The young maiden and the golden fish pt 2.

With shaking knees, Serena was standing in the mansion's hallway. It was her duty to wait for the guest to arrive. None told her exactly who this guest was going to be, and Serena didn’t have the courage to ask them. The only thing she knew, is that the guest was really important to the family and she had to give a good first impression. No, not just good, it had to be perfect. She couldn’t afford to stumble over her words. While waiting, Serena imagined her greeting the guest a thousand times. What if he were really cold and stern? How scary!

After about half an hour of waiting, Serena heard the doorbell ringing. As she reached her arm towards the door handle, her heart started beating a thousand beats a minute. Who could it be? She turned the handle and slowly pulled the door towards her. Before even looking at the guest, she bowed and spoke the words.

“Greetings - miste..eh-”

All this time Serena had been imagining the guest to be male, but before she stood an elderly lady with a short grey heir. She was wearing a red scarf. Having made this mistake, Serena quickly corrected herself.

“-Miss, welcome to our mansion”

Serena’s face turned red as a beet.

The guest laughed.

“Darling, there is no need to be so tense.”

“Although I might look like it, I am not one of these stuck-up snobs you see a lot in our circles”

Serena took the lady’s coat and showed her the way to the reception room.

The reception room

Having arrived in the reception room, one of the most beautiful in the mansion, the master’s mother was sitting there on a red antique armchair. As soon as the guest turned the corner, she stood up and exclaimed.

“Tsuchida-san, it’s a pleasure to see you again”

Both women passionately shook each other's hand, after which Tsuchida-san sat down in a chair next to the mistress. They immediately started a lively conversation with each other, it was clear to Serena that they knew each other well, even though she had never been the guest. Serena stood there, waiting for a gap in the conversation so she could offer the guest something to drink. But that silence never came, they just kept talking and talking. Serena could make up from the conversation that miss Tsuchida was some kind of author, which the master’s mother loved to read the books from. They talked about the guest appearing on national television, so she must be rather famous. Now that Serena thought about it, she heard that name somewhere before. Maybe she read one of her books. Anyway, it would be not in her place as a maid to ask her about it. Her job was to make sure the guest had something to drink! Serena took in a big breath and tried to interrupt the conversation.

“Excuse me”

No reaction.

Serena spoke way too quietly.

“Excuse me?’

She asked again, but still no reaction. Serena began sweating from anxiety, there was no choice though, she had to get their attention. One more time.

“EXCUSE ME!”

Serena screamed way too loud. The ladies flinched in their chairs and looked at her with worried eyes.

“Ehh.. exc.. miss”

She was so embarrassed she couldn’t get out of her words.

“What is the matter Serena-san?”

“Can I.. offer you something to drink miss?”

The guest chuckled a little.

“This happens every time we meet. There is so much to talk about since we haven’t seen each other in such a long time”

“Could you bring us a pot of tea please?”

Serena found her way to the kitchen to prepare some tea. She picked up the nicest china from the cupboard and brought it back to the ladies who were deep in conversation again. She put the cups on the table and carefully poured in the hot tea, making sure not to spill any drops.

The ladies thanked Serena after which the master’s mother started talking to Serena about how the two of them met.

“Tsuchida-san used to be a really popular writer when I was younger. She was a real prodigy, releasing her first masterpiece when she was only sixteen.”

The guest sighed.

“Masterpiece? Stop the eulogy, please. I don’t know why people keep talking about that one”

“Don’t be modest Tsuchi, The Pensive Gentleman is an all-time literary classic. I still keep the copy you signed back on display”

Did she really write The Pensive Gentleman? One of the greatest romance novels ever written! That is where Serena recognized her name from. Everyone must have read that novel at least once in their life.

Serena now looked at the guest with glowing eyes.

“You recognized that name don’t you?”

Miss Tsuchida responded.

“Our Miss Serena has had an excellent upbringing, she knows all the classics”

Serena nodded her head.

“You seem to be doing quite well my darling”

The guest took another sip of her tea.

