The Help // Ed Sheeran

Chapter 4 : Wait Really?

A text came in Monday evening while I was getting dinner ready. A London address in a very nice part of town. Well ok then I thought to myself. The children and I discussed our days, they told me of a concert coming up that the older two would be participating in as well as an approaching break. I told them of my interview and how I would be working away from home part of their school day and that seemed to please them as they wouldn't be coming home to a home that's been rearranged nearly every other day. I got the children's showers taken care of and they were safely tucked into their beds when I got another text 'Hey be there at 8 in the morning.' Ok I can do 8 that's pretty good I think to myself as I shoot a text back 'Definitely sounds good, thanks!' I finish up a couple emails that need tending to before morning and then I headed to bed anxious for what the morning would bring.

-beep beep beep beep-
Fuuuuuuck how is it morning already?? Ok seriously Nicole get your ass in gear you've got a big day ahead of you don't fuck up on day one. I force myself out of bed and turn the kids' lights on and inform them that it's time to wake up. After that I begin cooking breakfast which consists of pancakes, eggs, and bacon and serve it on the table before I head back to ensure they are getting up. Once the children are at the table eating I take a quick shower then begin dressing for my day as the children do as well. Once we're all ready we head out and I walk them to school, kiss them goodbye and begin my walk home. Once home I check all of my emails and tend to anything necessary then head out to my car. I start the car and set my GPS up to start my new journey.

