Ovelia's POV
As soon as Ace left with Ray, Chief Gareth, and Philip, Ann, Mrs. Melinda, and I started washing the dishes in the kitchen.
Once the plates were scrubbed clean, we began drying them—an array of colorful plates, glasses, spoons, and forks lined up before us. A sense of camaraderie filled the air, and I could tell the task brought us all closer. After tidying everything up, I thought about all the free time I'd have later. Maybe I could do some laundry.
"Mrs. Melinda, where can I wash our clothes later?" I asked, drying a plate with careful precision, hoping to keep the conversation light.
"At the back of the house; I'll show you after we finish here," Mrs. Melinda replied with a warm smile, placing the dried dishes into the cabinet.
"Mother, I'll help you with the laundry," Ann said, her voice brightening the room like sunlight breaking through clouds as she dried a fork.
