The Mei Sisters

“One income is okay...for now,” Li said slowly, poking around her dinner plate with her fork. “It’s only a little setback. We can find another position.”

She glanced up at her twin sister Bo, who scrunched up her nose in worry. “How? The missus will not write me a letter to recommend me to a new house. And Mr. Braxton...”

“He doesn’t know there’s two of us,” Li smirked smugly. “Just as well for us. We don’t take up much room, and here we have everything we need. We can save all our money for a house of our own.”

It was a conversation they’d had many times. The sisters glazed into their shared fantasy as Bo said, “It doesn’t matter where, as long as we’re together.”

“Just a small place with a bedroom for each of us, and maybe a spare for guests.”

“And two bathrooms, maybe. One is okay, but...”

“Imagine having each our own!” Li said rapturously.

“It will be so nice.”

“We’re half-way there,” she said. “Just a few more years and we’ll be able to do it. We’ve saved nearly every penny from two jobs in the last few years. It will be enough. You just have to find a new job. It will be okay.”

“Where?”

Li wrinkled her own nose in thought. “Perhaps we can look at agency listings. We could put your name on the resume, and I could go on the interview.”

“But I don’t have a valid ID.”

“Yeah,” Li sighed. “I guess we’ll apply as me again. Somewhere. Don’t worry; we’ll find something. People are always desperate for housekeepers here, caretakers. We’ll get something better, I bet.”

“Better,” Bo repeated confidently, liking the spark in her sister’s voice. “Something better.”

“It can be done. If you go in town where the big houses are... someone is always hiring.”

“Okay.” She didn’t feel so bad about losing her position at the other house. In fact, she was beginning to feel quite optimistic. “Better things.”

“Better things,” Li agreed. She smiled and went back to her plate.