CHAPTER SEVEN

`I couldn't help but fall into fits of laughter at the sight of 'pretty Aurora'. Comparing myself to the likes of clowns would only serve as an insult to the latter. The shade of foundation used on my face was ten shades lighter than my skin tone. My eyebrows were shaved off and in their place replaced by two perpendicular lines drawn in an attention seeking charcoal eyeliner. The concealer used on my eyelids made the eye shadow colours stand out and what my little make up experience has taught me is to always use a matte shade of eye shadow for the transitioning of the edges of the outer corner blended into the inner corner but Rosa used a glittery pink. For the blending, she used a neutral colour that fell into the brown category, instead of using concealer to cut the crease, she went in with a blood red and used white highlighter for my inner corners. To top it off, a raw green was violently smeared on my lips.

Rosa looked at me appalled by my reaction." Ungrateful child, do you know what an honour it is for someone like me to grace the likes of you with so much of my time" with her nose in the air, she spat venomously.

"Someone like me?"

"Someone as dirty and poor as you are" she replied

"The difference between you and l is that l don't need to suck up to my employer to be treated like an employee" she sent a glare in my direction before storming out of the room. A pale peach dress lay on the bed next to shiny glass shoes. The dress was twice my size, drowning me in its fabric, the colour looked horrible on my skin and the shoes sucked the life out of my feet. Considering the importance of the dinner, one would expect the very best care be given to the person sacrificing themself but here l was yet again being given the bare minimum.

Mrs Keys walked in carrying a crying Akai in her arms

" Take her from me, all her crying is giving me a headache" Mrs Keys spoke, holding out a crying Akai in my direction. My baby girl put her head on my chest, something she likes to do because she finds comfort in listening to my heartbeat.

" You selfish girl, you know how important tonight is, why in the world would you try to humiliate us in this way" she said motioning to my appearance.

"Because l am to blame for how l look" l said with an eye roll

"Roosaaa!" Mrs Keys screamed out for Rosa. The woman came in with a scowl on her face unaware that it was Mrs Keys who called her

"What nonsense is this?" she questioned, the anger radiating off of her hard to ignore

"I t-thought you wanted to make a s-s-spectacle out of her" she responded, her voice wavering

"You're fired!" Mrs Keys spoke before dismissing Rosa. The woman got on her knees begging for forgiveness but Mrs Keys unwavering cold stare was an indication of the meaning of her words. This dinner was definitely important to the extent that Mrs Keys could so heartlessly fire her most loyal minion.

"I expect you to be down in the next ten minutes, we have guests to entertain" and with that she was out. Washing my face of all the make up, l simply moisturised my face with face cream and applied vaseline on my lips. The dress was too hideous to be transformed into something wonderful so l slipped on my jeans and shirt and grabbing a fully dressed Akai, made my way to the dining room.

Mr Keys was seated at the head of the table, with his wife to his right. On his left sat an unknown man with whom l assume to be his wife next to him. There were two other empty seats, one at the other end of the table and the other next to Mrs Keys and a high seat for Akai. The unknown man has salt and pepper hair, with crystal blue piercing eyes and a scar on his left cheek. He is quite hefty and his suit did nothing for his shape. The woman is a classic blonde bombshell, her hazel upturned eyes seem out of place on her oval shaped head. Her bosom the first thing one would notice about her, not to mention her unwavering scowl.

Placing Akai in her high chair, I reached out my hand across the table as a form of greeting to the Stone's. The woman merely glared at my hand and scoffed turning her body to face the man who to my surprise, shook my hand and introduced himself

"And who might this beautiful young woman be" he said placing a kiss at the back of my hand.

"Aurora" l said respectfully with a smile on my face

"Aah, my future daughter in law. What a pleasure it is to meet you. You can call me John" he said, flashing me a smile. l simply smiled in return and took my seat at the table shocked by his friendly attitude

"Is your son joining us?" Mr Keys asked the Stones

"I hope so" was all John said before fishing for his phone and excusing himself to make a call.

"Celia, how is the business going" Mrs Keys asked the mystery woman whose name turns out to be Celia, definitely not her style, l would have thought of her to be a Britney.

"We are currently in the process of diversifying our brand because all our clients are complaining of having 'the same produce', but it's turning out to be such a hassle" she replied in a high pitched voice making me cringe

"If anyone is going to change the modelling world, it will be you" Mrs Keys stated.

"What do you do for a living?" Celia said, acknowledging my presence.

"I work as a creative director"

"worked' Mrs Keys said correcting me.

"Yes, worked" l clarified

"I would have assumed you were the maid" she said

"And what made you think that" l challenged

"First of all, the Keys do not associate with your kind, secondly you are playing nice with their granddaughter and lastly how else would you have qualified as their chosen candidate" she stated with a menacing glare