for Christmas? Can I borrow out of it? I promise I'm going to pay back."
"Aunt Megan, I don't have any money to spare right now. Besides, what's the use of saving up for a celebration that's not worth anything? You know how much I despise Christmas!" Mia said angrily.
"Oh, I do. It's the month you lost the..."
"Shut the fuck up". Mia replied then angrily stormed off to her room.
"Not my fault, Mia! Not my fault."
"Mr. Chairman has arrived." The butler announced Ethan's arrival to his 'Granite Spring' Mansion.
As he walked in, his most loyal and trusted household staff/ housekeeper, Mrs. Pena followed him.
"Welcome home, Mr. Chairman. How did your day go?" The older woman began, her graying hair was neatly tied in a bun and she looked really professional in the black and white work uniform Ethan had gotten her.
"Great". He replied calmly,
"Where would you like to have your dinner?"
"How's Noel?" He asked instead.
"He's fine Sir."
"School?"
"Went well. He had no issues..."
"Piano lessons?"
"Mrs. Lily says he's probably going to be the Beethoven of his time."
Ethan nodded, clearly impressed.
"Math? French? Spanish?"
"Tutors all gave positive report on his performance". Mrs. Pena replied as she frantically tried to keep up with his pace.
"Did you give him his supplements at exactly 2pm and 7pm?"
"Yes, sir".
"Bath?"
"Yes, sir".
"Dinner?"
Mrs Pena went silent.
"His dinner, Mrs Pena. Did he have that?"
"…Um no, he didn't." She said, instantly regretting it at the same time.
Ethan stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, Mrs Pena felt a lump in her throat as she waited for him to speak.
"Are you telling me that Noel went to bed without having his dinner?"
"He hasn't gone to bed, yet…"
"... It's past his bedtime, Mrs Pena".
"He insisted that he'd wait till you return, Sir—"
"That isn't enough reason for him not to have had his dinner!" Ethan snapped,
"He rejected the meal his cook prepared."
"And?" He snapped.
"And…"Mrs Pena mumbled.
Ethan sighed.
"You know what, get me the damn cook!"
Mrs Pena nodded and immediately sent for Chef Alexis.
"What's your name?"
"A... Alexis, Sir." She stuttered.
"Who prepared Noel's dinner?"
"I... I did." She lowered her head,
"You're fired". He told her calmly without a second thought. Turning to Mrs Pena, he said,
"Mrs Pena, hire another cook before the end of tomorrow. In the meantime, ask Chef Jamie to make him a nutella sandwich. It's his favorite. Send it with my dinner to my room upstairs and bring him along."
"Yes, Sir." She replied then walked away.
---
"Daddy!" Noel greeted as he walked into his father's bedroom.
"Hey, kiddo." Ethan replied as he beckoned on him to come closer and lifted him to sit on his lap.
"How was school today?"
"Fine."
"Did anyone give you any trouble?"
"No."
"Mrs Pena said you didn't have your dinner. Why's that?"
"It was awful. I didn't like the taste." He told him in a matter of factly way.
Ethan shook his head in amusement.
"Don't worry, there won't be any more awful meals for you, okay?"
Noel nodded with a smile.
"I've had chef Jamie prepared a nutella sandwich for you. Is that okay?"
Noel nodded and then opened his mouth as if to say something but then held back instead.
"What is it?" Ethan asked, noticing his son's reluctance.
"Um, Daddy?"
"Yes, Son?"
"The finale of the school competition is on Friday and I'll be performing. Can you come?"
"Noel, you know I can't. I have a lot of work to do and I'll be out of town by then. I'm sorry, Son but I won't be able to make it."
"I know. You have to make money." Noel muttered sadly as he got off his father's lap.
"Don't worry. I'll have Mrs Pena go with you." Ethan said, trying to console him.
"I don't want to go with Mrs Pena! She's not my Mom! I DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE!"
"Noel—"
"And then you won't even show up! But it's fine. I'm going to bed!" He snapped as he stomped away,
"You haven't had your dinner yet." Ethan coaxed,
"I'm not hungry." He murmured as he rushed out of the room.
Ethan sighed heavily as he rubbed his temple, a habit he had subconsciously developed when stressed. His son was right. He really needed to find a mother for him but that was another issue.
First, he wasn't ready to settle down and definitely not with those so called models who only cared for their looks and themselves. But apparently, his family didn't see it that way, as long as these girls came from families with good names and everything, they'd throw them at Ethan, but to him, they were never going to fit.
'They'd never fit in as mother figures anyways.'
Secondly, Noel had developed major trust issues after an incident that had happened to him a year ago. So finding a suitable woman was another major thing he had to consider.
'Get married?'
'Hell no.' He shook his head.
'... What am I supposed to do? I can't bear to see Noel like this any longer. He's just so... Unhappy.' He thought.
"Don't worry Noel, I'm going to do whatever it takes to give you the right mom. That I promise. But for now, I just need to figure out how."
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