29-03-2019, 05:36 PM
"Yes, which means the afternoon has just freed up for both of us. And the meeting that's been bumped up to after the interview is Top Clearance Only; I don't need you for the Tour Stop, which means you've basically got a day off, Maria. When was the last time you and Stavro spent a day in the middle of the week together?"
"It has been some time," Maria said with a little smile. Stavro was her boyfriend. In the days before La Contessa had given Maria her due and she was still her personal maid, Stavro had been the son of the butcher who supplied for the castle and delivered their orders. Maria had been unsure how to approach him and afraid to tell her Great-Grandmother for fear that she'd decide to take the young man for herself. Helena had created a position for him as the head of her new Citizens' Grievance Office to give the young man a good job that would allow him to come to the castle and see both of them regularly and still allow him to help out his father. Helena nodded and turned to Jeanne.
"It's supposed to be lovely out today." Helena turned her head. "Hey, Jeanne, why don't you call down to the kitchen and tell them to pack a picnic basket for Lady Maria and Stavro?" The maid nodded and took out the phone she carried at all times. Maria opened her mouth to begin to say something that Helena already knew was going to be about how they couldn't possibly just skip out of work and go on a picnic. La Contessa raised her hand to let the girl know that an interruption of whatever she was about to say would transpire. She saw that the hand she'd raised was still holding her croissant and peeled off a bit of the flaky crust, popping it into her mouth before commencing with the interruption proper.
"Maria, your Great-Grandfather and I found exactly twice in our altogether too few years together time enough to attempt something as simple and romantic as go on a picnic together. The first time, the paparazzi found us and ruined it. The second time, the weather changed and it got too cold for him. My husband never tried my fried chicken." With a loving, wistful smile, Helen looked into Maria's eyes and gently exercised her will over her Great-Granddaughter. "These are the things to be cherished, Dearest One. Go have a picnic in the park with your boyfriend while you can. San Finzione will still be here when you get back.
Maria nodded her understanding and smiled.
"Thank you, Great-Grandmama. But Stavro does not have the day off." Helena gave that half a second's thought, then lit another cigarette and picked up her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and dialed one.
"Pay attention, darling. This is something you'll be able to do one day." The call from her direct line connected immediately and one of La Contessa's administrative secretaries answered.
"Si, Contessa," the man on the other end replied, experience having taught him to be ready for anything when a call from this line came in.
"By order of Contessa Helena de San Finzione, in recognition of their meritorious services, the Citizens' Grievance Office is immediately closed for the remainder of the day. All employees shall leave at once and will be paid for a full day's work. Business operations shall resume as normal tomorrow, so they might have a little extra work after shutting down for today. Also, send someone to the Poldouris Family Butcher Shop and have them buy... everything in stock; at least enough so Costas can close can early today. Have an employee barbecue on me and donate the rest. And no deliveries! Send people to pick it up and load it for them. Erm... this I do decree as Contessa, yadda-yadda; so let it be written, so let it be done, whatever. Bye." She ended the call and turned back to Maria with a smile.
"Now Stavro's day has just freed up as well. Jeanne will draw my bath and pick me out something nice for television; Roger is coming up from the city to see to my makeup and hair, and everything's set for the Drop-In, so you've got no excuses, young lady. A-picnicking you will go."
Maria nodded and both of them rose. Jeanne left via the passage to the bedroom to prepare La Contessa's bath.
"I think Great-Grandmama just enjoys showing up for the tour and wants the group all to herself," Maria said with a cute smirk. Helen responded with a look of mock surprise.
"Maria, honey, these things aren't just an excuse for me to look fabulous and be fawned over. We've got thirty coming for the noon tour. Thirty people who are going to go home and tell their friends and family how they met the real live Countess of San Finzione. They'll write blogs and Facebook their Instagrams or whatever with pictures of themselves with me. They'll point to my winking face on billboards and tell their friends 'hey, I met her.' And this day next year, there'll be fifty people on that tour." The smirk on Maria's face remained unchanged and was joined by a raised eyebrow. "Ok, ok, AND I get to look fabulous and be fawned over. Just go have fun, girl."
