The Maid's Secret

Molly Gray describes her now-deceased grandmother as someone who loved to tell stories. She recalls a story her “gran”—who was a maid, just like Molly—told her about a young woman who hated her job as a maid in a private home. She resented the hard work, low pay, and subservient status. One day, the maid was cleaning out a closet containing many shoes. She tried on several pairs and had the magical experience of being briefly transported into the lives of those who had worn the shoes. From this experience, she realized that even lives that seem privileged can be full of sorrow. Afterward, she understood that her own life was full of the only resource that really mattered—love.

On the floor of the Regency Grand Hotel where she works, Molly lapses in and out of consciousness. She thinks of her gran’s last days. Gran gave her an old skeleton key, saying that it was “the key to everything” and that it was “all of [her]” (6). Despite Molly’s repeated questioning about what lock the key opened, Gran died without divulging the answer. Molly misses her terribly, and Gran is often on her mind—especially now, when she feels as if her grandmother is speaking to her from beyond the grave, somehow warning her of danger.