Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 6: Veiled Secrets

As the tense silence enveloped the Mitchell dining room, Seher was bewildered by Rhonda's sudden anger. She couldn't fathom how she had offended the head maid, and her protective instincts flared up as she observed Rhonda's disdainful expression directed at her daughter. Little Meher, oblivious to the grown-up tension, squealed in delight as she discovered her French toast had transformed into a different shape, momentarily diverting everyone's attention.

Seher's heart swelled with motherly affection as she watched her daughter's innocent delight. However, Rhonda's reaction caught her off guard. No one, Seher decided, should ever look at her precious gem with such disgust. She quickly moved in front of her daughter, blocking Rhonda's view and crossing her arms in a stance that demanded an explanation.

Rhonda, seemingly unfazed by Seher's protective stance, spoke sternly, "What did I tell you yesterday, Miss Sandhu?" Her tone brooked no argument.

Seher, maintaining her composure, replied politely but firmly, "I'm sorry, Ms. Rhonda, but I can't recall. Perhaps you could remind me."

Rhonda's gaze shifted toward Meher, who was hidden from her sight by Seher's protective presence. With a disapproving look, she reminded Seher, "I told you not to let your child dirty my home."

Seher was taken aback by Rhonda's audacity. Here was a maid acting as if she were the lady of the house, referring to it as "my home." Seher didn't know how Daniel would react to Rhonda's behavior, and she wanted to avoid a confrontation, especially given Rhonda's long-standing position in the household. But Seher's maternal instincts raged within her. She could tolerate disrespect directed at herself, but she would never let anything, past or present, taint her daughter.

Struggling to control her anger, Seher took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and silently prayed for patience. She then opened her eyes, her gaze hard and unyielding as she addressed Rhonda, "Miss Rhonda, she's just a child, and children eat like that. I was planning to clean every speck she spilled after she finished her breakfast. I'm sorry, but I can't expect my one-and-a-half-year-old daughter to adhere to formal table manners at her age. We are here to stay, and I hope we can coexist harmoniously. After meals, I'll promptly clean up any messes made by my daughter or the other child in my care."

Rhonda was seething with anger. She had been working for Daniel Mitchell for years, particularly overseeing the household in his wife's absence. Even when Mrs. Mitchell had been present, Rhonda had been in charge. The household staff respected her authority. Yet, here was this woman, a newcomer to the country, daring to challenge her and talk back, and it hadn't even been a full day since she'd arrived. Rhonda was determined to remove them from her house. She believed with confidence that Daniel Mitchell would never choose this outsider over her, the caretaker who had faithfully looked after his home for decades.

Rhonda turned sharply and exited the dining room with resounding footsteps, her mind set on finding a way to get rid of the unwelcome guests she believed threatened her domain.

Here Seher took a deep breath and composed herself, then decided that she would avoid the woman as much as she could. She turned toward her daughter to finish cleaning up her messy little baby. So the day went by with Daniel gone to the office after breakfast, and Liam done with his classes. Then the three of them hung out, enjoying each other's company. Soon, it was 7 pm, and both the kids were fed, bathed, and ready for bed. Within another 30 minutes, both of them were in their respective beds, soundly asleep in their dreamland. After checking the nanny cams in both the rooms, Seher came down to the living area and finally took a breath of relief as she sat down. Right, she couldn't deny that caring for two toddlers was not easy, especially when they were as mischievous as them.

Seher had realized that life was not predictable at all, and she had come to terms with the fact that any day could be a person's last day. Even though such thoughts may sound morbid and negative, life had taught Seher that you need to cherish the moment you are living in. Which is why, ever since she had come to Chicago and brought her first camera phone using the EMI's from her paycheck when she was working as a nanny for the Adam family, she realized that she had formed a habit of capturing moments, small, big, monumental, not monumental. She wanted to capture everything if she could, every day of her daughter's life. So that one day, hopefully, when she was happy in life and did not have to think about the next week's paycheck, and her daughter was in a good college becoming an independent woman that she could not become at the right time, she would show her. She would show her how much her mother loved her because if anything that was true in Seher's life right now, it was Meher. And nothing else. She truly was her namesake, a mercy from God to her, a kindness that was given to her for all the hardships that she had endured. She was His Meher, a blessing from her Waheguruji.