"It has been some time," Maria said with a little smile. Stavro was her boyfriend. In the days before La Contessa had given Maria her due and she was still her personal maid, Stavro had been the son of the butcher who supplied for the castle and delivered their orders. Maria had been unsure how to approach him and afraid to tell her Great-Grandmother for fear that she'd decide to take the young man for herself. Helena had created a position for him as the head of her new Citizens' Grievance Office to give the young man a good job that would allow him to come to the castle and see both of them regularly and still allow him to help out his father. Helena nodded and turned to Jeanne.
"It's supposed to be lovely out today." Helena turned her head. "Hey, Jeanne, why don't you call down to the kitchen and tell them to pack a picnic basket for Lady Maria and Stavro?" The maid nodded and took out the phone she carried at all times. Maria opened her mouth to begin to say something that Helena already knew was going to be about how they couldn't possibly just skip out of work and go on a picnic. La Contessa raised her hand to let the girl know that an interruption of whatever she was about to say would transpire. She saw that the hand she'd raised was still holding her croissant and peeled off a bit of the flaky crust, popping it into her mouth before commencing with the interruption proper.
"Maria, your Great-Grandfather and I found exactly twice in our altogether too few years together time enough to attempt something as simple and romantic as go on a picnic together. The first time, the paparazzi found us and ruined it. The second time, the weather changed and it got too cold for him. My husband never tried my fried chicken." With a loving, wistful smile, Helen looked into Maria's eyes and gently exercised her will over her Great-Granddaughter. "These are the things to be cherished, Dearest One. Go have a picnic in the park with your boyfriend while you can. San Finzione will still be here when you get back.
Maria nodded her understanding and smiled.
"Thank you, Great-Grandmama. But Stavro does not have the day off." Helena gave that half a second's thought, then lit another cigarette and picked up her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and dialed one.
"Pay attention, darling. This is something you'll be able to do one day." The call from her direct line connected immediately and one of La Contessa's administrative secretaries answered.
"Si, Contessa," the man on the other end replied, experience having taught him to be ready for anything when a call from this line came in.
"By order of Contessa Helena de San Finzione, in recognition of their meritorious services, the Citizens' Grievance Office is immediately closed for the remainder of the day. All employees shall leave at once and will be paid for a full day's work. Business operations shall resume as normal tomorrow, so they might have a little extra work after shutting down for today. Also, send someone to the Poldouris Family Butcher Shop and have them buy... everything in stock; at least enough so Costas can close can early today. Have an employee barbecue on me and donate the rest. And no deliveries! Send people to pick it up and load it for them. Erm... this I do decree as Contessa, yadda-yadda; so let it be written, so let it be done, whatever. Bye." She ended the call and turned back to Maria with a smile.
"Now Stavro's day has just freed up as well. Jeanne will draw my bath and pick me out something nice for television; Roger is coming up from the city to see to my makeup and hair, and everything's set for the Drop-In, so you've got no excuses, young lady. A-picnicking you will go."
Maria nodded and both of them rose. Jeanne left via the passage to the bedroom to prepare La Contessa's bath.
"I think Great-Grandmama just enjoys showing up for the tour and wants the group all to herself," Maria said with a cute smirk. Helen responded with a look of mock surprise.
"Maria, honey, these things aren't just an excuse for me to look fabulous and be fawned over. We've got thirty coming for the noon tour. Thirty people who are going to go home and tell their friends and family how they met the real live Countess of San Finzione. They'll write blogs and Facebook their Instagrams or whatever with pictures of themselves with me. They'll point to my winking face on billboards and tell their friends 'hey, I met her.' And this day next year, there'll be fifty people on that tour." The smirk on Maria's face remained unchanged and was joined by a raised eyebrow. "Ok, ok, AND I get to look fabulous and be fawned over. Just go have fun, girl."
Like, Comment and Give Rating.
![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)