CHAPTER 8

I left the kitchen and found Halley in the storeroom where the cleaning supplies were kept. I closed the door loudly behind me, making her jump. 'What the hell, Emma! What are you doing here?' 'When it comes to my job, I don't play around. Mr. Hollen hired me to make his coffee and assist with the cleaning, so what's your damn problem?' 'What are you talking about? Are you drunk?' 'Admit it, you put salt in the milk I use to make his coffee!' She let out a loud laugh while clutching her stomach. 'You're unbelievable Emma; I can't believe you're accusing me for your own mistakes. Where did Mr. Hollen fine you at the circus? Because you're funny.' She brushed passed me and left. I knocked over two buckets in anger but put them back in place after I realized that I shouldn't take my anger out on Mr. Hollen's innocent buckets. ______ I told Agnes about the incident with the coffee. She was in-charge of the kitchen, and the milk was in the kitchen. 'Oh, you poor dear, I'm so sorry to hear that.' 'I just don't understand why Halley would do something like that.' 'I guess she's just jealous of you.' 'Mr. Hollen should know about this.' 'He would fire her.' 'He could've fired me. I served him a salty coffee!' 'Please, calm down. Why didn't you taste the coffee first?' 'Because I know what I'm doing. I've been making coffee for a long time at a cafe. I didn't need to taste it to know it was perfect.' 'I understand, but I believe he'll call a meeting with us when he gets home. I just hope no one loses their job.' _________ He came home in a rage. He slammed the door behind him, and we heard his footsteps when he went upstairs. We panicked. The phone rang. He wanted me upstairs immediately. With fear raging through my entire body, I turned on my heels and made my way upstairs. He was in his bedroom cursing under his breath and tossing pieces of his clothes all over the floor. 'Have the sheets been changed?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Was the room cleaned?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Who did it?' 'I did, sir.' 'Get my coffee.' 'Yes, sir.' I hurried downstairs into the kitchen and prepared his coffee. I was about to take it upstairs to him when I turned around to find him standing right behind me. He took the cup from my tiny hands and sipped on it. I prayed that it was to his liking; my job was on the line here. A tiny smile crept on his small lips but quickly disappeared. 'Why was there salt in my coffee this morning?' 'Sir, I....' I began. 'I wasn't speaking to you, Emma!' I shut my mouth. Agnes shifted backwards a bit as his eyes latched coldly onto her. 'Mr. Hollen,' she began carefully. 'Mr. Hollen, I honestly don't know.' I heard a buzzer in my head. Wrong Answer. 'So, technically, it could have been poisoned. I could have been a dead man right now, and your answer would be, 'You don't know'?' He paused and took another sip of his coffee before continuing, 'then why are you in my kitchen?' Oh God, no, please, not Miss Agnes. That poor woman would not do something like this. This has Halley written all over it. I couldn't let Miss Agnes take the fall for something she didn't do. 'Sir, it was Halley,' I blurted out. 'She did the shopping yesterday; she poured salt into the milk I used for your coffee so I would get fired.' He raked his fingers through his hair. 'Are you the judge of my house, Emma? Didn't I just stated that I wasn't talking to you? You should shut  it!' He was at close range to my face; his coffee filled breath hit me, hard; I moved back. 'Pack your things,' he stated calmly. Oh, no!  Tears streamed down my face. I've been fired again because I couldn't keep my mouth shut and temper under control. I walked towards the kitchen door, but he grabbed me by my shoulder and stopped me in my path. 'Emma, where are you going?' 'To pack my things,' I replied, drying my eyes. 'No, woman, I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Agnes.' Without a word, she left and, to my surprise, in a cheerful manner. Wasn't she aware that she had just been fired? I was furious. How could he let her go when she didn't do anything? She knew about the cameras; she wouldn't take that risk. It was Halley. Halley stood there with a wide grin on her face. 'Mr. Hollen, you're making a mistake,' I mumbled, but he had already left the kitchen. 'One down,' Halley laughed as she went with his food to the dining room. I ran out to the servants' quarters to say goodbye to Agnes. She had served him and his parents for ten years. For all I knew, she also raised him. She would never do anything to hurt him. 'Miss Agnes, please, you can't just walk away if you're innocent. I believe Halley did it.' 'Emma, it's alright. It's not what it looks like.' 'But you've been here ten years now!' I held onto her shoulder. 'I know that, and I loved every moment of it.' 'Halley won't get away with this.' 'Emma, please, just do what you were hired to do, and don't worry about a thing.' She gave me a warm hug and after that was gone. A part of me went with her. She had been a nice lady, always jolly and sweet. Mr. Hollen was a bastard.