Chapter 2 - Cold Water and Greasy Steel
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When I reached the kitchen, the sight took my breath away.
Towers of greasy dishes, roasting pans thick with congealed lamb fat, and dozens of sticky champagne flutes covered every square inch of the marble countertops. Dessert crumbs were scattered across the hardwood floor, and a dark smear of chocolate frosting ruined the polished cabinet handle. It looked like a battlefield after a feast.
Dorothea stood near the island, wearing a tailored silk robe, sipping black coffee from a bone china cup. Her silver-blonde hair was perfectly coiffed, and her sharp cheekbones gave her face a perpetual expression of judgment.
"You're awake," she said coldly, without offering a greeting. "Start with the roasting pans. The grease will set if you wait any longer."
I stared at her, my voice barely a whisper. "Excuse me?"
"Women in this family prove their worth through service," Dorothea replied smoothly, taking another slow sip of her coffee. "A wedding dress is not a crown, Marina. You don't get to lounge around expecting applause."
Water dripped from the faucet into the stainless-steel basin. I looked around for Caleb, hoping he would step in and end this surreal joke. He walked in a moment later, wearing sweatpants and holding his own coffee mug. He leaned against the doorway, a lazy half-smile playing on his lips.
"Caleb," I said, my voice trembling with exhaustion. "Are you seeing this? Your mother expects me to clean up the entire reception mess alone."
Caleb shrugged, his wedding ring glinting in the morning sun. "Mom’s just traditional, babe. Don’t make it dramatic. Just jump in and help out so we can go to brunch with my cousins at noon."
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"Help out?" I asked, my hands clenching into fists. "This isn't helping out, Caleb. She's ordering me like a housekeeper!"
"Marina," Caleb thinned his lips, his voice dropping into a stern tone I had rarely heard during our courtship. "I want you to stop acting like my mother is attacking you. Show some respect."
