Chapter 14

Munich's January snowed and the windows in the veterinary institute were still able to watch Minha explaining Sam, the Brown young man who worked at the institute, how important her leave was.

"Look, Sam. It's important. I had a stroke attack. It can get worst! Can you please take these shifts for me?" she looked at him, who was still ignoring her, compiling some papers. She begged with pleading eyes.

"You are lying. Not until you tell me the truth. You found another job?" he asked.

"None of your business. Plus, why would I ask to cover if I wanted to leave permanently?" she tried to act cool and not panic.

"You could be testing if the job works so that you have a safe choice." He made it sound so easy.

"Well, you know, I have to cover for someone too. I can't refuse them. Please, Sam? I will buy you dinners on every weekend. I promise." She begged again trying hard for her ears to come out.

"Fine. But dinners." He said now pointing out a finger. She was confused. "Okay. Dinners sounds nice."

Then she came forward and placed a chocolate bar at his side on the table full with papers.

"My mama used to have this habit of giving a bar of chocolate to someone who gives you a favor."

"It's a deal. Not a favor." He was straight with his words. She was feeling outnumbered.

"Yeah. But keep it." The thought of maybe dying after the dangerous job troubled her. She picked up her white leather bag and walked outside. Sam still working with the papers. It was going to be a tough day.

Driving to an old town of Munich also known as altstadt, its pedestrian streets are lined with global flagship stores and boutiques selling traditional Bavarian costumes. Crowds gather on central Marienplatz to watch life-size figurines emerge from the neo-Gothic New Town Hall's bell tower. But that was not the point. The point is that among all the ongoing life, there was this small house colored pink. It had a sloppy snowed roof and a lot of winter jasmines planted outside. All bloomed including the girl in black hair and skin wearing a pink sleeveless frock. She hurried to her.

"Hey, Kid. It's cold and you are not wearing anything above your sleeveless frock! It's dangerous!" she hold her hand and made her stand though she was still looking at her flowers as if wanting to say something. Then she looked at her. "First of all, my name is Zoe Marlin. I am not just a kid." She snapped.

Minha backed up trying not to get snatched. "Okay. Zoe Marlin. You should head inside or wear something. Want to have my jacket instead?" she tried to stay calm. She knew this was the kid. She was pretty even though she was black. But skin doesn't matter. Zoe stared at her, "You think I will take your jacket to wear? I don't have any? Do you think I am poor? Or because I am black, that you need to help me? Because no. my daddy buys me everything!" she said it in a low voice so no one else could here but her facial expressions looked haunting enough to traumatize anyone. Even Minha stood shocked. But she couldn't yell at her. Or scold her. She was a spoiled kid, clearly. She inhaled a deep breath and was about to sit next to her so they both are same height, but she stuck her tongue out and ran inside the house pushing past a lady in skin tight olive green dress and red hair loosened up in waves just down her shoulders. She looked at Zoe running inside and then at Minha standing outside looking at Zoe.

The lady shook her head in disagreement and walked to Minha.

"I assume you are Miss Minha?" she asked in a polite tone. Minha examined her and nodded.

"Actually just Minha." She said with a smile; shaking hands.

"Glad to see you here, Minha. I am Rose. That kid was Zoe, assuming you already met her. Please, come in." she showed her the way. They walked in the white floored and black walled house. Everything there was mostly colorful except for the walls.

"Is there a reason to color the walls black?" she asked, annoyed.

"Yes, well. See, the floors? They are white which means Zoe is walking on white and walls are black meaning Zoe is taller than them and the reason why they matter." Rose explained, her tone looked guilt.

"Creative." She appreciated and tried to motivate the examiner in front of her.

"Are you supposed to be my new baby sitter? Daddy needs to know I am not a baby. I can live by myself." She said rudely, "You are eventually going to get tired and tell daddy that I am rude and mean kid that needs someone more appropriate." She said curling the ring around her finger. Her tone was aggressive but she seemed upset. Though she didn't let that appear. Minha tried to sneak a bit at Zoe's ring. It had an infinity sign at the center with microscopic diamonds tucked on the boundaries of it. It was a platinum ring.

"Is that a gift from your daddy?" she asked, still looking at it. She thought it was beautiful and meant much more to the 7 year old than it seemed. She wasn't greedy, she was relating. Zoe looked up at her and for a second, Minha saw a 7 year old who was told that her baba was watching her from heaven, far but still caring for her. But that lasted for less than a second and then the mean girl appeared.

"None of your business, sad face." She yanked her butts off the couch and walked away taking pace.

"I am sorry, that's the reason why it's hard to hire someone for her-"Rose was apologizing when Minha interrupted, "I think I can handle it." She smiled in a consoling manner. "Does her daddy knows about me?" she asked making it sound casual. "Oh no! Mr.Peters likes me to handle these matters."

She heaved a sigh of relief. "I think I should start on with it then. Pick her form the school at around 1, then lunch, then studies, then outings and then at 8 I leave. And comeback the other day." She recalled the instructions. Rose nodded politely and excused. She traced Zoe's steps and walked to her room which was upstairs. She was sitting behind her desk in front of her window. Just like one in her own house. She knocked. Zoe didn't turn to look who it was, she already knew. "Don't come in." she yelled.

Minha pursed her lips. "Even if you don't let me in, I will be here." She entered, Zoe stood up and walked away to her swing and tossed a pillow over her lap.

