"Oh! Good morning, darling!"
Aunt Em warmly greeted me when she saw me even though I hadn't fully come down from their wide grand stairs yet. She was in their living room drinking her tea while Uncle Phil was next to him with his left foot on top of his right leg while reading a newspaper.
Aunt Em's sweet smile was wide and obviously that smile is saying something, still I reciprocated it with a sweet smile of my own, if I had one.
"Come, sit here." She said and patted the empty seat on the other side of her. There was still an empty seat on their wide sofa, but I chose to sit on the place that Aunt Em had tapped.
I washed my face and brushed my teeth before coming down to their living room, they had an extra toothbrush in the shelf drawer so I grabbed to use it, I remember Diane told me then that it was okay to use the spare things if needed.
"Good morning, aunt and uncle."
"Hmm.. Good morning, too"
I'm already sitting next to aunt Em, she's facing me and still hasn't lost her wide smile which worries me, I know those smiles seem to have a different meaning. I also smiled awkwardly a few times at aunt Em and couldn't help raising my two eyebrows which auntie Em also imitated.
"Hahahaha I know, I'm being weird."
"Hehehe, just a little bit, aunt."
"Anyway, Ashlene left early for her work and she told us that you and Gian slept here."
"Yes, Diane was too sleepy last night, she can't drive too long so she suggested to stay a night here."
"That's what she said, too. But it's good that you slept here." She answered quickly and smiled suspiciously very widely.
I just smiled and scratched the back of my neck even though it wasn't itchy.
"Emma stop grinning" Even though Uncle Phil's attention were not focused on us, he still knows what his wife's doing right now.
"Hush, hon! Just read your newspaper" Aunt Em reprimanded uncle Phil without looking back. "Have breakfast first, darling."
"I'll go with you, aunt."
"Oh, no! Your uncle and I already ate. Ashton's there, join him." SHe said with a smile and helped me stand up.
"I'll just wait for Gian to wake up so we can eat together."
"My grandson will probably wake more late, go ahead and join Ashton in the dining."
I couldn't complained and Aunt Em completely made me stood up and motioned her hand like she's repelling me to go to their dining area. Before I could totally walk away from them, she took another sip of the tea she was drinking and gestured me again to go.
It's really hard for me to refuse Aunt Em, she's just so good at insisting. Diane inherited so many behaviour of Auntie Em's, no doubt they really are mother and daughter. Just like aunt Em's wide smile earlier, Diane also inherited that as well.
"Good morning, ma'am Gill. Are you going to eat?"
One of their housemaid asked me when we've met on the way to the dining area.
"Ah, yes hehe"
"Follow me. Sir Dane is here, too." She said and walked ahead of me to the dining area.
When we've entered their dining area, there were many dishes served and some fruits were included. It's really different when you're rich, for breakfast, there are so many food that was served that the long table is almost full.
"Take a seat, ma'am Gill."
"Thank you." I thanked her and she just smiled at me before leaving us in the dining area.
I sat on the other side of the table opposite of Ash. Before I took a rice, I looked at Ash who was holding an Ipad in his left hand and his eyes were focused on it while he use his right hand to use a utensil.
"You won't get satiated just by observing me."
I avoided my gaze away from him and scooped up some fried rice that was served and took a hot dog. This is Diane's favorite.
"Are you on a diet?" His question made me raise my head and look at Ash who was also looking at me.
I continued to chew my food and shook my head to Ash as my answer to this question.
"Why do you eat so little if you're not on a diet?"
That is his second question, I took an another hot dog and raised my two eyebrows at him.
"That's all?"
I don't know what he really wanted me to do, I swallowed the food I was chewing earlier and I scooped up more of fried rice and took another eggs, bacon and ham. I also picked an apple that was just the right size and placed it next to my plate. I met his gaze again and raised my two eyebrows like I'm saying, you happy now?
"How about this?" I asked him.
He looked at my plate and took his own mug to sipped. I guess its a coffee, I could smell the strong but sweet fragrant of it.
He just shrug as his answer to my question and he turned his attention to the screen of his Ipad. I wrinkled my nose and started eating all the food on my plate. I bit my lower lip when I saw that the fried rice on my plate was almost a mountain.
Does he have an intend to make me increase my weight? I have a mountain of rice because of him, he's really crazy!
Only the sound of the cutlery can be heard in their dining area now, Ash and I haven't talked again and the mountain of fried rice I had earlier were almost gone and I'm almost done with all the food that was on my plate. I don't even know how I fit those mountain rice in my intestine, do I really have that strong appetite?
"Ashton!"
I heard Aunt Em's loud call and I could clearly see her running into their dining area. When she got close to Ash's place, Aunt Em gently patted Ash on his back. Ash couldn't take his eyes off of the screen of his Ipad even after his mother tapped him.
"Yes?"
"I've found someone!" Aunt Em said loudly that you thought the person she were talking to was a far away from her but they were just right next to her.
If their grandfather was here at the dining table, for sure none of us would have the courage to speak. Remember, their grandfather doesn't like to start a conversation when you're at the dinner table.
I just continue consuming my food and I'm almost finished, after this I'll go and check Gian if he's already awake.
"Mom, lower your voice and who did you found?"
Even though I didn't intend to listen from the mother and son's conversation, I can't help but heard what they were talking about.
"I found someone who can fill as your temporary secretary. That is if you haven't found anyone yet?"
"It's still unoccupied, mom."
"Great! I know someone for that position."
Diane also inherited the habit of retorting from aunt Em, Aunt Em look exactly like Diane they can really be replicas, they both have the same behavior. They are really mother and daughter indeed.
"Tell that person to submit his or her resume to our company email. I'll personally review the said resume."
"Really? I'll try to talk to her later."
"Sure, mom"
"I love you so much, son!" Aunt Em said energetically and when I looked at their place, I caught Aunt Em holding Ash's chin and she lifted Ash's head to her side and quickly kissed him on his cheek. Ash didn't complain about what aunt Em did to him and still looked directly at the screen of his Ipad.
They are so sweet, maybe if mama and papa were still alive and with me today, I would still receive kisses and hugs from them.
"Oh! You're done eating, Gill?"
It seems that Aunt Em just noticed me.
"Yes."
"Are you full?"
"Yes, extremely full." I really emphasized the word extremely and looked at Ash, I saw him grinned while looking at me but he immediately averted his gaze and his grin disappeared.
Oh, I see! He's fooling me.
"That's great. Come on! We have something to talk about." Aunt Em's wide smile is back just like earlier when we were in their living room.
Why is aunt Em smiling like that, I'm not really used to it. There's definitely something behind her wide smile.