Surprise Surprise

                                    

                                          
The morning air was crisp as I walked around the gardens surrounding the mansion. Over the time I had been here, walking through the gardens in the morning when it was deserted of people became something I looked forward to doing. 
                          
I normally met Ruben here and we would talk about the previous day's events, the past couple of days however Ruben had been absent. I sat by myself and thought about venturing once again to the secret garden inside the mansion, but quickly deciding against it. The last time I had nearly had an anxiety attack, and was not feeling like having one of those, especially after the pool incident a couple of days ago. 
                          
"Long time no see sister!" Ruben said as he plopped down on the stone bench next to me. I jumped his sudden presence startling me almost to the point of falling onto the ground. 
                          
"Ruben!" I said throwing myself into his arms. It had been 3 days since I had seen him last. 
                          
"I came here yesterday morning and you didn't show." He said pulling away. "Before that I was on confidential business for the boss." He explained and ran his hands through his Raven black hair. 
                          
"Yea.. Yesterday I,. didn't wake up in time I didn't have time to come out. Missed breakfast too." I said nervously. No one knew about my near death experience except Joseph, Mandy, my family, and Ralph Joseph's house Doctor. The idea of sharing the story again was not something I ever intending on doing with anyone. No matter how close Ruben and I were I couldn't bring myself to say anything about it. 
                          
"Right well, we should probably get to breakfast then. It's almost time." He said getting up slowly and groaning. I looked at him curiously. "Sore." Was all he replied with. 
                          
We walked back into the mansion and made our way to the dining room silently. 
                          
"Did you not get in trouble for missing breakfast?" Ruben asked startling me from my thoughts.
                          
"Oh uh.. No I didn't." I said biting my nails, a nervous habit I had picked up when I was a child. 
                          
"Girl you got the boss wrapped around your pinky finger." He said shoving my shoulder lightly. " I remember I missed breakfast once when I first got here and Mr. Copland was so angry. He came and told me that if I wasn't going to eat with the family I wasn't going to eat at all. I didn't get dinner the rest of the week. Just lunch and breakfast. He was yelling and I tell you what, had me scared for my life. If he didn't even get mad at you." He shook his head. "I can't imagine what you had to do to get him so whipped." He said smirking and winking down at me. 
                          
I scoffed and shoved him playfully. "I didn't do anything...ruby." I said and burst out into a fit of giggles just as we entered the dining room. He glared down at me and rolled his eyes. He headed off to his seat and crossed his arms as he sat. It only made me laugh harder seeing his behavior. He glared at me over his shoulder as I made my way to my own seat next to Joseph. 
                          
"What was so funny?" Joseph whispered into my ear as I sat down making me almost fall off the chair. 
                          
"Oh my." I put a hand over my rapidly beating heart. "You scared me." He looked at me with that same blank stare that I had come accustomed to. "I was nothing really. I just think I'm really funny that's all." I said biting my lip and looking down at my empty plate. He grunted and nodded. Standing up he welcomed everyone and thanked them for being there. 
                          
"I'll be having the prime minister and his sons over for brunch today, so make sure you look presentable in case they see you." I nodded and didn't say anything back too engrossed in getting the best looking food the cooks had offered. I saw his head whip up and he looked at me panicked. I raised an eyebrow at him in question. "I didn't mean you don't normally look presentable I just meant.-" he rambled on until I cut him off.