Maid for Him.

Chapter Four

Tess threw one tutu after another into her small, tattered suitcase. She had them in every shape, length, puff diameter and color. Pink was her favorite and the pile, preventing her case from closing, attested to that. 

A sequined singlet top appeared from somewhere under the mattress she was attempting to drag out of the apartment. Bending over, she struggled to reach it. Once she had it in her hand she dropped the mattress to inspect it more closely and remembered when it was part of her staple wardrobe. She doubted at this moment it would ever fit her again.

On a whim, she unbuttoned her sensible work shirt and threw it into her laundry pile. She stood in her bra and inspected her growing belly in the reflection of her window. How can she not even recognize her own body and how far could human skin stretch before it admitted defeat and just split up the middle? She wasn't sure but was confident she was teetering on the edge.

She pushed her arms through the armholes of the singlet. Poking her head through the opening she attempted to yank it down over her body. It snagged on her hair and she began to perspire profusely. 

It refused to budge, she was stuck with her arms waving around above her head and her eyes covered by hot pink, sequined fabric. 

So this is how it would end. They'd find her body in an apartment containing nothing more than a case of tutus and haircare products. They'd likely find her zebra print, stocking legs sticking out from under a pile of old makeup and rubbish.

She prayed the end would come quickly.

"Ummm, do you need some assistance?"

At the sound of Cole's voice, Tess struggled even more, "Get out." She screamed in the general direction of where she thought the door would be.

The tap on her shoulder told her she was disorientated.

"Here, let me help."

Before she could protest, strong hands grabbed her around the waist and spun her. The sound of the fabric being ripped apart wasn't enough to distract her from imagining what Cole's view looked like right at that moment. As he freed her and her vision was restored, along with the use of her limbs, she saw the look on his face. Surprisingly he wasn't repelled, he was looking at her like... well like he used to.

God, she wanted to die. He should have just left her there as roach and rodent fodder. Anything would be better than the humiliation she was experiencing. "Stop looking at me." She screeched.

He ignored her and reached out a hand and placed it on her stomach. "You're so beautiful." He muttered.

"And you're insane. Now get out, I need to get dressed." She shooed him to the door but he wasn't having it.

"I'll turn my back, that's the best I'm going to offer you." Cole turned and faced the cracked drywall and pulled out his cell phone. Tess watched him scrolling through emails until she was confident he was distracted long enough for her to cover up.

"How'd you get in here?" She demanded as she zipped around the room looking for something that actually fit her other than the work uniform. She settled on her robe, yanking it on before giving Cole permission to turn around again.

He pointed to the mattress that lay in the doorway. Half in, half out. The door hadn't even been closed. Her thoughts darted to old Percy across the hall. He was nearing a hundred years of age and had a bad heart. He would often sit with his own door open so he could see the happenings of the building from his rocking chair in the corner. Hopefully, his door was closed today or that performance might have finished him off.