The Pearl Family

Jessica

I yawned.
I'm cleaning the kitchen of the Harrison house.  I worked for them as a maid since the twins were born.
Yesterday was my day off, but now I have work.
Then Dorothy started talking about me like I wasn't there.
Then her father said.

I sighed. Lawrence worries. But with his heart, he shouldn't.
His daughter is fully healthy. But she's a.....
Bit of a jerk.

"She seems okay to me." Dorothy said. "Now, I'm going to go get dressed for my event."
She started to walk out of the kitchen.
"But what you're wearing is fine." Lawrence said, confused.
"No, it isn't." Dorothy yelled, running upstairs.

"I don't understand her sometimes," Lawrence said."I'm starting to feel like I spoiled her too much."

"You're starting too?" I asked.
When Lawrence couldn't care for himself anymore, Dorothy made him move in with her. That means I had to come as well.

I had finished with the floor, and I put the broom back in the closet in the kitchen.

The phone on the kitchen counter started ringing.

Lawrence kept it around for personal reasons. He picked it up.
"Hello?" He said. "Oh hey, Henry."

Oh, it's Henry.
" It's for you," He said to me calmly.

I walked over and picked it up.
"Hey, Henry," I said.
"Hey Mom, dad said I needed to call you; he can't pick you up from work, so you might have to take the bus," Henry said."Sorry."

"It's okay." I said.

"Excuse me. Can you two please get off the phone." Dorothy asked from the other end.

Oh God, I hate these phones. They're connected to the same network, so she probably heard the entire conversation.

"Mom, is that Dorothy, you've told me about?" Henry asked.
"Yeah, what are you, her kid?" Dorothy asked.

"I'm Seventeen." Henry said bluntly.
"Well.....You actually sound very nice" Dorothy said nicely. But clearly uncomfortable.

(Let me explain if Hybrids were real, today that would be considered a microaggression, but in the sixties, it was considered......a compliment.)

"Thanks," Henry said, annoyed.
Then on his end the dial tone started. He hung up.
"Bye," I said.
I hung the phone up.

"Bad news?" Lawrence asked. "Do you need anything."

"Maybe son bus money," I said."I'll have to take the bus since my husband is too tired."

"Tired of what?" Dorothy asked.
We followed her voice and went to the staircase.

She came down the stairs wearing a cyan dress, identical like to the one she was wearing before.

"You look nice." Lawrence said.
"Thanks dad," She said. "Now I'll be going; I'll be back in two hours."

My workday ended, and it's time to go home.

I walked out the back door of the Harrisons.
Dorothy doesn't like it when I leave through the front door.

I walked about two blocks in heels—a killer on my feet.

I got to the bus stop, right timing because the bus came as soon as I did.

The door opened.

A human man with dark skin was driving.
I walked up the metal stairs and put the money in the small box at the entrance.
He didn't even look at me.

The bus was almost filled.

I didn't see any seats available. So I grabbed a pole near the back to steady myself.

I can feel the humans staring at me.
I closed my eyes, hoping I don't make eye contact with them.

My feet are killing me.