Personal Maid

Consolation (Chapter 8)

"Hello Mother, I know that you know where to go but don't treat my employees like you treat yours. I would appreciate it." Joshua said in response to the way his mother spoke to me as I opened the door.

"Well son, I see you've been splendid." His father said walking towards him for a hug.

"Hey father. How's everything?" he said.

"Oh just fine, been hanging in there." he said pointing at Joshua's mom with his eyes.

"Very funny, now I'd like to introduce someone." she said resting her arm on the pretty girl's back.

"This is Elizabeth Howard." she said.

"Hello, I'm Elizabeth but you can call me Liz." her voice was so girly.

I looked at her and was so jealous at how perfectly she fit into her red tight dress. I took a glance at Joshua and his eyes were fixed on her. He took a step closer, and shook her hand.

"Hello Liz, I am Joshua and it's nice to have you in my home." he smiled.

My jaw almost dropped. This was definitely not Joshua. He was being so nice to her it gave me chills down my spine. I almost laughed at how dorky he looked but held it back. I didn't want to seem rude or his mom to give me the look from earlier. Her eyes scared me.

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After they all sat down, and dinner was served I was in the kitchen looking through the door when Jefferson almost made my heart jump out of my chest.

"May I ask what you are doing Miss. Louis?" he smiled.

"Oh nothing I was just wondering who was the pretty girl." I said looking back at him.

"Who knows." he said walking to the big fridge to get the vanilla cake he prepared.

We both went out and I picked up the dirty plates while Jefferson passed out the cake.

"Yes this weekend we shall all go on a picnic." Joshua's mother said.

"Yes that's a good idea." said Elizabeth.

"It'll give you a good chance to get to know Elizabeth, Joshua. She can turn out to be your new wife." his mother blurred out.

Jefferson paused, his father was smiling, Elizabeth looked at Joshua, his mother was as serious as ever, and I nearly dropped all the plates onto the cart. Wife?! What was his mother thinking. I didn't like the idea and apparently Joshua either because his face completely changed, and his eyes grew darker.

"I don't need a wife mother, I'm perfectly fine alone." he said clenching his jaw.

"Nonsense, you need a wife. You're always alone, with a butler, and a maid all the time. I've never even seen you bring a girl home." she sounded like she was picking a fight.

"I don't need a wife, I work all day and I don't have time for such things, and if I never brought a girl home it's because neither of you cared." he spat.

"Watch your words young man." his father rose from the table.

"If you guys came over to insult me then there's the door." he said throwing his napkin and rushing out of the room.

I felt the anger in that room, and it suddenly became hard to breathe. Since it had always been just my mother and I, I had never gone through something like this, or never witnessed a fight this big. My mother and my father had already been separated when I grew up so I never saw them argue. I ran to the kitchen and saw Jefferson on the counter.

"Jeffer-"

"I got this Miss. Louis please go after Joshua, I've known him since he was a little boy and he's probably in the garden. I'll fix all of this here." Jefferson assured me.

I listened to Jefferson and left through the other door in the kitchen that led to the living room. I slowly opened the glass door and looked far out to the garden and it was pretty late, and getting chilly outside, so I came back in the house to get a blanket.

I walked back outside a moment after and spotted Joshua who was with his hands in his pockets. He looked like his mind was out far into space. He had a serious look in his face, one like the one I saw the night we were speaking of his mom.

"Are you okay Joshua?" I said putting the blanket over him.

He got surprised, and jumped from my sudden appearance. He looked at me but didn't say a word. He just looked back at the sky that was filled with stars.

"The sky is beautiful out here." I said trying to lighten the mood.

"Cilia, why do you work for me instead of studying?" he began.

"I-"

"And why are you out here in the cold looking for me?" he kept.

"I-"

"And why is it that every time I come home you're the only one who seems to care that I even came back?" he asked.

"I- don't interrupt me. Let me talk." I began.

"What you're saying is not true, Jefferson cares for you too. Why wouldn't we be happy when you come home? I mean we're basically always alone and when you come home things are lighter on us. I chose to work here because either way I have to wait another year to go into college. I didn't have time to apply for anything when my mother passed away." I explained.

Joshua looked at me and didn't say a word.

"Thank you." he finally spoke after a few minutes.

"For what?" I asked.

"For coming here and taking your time to see what was wrong with me." he said smiling at me.

"Oh I mean it's no problem really I-"

Before I could finish Joshua had me wrapped up in his arms. I smiled and hugged him back realizing he was still just a young boy who felt the world on his shoulders, and lonely. I really wanted to care for him more than I could.

"Why did you get mad at what your mom said?" I asked pulling away from the hug.

"I don't want a girlfriend. I don't need one. I'm fine with having a butler, and a maid. That's it. I'm not up for any romance but she always does this." he said.

I stayed staring at him and noticed his nice features, and his jaw line as well. He was such an attractive guy and I always wondered how can a handsome man as him be single but now I knew why. He wasn't ready for commitment. It sort of made me feel weird inside hearing those words. Like a little tickle in my stomach. What was so bad about having romance in your life?