The next morning the four were awake before Mercedes, Lupe, Gaspar and Laura. They prepared breakfast. "Terrace or inside" asked Mia. "Terrace" said Alvaro. After a while, Gaspar and Lupe came. Then Mercedes. "That's nice, thank you," she said and smiled. "What about Laura?" She hasn't been here yet, "said Zoe." I'll go see her, "said Alvaro. He went up the stairs and knocked on Laura." Yes, "she said questioningly
"Breakfast is ready" said Alvaro "are you coming"
"I ... I don't want to eat anything. I'll be back later."
"Ok, "said Alavaro.
Mercedes looked astonished when she said she didn't want to eat. "Does she do that more often?" she asked. "Every now and then," said Zoe.
"ok" said Mercedes.
When they had tidied everything up after breakfast, Zoe said, "But we should check on Laura again. The point of the weekend wasn't that she was upstairs alone right." She made her way upstairs. Juanma went with her. She knocked on Laura and went into the room without waiting. Juanma stopped at the door. "Hey Laura, we wanted to ask if you don't want to come down. We wanted to spend the weekend here together." Laura nodded. "Are you ok? You are very pale"
"I'm ok," said Laura. " I am coming now". Zoe shrugged and left the room. Juanma went back down with her.
They sat down together on the terrace and Laura joined them shortly afterwards. "Oh boys, when I have so many of you here right now. I have a few plants that need to be closer to the house for the winter, can you help me?"
Alvaro looked at the others and nodded. She followed Mercedes through the garden and, sometimes in pairs, carried the pots towards the house. The girls watched them. "You must have a gardener for that," said Lupe and looked at Laura. Laura smiled briefly and looked back at the boys. When the boys were done they all went into the rooms to get ready.
Then they went to Laura. Lupe, Gaspar and Laura drove with Mercedes and the other four with Alvaro.
Mercedes stopped in front of a fairly large property, it was fenced and you could only guess how big it was Laura got out to open the gate. "I would have thought it would be automatic," Zoe said quietly to Juanma
They drove onto the property. In front of them was a house that had a lot to be done. The facade was peeling in places, the windows looked as if the frames needed painting. The property itself looked as if it needed thorough garden maintenance. Laura got out, followed by Mercedes and Lupe and Gaspar. The other four were already standing next to the car.
The door of the house opened and a very nice-looking woman greeted Mercedes with a warm hug. She looked at the others. "Nice that you are all here" she said and took Laura in her arms, who came up to her.
The others greeted her warmly. "Come in, directly to the left after the door and then have a seat."
Juanma noticed that parts of the house were closed with a wooden wall that was subsequently drawn in.
A tall, slim man came up to her and greeted her with a heavy French accent. "What can I offer you. By the way, I'm Marcel."
The students took water or soda. Zoe looked a little confused and Juanma saw in her eyes that she wanted to say something. He nudged her and pressed his lips together.
Laura looked at everyone a little uncertainly. "Can I see your room," said Lupe
"We'll do that later, okay?" said Laura.
"You have a nice house here," said Mercedes.
"Oh, come on, I know what you're thinking," said Ilaria with a laugh, "But I already told you when we were with you that there was still a lot of work ahead of us. But with a new start for the company and the move, we can't pay for doing everything at once. The house was my parents' house, but it was empty for a long time. "
"Ilaria I offered to help you, and if only there are people I can recommend you."
"I know," said Ilraria. "And I am very grateful to you."
Laura got up during the conversation. When she didn't return, Juanma got up to check on her. She was sitting on the stairs in front of the front door and tears were streaming down her cheeks. Juanma put a hand on her shoulder and looked at her questioningly.
"You are probably only thinking the worst of me now," she said.
Juanma shrugged his shoulder. "What are we supposed to think. You tell us about employees and a very big and beautiful house. I mean that was once a very big and beautiful house, but at the moment very far from being one. But that's not bad at all. But that you lied. That I do not understand."
Laura got up, wiped the tears from her face, walked past Juanma up the four steps and sat down again at the table with the others.
