Maid's Tale

Chapter 5

Ralph stood in the door as the water in his tub slowly gargled down the drain. I stood with my hands together, unable to figure out what to say or where to go.

"I'm sorry, were you in the middle of cleaning my room?" Ralph asked.

"Yes, actually. I was suppose to make up your bed." My feet quickly raced over to his bed almost without thinking. I tugged on his messy bedsheets while trying to force myself to get to work.

"You must be the new maid." Ralph spoke as he watched me quickly move around his bed sheets. "I'm Ralph."

"Rose." I answered, not daring to look over my shoulder and into his eyes. I kept my eyes where they were expected to be, on my work.

"If you want, you can come back later." Ralph attempted to get me to leave his room, but my anxiety caused me to practically force myself to make his bed. As I threw his pillows toward the foot of the bed, one particular photograph was revealed to me.

It was of Josephine Baker, her hip was off to one side and her hand posed in a particular way. As for her breasts, they were totally exposed, with the exception of the small bits of skin covered by her strings of neck-beads. Her banana skirt barely covered her backside, which was mostly exposed due to her angle. And her hair was pressed and oiled down to her head.

Ralph cleared his throat, then took the erotic photo from my fingers. "I'll have that."

"Sure, well, I." The words in my mind couldn't make it to my mouth. I finally turned to him, but I avoided eye contact.

"I hope this won't result in you seeing me in a bad light. I assume I've made a bad impression on you because of this." Ralph held up the photo.

"No, not all, Mr. Ralph." I insisted. "It's simply that the photograph took me by surprise, that's all."

"Mr. Ralph, everyone calls me that. However, I'd like it very much if you just called me Ralph." He gave me brightest smile in the world. Since I finally got a good look at him, I was able to appreciate his handsome demeanor for what it was. His dirty blonde hair was parted down the middle and slicked neatly, his white knitted vest with a green line across the chest matched the light blue dress shirt layered underneath it. His pale brown pants were fitting amongst his white shoes.

"Would you like me to leave you at the moment?" I asked and Ralph laughed, walking to the door and closing it.

"No, not at all." He told me. "Do you mind my closing the door?"

"I suppose not." I stood with my feet together. "Is there something you'd like me to help you with?"

"No, not at all. In fact, I don't mind if you never make up that bed. I'll only mess it up later on." Ralph told me, then he took a seat in a dining room chair that sat next to his dresser. "What I'd like to know is information about you."

"Me?" I asked.

"Yes, why not? And please, once again forgive me for my dirty photographs." He pleaded, quickly opening a drawer and placing it inside. "Rose is your name, correct?"

"Yes it is." I said quietly.

"Rose. A beautiful name that is. Just as the girl who has it." Ralph flirted, his course of action was very cheesy. I tried to keep things platonic.

"I just arrived yesterday." I changed the subject, but his comment about my beauty caused my heart to skip. I wished that I wasn't just any old maid. I wished that he and I weren't of difference races. "Your home is immaculate."

"Do you think so?" Ralph asked. "In this old Connecticut town everyone is the same, and so are our houses more or less. I don't even think we have one of the good ones. We especially don't have dolls like you."

I didn't say a word.

"Where are you from?" Ralph stood up from his seat, stepping closer toward me into my space.

"Philadelphia." I answered quietly, praying to God with every fiber of my being that I'd hold myself back from throwing my arms around him and kissing him right then and there.

"Philly, wonderful city I heard." Ralph commented. "But how was that Spanish Flu epidemic a few years back? I'm sure that wasn't easy."

"I was so young I could hardly remember." I told him, nervously playing with the edge of my decorative satin apron.

"How old are you anyway?" He asked.

"18." I answered, still looking downward toward my apron. I could feel his body come even closer to me, to the point where I could see his shadow around my feet. His body eclipsed mine, he wasn't giving up the chance to have me.

"You've just blossomed." He commented. "I'm 20."

"You've just matured." I looked into his eyes, which at this point were so close to mine. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was going to kiss me in that moment. But no such gesture was enacted. He only gave me one hard look, then stepped back.

"No, I'm not mature at all." He corrected. "I've still got a lot of life ahead of me."

"I admire that you can see that." I complimented. "It's brilliant you're able to recognize that about yourself."

"You think I'm brilliant?" Ralph asked. I felt as though we were getting far too intimate, and so I turned away and continued making his bed. My body froze as I felt his come up behind mine, grabbing the sheets. I couldn't move, I was unable to know what he'd do next. Slowly he took his hand and set the sheets in a particular way, his arm looping in front of me to do so.

"I like my sheets like that." He whispered in my ear as he stood behind me. The next thing I knew, I heard his footsteps walk away and the door open. I was left alone with my own desires for him and his partially made bed. I collapsed to the floor, hoping I'd gain the strength to not do anything irresponsible. He was far too tempting.