Cooking for the Rich.

Chapter 2

By the time I got back to the house it was nearing eleven and I really did not want to start reading the email from Mrs Lachlan about this party instead I got in the shower before putting on my pyjamas and curling up into bed.

I woke the next morning to my alarm going off, I groaned setting it to snooze to get five more minutes of sleep before I had to get up. When it went off again I considered snoozing it but I knew I had to get up. The room I was in was part of the staff quarters which myself, Stevie the house manager and the cleaner all stayed in. The only other full time member of staff was Angus, the driver who lived off site, I'm assuming with his family or something. The cleaner Marie hadn't really said much to me expect a thank you when I gave her dinner. Stevie on the other hand was the one who had interviewed me and was happy to tell me many things about her life. She was divorced and her teenage son lived with his father as they got on better together and it meant he could stay with his friends after they had gotten the divorce and she could stay in the job she loved. She had been working for the Lachlans for the last twenty years and felt like a part of the family.

The room I had was simple, I had moved my few bits of furniture that I had in my old flat to here which helped made it feel homely and put up a few pictures but apart from that I still knew I wanted some bits to make it feel more mine. I was hoping to head in to the city at some point to do some shopping. There was a small bathroom in the room as well which had a toilet, sink, mirror and a shower. I missed having a nice long bath so much, there wasn't one in my old apartment either and it was so frustrating not being able to have a long soak after a long day but I'd survive. I pulled on a pair of trousers, a vest top and my chef jacket before some socks and my crocs and headed downstairs to the kitchen trying to not wake the other staff next door to me. It was six in the morning, way too early if you ask me but I knew I had to get stuff prepared for the day. My mental list was growing bigger and bigger by the second. Flicking on the coffee machine first, I need to be able to function, I set to preparing breakfast for the Lachlans.

Scribbling out my last note I furiously ripped out the page and threw it at the bin.

"Now my dear," Stevie said walking in to the kitchen dodging the piece of paper. I looked down in embarrassment at my temper placing my face in my hands leaning my elbows on the work top.

"I have a favour to ask but maybe I should wait until your in a better mood," She said with a chuckle.

"No go ahead, just getting frustrated, Tea?" I asked already pulling a mug out of the cupboard. She nodded and took a seat at the table. The kitchen had its own dining table that was only really used by staff as far as I'd seen.

"Anything I can help with?"

"No, just trying to get this menu right for the dinner next week. I want to show them that I am capable of this and can do something different but I'm just having such a blank." I poured the steaming water in the two mugs before joining Stevie at the table.

"Thank you," She said taking the mug from me. "You'll get there eventually my dear." She softly patted my hand. I was already warming so much to Stevie she was such a sweet woman who cared deeply for the Lachlans, I sometimes wonder how she managed to control the busy lifestyles around her whilst keeping so calm.

"What was the favour you wanted?" I asked remembering the reason she'd come in the first place.

"Ah yes, now I was wondering if you could take Mia in to the city again tonight, I've managed to get her a temporary day driver but Miss Mia doesn't seem to be getting along with him and refuses for him to take her anywhere tonight, I would do it myself but its just my boy has a show tonight and if you could tomorrow night as well you would be a saint." I already had a busy enough schedule without becoming a chauffeur too.

"What about Angus?"

"Oh didn't anyone tell you," She said taking a sip of her tea. "His wife had the baby, thats why he went awol last night." My eyes widened, I didn't even realise he was married. We barely ever spoke or crossed paths so I had no idea about his personal life.

"Oh well okay then," I said, not really wanting to do it but knowing I didn't really have much choice. Last night was already awkward enough.

"Thank you so much sweetie, I've had CV's out all day trying to sort out a new fixture for Angus whilst he's on his paternity. I have interviews tomorrow and then they should be able to start the day after. You are such a life saver. Now Mia doesn't need to go out tonight until after she's had dinner but tomorrow she is going out for dinner so you'll have to check the schedule on what time she needs to be there." All the Lachlans lives were put on a personal calendar that all staff had access to telling us of all timings of the day. The first time I had checked it on the iPad they had given me it looked so hectic but I was starting to get used to it now.

"Yeah I'll check it," I said grabbing a couple of biscuits from the pile I'd made earlier and passing one to Stevie.

"Mia," I asked tapping on her door, "Are you ready to go?" I had already been waiting down in the kitchen for her for the last twenty minutes and I had way more important things to be doing than waiting. I heard a groan from inside before the reply, "Almost." I waited outside for a few minutes until I was starting to get really bored. I was about to knock again until I heard a bang from inside. I slowly opened the door. Mia was stood just beside her bed which was covered in clothes and shoes and bags, all probably costing more than I had ever known. I saw a shoe just in front of me that I figured had been thrown across the room. Someone was clearly not in a good mood.

"Everything Okay?" I asked tentatively walking in the room and shutting the door behind me. She sighed and slumped down on her bed.

"I'm going out with some friends from university tonight and I just feel like they all think so much better than everyone else and they're all pretty successfull, I know I have everything I want but its not mine is it," She said admitting to me. I wasn't sure why she was being so open to me, I didn't really know what to say to her. I wasn't too great with people opening up to me. In a way I wanted to tell her to man up and just enjoy the fact she had everything handed to her on a plate but on the other I was someone who had always worked hard for what I got.

"All I want to do is cancel," She said sighing and putting her head in her hands.

"You can if you want, Stay here, eat Ice cream, drown your sorrows or you can get up and get dressed and go be with your friends," I told her not being bothered to deal with her pity party tonight. I could see the options cross over her mind.

"I would ask you to help me decide on an outfit but all I've seen you wear is chef jackets and leggings," She said standing up flashing me a small smile. I looked down at my attire of leggings, an overside stripy long sleeve and trainers before giving her a shrug. I started to pick at some of the clothing on her bed admiring all the fancy materials and all the things I definetly would not be able to pull off.

"This is hopeless, I haven't even chosen an outfit never mind do my hair and make up, I'll just have to cancel," She said after a while of looking through her wardrobe. I sighed, knowing she was being overly dramatic.

"Right," I said, I picked up two dresses off the bed, "Choose one of these, put your hair in a messy ponytail and you can do your make up in the car, I'll grab you some, you go change or you're going to be more than fashionably late." She pouted before picking the black dress in my right hand and walking off to the bathroom. I found a make up bag on her desk and filled it full of her things. I pulled a pair of shoes out of her wardrobe as she came out of the bathroom with a breeze of vanilla and daisies following her. Probably some ridiculously expensive perfume she had. She slipped on the heels before sauntering out of the room. I rolled my eyes at her drama but was glad she had opened up to me.