I told myself one day I would leave this town. That was mostly why I chose to attend college in the first place. It was difficult for me, but for my parents it was near to impossible. It was a dream of theirs, of course, to send their child to school, though it must and still be so hard.

Having the broken plate in my hands was also a burden I put on them, even when I was the one who promised to pay it back. Now it seemed as if that dream was slipping away. I could especially see it whilst sitting across from my mother and grandmother at our dinner table.

I played distractedly with my round glasses and with the white hand-stitched tablecloth beneath my restless fingers. A fake golden candelabra and basket of bananas partially obstructed my view from them both. I wondered if my face revealed everything I was feeling.

My mother sighed and gave me a stern look, “What should I do with you?”

I fidgeted in my seat and said nothing. What could I say to the most powerful women in my life?

“He’s working to pay it off, yes?” My grandmother asked my mom in Espanol, not turning her sight away from me.

“Yes.” Mom placed both hands on the table. “He’s working to pay it off. Babysitting, actually.”

“Babysitting? The lady has a grandbaby?” Grandma said.

Mom nodded. “Same age as Samuel, I believe.”

“Same age as me—?” I said this time. I didn’t think before speaking, and thus they fell silent. Their expressions grew severe. I was only curious, seeing that I would be babysitting the guy.

Mom reached over and grabbed my hands carefully. It surprised me, but I didn’t dare move. I could feel the strength in her arms, in her hands, the result of working her entire life. And again I felt a twinge of guilt at what happened. I really needed to start being more careful.

“Sammy, listen to me.” She said, gaining my attention instantly. “This is hard for us, but I know it’s going to be harder on you.”

I looked at her and grandmother. “I know mom. I’ll pay it off. I will.”

“I know you will.” She gave me another stern look. “I know what you can do. Just—I want you to be more careful now that you’ll be there.”

“Remember to watch what you say around them.” Grandma instructed me.

Mom agreed, “I’ll be there too. We’re gonna make this work. But I need you to not—”

“Don’t get so angry.” My grandma cut her off. “I know how you’re like, Samuel.”

“Yes. No matter what that boy says, I want you to clench your teeth and not say anything that will harm you.” Mom’s expression was filled with weariness. It made me a little hesitant about everything.

I didn’t let go of her hands, though I did sit back and observe them both. They knew more about that place than I did. When my mom started working there, I was still a high school senior. Now that I was in college, I found it strange how I never asked any questions about them before.

Maybe it was too late to do it at that point. I would eventually come to know a lot more about it in the future. As for the request from the lady, I was still confused. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but I was sent away before I could even start.

My eyes wandered to them, and they settled on grandma. I was aware of how grandma perceived me. I was her precious grandson for so long. She knew me the most out of anyone. To her, I was her spitting image, her twin in every way. We were short-tempered, bad-mouthed, and stubborn. It frustrated my mother most of the time.

Grandma probably was thinking how I wouldn’t be able to tolerate living in such an environment. Well, I wanted to prove her wrong.

I sat up and leaned over the table, cupping my mom’s hands in my own. “Hey, I’m going to get that money back. It’s only four months. That’s practically all my time off until school starts.”

She bit her lip, thinking silently. “I guess you’re right.” She responded, “They pay pretty well too.”

“I’ll be fine.” I said. “How bad can it be when he’s literally my age?”

Grandma laughed curtly. “You have no idea.”

“Grandma!” I whined. “I’ve taken care of our cousins since they were babies.”

“There are different ways of taking care of people.” She leaned forward as well and peered at me over her silver glasses. “It might take a while to figure him out, to see why his grandmother wants you to clean him up.”

“Your grandma is right, Sammy.” Mom said.

I opened my mouth to say that I would be fine, but I stopped myself. That’s not what they wanted to hear. In fact, they didn’t want to hear anything from me—they wanted to see me accomplish this task.

Without fully realizing it, I agreed to everything they were telling me, even that lady. It was my fault anyway, so who was I to protest? Plus, it was most likely going to be easy being a babysitter to a grown adult.

