Maid For You 3

Chapter 36

"Dad didn't really want the job, apparently," Luke started. "You see, he didn't want to chase around a toddler, I suppose, but the pay was a lot better. He already had a daughter, my sister Lilly, and now my mom was pregnant with another, so of course he took the job. He had to watch after the little prince, especially since his parents were so busy. But despite his initial reservations, my dad quickly fell in love with the little boy under his care. Prince Coleman. He was like a son to him, I guess. The son he never had, or something."

My heart hurt at that last line.

"Dad wasn't home often. We lived in nearby housing that families of servants often live at. You see, Dad was so very busy watching Coleman nearly 24/7. However, occasionally he would make it home. You can guess what he had to talk about. Of course, none-other than his pseudo son, Prince Coleman. 'Oh, Coleman started learning Russian today.' 'Coleman is such a good little artist.' 'Coleman is just a good public speaker.' 'Coleman is turning into such a good-looking kid.'" Luke laid his head back on the sofa. "I guess because all of Dad's day revolved around Coleman, so did the rest of his life. My sisters, Lilly and Sophie, I think it annoyed them a bit, but it wasn't as hard for them.

"I don't know what it was with me. But I hated it. I hated every time the name 'Coleman' came out of my dad's mouth, because I knew that my own father loved this other boy more than me. I tried to impress Dad. I'd play songs and show him my report cards with my good grades. He'd smile and say 'that's nice, son,' but we all knew. I couldn't compare to the crown prince. Next to him, with him speaking twenty languages and solving world hunger or whatever, I was just a dumb kid. Mum knew it was hard for me, so she'd sometimes tell my dad to be better.

"Then it was even worse because I could tell his praise was forced and disingenuous. However, I finally gave up trying to please him by the time I was thirteen. I knew it was hopeless. Funny thing is, that's when he had much more time for his family because Coleman was off at University, but it was too late. I told Dad I wanted to be a musician, he told me that that wasn't a solid career. He wanted me to take over for him, see? Because all those days when Dad didn't come home and all those late nights—it really got to my mum. They had enough money to retire, and she forced my Dad to promise that he'd quit. He agreed on the condition he could find a suitable replacement, which I guess was me."

Luke laughed drily. "It's actually the most genuine compliment my dad ever paid me—he trusted me enough that he would ensure his precious Coleman into my care. What a lark!" Luke shook his head. "But I told him 'no,' that I didn't want to be Coleman's butler. I was going to be a star. Well, long story short, here I am. I'm his butler. And it pays well and it's fine, but, well, it's fine, I guess."

I thought about saying that I never wanted to be a maid, that that was never the future I envisioned for myself, but it felt trite to say. Because this was different. This ran deeper. I didn't know what else to do except to move closer and hold Luke in my arms. I rested on his chest and he rested his head on my head.

"I'm sorry, Luke," I said. "I wish I could make it better."

He released a deep breath, most likely through his nose as the air tickled my head. "There's nothing you can do," he said. "And...it's complicated. I know. It's not black and white, but, I still wish things would have been different."

And then I suddenly understood the true and horrifying significance of the Marstella Incident. Luke had spent his whole life being compared to someone that he never should have had to compare himself to. He was compared to a Prince who was three years ahead of him and had tutors and opportunities that Luke simply wouldn't have had. Luke's own father loved Coleman more than him, and I could only imagine how hard that would be.

I thought about how close I was to my own dad, and I how I would feel if he were constantly talking about another little girl and how great and perfect and special this other girl was. It would have driven me crazy! Then, Luke comes to work for Prince Coleman. Honestly, he never should have taken the job. I don't know how desperate he was, but he never should have worked for him. That's too hard. And yet, he did. I wasn't there to advise him against it. So he started working for the man who he probably hated, but at least he was able to date a nice girl that he liked.

And then that girl cheated on him. With Prince Coleman. Of all the people in the world.

Tears, surprisingly, started forming in my eyes. It was when I started imagining if my own family had been like that and how I would have felt.

Oh, my poor Luke, I thought.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked him.

"No," Luke said. "Just keep holding me, Cassie. I'll go back soon, but not yet. I just want to stay here for a little while longer."