Archibald and I walk down the remaining stairs.
"Oh- hello you two," says my mother smiling awkwardly.
"Hello," I respond.
"Good afternoon," says Archibald.
"Would you two like to help us make dinner? I sent Martha home to spend time with her family," says my mother.
"Sure, why not?" I respond.
Archibald nods yes and we head to the kitchen.
Archibald, my mother, Mrs. Rhodes and I start making dinner. Roast chicken, with peas, mashed potatoes and tomato soup. I'm mashing the potatoes, Archibald is getting peas out of their pods, Mrs. Williams is working on the soup, and mother working on the chicken.
"Odette dear, why don't you and Archie go set the table? The potatoes seem about done and Dorothea, can you finish the peas, if you don't mind?" Says my mother.
"No, of course not," says Mrs. Rhodes.
"Alright," I say washing my hands and drying them on my apron.
"We'll get going then," says Archibald grabbing the silverware and tablecloths.
I grab the plates, bowls and cups then make my way to the dining room. Archibald sets down the silverware and table clothes while I set down the plates, bowls and cups.
"I'll set the cloths, then you set the plates, bowls and cups, then I'll do the silverware," I tell him.
"Of course, my dear. Anything else?" He responds sarcastically.
"Then you can go up those stairs-" I say pointing to the way the grand staircase is, "and I'll follow you then push you off. If I've got any luck, you'll get a bad concussion and die."
"If I fall, I'm dragging you down with me."
"So you agree with the plan?" I ask smiling at him.
"Just set the bloody cloths, will you?" he replies annoyed.
"Fine. But not because you tell me to," I say.
"Just go."
"Shut up, I'm going."
"No, you're not, you're still standing there."
"Fine!"
I get the table clothes and go around setting one on the table, according to how many chairs there are. Twelve chairs, one of each end, and five on each side so twelve table clothes.
"You placed that one wrong," says Archibald pointing.
With my hands on the table, I set out a deep breath and turn to him. He's standing against a wall behind me.
"Which one?" I ask sarcastically smiling.
"That one," he says pointing again.
I fail to see where he's pointing though, "just come over here and tell me which one."
"But setting the tablecloths is your duty. You're the one who gave it to yourself. I only set the plates, bowls and cups."
"If it's my duty, then you have no business telling me if I'm doing it wrong or not," I say continuing to set the rest.
"If you're doing it wrong, I am going to correct you, he responds.
"But I'm not doing it wrong!"
"Yes, you are! Just right there!" He says pointing again.
"If it bothers you so bloody much then you fix it yourself," I reply annoyed.
"But setting the cloths is your duty."
"THEN LET ME DO IT IN PEACE," I yell.
He laughs throwing his head back.
"Lord, I love making you angry," he says running his hand through his hair.
I roll my eyes and finish setting the cloths. Archibald then grabs the plates, bowls, and cups, then adds one on top of the tablecloths I have just set. It's a flat plate, with a bowl on top of the plate, then a cup to the side.
"See this is how you set a table," he says he places the last cup.
"How impressive," I say with a serious tone and face.
"I know," he says shrugging while smiling.
I roll my eyes and grab the silverware. I set a fish course fork, even though we aren't having fish, a meat course fork, and a salad course fork again, even though we aren't having salad to the left of the plate, a salad course knife, a meat course knife, a fish course knife, a soup spoon, and a seafood fork to the right of the plate. In the center, I place the meat cutting knife and the meet fork. I finish setting the table, happy that Archibald didn't say anything idiotic, but of course he had to say something.
"Great, now the table looks horrendous thanks to you," he says moving from the wall he was leaning against.
"If it bothers you then, like I said, fix it yourself."
He lets out an extremely exaggerated sigh. He puts his hands together and puts them against his mouth.
"Odette, Odette, Odette. You gave the job of setting the silverware to yourself, so why would I do it?" He asks.
"Then-" I say, but he cuts me off.
"I did my part of setting the plates, bowls and cups, which looks marvelous I might add, so I have absolutely no place to fix your... unique placement of silverware," he continues.
"If you have no place to fix it, then you have no place to judge me. And your plating placement is subpar, I've seen better," I say.
He rolls his eyes.
"I'm just saying the table could look better, and to give you a hint, it's not my part that's ruining it-" he says but this time I cut him off.
"Archibald, I swear to God if you don't stop talking, I'm going to-"
"To what?" He asks walking over to me.
He stands right in front of me, towering over me.
"You're going to what, darling?" he smirks.
"I'm going to suffocate you and throw you in the lake with your feet tied to a concrete block," I say with a serious tone.
I swallow hard. The way he towered over me made me tense up. He lets out a low chuckle.
"Suffocate me?" He asks looking down at me.
I nod yes not breaking eye contact.
"Look, sweetheart-" he says, his hand snaking around my neck, gently squeezing it, but enough to breathe, "I've had enough of your little attitude. I've been here for a day and all you've done so far is make me angry. I don't know if you find pleasure in irritating me, but I can assure you, keep going and you won't live to see another day."
"It's all empty threats with you, Rhodes," I grit between my teeth, "all bark, no bite."
He lowers his head so his lips are right next to my ear, his hand still around my throat.
"So, you want me to kill you, sweetheart?" He whispers.
He tightens his grip around my causing me to inhale. Now it was hard to breathe.
"Because I'll have you know, I will take great pleasure in seeing your lifeless body knowing I'm the reason it's like that. If you want bite-" he whispers into my ear, lowering his head so his warm breath tickles my neck, but still being able to hear him, "I'll give you bite."
