Brandon cowered behind, his voice locked in his throat, while Bet was sweating bullets. Ms. Josefina''s mind was like a steel trap; nothing slipped past her keen eyes. Oliver peeled a boiled egg and ced it on her te. "What''s up?"


    Frowning, Josefina muttered, "The weather''s off. I checked the forecast yesterday, and it was supposed to be sunny today. But now it seems like it''s drizzling outside." She''d agreed to Luke''s get-together. Was it going to be a washout?


    With a doting tone, Oliver said, "Let''s roll with the punches. Even if it rains, there will be a moment when the sun shines through. I heard you''re into sports. How about I show you our home gymter?"


    Bet approached from the elevator, speaking respectfully, "Ms. Josefina, the weather seems iffy, like it''s going to rain. If you''re bored after breakfast, we''ve got badminton, volleyball, even ser and basketball courts at the house."


    Josefina sighed. Was the weather really that unpredictable?


    She set down her cutlery and decided, "I should head home before it starts pouring."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    As she stood and walked out, carrying the clothes she''d changed out of the day before, Oliver quickly followed. He barely made it to the door when a torrential downpour began outside.


    Josefina waspletely surprised. A perfectly fine day suddenly turned into this? The weather seemed eerily abnormal!


    "Ms. Josefina, look at the rain. Why don''t you stay a bit longer until it stops?" Bet urged, genuinely concerned.


    Josefina was firm. "No need, I can drive myself home."


    "But," Bet continued regretfully, "unfortunately, all the cars are out for maintenance."


    "Not a single one left?"


    "Well, there is one, but it''s not the best for driving. If anything were to happen to you on the road, I couldn''t live with myself."


    Oliver almost chuckled. This was the


    first time he saw Bet''s


    humorous side. He was telling tall tales with a straight face. He was quite the character. These two old


    hands were outdoing each other in fibs to keep Josefina around.


    The housekeeper chimed in with concern, "Ms. Josefina, this rain looks like it''s settling in for a long haul. Driving now would be really unsafe." "Ms. Josefina, safety first," another maid pitched in.


    And Bet added, "Please take our


    advice, Ms. Josefina. How could


    exin it to your family if something happened to you? Mr. Brandon


    would have our heads if we let you leave."


    "Nowadays, jobs are so hard toe by. I''ve got an eighty-year-old mother and a newborn grandson. Without this job, how would I support them?" Josefina was speechless. She just wanted to go home, yet the conversation made her feel like the grim reaper holding sway over life and death.


    "Alright then," Josefina conceded, "I''ll stay a while longer until the rain lets up."


    Everyone exchanged relieved nces. They had managed to keep Ms. Josefina!


    Bet ryed the incident to Brandon, who was tickled pink. Joy did wonders for the spirit; Brandon looked spry, belying any sign of ailment.


    Bet whispered, "Sir, you''re brilliant. That artificial rain scheme kept Ms. Josefina here."


    Brandon, invigorated and smiling,


    said, "Inform Oliver to seize this


    hard-won opportunity. We can''t keep up the rain forever. I''m afraid Josie


    might catch on. She''s a sharp one, that girl."