Athena woke up the next day after a fulfilling night's sleep and began to get ready for school. She'd slept so well, she had almost forgotten her visit with Karyn, and Miss Fine's invasion of her bedroom. That was, until she opened her closet door.
The shiny cocktail dress, slipped in among the elegant dark fabrics and lace of her preferred clothing choices, brought everything rushing back. Athena turned to look at her hamper, at the black and blue dress that Miss Fine had discarded there. "This looks like something an old maid would wear," Miss Fine had said. Well, Athena would not let that woman's words into her head. With a determined clench of her teeth, she bent down, grabbed the dress, and pulled it on.
Straightening out the bust, Athena felt good. She felt whole. This felt right, to be wearing her favorite dress. Miss Fine had found her, but she could still fight back head-on. Now all she had to do was march into the kitchen, eat some breakfast, and continue her day like normal.
"Athena," Gillian DeVries called from the kitchen table,"be a dear and wash up the dishes, will you?"
Athena's mother usually wasn't quite this distant. She hadn't even said good morning. But Athena sighed and did as she was asked. "Yes, mom."
She put on an apron so as not to get her dress wet or soapy, and started in on the pile in the sink.
"Could you take out the garbage when you're done?"
Athena hadn't even had a chance to eat breakfast yet. But taking out the garbage was one of Athena's regular chores anyway, so she just kept scrubbing as she answered, "Yes, mom."
"And remember to vacuum the carpet today."
"Yes'm."
"And do the bathrooms too, if you have time."
"Yes, ma'am."
Athena paused, dropping a plate gently into the sink. Had she just said "yes, ma'am?" She turned to look at her mother. Disinterest as she munched on toast and scrolled through some news article on her phone. She hadn't noticed the slip. But why had Athena made it in the first place?
"This looks like something an old maid would wear."
The words echoed in Athena's head. Miss Fine hadn't been advocating for Athena to turn herself into Miss Popular the night before. She had been giving Athena a choice. And Athena had chosen.
Looking at her raisin-wrinkled fingertips, Athena came to a realization: she was becoming a maid.
