Let Me Tell You a Secret

Chapter Three

"You can call me Arlene, what should I call you, little one?"
 
The door closed behind them and the chubby cheeked boy was lost from view. The bluenette turned his attention back to the woman, apparently named Arlene. She pulled him along to a staircase, ushering him up the stairs leaving him no opportunity to argue.
 
He considered her question. It was simple enough but the boy had a tendency to overthink things. Surely she had already seen his name on the forged documents? The boy was smart, and he had already guessed that the adults probably knew the documents were fake, that the name on the paper would be a lie. He turned all of these thoughts over in his mind whilst being pulled along until they eventually reached a bathroom, Arlene had patiently waited for him to respond without pressuring him.
 
As they walked through the door, the little boy mumbled and the kind woman beamed at him.
 
"What a pretty name."
 
The boy's cheeks flushed. And his blush only deepened when she pulled him closer and started removing his clothes. 
 
"I can do it myself!"
 
Arlene chuckled at the indignant child and instead leant over the freestanding, ornate bathtub, turning on the water.
 
"Of course, sweetheart. I'm just used to fussing over my own little boy and you're just so cute that I couldn't help myself."
 
The bluenette kept his scrupulous gaze on the woman as she averted her own giving him some privacy. He quickly started to strip off the torn clothes the merchant had provided him, his original clothes being too fancy, too expensive and regal for a mere 'slave'. Arlene checked the water temperature with her hand and twisted the tap off. Turning her back to the young boy, he took advantage of her courtesy and, slipping off his underwear, he hopped into the large tub, covering his decency with soapy suds.
 
Upon hearing the stilling of the sloshing water, Arlene turned back to the bluenette and smiled. She squatted next to the tub and picked up a soft cloth, wetting it in the soapy water before gently wiping the boy's face. The bluenette tensed as he let the woman bathe him. It was unusual. At his home with his mother there was no shortage of female maids that would help him bathe however, here, with this brunette that seemed to put care and tenderness into every touch… it was foreign to the boy.
 
His guard was up though, hid body frozen and alert to every sound and every movement. He was very aware of his situation. He had been sold on the slave market. So why would this person treat him so well?
 
Nevertheless, he let the female continue washing his body, pulling out the dirty blue ribbon from his hair and letting it fall down to his shoulders.
 
"You have such beautiful eyes and hair."
 
Arlene spoke confidently, her smile warm and genuine, making heat rise in the boy's cheeks once more. Of course he had heard compliments such as these before, but this was the first time he had ever felt the words were spoken with real meaning, not just compliments paid to someone who was related to royalty.
 
His lips sealed shut in a straight line, the whole situation seeming bizarre, until they were interrupted by the soft click of the bathroom door opening.
 
The boy's deep blue defensive glare pointed at the doorway, spotting a single, bright golden eye staring right back at him, just visible through the slight cracks in the door. The brunette shifted into a better position in the tub, a more defensive seat and he shielded his body.
 
Arlene, however, glanced at the door, an amused giggle escaping her lips.
 
"It's okay sweetie, why don't you come in?"
 
Furrowing his brow, the bluenette was not happy with her invitation. The golden eyed boy also seemed startled by the sudden question as the door clicked shut and he vanished.
 
Chuckling once again, Arlene spoke to the boy still cleaning up in the tub.
 
"That's my son. I apologise for his behaviour, he isn't used to us having guests. I hope you will become good friends with him."
 
She smiled and the boy pursed his lips at her choice of words.
 
Guests.
 
Friends.
 
The entire situation was becoming more and more surreal. And so the boy stayed silent as Arlene carefully tipped his head back, running her dainty fingers through his hair as she gently poured the water over him. The bluenette thought of the golden eyed boy, the son of Arlene, and it made him wonder.
 
'Is this what a mother's touch feels like?'