The Japanese Lover

Chapter One

Baylee slowed her Honda civic making a mental note to remember to have her brakes checked as they let out a high pitched squeak. She craned her neck to find the house number. 142, the house she had been looking for. She veered off the road onto the gravel driveway which led up over an incline shrouded with tree foliage.

It was Baylee's first day on the job. She had been fortunate to land a position with A1 Home Care and figured it wouldn't be too difficult:  A little cleaning, a little idle chit-chat, and she would be on her way—and so would that much needed pay-check.

As the garden came into view Baylee's eyes widened. It looked a little dilapidated, and had been neglected, but it was obvious that it was once a beautiful oriental themed garden with rounded hedges, pale pebbles and large stepping stones. It almost made her wish she knew how to garden.

Baylee stopped the car and tilted the rear view mirror to smooth over her blonde hair and check she didn't have any lipstick on her teeth. She smiled as she thought of her room mate teasing her for putting on make-up to go and work with "old" people. "It's not like you have anyone to impress," Hannah had said. "Besides, they're probably all half blind anyway, they're never going to notice your pretty little face." Baylee didn't care.  She wanted to look her best. She wanted her clients to trust her,  appreciate her, and most importantly, like her.

She stepped out of the car and straightened her uniform. She took her bucket from the trunk with all of the cleaning products she would need. As she made her way along the stepping stone path, Baylee couldn't help by feel saddened that a garden with so much potential was becoming fast overrun with weeds. Her employer had informed Baylee that this client, Mrs Yukimura, had had a recent hip-replacement, which would explain why the garden was in such disarray.

She paused on the small timber arched bridge and gazed into the shallow pool below filled with vibrant koi. Mesmerized by their flitting and glittering of scales in the sunlight she stood motionless.

"Can I help you?" A woman's voice croaked from the direction of the house.

Baylee shaded her eyes from the sun and squinted towards the sound of the voice. "Hello, I'm Baylee. I'm with A1 Home Care. I'm here to help you with-"

"Yes, I know why you're here," the woman retorted.

Baylee struggled to maintain her smile. She began walking towards the Japanese timber house with it's sloped roof and wide porch. She could make out Mrs Yukimura's silhouette in the shadows. She climbed the steps and tried to hide the look of surprise at Mrs Yukimura'sappearance. She had been expecting Mrs Yukimura to have Japanese features, but instead the elderly woman was tall and thin, with lightly colored hair, pale blue eyes, and high round cheek bones. She rested on her crutches and peered down her long, thin nose at Baylee. Her lips were taught.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs Yukimura." Baylee extended her hand and Mrs Yukimura raised an eyebrow, but made no other movement.

Baylee swallowed. Perhaps it wasn't going to be as easy as she had expected after all. Time seemed to stand still and if Baylee didn'tknow any better she would think Mrs Yukimura was a statue.

"Well," Baylee said, forcing a thin smile. "Perhaps I should get started."

Mrs Yukimura let out a long, slow breath through her nose.

"Shall I clean your bathroom first?"

"If you must." Mrs Yukimura turned her head now and gazed out at the garden, narrowing her eyes and pressing her taught lips together further.

Baylee let out a breath she had been holding and widened her eyes, thankful to be away from Mrs Yukimura's scrutinizing gaze. She only had another two clients to visit each week, but she sincerely hoped they weren't as cold and demeaning as Mrs Yukimura.