The Housekeeper

After Mimi left, I went to look for the only person, who might know more than she is letting on. I’ve found her in the kitchen in the middle of kneading. She could have used a machine to do that but she always preferred to do this by her own hand.

When she saw me approaching her, she stopped what she was doing and looked at me questioningly. I noticed for the first time how she had a knowing look on her face as if she saw right through me.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you,” I told her which was only a mere formality and she knew it.

“You are not, young master,” she replied just as automatically. We both know I am actually holding her up.

“I take it you heard from my father that I’ll be moving to live at a place somewhere closer to the university.”

“Yes, the master has informed me,” she said but her voice and expression suddenly turned sad. “The house will feel so empty and silent without you being here. Especially now that Mr. Scott has left as well. Did he really have to leave?” she asked suddenly and seemed oddly concerned.

“Yes. He decided to concentrate more on his studies. So, he won’t have time to work for us anymore,” I told her the same excuse I told my father just in case I was wrong about her. 

“I see,” she replied cautiously, avoiding looking me in the eye.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” I stepped closer and put my hands in my pockets waiting for her answer patiently.

“I don’t know what you mean, young master,” she said anxiously and continued kneading.

“I think you do.” I stared at her as a way of putting some pressure on her to make her tell me the truth. “Because except you and my father, no one could have access to my father’s watch. And my father would never do anything like that, so that leaves only you. I am asking you again. What happened?”

“Your father,” she said after a while and she seemed to have become angry.

“Please, elaborate.”

“Your father is a wise man and very clever. But he is only a collector of expensive things since it shows off his power and wealth. He has never realized the watch he got from his father has such a power,” she sneered scornfully. “And even if he did, as you said, he would never do something like that. On the contrary, he would have used it to do the opposite.”

“This made me think. How did you know it has such a power?”

“I’ve heard your grandfather telling it to your father. Your father didn’t believe it of course and only laughed upon hearing it. He considered it as an old man’s delusion. But he liked the watch, so he kept it.”

“And you took it,” I said the obvious and pulled out a chair from the table to sit down.

“Well, not exactly. You must have realized that your father still has it and it’s in a far better condition than the one your friend was wearing.”

“Now that you mention it, it was also you, wasn’t it, who took it from Asher’s room that night. When you stopped me on my way up the stairs saying you found it on the lawn in the garden. And that I should give it back to him because he must have lost it,” and as I said this, I started to get more amazed by every minute.

“Yes, I did. He seemed to be upset over seeing you with Ms. Chen, so I thought I’d give you a little push.”

“Just like how you told him what my favorite dessert is,” I said astonished as I leaned back on the chair and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “I always suspected it was you. It was too much of a coincidence that he baked exactly that.”

“Sometimes coincidences happen but you are right. That wasn’t it,” she said and started to roll out the dough she had kneaded before.

“You know you were playing with fire by doing these.”

“I am aware.”

“Then why?”

“Because you seemed to like each other,” she said earnestly and looked up at me. “As more than a friend,” she added in case I didn’t get what she meant. “It would have been a shame to see you miss out on each other just because neither of you makes a move. I’m old enough to be both of your mothers. I know what I’m saying. Moreover, I not only saw you growing up but after your mother died, it was me who practically raised you since your father never remarried. But you don’t need me to tell you this. You know it yourself. Even if you are not my son, it still feels like you are one of them. And I would never want any of my children to be unhappy.”

Saying this, a gentle but sorrowful smile appeared on her face as she seemed to be reminiscing the past. It’s true, as a kid, there were times that I saw her more often than my own father, and even with all her work to do, she always found the time to read me a story or ask about how my day was at school. It feels heartwarming to know that she cares about me this much. Not because of the money she is being paid for her work every month but because she really cares.

“You really do need a raise,” I smiled at her.

“You bet. But if you don’t mind me disagreeing young master, I’d rather work for you and Mr. Scott after you two move in together,” she told me sincerely. She must have seen me frown, as she stopped rolling the dough.

“You are not saying you still broke up?” She seemed to be genuinely worried.

“Not really. But it might take a while until I can fulfill your wish.”

“That’s fine. Since that means there’s still hope for you two,” she said and got back to rolling.

“I try to believe in that too. Though sometimes it’s just too hard. But I’m not giving up. I even managed to make up with Mimi, even though I thought she’d hate me for the rest of her life.”

“She had to learn sooner or later that you are not interested in her. Or women in general,” she said matter-of-factly. “It’s far worse keeping someone in the dark and letting her hope.”

“She told me the same,” I admitted bitterly.

“Because she has a brain.”

“While I don’t?” I grinned at her.

“That’s not what I said,” she told me indifferently and started filling the dough with pudding. I watched her concentrating on spreading the pudding evenly as if it was the most important thing to do and maybe it was.

“Correct me if I’m wrong but when you admitted taking away my father’s watch you meant you took it away in the future, right?” Upon hearing this, she froze. “I mean, even if you didn’t admit it yourself previously, it’s still obvious. My father still has his own watch which is the exact same one as Asher’s just doesn’t look that old and used just like you said. They even both have my father’s name engraved on it.

“If you already know the answer, why are you asking?” she said without looking up.

“I just wanted to hear it from you,” I told her honestly. And this time, she really did raise her head to look at me.

“Yes, I did. And I would do it again if I had to.” She seemed determined which made me astonished. “Those days you were so heartbroken that after inheriting it, you even sold the house you were living in all your life just because you had a bad memory attached to it," she told me firmly which made me realize that it was me all along who did it. So, now I even have to find a way to either make my father sell the house in the future or sell it myself so that Asher and his family will have a place to live. Otherwise, his future might turn out a lot differently and who knows what that may result in. "And I have already told you before. I didn’t want to see you unhappy,” she said finally.

“Why would I be unhappy?” I asked but I realized how ridiculous this sounded the moment I said it. Because even without Asher, my situation still wouldn’t be that much different. I still wouldn’t want to marry Mimi or any other woman for that matter which would only make dad angry and disappointed. Especially if I tell him why. And I would still be doomed to live a life based on a lie or I would live the way I want but it would make dad detest me. “It was a silly question, forget it,” I said and thought about Asher who is now probably with his parents or preparing for an exam or whatever.

“The answer is because... Originally, you two weren’t meant to end up together,” she said in a low voice and I felt a sharp pain of loss in my heart the moment I heard it.