"Let's introduce ourselves, Zoe. You already know my name. My name is Minha. I am currently studying in high school. I am 15 years old. I live in an apartment near the Gran's bakery. I am a painter. I write sometimes. I can sing to myself, mostly because there is no audience I have had before," admitting her singing skills was her first experience and she kind of felt a relation with Zoe. She wanted to pour out her heart to her. "I am a little nervous right now since this is our first meeting. I hope we can be friends and that I don't have to leave like others and I would really don't want to tell your daddy you need someone else." She said curling her fingers into each other. She was being so honest she thought Zoe might throw some furniture but instead she stared at her. When Minha glared at her back, Zoe's face was spot and she looked calm but angry. "You do know how to play games, sad face. But just get out of my room. She pointed at the exit.

Minha tried to keep herself calm. Silence becomes your shadow when in burning sun. "I won't get out." She said clasping her hands. Zoe raised her eyebrows mouthing 'seriously', "You do know that I can complain and get you out with a lot of insult, right? You are being paid to serve and you should know that I need you to leave because I want some privacy right now." Zoe was surprised by how daring her new babysitter could be. But she couldn't compromise on her nature. And that was what Minha was there to change.

"Yes, I am being paid for this job. Yes, I am serving. But not you, it's your soft heart inside. You wanna know why? That's because I know how you feel. I can understand you. Don't feel bitter for me." She stayed ta her place though she wanted to go to her and hug her the way people do to kids when they were being their worst face.

"I don't care. Please leave." Zoe was insisted on her words ad she looked away as if she wanted to end the conversation. It was just the day 1. Minha thought. She shuddered and started walking out of the door when Zoe said, "And ask Rose to send marshmallow toasts." Minha smiled and nodded without looking at the kid swinging on her swing inside tensely curling her ring in her fingers.

She ran down the stair case. This house looked pretty expensive though it was small and well among the old town houses, it still looked luxurious. Everything was well furnished, and there was everything a 7 year old might night except for family. She knew the pain.

When she reached the kitchen, she searched for the house maid. "Hey!" she saw a chef at the back yard feeding the birds. At her call, he turned around. "I suppose you are the new ma'am of the kid, Miss." He was old and looked familiar. Her lips twirled into a smirk. "I didn't know you cook, Mr. Harris." She walked with polished steps to him. "Of course you would say that but you really caught up to the pickup." He said with a straight face. "I smell it burning." She said sniffing. He laughed and went back to his cooking. She walked to him examining the stuff around, "How do you manage to be here?" she asked.

"Well, you know. I needed money to live." He said busy with his work. She surveyed the cabinets and drawers and fridge. "Oh wow. Same here." She made it sound Mr. Bean style and rolled her eyes. "Where are the marshmallows? She asked still looking in the fridge scattering the stuff inside. "They are finished." He said.

"Oh, crap. Zoe wanted to eat Marshmallow toasts." She said, frowning. Harris snorted.

"What?" she asked confused.

"She fooled you. Marshmallows are finished and she knows it." He said, lowering the flame of the stove.

"So where is the store? Any nearby?" she sounded serious for the mean kid's Marshmallow toasts.

"The store is half an hour away and in that meantime she plans to escape so Rose would consult you and fire you. This way Zoe could get rid of you. She does that every time." He said, sprinkling some salt in the cooking pan. She huffed so loud, Harris looked at her worriedly. Her eyes looked giving up though he could still see the same spark in them he did in Eve's party.

"Handle her as if she's your brother who is upset from you. Handle her like you are her mother. Handle her like a friend would at your emotional breakdown. Handle her like she is the only candle that shows you the path to your destination, don't let her blow out." He said and went away to chop some vegetables. Harris knew her and he referenced her life so clear she felt hope again.

Then she searched for some flour, eggs, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, milk and some other ingredients. She mixed the ingredients and poured the mixture in an oven container.

"Does it taste good?" she asked Harris who tasted it. He nodded, "perfect." Then she prepared ganache. Took out some cherries and let them on the top of the chocolate cake, it looked beautiful. Just the way Maaz would bake for her on her birthdays after their parents died. Then she wiped her hands and went out looking for Rose. She found her in the study.

"Can I come in?" she asked. Rose nodded. "I wanted Zoe's phone number. If she have by chance. Actually, anyway of communicating." She said. Rose seemed impressed. She gave Minha Zoe's snap chat user name. She sent her a friend request. After a minute, Zoe accepted her request. She sent her the snap of the cake with the caption of 'happy birthday'. Then she took the cake and stepped up stairs to her room. She was scrolling something on her tablet.

"My baba wasn't there in my eighth birthday too. Guess we both got a chance to celebrate our eighth birthdays together." She was delighted to have a chance but Zoe got up. "Sad faces remain sad faces." And she walked out of the room. She could hear her footsteps. She sat on the rocking chair letting her head fall down in her hands.

"How could you lose from a 7- uh or an 8 year old? Is that all you got, Miss?" Harris walked inside. She looked up and shuddered. "No, I think." And she followed the footsteps of the mean kid again.

She saw her out with her jasmines. She was talking them, she guessed. She sighed and tried her last try.

"I know you don't like me. I won't ask you to do so. But here's something I thought could help you." She said. Zoe was quite, she looked up at her. She handed her a canvas. About the size of an adult's hand.

"I painted my brother's portrait and I sued to talk to him. Maybe you can paint someone you wish could be there with you, but you don't have them. This helped me." She wasn't smiling. Just a spot face. Zoe hesitated but then nearly snatched the canvas from Minha and ran inside. She sighed and then started walking out.

Suddenly her phone buzzed. It was Taimur.

"Hey!" he sounded worried.

"Hey." And her voice wasn't any difference. Two sad people under the same moon.

"Can we meet?" he asked. There was a lot of noise at his back. Looked like he was in a public place.

"I am far from my house, actually." She said. And of course he asked her the location and then drove to meet her.