BACK QUARTERS

"Where is Genevieve?" Linda asks one of the hefty men her mom hired as a guard.

"I have no idea where she is." He replies respectfully.

"When was the last time you saw her?" She asks again.

"I saw her match hurriedly to the maid quarters some hours ago but I haven't seen her since then."

"What maid quarters are you talking about?" Linda asks with a tone of sarcasm.

"I am talking about the quarters behind." He demonstrates by pointing somewhere. "That is where has been designated to all domestic workers of this house."

"I see." She nods raising her brows and hiding the laugh about to break out form her lips. "Thank you." She walks out of his presence. "Let's go see what the so-called maid quarters look like." She whispers to herself and heads down there.

The back quarters, as Linda would always call weren't originally there until she was five years of age. It was just a large ground holding unto nothing. But her maternal grandfather, built it up and furnished properly for her. Bestowing the building to her to be used to her advantage alone.

As a matter of fact, the entire building, both the maid quarters and main quarters belong to Linda because it was willed to her by her grandfather.

A soft smile brush over her lips, she remembers how her mom had always threatened her, mentioning the building as her house when it is obviously not. "My mom seem to have forgotten so soon, this house is even mine. I think it's time I reclaimed what is rightfully mine, by kicking her out." She whispers and giggles playfully.

The strong smell of cigarette and alcohol quenched the smile on her face. "Are those cigars?" She asks no one in particular and hastens her steps towards the door. At first, she hesitates to knock or open the door because of what had transpired between them earlier on, but she summons courage and opens up the door. Her eyes widen and her head takes a quick spin on her neck. "What is this?" She asks but the ladies sit on the wooden chairs motionless and speechless in shock. Linda steps in and shuts the door, then asks again. "I just asked a question, why is nobody answering me?"

"We are deeply sorry ma'am." Genevieve whispers and quickly drops the stick of cigar on stainless steel. Please do not tell you mom about this."

"Why do you think I shouldn't do so?" Linda asks with her brows up. "Think about it, what will happen when my mom finds out you are smoking and drinking in her house?"

"Please, over look it just this one time."Rita pleads.

"Life is all about give and take you know." She whispers clacking her fingers. "Nothing goes for nothing."

"Do you want something?" The third maid, Anita whispers sounding most frightened. "If there is anything you want, please let us know. We would gladly do it if is something we can do."

"I promise to never mention anything that happened here today if you allow me to enjoy all of that with you too." Linda whispers in a negotiating manner.

"You take drugs?" Genevieve asks almost loudly.

"Apparently, I have found myself to be taking it for over ten years." she answers somehow boastfully.

"That is a very dangerous thing to do. Your mom won't ever forgive us if we have anything to do with you." Anita disagrees.

"Not after you even told her about the medical fee incident yesterday." Genevieve says with a heavy frown.

"You actually think I told her?" Linda ask and scoffs. "Her finding out, only made me realize she planted a camera."

"She did so?" Rita anxiously looks around. "Do you think there are cameras in here too?"

"I doubt it, my mom is too busy with a lot of things, she doesn't have the time to sit and watch what anyone is doing, don't worry, I already found a way to tamper with it," Linda whispers with a lot of emotions held within. She smiles and brushes the emotions aside before anyone notices. "I will teach you all how to smoke without getting the attention of anyone."

"Did we get your attention with our smoke?" Rita asks murmuring.

"Yes." she nods. "I had only walked a few steps towards here when the strong smell of cigars and liquor. Trust me, my mom could have been the one walking down here."

Rita stands and steps closer to her young madam. "So, how do you think we can have this fun without drawing anyone's attention?"

Linda folds her arms and looks away for a while, seeming to be expecting something from the ladies, but unfortunately, they didn't meet her expectations. She turns her face back to them and whispers. "I believe you all should offer a seat."

Rita pushes the chair which she was sitting on a while ago to her. "Please have your seat."

She dramatically sits and looks around. "There should be a metal box over there, I hope you didn't touch it." she says pointing somewhere at the back of a large curtain.

"You mean the safe?" Genevieve asks.

"Call it whatever, bring it here."

The ladies exchange short glances at each other, not because their young mafam sounded rude but because she wants them to pull out that old heavy box.

"Didn't you hear me?"

"The box is possibly too heavy for us to carry." Genevieve mutters with her head down.

Linda stands, walks to the large curtain, and pulls it aside, revealing the old safe. She bends towards it and enters the pin to unlock the safe. Inside it, is something very strange. Incense!" she pulls out a carton of it and heads back to her crew.

"Incense?" Anita asks immediately on sight of it. "What are we going to do with this?"

Linda ignores the question and lights up five sticks of incense, allowing it burn for a while an the purifying smell fills the entire building. She smiles and whispers. "With this, no one can ever know if you are smoking unless they see you."

"Judging by your actions, I guess you were a smoker, you came here to smoko didn't you?" asks Genevieve.

"Yes." she nods sadly. "It was the only thing that gave me joy."

"We all have the same story I guess, we go through thick and thin, we end up finding peace with cigars and liquors." Rita picks up a stick of cigar from where she is standing, lights it up, and passes it to Linda. "No one really cares."

Linda places the cigars in-between her lips, inhales tightly then exhales sharply, bringing out heavy smoke rings. She had promised her dad never to do these things anymore, but she has to break her promise because her father is no where to be found at the moment, and she could easily pass as one of the most pitiful lady on earth. "My mom is slowly turning to a monster." she whispers in her mind. "Only God knows what she is planning in the outside world, only God knows where my father is now. What if she killed him too? No!" she retorts still in her mind and closes her eyes. "I hope he is safe wherever he is. I have to act fast, I have to break free from this bondage."