Forcing a smile on my face, I gazed at them both reassuringly. It wasn’t good leaving home without letting them know I wouldn’t bite the guy. That was definitely what they feared the most.

I jabbed a thumb in the direction of my room, “I’ll get packing then. Okay?”

The scale of the mansion was unbelievable. I already knew what I was stepping into, though I didn’t prepare myself enough for the place I’d be staying in for what was going to be a long four months.

The afternoon sunlight gleamed against the gold embellishments literally everywhere, enhancing the gaudiness of it all. I had to remind myself more than once that everything was real, that it wasn’t just a copy or a fake.

Did the lady really bring back stuff from Russia? If so, then what exactly around me was from there? All the things I was seeing were all extravagant and elegant. And they seemed to come from all over the world. I even saw a taxidermied lion as I entered the place, ready to pounce and have me for dinner.

As before, I walked behind the butler, whom I found out was named Mr. Rangel. Where was that name from? Germany?

I looked up at him, though I could only see his back. He wore an expensive suit, the exact image of a butler I’d always had in my mind. He was balding, but that didn’t stop him from slicking whatever hair he had left with pomade.

And as if sensing my watchful gaze, he side-eyed me whilst guiding me through the expansive corridors.

“Madam has requested me to drop you off in your new room.” He said, in a deep voice. It was strict.

I replied, “I—I don’t pick my own room?” That was the impression I got when I’d spoken to the lady. She said she had many rooms, and that I could pick one to stay in.

He returned his attention forward, “Madam and the young master had a short  . . . discussion today, which changed the circumstances of your stay here.”

By ‘short discussion’ I assumed they had fought. 

“You’ll be staying in the room directly connected to the young master’s.” He continued.

“For real?” I said, a little too surprised. I gathered myself quickly. This wasn’t what I planned to hear upon arrival.

We stayed silent for a few minutes.

As we descended another staircase, I realized that we’d passed a few rooms already. The hallway I recognized from when I met the lady for the first time was a long ways away from where we were a moment ago. Just how far was my room?

I spoke up, “W-where is my—” I corrected myself. “Where is our room going to be?”

“It’s located in the west corridor, near the main back garden.” He answered, much like a robot. “If you find yourself lost, then you may request assistance from any of the staff.”

I kept my mouth shut, but nodded.

“And if you are confused by the layout, I suggest entering through the garden. There is another entrance here.” He extended a long hand down a corridor that led into a ballroom. There, I found sets upon sets of open doors that bled in streaks of bright light. The windows there reached the high ceilings, and paintings of ladies and lords looked down upon us. “This is the room.”

We rounded a corner sharply, leaving that place and stopping at a dead end. A tiny circled window overlooked a smaller hallway, casting a sliver of sunlight, and below it sat a table with a vase of fresh white flowers.

“This one is yours,” He directed to the door on the left, “And this is the young master’s.” He pointed to the door directly facing mine on the right. “The bathroom connects the two bedrooms.”

I grimaced. “I see . . .”

This news didn’t make me pleased at all. But like grandma had ordered, I kept myself cool. I couldn’t let my frustrations out on this innocent butler. It wasn’t his fault. It was the fault of that ‘young master’. It made me sick to hear him being called that. What was he? A prince? A lord?

By the look of this place, he must’ve been someone of high status. Though that wasn’t going to stop me from teaching him a lesson or two if he needed it.

I breathed. I was getting worked up again, wasn’t I?

“May I put away your belongings, sir?” He asked, standing dutifully next to the now opened door.

I peeked inside, afraid to step in. It was too nice for me. I’d only gone to hotels for school trips and weddings, but this was nicer than anything I ever saw. The room looked like something straight out of a historical novel, very old and ornate, with dark wooden oak floors and velvet wallpaper. A small chandelier with shining crystals hung above it all, enveloping the place in bright light.

“No. Thank you.” I shook my head and gripped my backpack straps. “And it’s not ‘sir’. My name is Samuel.”

