Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Topping off the menu, I made ensalada rusa, a salad that had beets, potatoes, carrots, green peas, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper. Some people added diced pickles, corn, and onion. Last but not least, I prepared tacu tacu, a crispy pan-fried mixture of rice and beans.
By the time I finished, I was a bit tired, but excited to bring some of my culture to Thanksgiving. I assumed it would be standard American food, which I sometimes enjoyed. I just wasn’t used to it. Peruvian food had so much flavor. It was hard going from that to simpler food.
Cooking all this food made me think of my family. Since I moved there, I hadn’t spoken to them much. Summer in Peru was our high season for tourism. We spoke a few times over the phone through WhatsApp, but didn’t get into too much detail. They were always so busy with one thing or another.
I hadn’t confronted my family with any questions about what was going on, but after talking to Elizabeth yesterday, they knew more than they were letting on.
Why haven’t I ever heard of Elizabeth if they know her?
While the kitchen smelled amazing, I hurried upstairs to shower and try to find something to wear. After I finished blow-drying my hair straight, I walked back into my bedroom, only to find a new dress on my bed with heels, a pair of earrings, and a necklace. The earrings were delicate hoops, but it was the necklace with an Inca sun that made me realize Elizabeth's stylist put a lot of thought into this.
The stunning gown was a soft cream silk with a floral design. It had a V-neckline with a fitted bodice that hugged my torso just right. Below my waistline, a flowy skirt extended past my feet. The heels would be covered unless I took a step, only making it appear as if there were a trail behind me. Reminding me of something a goddess would wear.
The nude heels with red bottoms were delicate, with a four-inch pump. Onyx would still tower over me. It quickly became my first thought. I wondered what he’d think of this dress on me and if he’d like it.
All in all, her stylist picked out exactly what I’d buy myself if I were going to spend thousands of dollars on a designer outfit.
Though this wasn’t my usual attire, I couldn’t help but love the way I looked in front of the full-length mirror. To match the aesthetic of what I wore, I did my makeup a little heavy, with a smoky eye and a nude lip.
I smiled when I walked into the kitchen, finding one of the housekeepers packing up the food. Everything was placed on beautiful, gold trays. They appeared to be antiques, with a cursive D proudly displayed in the middle.
“Wow, Susan, I was just going to pack it in Tupperware. I also made extra for you guys.”
She laughed. “Honey, you cannot take Tupperware to the Devereaux’s Thanksgiving, and thank you. We all love your cooking.”
“That bad, huh?”
She coaxed, “They just have their own traditions, you know, like every family. You don’t want to start on the wrong foot.”
“I think I was already on the wrong foot when I stepped off the plane.”
She smiled. “Grandmother Devereaux isn’t as difficult as the rest, but I’d steer clear of their father, alright? Make sure to compliment the women. They eat it up. Only speak when spoken to.”
“You’re making this sound really fun for me.”
She shrugged. “The Devereauxs have always been sticklers for their strict way of life. Their rituals are set in stone. There were always rules to follow. It was one of the reasons they weren’t fond of Mrs. Devereaux in the first place.”
My eyes widened.
Have I been looking for answers from the wrong people?
I was surprised she shared that with me. Onyx warned me that the staff knew better than to gossip.
Did he say that so I wouldn’t ask them anything?
My feelings for him were beyond distracting, and I started to forget that maybe I couldn’t trust him. He did warn me about that too. At least he wasn’t lying to me.
I’d become friendly with the staff. Maybe that was why she felt comfortable sharing with me. I waited on pins and needles to listen to what Susan was openly disclosing.
“I used to work for Mrs. Devereaux and the kids before they moved me to this property. She was such a lovely lady. Caring, funny, loved those kids. Such a great mom. Out of all the Devereauxs I worked for, she was by far my favorite. It truly is a shame what happened to her. Those kids were never the same, especially Onyx.” She paused, sighing in that defeated way. “Mrs. Devereaux tried to change so many things and, in the end, it didn’t matter. She was laid to rest.”