Always a saving grace in such stressful times.
Chapter 2
Service With a Sigh
Atext from Henry waited for her when she eventually woke up in the city. They were only two minutes away from Warren Manor, but to the tune of the windshield wipers furiously pushing away a rain shower, Monica read that her husband’s flight from Toronto had been delayed due to the weather and he wouldn’t be home until around eight.
It was dark outside. Monica immediately longed for her wing of Warren Manor, with or without her husband.
She woke Abigail up as they drove through the gates of Warren Manor. The driver pulled up in front of the main entrance, hazards flashing as he opened her door just as the head butler of the house appeared with a large umbrella.
“Where’s Ms. Smith?” he inquired about Matilda.
“She took her separate car elsewhere. It’s her weekend.”
The butler nodded before greeting Abigail and securing both mother and daughter into the house. He returned to the car tohelp with the bags while Monica took off her coat and Abigail shook out her hair like a wet dog.
“Stop that,” Monica chided. “You didn’t even get wet. Youalsodidn’t thank Elson for keeping you dry, now did you?”
Abigail cupped her hands around her mouth as she turned toward the open front door. “Thanks, Elson!” she shouted.
A tall woman with short blond hair appeared from the west wing of the manor. “Kids these days,” Eva, Monica’s sister-in-law, teased as she approached her family. “Did you get Henry’s text? He won’t be home until after eight.”
“I did.” Monica waited for Abigail to get over being excited at her aunt’s presence. With a furiousoomph!,Eva picked up Abigail and commented on how big and heavy she was. Sure enough, Eva teetered backward. Soon, only Henry would be able to pick up the youngest member of the family.How long until he can’t, either?Abigail kept growing and showed no signs of stopping. “Something about the weather. Must be hitting the whole region.”
“It’s that time of year.”
Elson approached with bags in his hands. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, madam,” he said. “I heard that Mr. Warren will be late tonight. What protocol should we follow for his supper?”
“Keep a plate warm for him, Elson. As for me, I think I’ll take my dinner in the east wing.” She looked to Eva and Abigail, both glommed together like one tall, lanky blond unit.Is my daughter even one drop me?Abigail could have easily been Eva’s daughter. “Would you mind having dinner with Abby tonight?” she asked her sister-in-law. “I have some files to go through from the tax team. I want them in order by the time Henry gets home.”
“Ooh, how fun.Taxes.” Eva booped her nose against her niece’s. “How about it, kid? Dinner with your Aunties Eva and Nadia? She’ll be home from work soon.”
“Yessss! I have to show you the video from the Christmas play!”
“It’s a good one,” Monica said, removing her earring studs and tucking them into her purse. “Thank you, Eva. I appreciate it.”
“After that, why don’t we watch a movie? I’m bored as heck today, kid.”
“Can we watchInside Out 2?”
“Sure, sure. Then we’ll watchThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Monica almost dropped one of her earrings as she gasped at Eva.
“Just kidding. She has to be at least eight before we watch that.”
“Next birthday!” Abigail cried.
“Absolutely not,” Monica muttered as she secured her earrings. “Twelve. At the earliest.”
Eva put Abigail down and went with her to the dining room. Monica gave further instructions to Elson as he checked in with her. It took ten minutes for Monica to finally be free from her duties as “Lady” Warren and allowed to disappear into her family’s wing of the house, where she took off her shoes and quietly ate a plate of dinner while watching TV.
She texted her husband during a commercial break.
“Are you in the air? I have a lot to talk to you about tonight.”
By the next commercial break, when most of her dinner was gone, he texted her back.“We’re about to descend. Looking forward to seeing you all.”
