The Help

Chapter 14

Hey. Are you ready to talk?

I stared at Priya's text notification.
It was 9PM the next evening, and I was tired. I had a long day.

I moved the sewing kit that my mom had packed in for me, from my bed to the dresser.

I had to make use of the sewing kit earlier than expected, but not for myself.
Naya needed to have one of her evening gowns altered, and I offered her a helping hand.

I replied to Priya's text:

Sure. Are you?

I collected my toiletry bag to go to the bathroom, where I planned to unwind. My fingers ached.
Naya wasn't easy to please but she seemed to want to co-operate with me, so we met each other halfway.

"Max." I heard Naya calling out to me when I had passed her room earlier that day.
"Yes, Mrs.Armani?" I stopped what I was doing (cleaning the floors) to stand in her doorway.
"Could you give me a hand, please?" Naya looked over her shoulder, making direct eye contact with me, "The zip is stuck."

The dress that clothed her body was handmade for her, hugging her curves and showing off her some best features.
Her face was bare perfection, her hair full of volume and flipped to one side.

"Sure. Mrs.Armani."

I agreed but I was actually very reluctant, I smelled strongly of cleaning products and my hair was tied back.

Why is it, that whenever I stand toe-to-toe with her, I look a hot mess?
Anyway.

I walked over to her hesitantly. This was around 2PM.
Valentina was preoccupied with caring for the garden, Jorja was in the midst of preparing lunch, Mr.Armani was out attending to business, and I was tending to his wife.

"Thank you, Max." Naya turned back to the mirror as I stepped behind her, "You're very kind."

I caught a slight glimpse of us standing together before turning my attention to her zip that was all the way down, revealing her toned back.

I pulled the zip down slightly to release the fabric that caused it to get stuck in the first place, before zipping it back up slowly and effortlessly.
Ever so slightly, my fingers graced her skin, immediately sending goosebumps down her spine.

"Your fingers are cold." She commented.
"I'm sorry." I apologised, "I was working with cold water."

I stepped back after zipping up the dress completely, "There...Perfect."
Both Naya and myself simultaneously admired her reflection.

"Could you get my necklace, please?"

I spotted the necklace on the bed, still sitting pretty in it's packaging.
I walked over to the bed and removed the packages contents.
The necklace was also cold to the touch, sporting a white diamond pendant.

"Did your husband get this for you?" I asked, unclasping it.
"No. I got it for myself."

Naya lifted up her hair so that it would be easier for me to put the necklace on for her.

"It's gorgeous." I commented as she slowly let her hair back down.
"Thank you."

The interaction was slow, yet felt really intimately safe, as if we'd known each other forever.
It felt like I was just helping her get ready for an event, like I had done a million times before. Which I hadn't.

She shivered as she felt the diamond on her skin, the ice on her chest making her cold.

"Sensitive?" I asked her.
"Excuse me?" Naya looked at me with her head tilted. She had a habit of doing so.
"Like, To temperature. Are you sensitive to temperature?"
"Oh. Yes, I am. I prefer spring and autumn over summer and winter."
I discarded with her, "I like summer. The best fruits are in season, I have an excuse to eat ice cream whenever I want, and the ocean basically becomes my best friend."