Maid For Him

Chapter 18

Reese***

Rickel got in early that evening and Sheila was the first to greet him at the door.

"Hey baby. I'm so happy you're home." She took his briefcase from him.

Rickel eyed me and I knew my work hours had started.

It's your time Reese. Show her who is boss.

I walked up to Rickel and held the back of his head and kissed him like my life depended on it.

"I hope you're hungry. I prepared something special for you." I took his hand and led him to the kitchen.

Sheila was beyond amazed. Her mouth fell open and she was lost for words.

"Should I close my eyes?" Rickel asked playfully.

"No need." I laughed. "Your nose would betray me."

He took a whiff of the air. "Good gracious! Is that chilli I'm smelling?"

"Only the best chilli in the world. Take a shower and I'll make you a plate."

Rickel went to take his shower and I hummed a song while I reheated the chilli.

"So what kind of drugs did you give him? I know your type of people." Sheila was leaning on the island watching me with folded arms.

I stepped closer to her. "If you know my type of people, then you'll also know that we're not afraid to give a bitch a proper beat down."

She gasped. "How dare you? You are just a latina maid! Rickel is out of your league."

I continued stirring the salsa not paying Sheila any attention. She stormed out of the kitchen and came back two minutes later with Renae in tow.

She huffed at me. "What is it I hear you did to my son?"

I continued humming to myself.

"Answer me maid! My patience is getting thin."

Sheila was there like a backup singer. "Yes. Answer her."

I smiled politely at them. "Rickel and I are together now and there's not a damn thing any of you can do about it."

Renae started gasping for air.
"Rickel! Rickel! Come in here!"

"Mother what is it now?" He asked. "You're going to give me a headache with all this shouting."

"And you're going to give me a heartattack with your filthy charity case that you call dating."

Rickel was confused. "What are you referring to Mom?"

Renae pointed a shaky finger at me. "This is what I'm referring to. Are you punishing me for something? What would push you to cheat on your girlfriend? Wait. Don't tell me. It's her in her skimpy outfits. You should fire her this instant!"

Rickel laughed. "Mom, would you and Sheila like a serving of chilli?  I hear Reese is world famous for it."

His smile was so contagious, I couldn't help smiling too.
"Here you go baby." I placed the dish before him and waited for him to taste.

When he swallowed his second spoonful, he looked up at me with wide eyes.

"I want your chilli every night, Reese. It's so damn delicious."

Renae looked as if she was about to throw up and Shelia didn't know what to do with herself. She kept flapping her arms like she was a bird about to fly.

"I'm staying at a hotel tonight so you can think about how to make it up to me Rickel!" She announced then stormed out.

This girl was seriously delusional. Why can't she just take the hint. Her brain couldn't possibly be this shallow.

"So..... you have excellent taste in women. Once they get hooked, they are addicted to you, huh?"

Rickel shook his head. "The price I have to pay for being kind."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Sheila. I was just being nice to her. Saw her on the streets crying one day and just took her under my wings."

I was surprised. "Sheila was homeless?"

"Not exactly." He took a spoonful of chilli and glanced at his phone.

I waited patiently for him to continue. "What was she then?"

"A model."

A model huh? I remembered the drugs that they thought were mine and the time Sheila seemed to be overdosed. The drugs must have been hers.

"What's going on in that mind of yours?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing." 

"Come on. You can tell me. Afterall, we are business partners."

I sighed. "The drugs that you're mother found belonged to Sheila. Didn't it?"

Rickel pursed his lip into a straight line. "Yes. It was hers. Can I have seconds please?" He handed the dish to me.

I was pleased. Maybe I'm a good cook afterall. My mother always told me, 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach'. Maybe next time I can just slip something into his chilli to knock him out and...

"She was pressured into doing drugs. The agency that she worked for would fire her if she didn't remain extra slim, so she and some of the other girls did drugs to keep their body weight low."

"Oh." Was all I could say as Sheila had walked into the kitchen with a weekend bag in her hand.

"Rickel could you book and pay for the hotel room please? My uber is almost here."

This was craziness. She's a freaking gold digger and I'm the one Renae is worried about.

"Sure." Rickel went ahead to pay for the room and gave her the address.

She left happily while still managing to give me the eye.

I shook my head. "Oh boy. How I wish you had taken me off the streets. I could be living large without having to work."

Rickel stood up and brought his empty dish to the sink. "Come on. I just explained to you what happened.  I couldn't just throw her out after hearing her story. That would be cruel."

"Cruel huh? I thought you wanted her out of your life."

I hardly felt any sympathy for Sheila right now. I mean at the end of the day, she was the one who made bad choices. Why couldn't she get a job like the rest of the normal population rather than leeching off some rich guy.

"So you're staying the night? It's already late." Rickel said.

I shook my head no. "I can't. I didn't plan for it. Gaby will be worried sick if I'm not home."

Rickel laugh. "So Gaby is who's keeping you from staying over?"

"Yes. She needs me."

Rickel scratched his chin. "Interesting. I guess you're lucky then. Gaby called earlier on to inform you that she'll be sleeping out tonight so I guess it's all settled then. You'll have the room beside mine."

"Gaby called you?" When did she even get his number.

Rickel shook his head. "You have your phone plugged in upstairs. I just happened to be there when it rang."

"I have nothing here to wear." I whined.

"It's all being taken care off. My personal shopper will be bringing clothes over in a few minutes. Sit tight."

¡Dios mio!

I was caught between a rock and a hard place so I had no option but to give in. It was settled. I will be spending the night in Rickel Nichols' mansion.