Chapter 6 A Letter In The Sleeve

• In the evening I sent my résumé to Noriah Castle, applying for the position of lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne Marie Chevalier. I had no expectations of being called, but if I didn't send it my mother would be very upset. The ad didn't say the salary amount, but I could imagine that it would be much more than I could earn in a year of work in a normal place in my area. The resume required a current photo, without any kind of makeup or ornaments, loose hair and a white background. It also made it very clear that the selection process would be done in stages and that there was only one vacancy. Queen Anne already had a lady-in-waiting and now there would be two people for this position. That is, the former occupant of the position would continue to occupy her post.
• At night, as I lay in my room, I was a little afraid of everything that was happening to my family. I always tried to show everyone that I was strong, but deep down I don't know if I really was. It pained me to see my brother in need, to feel how tired my mother was, my brother disappeared anywhere in the kingdom and my father could get worse at any moment and maybe die. I let out a tear, shy, hot, small. I cleaned up quickly. I didn't want anyone to see how worried and sad I was. And so I fell asleep.
• I woke up to the alarm clock the next morning. I needed to wear my best clothes and go from place to place looking for a job. We needed money to pay for household expenses. I asked my mother:
• - Mom, how was the matter of our house? You said that Dad lost her too...
• - Yea. Your father will have to pay rent for us to continue living here.
• - Like this?
• - Kat, that's right, exactly as you heard. Your father lost the house to Mr Simons. They have known each other for several years. Out of pity, he didn't throw us into the street. But you're going to rent us our own house.
• - We can not do anything with it? This is cool?
• She laughed bitterly:
• - Your father signed a document in which everything was passed on to him.
• It was unbelievable. Without any money, we would still have to pay to live in our house. And where to get money? We had so much debt that I don't even know how we would get out of it. If we didn't have money to pay the rent, where would we live? Maybe our end would be in the K zone, no home, no money, no food, living like beggars. I needed to do something.
• - Have you seen Kevin? I asked.
• - No.
• - Mom, he could help us... It's his duty.
• - I don't want Kevin's dirty money.
• - But... We've already accepted Dad's dirty money... When he won at the game a few times.
• - Is not the same thing.
• - No? – I asked ironically.
• She glared at me and I didn't continue. My father was addicted to games I don't know exactly how long... But I don't remember him doing anything else. He once had a job, but he never talked about it. The only thing I knew was that the scar on his face and the leg he didn't have much movement on were the cause of an accident at work. But everything that had happened was a secret kept for seven keys. We had an old house, but it was big and nice, compared to the others in the neighborhood. And if it weren't for my father throwing money away on gambling, I think we could live well, as he earned a good amount of disability pension. My mother said that Adolfo Lee had been addicted to alcohol in the past, but that he had overcome it. However, he didn't get over the game... Not until he played the last thing he had left: the house where he lived.
• A car honked in front of our house and Leon and I went to look at the window. A man in castle uniform came down. Before my mother had time to ask what they were looking for, my father left the room, all dressed up. I hadn't seen him like this in years. Smelly, showered and shaved. He winked at us and got into the car with Noriah South's castle license plate, without giving us any satisfaction. The three of us looked at each other, not understanding anything.
• - Mom, did you see what I saw?
• - Of course I saw it, Kat.
• - Where did he go?
• - I don't know.
• - How do not you know?
• - I don't know... But I can imagine.
• - Could he have gone... To the castle?
• - Yea...
• - But... Who would let him in? Why did a royal car come to pick up my father? – I was curious and confused.
• - Kat, you're all dressed up. You better go.
• - Mom... What's going on? I need to know.
• - Go look for the job. We need.
• - Will Dad see the queen? – Leon asked with an amused and curious look.
• - I think so, Leon. I said smoothing his hair.
• - And you're leaving, Kat?
• - I'll look for a job. - I explained.
• - Kat won't be the queen's lady-in-waiting?
• - I don't think so, honey.
• - But Mom said yes.
• I looked at my mother. I didn't want her to keep putting that on the boy's head. I kissed him, grabbed my bag and left.
• It was a beautiful sunny day. I could walk the streets all day enjoying the day. But I couldn't. So I printed out a few more resumes and dropped them off everywhere from stores to nightclubs. I laughed... It would be fun to be a bartender. Would there be free drinks?
• My phone rang. It was Kim.
• - Hey...
• - Meeting tonight? Secret group.
• - Yes... I'll be there. What time?
• - At 7 pm.
• - Kim, I have something to tell you.
• - Speak, my beautiful.
• - A car from the castle picked up my father today. At home.
• - Like this? Are you okay?
• - I'm serious.
• - But... What does the Lee family have to do with the Chevaliers?
• - Remember I said that he said he had an ace up his sleeve?
• - Yes... And we laughed about it, because it was unlikely.
• - I don't think it's that unlikely.
• - Honey, I'm in the middle of class. I'll have to hang up before I get kicked out. He gave a little cry. - See you at night.
• I continued listening to the silent sound of my shoe on the street. I walked until tired and returned home. I had turned in all the printed resumes and still my phone never rang.
• I got home and went to bed again. I didn't really feel like getting out of bed. She was tired and with little hope. I wondered all the time what would become of my family. It was after 5 pm when my father returned, brought by the same car with the royal coat of arms. I wanted to ask a thousand questions, but I stayed where I was. Secrets were kept by my parents inside that house and I knew they wouldn't tell me. Would I ever find out?
• Close to the appointed time I left for the college for our secret meeting against the monarchy. When I arrived at the dimly lit room my friends were already waiting for me. I hugged everyone and gave them news about my unsuccessful wanderings in search of a job.
• - I could talk to my father. - said Leo.
• - Leo... Thank you. You're a sweetheart... But I don't want it to be that way. I don't want to owe anyone any favors, you know?
• - But we are friends. You don't owe me a favor.
• - She also denied my job offer, Leo. So don't be offended. - Kim said to help me.
• Kim's job offer and Leo's were different. I knew that Leo was in love with me, so taking a job from him would be like a dating sentence. How could I deny his request if I took the job? So I preferred to use that only if it was extremely necessary. We still had enough to eat, though not in abundance. My mother was right to ration what we had to make it last longer. She was experienced at this... It wasn't the first time we had been in a situation like that. But in my opinion, it was the worst.
• - I... I got in touch with another group. said Diana suddenly.
• - What do you mean another group? asked Kim.
• - A much larger group. I think it's time to join a group against the real monarchy. she observed.
• - But this is dangerous. - Kim said. – How do we know if they are trustworthy? Do you know them well?
• - No... I know a person well.
• - Then it's dangerous. Kim warned.
• - Kim, Diana is right. How long have the four of us been discussing this and not moving forward? It's time we joined a real group... That really makes things happen. - I talked.
• - I agree with them. - said Leo. – For the fall of the monarchy.
• We join our hands in agreement. We would migrate to a larger group. It was time.