As Valerie came back at home frustrated from her working day which couldn't be actually described as, she slammed the front door as her daughter Shona was in the living room, hearing her mother's slamming door. Meantime the young woman kicked off her shoes and took off from her frail skeleton her copruon obsidian coat, hanging it the hang in the hall, beholding her precious little angel with desperate eyes, restraining herself from grabbing any item nearby to throw it directly at the wall from anger.

"Mama, are you alright?" The little girl questioned wisely as she grabbed her mother's hand.

The young lady sighed as she wiped her temple with the back of her hand, looking down at her sole child with a little smile across her pale face, in the meantime stroking her red braided hair.
The only things that could rejoice and soothe the Russian were undeniably her daughter Shona, her partner Velika, her friends and smoking as well.

"Yes, I am. I just left work earlier." She answered as she pretended like there wasn't anything wrong so that to not stress her daughter though this little girl knew many things about Casey, the man who is being detested by the Russian family, besides the Howards. Moreover Shona was deliriously intelligent, talented and reliable gal, who doesn't cries like a completely helpless prey. As an addition, Shona was taught by her mother and her aunt to not trust strangers or even anyone easily. 

Then Ms.Volkova crouched down to her daughter's level as she hugged tightly, warmly Shona as her petite body was pressed against her torso as the little girl's heart beat was slightly quicker than her mother's due to her lack of stress and pressure. The both females smiled to one another during the embrace as the older female was comforted, feeling much better in her treasure's embrace, purifying her negative thoughts about Casey and the happened at his apartment.

"I love you so much, my little cupcake!" The Russian lady said with pretending blissful voice as she didn't want to demonstrate her real emotions of the happened earlier today.

"I love you too very much, mommy!" The little girl responded with beatific, shrill voice, hence, kissing her mother's cheek.

After they broke off the hug, the mother went in the small kitchen with beige furnitures, the big window between the refrigerator and cook, with opened black and white stripped curtains, letting out the late November sun to illuminate the compact kitchen. But also the kitchen comprises a large dining table with 6 chairs in case if they have guests. The walls were painted in pale yellow whilst the floor was with black and white tiles. 

As she dragged a chair to take a sit, taking a cigarette from her pack, lighting it as she put the cigarette in her mouth, in the interim opening the window widely so that to come some fresh air and not pollute the kitchen's air with a heinous tobacco scent, she puffed of her cigarette, a smoke escaping her mouth, as she sat down again, relishing the pleasant feeling of smoking especially when she's extremely disgruntled. 

Despite it was obnoxiously unhealthy for her health, besides the people nearby the smoker, she didn't mind to lit 3 cigarettes daily especially when Mr.Goodman gets on her nerves. She wasn't a smoker until she became a maid, struggling with mental harassment from his side. It wasn't easy for her to visit his apartment which reeks of tobaccos, alcohol and another repulsive smell. It rather nauseas her nostrils and her body to visit his apartment that sinks in a total mess.

On other hand, she was tremendously gleeful for going back at home earlier, factly to prepare Thanksgiving meals and to spend more time with her family. Though her family are Shona and Velika only. For sadly Velika would return back at home after 8 o'clock in the evening. 

All of a sudden, Shona arrived silently in the kitchen as the red-haired woman put her cigarette in the glass ashtray, looking down at the young girl who sat next to her. It was absolutely obvious that her daughter noted her mother's condition, being convinced that the things weren't alright how she admitted a few minutes ago. 

"Mommy,  are you really okay?" The little girl enquired with ginormous inquisitiveness as she gaped at her mother's pale face with drawn anxious expression on her wee face.

"Yes, I am. I just need some rest." The older female's reply was purporting rather than sincere. She just didn't want to worry her daughter with stuff from adulthood such as stress, problems on the working place. 

A silence built in the kitchen for a while as it gradually formed its essential walls, barriers between the mysterious and straightforward. Eventually Shona can ideally guess what was bothering her mother as she extended her small hand, wanting to feel her mother's touch, warmth and love. Meanwhile Valerie placed her hand on the dining table as her daughter managed to place hers upon the young lady's. 

"Mom, is he making you angry again?" 

She sighed, thereafter speaking her mind. "Yes, as always. Especially today."

"What he told you or had done to you?"

"He grabbed me by my hair as he pulled me closer to him, bullying me as always. Howsoever I didn't give up. I threatened him to not being his maid anymore if she snaps at me once again, besides the another part of our argue isn't that important at all."

"You are a strong mama!" Then they smiled to each one broadly, brightly as the little girl kept on. "But what are we going to do, if you don't work as a maid for Casey anymore?" The girl's curiosity grew rapidly.