“Samuel.” Rangel corrected himself, keeping his gaze low. “Madam has instructed me to treat you as a guest, forgive me.”

“A guest?” I raised a brow. I wasn’t a guest. I was working for her.

The butler didn’t regard my questionable gaze. Instead he stepped into the room behind me when I did.

I dropped my bag on the floor in shock, not noticing the loud noise it echoed. I didn’t care, I was too amazed at the place I’d be sleeping in.

The bed was honestly the size of my room back home. It was neat, with gold and red covers and pillows the size of me. A canopy lay on top of it all, with thick drapes tied in gold rope against carved frames.

A large dresser and closet lay to the left side of it, with a small writing desk and matching chair. There was also a large painting of what looked to be a woman dressed in very old clothing. She was wearing a Grecian robe and hiding her beautiful face with a large feathered fan.

I stared at it in awe.

“The young master has taken the larger room with the fireplace. Hopefully it does not become too cold in the months to come.” He said to me, returning to the hallway. “He has not come back from his rounds in the garden. So you may not see him today.”

“That’s . . . okay.” I tried not to show the relief I felt. If those two really had a fight, then I did not want to deal with family drama I was so obviously not involved in.

The butler continued, “Madam has requested dinner in her room, and the young master has not gotten back to me on whether or not he will dine in the dining hall. So I don’t believe you’ll be seeing the Madam either.” He said. Even though his tone was straightforward, I could tell he was irked. “Will you be dining?”

I paused. I figured I didn’t want to eat in a huge dining room alone, and nor with that young master. “I ate before I got here.” I told him. “I think I’ll just . . . unpack and rest.”

He bowed, “As you wish. I will leave you, then. Please ring if you need anything.”

With that, he departed swiftly.

I was left alone in the room.

Carefully, I took my glasses off and rubbed my eyes, tired from the events of the day. I truly was exhausted. I knew I had nothing to be sleepy over. Everything just happened so quickly, and all decisions were made final before I could think them over. It was taking a toll on me.

It was also starting to get late. The afternoon sun was setting in the West at that point. Though with the summer days beginning, the sunlight had remained for longer.

I placed my glasses back onto my face and crossed my arms, taking in the room. I didn’t pack much, but I knew it would be good to begin unloading my haul.

At one point I did want to explore the rest of the house, if that young master was wandering about though, then I didn’t want to come upon him so unexpectedly. He wouldn’t recognize me anyway, not until we were finally acquainted. 

Without much regard to the cleanliness of the bed, I slumped on top of it and shut my eyes, relaxing finally. This huge room was for me? That was cool. What wasn’t cool was the fact that his room was connected to it.

That would only make things awkward.

I jumped up abruptly and hopped over my backpack on the floor to reach the bathroom. The door on my side was wide open, but when I tried to open his, I noticed that it was locked.

Sighing, I slumped beside the large white claw-foot tub and rested my head against the gold striped wallpaper. Even the bathroom was beautiful and big. Perfect for two people.

“Babysitting, huh?” I said, to no one.

I swore I wouldn’t be too nosy, and yet here I was trying to poke around in his room. I pulled my pink sweater off and threw it on the sink counter. If we were going to share a bathroom, then I wanted him to know of my arrival, so I left it there.

I’d repeatedly told myself how antsy I was over this whole thing, but what could I do? It was my fault. Might as well get started and get it done with.

But then I remembered the fact that the lady and her grandson had fought. I couldn’t imagine fighting that badly with my grandma. I’d surely die.

What kind of person was he that he had the guts to go up against a lady like her? She was straightforward, intimidating, and she exuded such strength when I met her.

Just who was this guy I’d be babysitting? And why did his grandmother need me to babysit him?

He’d been acting intolerably, according to her. How terrible could he be? Well, intolerable enough for his girlfriend to leave him.

I snickered at that.

Maybe they couldn’t handle him, but—I was certain I could do it. Unless he was anything like his grandmother then . . .

It would probably be a little difficult.

Probably.