Page 57 of Day Break

“Elliott was…” She glanced around as if searching for the right words.

“Unappreciative?” I suggested.

She nodded after thinking about it for a moment.

I could tell she felt awkward talking about her past. Someday, I hoped to get more information from her, but since I knew she usually wanted an answer for an answer, I didn’t think that the pantry was the best place for this conversation.

“What can I do to help you get dinner ready?” I asked. I knew I’d thrown her off, and my stomach had been growling since before I’d left the beach.

“Do you know how to bake bread in the oven?” she asked. “You can do that while I make salad dressing.”

I didn’t know how to bake bread, but how hard could it be? I followed her back into the kitchen.

“You’re making salad dressing? Like, from scratch?”

She chuckled. “Yes. The dough is in the pantry in the large ceramic bowl with the cloth over it. You can put it into that pan.” She motioned. “Season with that.” She pointed to a can of seasoning. “Butter it.” There was a small bowl of melted butter. “Then stick it in the preheated oven.”

“Simple,” I said. However, in the next few minutes, I had to ask her three times if I was doing it right. In my defense, I’d never made homemade anything before. My cooking skills were limited to opening cans, putting pre-made items in the oven, chopping vegetables for salads, and grilling meat over a fire.

When I finally slid the pan into the oven, it was oddly satisfying. I couldn’t imagine how she felt knowing she’d made the dough herself.

Since she was done making the dressing, I helped her make the salad and red sauce for that night’s meal.

She had made so much food, and I realized that the simple task of caring for one old man had grown into a monster. Now she was cooking for eight people instead of just one and that didn’t even include her.

“My grandfather isn’t paying you enough,” I said once we were done setting the table.

She chuckled and waved her hand. “He’s paying me plenty.”

“No. You’re caring for the whole family now instead of just him. This isn’t right.”

“I really appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I’m fine. Really.” She touched my arm, but my mind was already made up. I was going to go find my grandfather and convince him to at least double if not triple what he was paying her. At least while my family was around.

“Lane.” Chloe touched my arm, stopping me from marching away to find my grandfather. “I don’t want to cause any more problems between the family. Everyone already thinks I’m some sort of gold digger. Like Anna Nichole Smith. As if I’m trying to move in on your grandfather.” She shrugged. “I’m not. I don’t want anything other than a job and to be left alone. Please.” She shook her head. “I’m perfectly happy with doing the extra work for what I’m being paid.”

I nodded slowly. “For now,” I said. “But doing any extra work for my family stops. You’re not their dry cleaners, maid, or private cook.”

She smiled and nodded. “Agreed.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

“I felt a wish never to leave that room - a wish that dawn might never come, that my present frame of mind might never change.”

- Leo Tolstoy

Chloe

In the first weeks after Lane’s family’s arrival, I was too busy to have any time to myself. Mornings after breakfast were filled with laundry and cleaning. After lunch, when George and Byron took their naps, his family found things to fill my time with, and Lane locked himself in George’s study and worked. He appeared to be the only one in his family who did so. I wondered if anyone else had a job. In the evenings, after dinner, I did all my meal prep and baking.

By the time I finally made it to my rooms, I was exhausted and went right to sleep.

Since George was now paying me with cash, my purse was full of it. I hadn’t gone into town again and was dying to purchase a few more items, things I’d always wanted to buy for myself.

By my last estimate, I had close to a thousand dollars now, more money than I’d seen or thought I’d see in my lifetime.

I had no idea what to do with so much money. Even if I bought twice the amount of clothes I had last time, there would still be so much left over.

I planned to ask Lane to drive me into town again on Sunday, since George had given me Sundays and Mondays off.