Rosemary and The Butler
“My name is Higgins but you will find that most people just refer to me as ‘The Butler.’”
He did look an awful lot like a butler, Eudora thought. His shiny grey hair was slicked back and he had a prize-winning moustache. He was wearing a white, collared button-down tucked into black slacks with suspenders and a black tie. A spotless and perfectly tailored black suit coat with a red pocket square was the cherry on top. The whole ensemble made Eudora feel very underdressed.
She wondered if she would have to wear a uniform instead of the clothes she brought from home. Her sweater and overalls certainly didn’t match the room, which looked fit for a ball.
“Don’t be shy. Come with me to the kitchen. Have you eaten today?” He guided her through the right archway past a large dining room with a table set for at least twenty guests. A fireplace roared at the far wall, lighting up the room. Portraits and paintings of landscapes and bowls of fruit hung on the walls.
Through the dining room was the kitchen, which was bigger than Eudora’s entire house. At one corner was a breakfast nook surrounded by stained glass. On the round table, which was set for eight, was two bowls of soup and two sandwiches on fine china. In the center of the table was a flower arrangement of roses and wildflowers. The sweet smell of flowers and fresh bread filled the room. Just as Eudora was sitting down after The Butler elegantly pulled out her chair, another young girl ran into the room. She saw Eudora and stopped running, unintentionally sliding and almost slipping in her socks against the tile floor.
“No running in the house, please. Eudora, this is Rosemary who has a bad habit that is passed due to be broken,” The Butler said. She wasn’t surprised that he was also strict.
“But if I don’t run it will take forever to get anywhere,” Rosemary complained. She sat down in front of the soup and sandwich across from Eudora. “I wish I could teleport—or have super speed! Do you?”
“No,” Eudora answered. She thought that was an odd thing to ask. Rosemary shrugged and began devouring her lunch.
“Remember to put your dishes in the sink when you are finished. Hopefully Eudora has a better memory than you do,” The Butler reminded before leaving the room.
“After this I'll show you our room,” Rosemary said with a mouthful of food.
“Our room?”
“Yes. My room has two big beds. My dolls slept on the other one until yesterday when they said you were coming.”
Eudora didn’t bring any dolls. Her sister had plenty of Barbies that they sometimes played with together but usually she just read. She wondered how many dolls Rosemary had.
“We have our own bathroom too but it doesn’t have a giant tub like some of the other ones. If you want I can show you the bathroom with the biggest tub!” Rosemary enthused.
After their food was gone and dishes were in the sink, it was time for the promised room tour.