Sea Breeze 01 - Breathe

to enter, Miss White. Please take the servants’ entrance to the left of the stone wall and report to the kitchen, where you will be instructed how to proceed.”
    Who were these people who needed two men the size of Goliath to guard their entrance? I got back on my bike and rode through the now open gates. Once I made it around the corner, past lush palm trees and tropical gardens, I saw the house. It reminded me of houses on
MTV Cribs.
I never would’ve guessed houses like this even existed in Alabama. I’d been to Nashville once and seen houses similar in size, but nothing quite this spectacular.
    I composed myself and pushed my bike around the corner, trying to not stop and stare at the massive size of everything. I leaned my bike against a wall, out of sight. The entrance for the servants was designed to impress. At least twelve feet tall, the door was adorned with a beautifully engraved letter
S
. Not just tall, the door was really heavy, causing me to use all my strength to pull it open. I peeked inside the large entry hall and stepped into a small area with three different arched doorways ahead of me to choose from. Since I’d never been here before, I didn’t know where the kitchen might be located. I walked up to the first door on the right and looked through the opening. It appeared to be a large gathering room, but nothing fancy and no kitchen appliances, so I moved on to door number two, peeked inside, and found a large round table with people sitting around it. A large older lady stood in front of a stove unlike any I’d ever seen in a house. It was something you’d find in a restaurant.
    This had to be the place. I stepped through the arched opening.
    The lady standing noticed me and frowned. “Can I help you?” she asked in a sharp, authoritative tone, though she kind of reminded me of Aunt Bee from
The Andy Griffith Show
.
    I smiled, and the heat rose, threatening to spike out the top of my head as I watched all the people in the room turn to face me. I hated attention and did whatever I could to draw little to myself. Even though it seemed to be getting harder the older I got. As much as possible, I tried to avoid situations that encouraged other people to speak to me. It’s not that I’m a recluse; it’s just the fact that I have a lot of responsibility. I figured out early in life that friendships would never work for me. I’m too busy taking care of my mom. So I’ve perfected the art of being uninteresting.
    “Um, uh, yes, I was told to report to the kitchen for further instructions.” I quietly cleared my voice and waited.
    I didn’t like the once-over the lady gave me, but since I was here, I had no choice but to stay.
    “I know
I
sure didn’t hire you. Who told you to come here?”
    I hated all those eyes on me and wished Jessica hadn’t been so stubborn. I needed her here, at least for today. Why did she always do these things to me?
    “I’m Sadie White, Jessica White’s daughter. She . . . uh . . . wasn’t well today, so I am here to work for her. I’m . . . uh . . . supposed to be working with her this summer.”
    I wished I didn’t sound so nervous, but the people stared. The lady up front frowned much like the way Aunt Bee looked when someone made her angry. It was tempting to turn and run.
    “Jessica didn’t ask about you helping her this summer, and I don’t hire kids. It ain’t a good idea with the family comin’ down for the whole summer. Maybe during the fall when they leave we can give you a try.”
    My nervousness from being the center of attention immediately disappeared, and I panicked at the thought of our losing this income we so desperately needed. If my mom found out I couldn’t work for her, she would quit. I pulled my grown-up voice out of the closet and decided I needed to show this lady I could do the job better than anyone else.
    “I can understand your concern. However, if you would give me a chance, I can and will show you I’m an asset. I’ll never be late to work and will always complete the jobs assigned to me. Please, just a chance.”
    The lady glanced down at someone at the table as if to get an opinion. She moved her eyes back up to me, and I could see I’d broken through her resolve. “I’m Ms. Mary, and I’m in charge of the household staff and I run the kitchen. You impress me and you have the job. Okay, Sadie White, your chance starts now. I’m gonna team you up with Fran here, who has been working in this home as long