Bittersweet Expectations (Hate at First Flight #0.5)

3. Foreign Territory

In many movies, the main character always starts of having a bad day, or even a series of bad days. But then as the movie hits the thirty minutes to fourty minute mark, the main character always manages to turn his life around and starts having a series of awesome days. But as that clichéd quote goes, 'you can't have a good thing for too long' and so towards the hour long mark, the main character starts to experience this event that will surely ruin his/her life.

My life was like a movie.

My bad day was Finn and Kaitlyn.

Thirty minutes into my movie of a life, Leah came along and then Mrs Clarke. And so far I was enjoying my series of awesome days.

Mrs Clarke was surprisingly warm once I moved in. She showed me to my room, a medium sized one on the first floor, and introduced me to everyone else that worked there.

Sarah was in her early to mid thirties, with raven black hair, a sweet smile on her face and tired brown eyes. She shook my hand vigorously a couple of times before she let go.

Elizabeth was in her fourties, somewhat rounder with greying hair and life in her eyes as if she was living the dream life.

Mary and Rose were somewhat harder to differentiate, both of them were quiet, both had chestnut brown hair and both had dark eyes. It didn't help that they both were wearing the uniform. I got confused once Mrs Clarke introduced them.

Diana, however, the one that Mrs Clarke had singled out as the authority figure scared me to death, literally. She didn't smile. Didn't say a word other than a simple, 'How do you do?' She even had the whole hair pulled back in a tight bun look.

"You'll be helping Gerard in the kitchen today," Diana said in her clipped, formal tone as soon as Mrs Clarke left.

I turned to look at her but she had already had her back turned to me and was walking away.

I followed after her. "Who?"

"Gerard," she answered even as she continued walking away. "The chef. Kitchen."

Kitchen? Chef?

"Where's the kitchen?" I asked as I ran after her, grasping my uniform in my hand.

"Follow me," she demanded as she turned a corner and disappeared.

I did so, worried I would fail even before I started properly.

The kitchen was straight out of a five star catalogue.

It had everything a master chef would need, and it was spotless. Nothing was astray.

In the midst of this culinary dream was a huge man, in his late fourties conversing with a stern Diana.

My entrance caused both of them to look up.

"You're late," Diana said in a disapproving tone.

I'm pretty sure I was ten seconds behind her.

I didn't say a word as my eyes went to the old man smiling warmly at me. "You must be Ashleen?"

I smiled as I walked over. "Close enough," I offered a hand. "Ashleigh Bishop."

"My apologies," he shook my hand. "I'm Gerard Davies. The master of this section of the house."

I chucked at that.

"I heard from Diana that you will be helping me out today?"

I nodded.

"Lovely. We'll be preparing a five course meal for supper," he informed as Diana left.

I arched a brow.