I opened up my bag and set it on the chair by the dressing table. I pulled out some fresh clothes and laid them on the bed. I walked over to the bathroom and turned on the water and began to fill the tub. It had been ages since I had had a proper bath. On the sink I noticed some bath beads and I poured a few of them into the water. They started to turn it purple. I went to the linen closet and pulled out a light grey towel. When the bath was full enough I turned off the water, took off my clothes, and carefully stepped into the warm water. I sat down and the water engulfed my body up to my chin. I noticed the bath water smelled like flowers and I let out a nice long sign.

I look a deep breath and I sunk my whole body under the water. I slowly let out small bubbles from my nose as I listened to the muffled sounds under the water of the house. Finally when I couldn’t hold it anymore I surfaced. Taking in deep breaths I leaned my head against the back of the tub and just relaxed. After several long minutes I took the bottle of shampoo of of the counter on the sink and lathered it into my hair. I rinsed and did the same with the conditioner. Finally washed my body and let the water out of the tub as I climbed out. I grabbed my towel and walked out of the bathroom. I thoroughly dried off then put on my change of clothes. I looked at the silver clock on the wall and saw I still had an hour and a half till dinner. I grabbed the blanket off of the foot of the bed, climbed in, and closed my eyes. The next thing I remember was taking a yawn and falling asleep.

I wake up to light taps on my door. “It’s Agitha dear. May I come in?” she asks.

“Yes please,” I say as I attempt to untangle myself from the blanket. She walks in just as I get my legs free.

“Ah, enjoying the bed are ye?” she asks with a laugh.

“Yes, I just couldn’t help myself. It is the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in,” I answered standing up and walking towards her.

She laughs again, “I just thought I would come up and be telling ye dinner be ready in a few minutes.”

“Thank you. Let me just put my hair up,” I said looking around for a ponytail.

“You be having such beautiful long hair. Why don’t you leave it down?” She asked grabbing a brush off of the dressing table and walking towards me. “Come sit down. Let me brush ye hair.” She motions toward the chair. I walk over and sit down and look at myself in the mirror. She comes up behind me and with the lightest touch I have ever felt she begins to brush out my long hair. I watch her face as she does it and I start to tear up. She looks just like my mother, or I think she does. I just remember that look on her face when she used to brush my hair.

For some reason I being to cry. “Oh, I be sorry dear did I pull yer hair too roughly,” she asks as she stops brushing.

“No, my mother used to brush my hair when I was young. She died many years ago. I was just remembering what it felt like,” I said wiping away my tears.

“Oh, my dear we ‘ave all lost. I lost me daughter when she be just three. She would be twelve now if she still be alive. She ‘ad beautiful long ‘air just like ye only hers be red,” Agitha said with a small tear in her eye. She continues to brush my hair and we both sit in silence. She pulls the top part of my hair back and makes and long braid. She ties it off at the end and taps my shoulders. “There now yer hair be properly done,” she says with a small chuckle.

“Thank you,” I said with a smile and we both walk downstairs and too the large dining room. Everyone is already there. Seamus has his face buried in a book when Agitha and I walk in.

“Seamus, pull Irean’s chair out for ‘er,” Branson calls as I go to sit next to him. He looks up with a start from his book and stares open mouthed at me.

“Don she look like a proper lass now that ‘er hair be all nice and down?" Agitha says to Seamus.

“Ummm yeah, yeah ‘er ‘air look nice,” he manages to stutter out. My face turns red hot. He pulls out my chair for me and I sit down.