As I pull up to the flat I notice an intercom in order to get into the drive. Someone is all about privacy I think to myself as I push the buzzer in. "Yes?" A woman's voice thick with accent comes through the speaker. "Hello! I'm here for work, I'm the chef I was told 8 but I'm a little early sorry!" I don't get a response the gate just opens a pull in. There are two minis in the drive way and I park next to them mentally preparing myself for whatever I'm about to walk into. I shove my phone in my pocket, throw my apron over my arm and head out toward the front door. Upon reaching the front door I notice a security camera instead of a peephole and sigh to myself, these people must be paranoid. Shaking the negative from my head I reach out and poke the doorbell, here goes nothing. A few moments later the door swings open and what is standing in front of me nearly knocks the wind right out of me. This has got to be a joke right?? I cannot be standing in front of this woman right now, she cannot be the person that has hired me. Oh this is absolutely great I'm going to have to deal with this for who knows how long. "Hello, my name is Nicole." I extend my hand to her but she doesn't take it she just turns around nodding for me to follow her and I do. We make our way through the rather large flat, it is decorated very nicely but doesn't really feel as though a lady lives here more like children, which I guess is kind of what I expected it to look like. We walk through a large front room into an absolutely stunning kitchen. I am in absolute awe of this kitchen, there are tons of cabinets, counter space for years, stainless steel appliances, and a king sized fridge. The kitchen is really a dream but you can certainly tell that it is not being used in any way other than decoration and food storage. "You will be in here, there's food in the fridge, you can make something for breakfast he should be down in an hour or so." Cherry says to me flatly and I just nod. "Breakfast for the both of you?" I just want to make sure. She shakes her head at me and scoffs "I'm going out." I nod and turn into the kitchen to peer into the fridge, for not using it they do have a good amount of food on hand and I've got all the makings for a filling breakfast. I hear the front door shut and assume that she's left for the morning so I began to look through the cabinets in order to find a proper pan to cook eggs then set it on the stove top and go back to the fridge. I take out eggs, spinach, tomato, cheese, and milk and take them to the counter before grabbing a bowl and fork to mix the ingredients. Once I've chopped and mixed everything I pour it into the pan and wait for the bottom layer to cook, while I do so I wash the bowl and place it on the rack to dry. Once the bottom layer is cooked I flip the omlet over in order to cook the other layer of eggs and begin finding a plate and silverware, then I grab the bacon out of the fridge and take it to the counter. While I'm placing the omlet onto the plate I hear movement in the front room and begin to feel anxious, I go back to fridge to grab a sprig of basil and the ketchup bring them over to the plate. I place the basil on the middle of the omlet and spoon a design of ketchup next to it on the plate and laugh to myself. I place the plate on the bar and turn back to the stove top in order to cook the bacon and have it ready for once he finishes his eggs, I unwrap the bacon and place a couple slices into the warm pan hearing the sizzle and smelling the wonderful aroma it brings. I smile to myself and wrap the rest up before heading over to wash my hands. When I get to the sink I am startled by two blue eyes staring at me from across the bar. "Morning." He says to me with a half smile, I smile back and nod "Good morning sir, I've made you an omlet there and left the ketchup out in case you need more and I figured you'd need some meat so your bacon is almost finished." He nods picking up his fork and looks at the plate then back at me "That's cool what you did with the ketchup and yes I love meat and don't call me sir." Well ok then I think to myself as I nod at him then go back to plate the bacon and hand it over to him before returning to wash the pan and stove top up. Once I'm done tyding up I don't really know what to do with myself so I stand there and wait for him to eat so I can wash his dishes and wait for him to tell me it was horrible and I need to get out. I glance over at him and he actually looks pleased, he looks up and I turn immediately, come on Nicole don't make this weird. He finishes up and picks his dishes up bringing them to the sink and begins to rinse them, I shake my head and smile "I've got it don't worry about that!" He looks over to me and questions "You sure? You just have to cook you know?" I laugh and nods "I'm certain I've always got to clean any mess I make, can't know I was here!" He begins to laugh but then looks at me sideways and it clicks in my head oh you idiot. "No no not like that I'm just neat don't like leaving messes and I have an odd sense of humor sorry about that!" He nods and moves back to his seat at the bar as I move to the sink to wash the dishes and he looks up and smiles at me "That was good, like really good honestly." I smile "You're not just saying that cause of my awkward comment?" I laugh nervously and he laughs shaking his head. "No really it was good I'd like to come up with a meal plan and you can go get everything we need for the week!" Oh wow awesome thats great he liked it holy shit holy shit hooooly shiiiit ok seriously Nicole calm down you won't have the job if you act like a fucking moron. I nod to him and smile "Sounds good to me sir, I'm really glad you enjoyed it!" He gave me a stern look and shook his head "Seriously stop calling me sir its so strange." My eyes go wide and I nod "Sorry I completely forgot, so let's get some paper and write up a calendar please!" He nods and goes off to gather up supplies for our planning when he returns he sits at the bar and notions for me to sit next to him and I have a seat slowly and nervously. We write out a plan for the two meals left for that day and three meals a day for the rest of the week and I made up a list of things that we would need from the market, I smiled to myself at how well things were going and he seemed really excited as well. "I think I'm going to love eating at home from now on!" He declares smiling and I laughed shaking my head "I sure hope so! I'm going to research how to make some of this English food so hopefully it works right!" He smiles and I remove my apron asking "Is there somewhere I can keep this here?" He nods toward the kitchen and smiles "You can keep in the pantry, you don't need it for home?" "Oh I've got so many its a little crazy! Ha!" He laughs and then looks at me smiling and points toward me as I walk to the pantry. "My mum made that didn't she?" I turned to look at him confused after shutting the pantry "I'm sorry what?" He laughs pointing at my neck and I reach for my necklace instinctively and laugh shaking my head, "Oh yea she did she does great work tell her I say thank you." He smiles and nods as I walk to the counter and smile "So I should get to the market so we can get this all in stock and be prepared for your meals, wouldn't want to withering away to nothing." He laughs and stands up going into front room and I follow behind him watching what he does. He grabs an iPad and sits on the couch nodding for me to join him, I sit across from him on arm chair and look on attentively, he laughs and says "You can sit over here you know, I'm ordering everything so that you just have to pick it up its already paid so if you'd like a say you'll have to come here." I laugh and sit next to him as we pick everything out and and pay for it to be picked up within the hour. He turns the iPad off and smiles at me "Just go and call when you're in front of the market they'll bring it out to the car." I smiled gathering my things to leave and nod to him "Thanks so much sir!" He shakes his head laughing "Stop calling me that! You can just call me Ed."