I smiled. “Thank you. Winston wouldn’t mind if you walked in there because I see that he likes your company.” Alester laughed a little, and soon Finnigan came downstairs. “Celmin! Jeremy said that Althea and Penelope got something for us.” I was confused. “Was he waiting beside the phone..?” Finn laughed. “No, he called them to see what time they’d be back, and they said that they are on their way back. They have things for Mr. Alester, you, myself, Jeremy and themselves.” I smiled. “That’s sweet of them.” He nodded his head eagerly, his dark brown hair looking as if it needed a haircut. “Finn, do you want me to cut your hair?” He looked at me. “Sure. It’s getting in the way, but I wanna do it after they get here.” I nodded my head, and Alester handed me the paper. “You can read it if you want.” I, confused, got up and took it out of his hand. 

“What do I need to read in here..?” I asked, and Finn settled down on the slightly empty couch to pet Winston and Nyx. “You can read anything in there.” I nodded my head. “Let me finish this stuff, and then I'll read, alright?” He nodded his head, and leant it back. Probably three or so hours later, Althea and Penelope were already back, Alester was napping, and Finnigan was playing a game with Penelope. I finished my basket of things to fix, and I picked up the paper. I looked at the article about my old hirer’s fraudulent acts. I didn’t understand why they would do that? Then I remembered. She was a lady who went on frivolous shopping sprees, her husband was almost always at pubs or big gatherings sapping money from people through games he knew he would always win, their daughter sold her body for money, and their son stole things and sold them for a higher price. Greedy people that most likely weren’t happy to all be behind bars now. 

I set the paper down, and listened around me. It felt good to just stop and listen. Alester slightly snored in his sleep. Finnigan and Penelope laughed in the other room. You could hear snippets of Jeremy and Althea’s conversation about recent events. It was calming, and soon you could hear the loud snort of Winston in his sleep. It woke Alester, who looked around him, and soon at Winston. Winston had yet again let out a loud snort in his sleep, and Nyx even lifted her head. I couldn’t help but giggle. “I can never figure out how your dog snores like that. Sometimes I wonder if it’s me.” I laughed hard now. “Oh, I'm sorry. I really shouldn’t be laughing at the both of you.” He sighed, and stood up. “God, I'm going to paralyse my body if I continue to sleep in that chair.” I was still laughing, and Winston woke up to his own snort which made me laugh even harder than I already was. “Oh lord, Clemin. Take a breather!” Jeremy said, laughing himself as he walked in. I shook my head, and once I finally found my breath I took in a good few gasps of it. Winston waddled by, and I scooped him up. “You, my dear Winston, are going to be the death of me if you don’t stop snorting this instant!” Winston licked my face, and soon wiggled free from my grips. 

“I don’t think he is going to listen to you, Clemintine.” Althea said, soon laughing. I smiled. “I know he won’t listen to me, but I do want him to stop snorting! It’s so terribly funny that I just can’t even help but laugh.” I said, still giggling a little. I stood up, and looked out the window. “Mm. The rain stopped.” Althea nodded her head. “Want to go for a small walk?” I nodded. “Sure. I need to get out anyway.” She grabbed an umbrella and left a note for Alester to find saying that we’ve gone on a little walk, and we’ll be back soon. Once we left the house, she sighed. “Now, I have a hunching suspicion.” I looked at her, confused. “About?” She turned and looked around. “That he likes you.” I laughed, and shook my head. “Where do you get these ideas?” She frowned. “He’s a little more intimate with you. Yes, you are his personal servant, but he had kept his old one that was a male, down with us in the servants quarters.” I looked down at my shoes, feeling my stomach fill with butterflies. It was basically illegal to have feelings for a man. “So.. from what I understand, he had another personal servant?” She nodded her head. 

“Yes. His name was Philip.” I nodded my head, and she continued. “He was a good guy, ok. He’s my husband, but still. I can’t really say that in the house, but Philip was my husband. Alester never made an advance on him, even when Philip was still single. Philip landed me the position I have, and I'm grateful for that. But anyways, Philip was in the servant’s quarters and never was allowed a room next to Alester. I’ve known Alester for years. Nineteen to be exact!” She said, beaming with pride. I nodded. “So, you had Penelope for a year or so?” She nodded. “Mhm. I got married when I was eighteen, had the baby at nineteen, and worked for him when I was twenty. So, it worked out in the end. Alester enjoyed watching Penelope for me when I really needed it, and they’ve been close. Alester doesn’t care if Philip comes back too. I’ve told him that, and he says no.” I was confused again. “Wait, did Philip get fired?” She laughed. “Oh no. He couldn’t get fired. He left voluntarily, probably a good three or so months before you came.” I nodded my head, and we turned around a corner.