“You remind me of an old folk story I once heard”

“It was a story about a young maiden with lush black hair who waited patiently from dawn to dusk. Seven days a week, she sat there on a hill, holding a red fishing net in her hand. The town folk used to ask her, why are you sitting here all alone? Waiting to catch the golden fish, she responded every single time.”

Miss Tsuchida took a long pause.

“So and then?”

The master’s mother asked.

“Hahaha, I have forgotten how it ended. It has been such a long time since I first heard it”

“Anyway, enough old-lady talk for today, you can excuse yourself, young miss”

The next morning

The first rays of sunlight were already falling on Serena’s bed. She turned around to watch an old-fashioned mechanical alarm clock. Luckily, it was still half an hour before she had to go prepare breakfast. Serena picked up her phone and went to browse the internet on it. She went to her favorite blog, where she usually gets recommendations for new and upcoming novels. A book signing with her favorite author? Next week? In her city? That would be awesome! Serena was already thinking about which of her books she would get signed. "Dream Boat, The Wall, and the Flower, or maybe Ace of Hearts. Can you get multiple books signed or only one? Serena had never been to one.

But what would she say to the author? What if she asked me a question? What other people would go there? Serena took a deep breath. Going out somewhere, all alone was rather scary. If only her friends could go with her. Or one of the twins for that part. It had been a while since she saw her friends from school. Serena refreshed her phone’s inbox. No one had invited her to anything yet. Maybe they don’t like me after all? Am I that boring after all? Serena sighed.

Filled with anxiety, Serena tried to type a message in the girl’s group chat. But halfway she erased it again. Another attempt… and one more. But she kept deleting them afterward.

*Ring ring*

The alarm clock went off. Serena felt relieved. Alright, sending that message probably was a bad idea anyway. They are busy and I can’t bother them with stuff like this. I need to dress up and perform my duties to the family.

The problem is, she is too scared to go alone! She contemplates asking her friends or the twins but in the end, she couldn’t convince herself.

On the day of the signing

Serena sat on a bench in the mansion's hallway, holding a book by her favorite author. She wasn’t reading the book, she had already completed it five times after all. No, today was the day of the book signing. But it was too late… she hadn’t asked for a day off. Or for anyone to go with her for that fact. Serena sighed, why was she such a coward?

“Good morning, Rena - chan!”

Mary suddenly appeared before her out of thin air. She must have been running through the hallways again. Maybe just maybe, Serena could ask Mary to go to the signing with her. No.. no.. no, she certainly wouldn’t be interested in that. Imagine her having the stand in a line for more than a minute. Impossible, Serena chuckled to herself. But she could still try to ask her at least. But before she could ask Mary anything, she started talking again.

“Glad to see you smiling Rena. What a beautiful summer day isn’t it?”

Now would be the opportunity to ask.

“I am sorry Serena, I am actually in a hurry. Kate, my friends and I will hang out at the beach today. It will be so much fun!”

Then Mary looked shocked for a second.

“Oh crap! I forgot the beach ball!!!”

And after that, she ran off again.

Serena put her head down and sighed again. It seemed like none was going to be available that day. She’d better get started with her chores.

“Serena-san, what is the matter with you? Is there something bothering you?”

It was the master’s mother. It was inappropriate for a maid to talk about her problems to her boss, so Serena shook her head.

“Nothing, I’ll start working”

But the mistress wasn’t going to let her start like that.

“Please let me talk to you, it’s not good for you to bottle up your feeling like that. Is it about a boy?”

Serena shook her head and after some hesitation, she told the elderly women about the book signing.

“Oh my dear, you’re worried about that? Please put on some civilian clothes and let’s call for the driver darling. We’ll go there together”

In her room, she changed her uniform for the nice summer dress Mary had bought for her. When she walked out of the room, the master’s mother was waving for her. With a handbag full of books, Serena walked towards the black luxury car. The driver held the door open for her, and she stepped in. They went on their way to the mall.