"Well, that's really difficult question, honey." She sensed the loving, warm sensation of her only daughter's petite fingers kneading her mother's knuckles and fist in the same time, in the meantime Valerie cupped her daughter's cheek, smiling to her even more radiantly. "It won't be easy to be hired as a maid in somebody else's household. However we will find alternatives to survive even if your aunt Velika works as doctor, sustaining us financially with her salary. Okay?" 

"Okay, mommy!" The little girl answered boldly with a mild giggle escaping her lungs. 

"Good girl! We are strong. We can do it!" Valerie's tone sounded even more encouraging her little daughter to follow her own mother's steps by excluding the fact to not inherit her smoking habits. "Do you want to cook along Thanksgiving meals, darling?"

"Yes!" Shona's response was more than evident how euphoric she was especially to cook with her mother. She loved to be around her mother and aunt, doing collectively the things together such as cooking, playing games, baking, reading, talking and so forth. She was growing in such conducive environment, in spite of the lacking paternal pressence. But it didn't bother the little girl to live just with her mother and her aunt. 

***

Flashback earlier today...

As Jude rubbed her eyes, a yawn escaping her mouth as she wore her rosewood slip in the bed, she woke up in empty bed again as she opened her eyes, being perplexed what was going. She put on her fragile body her gray wool peignoir, hopping up into her slippers as she hasted to check the cribs. They were empty as well, since she didn't hear any sounds of babbling, baby cries. 

What it came to Mrs.Howard's mind was actually that the whole family was awaiting for her downstairs as she orientated her steps in their somewhat dark bedroom as the curtains were already opened, she exited the bedroom, descending the stairs. It was 5 past 5 in the morning. 

Once she established on the first floor, holding the door frame as she watched how her husband was feeding Ellie and Tristan with their mother's milk through baby bottles, she darted to them with a broad, shining smile on her face as she pushed her wild, messy hair apart from her face that prevented her from gazing at the paradisal scenery. 

As soon as she stepped in the kitchen, she didn't remain unnoticed by Mr.Howard and the children as he wore his pajamas yet, turning to face her as their eyes met as she approached him.

"Good morning, rare bird!" They pressed their lips, kissing featherly one another. 

"Good morning, babe!" 

"How are you and how you slept, my Queen?"

"I slept well and I am super. Thank you! How about you too?"

"I am more than excited, besides I slept well. Thanks!" He responded her with soft, blissful voice. "But guess what day is today!" He inquired a rhetoric question as a smirk flashed on his face, liting Jude's conscience to chuckle.

"Thanksgiving!" The former nun answered couragesly after her chuckle.

"Besides Thanksgiving? Hmm?" He arched an eyebrow, expecting more from her. 

"My birthday?" She questioned in precarious way as she smiled bashfully. 

"Exactly, sweetie! You have guessed correctly." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, in the interim pinching her nose playfully as they grinned.

"I almost forgot about my birthday." She played it like a silly as they couldn't help, nonetheless titter altogether.

"It's okay. At least, there is somebody who can perfectly memorize your birthday."

"Yes, that's right."

Then Timothy expressed his all wishes for her birthday for example a lot of love, success, luck, prosperity and to abide the same beautiful and best woman in the roles of mother and lady. Furthermore he expressed how lucky he is actually to possess such woman just like her, barely regretting for his personal choice for rescuing her from the snake pit and living together under one roof, sharing a whole mansion with each other. Even sharing it with their little angels, Ellie and Tristan. At any rate, he regretted for stripping off his wife from her position as a nun as she became an inmate and giving his virtue to the woman he had never loved. That was literally the smitten Sister Mary Eunice, who hopefully rests in peace and is recently residing much better place than this crude, cold world. After her death, Jude used to pray for her soul daily until she moved on in her life as her life changed on 360 degrees. 

After the blonde expressed her gratitude for the wishes, they kissed one another as they hugged tightly, warmly. As an addition, her husband gave her a new red cocktail, short, sleeveless with semi-sweetheart neckline. He advised her better to try the new dress as she fell in love with it, thereafter rushing to the bedroom as she put it over her skinnier body, as a result of her successful lost extra pounds that bothered her. Once Timothy saw her in her new cocktail dress, he was more than mesmerized to see his amorous wife in a new garment especially that was appealing, eye-catching. Moreover he complimented her as she was flattered, subsequently thanking him as she changed herself back in her pajamas with her peignoir as an overgarment again, as she spent around 15 minutes with Ellie and Tristan. At last, they got back to work as they should. 

To be continued...