Cade is about to start making his way up the stairs when I finally come down.
"Hey, what took you long?" He demands the second he sees me. "Was starting to think you got lost."
"Ran into Drew. He just wanted to know how I managed to talk Ms. Nancy into hiring me. I told him I was only here because my mom couldn't be. I told him I wasn't a fan and that I didn't know this was his house until after I started working."
"How did he take it?"
I shrug. "Fine. I think he knows that I could care less about who he is. I don't expect him to single me out again." Cade doesn't look like he believes me.
"Let's get started... we have our work cut out for us." Cade says, gently taking some of the cleaning supplies out of my grasp.
Cade and I spent the rest of the morning dividing and conquering. Once the first floor was spotless, Cade ran out on a supply run while I headed upstairs to the second floor to clean the bedrooms and do laundry. The day went by pretty quickly and before I realized it, Ms. Nancy was sending us on our way.
I hurry back into the servant bathroom and change out of my uniform into my own clothing before heading for the servant's entrance to leave.
Cade had changed and was hanging by the front of the door.
"How are you getting home?" He wonders.
"I was going to take the bus." I confess.
"Let me give you a ride. It will be much quicker than the bus." He offers.
"Okay." I agree. I really didn't feel like walking to the bus stop at this time anyways.
Cade drives a black Rolls Royce. The seats are comfy and the interior smells like fresh brewed coffee and something else I can't quite pin. Once we are strapped in I tell Cade my address and settle against my seat as he drives.
"How long have you been working for Drew?" I wonder.
"About two years now. I work the holiday breaks which he usually spends here. I'm a local but I'm a Sophomore at The University of Easton."
"That's actually the school I want to transfer to after getting my AA at the community college. I just graduated a week ago." I admit.
"Why not go straight to a university?" He questions and I stiffen, and hope he didn't notice. If it had only been me, I would've graduated a year earlier to get away from Celine. But it's not just me. I have Layla to think about. She's going to start the ninth grade this fall. I couldn't leave her to deal with mom on her own.
"Not ready to leave the nest yet I guess you can say."
"That's funny. You don't strike me as being scared. Especially after you handled Ms. Nancy the other day and how mature you act."
"Well looks like you have a lot to learn about me." I smile softly. He seems like a nice guy. I wasn't going to scare him away with the burden of my life. Not when we just became friends.
"I look forward to it." He returns my smile before focusing back on the road. I turn my head to stare at the window. The beautiful, big houses blurred into the background and the two of us fell into a comfortable silence.
"Turn in here. I live in these apartments." I tell him. I was thankful that it was dark so he didn't have to see how crappy the apartment complex is. It was in one of the worst neighborhoods in town and even though Cade wasn't a celebrity like Drew, I can tell he comes from money. I don't need to see the look in his eyes when he sees where I live.
"Here we are." He announces just as he pulls into an empty parking lot and kills the ignition.
"Thank you for bringing me home." I say as I unbuckle myself and climb out. He surprises me when he gets out the car and strolls over to my side.
"No problem. We get off at the same time so if you need a ride I'm here." He offers. I thanked him again and expect him to leave but he looks over his shoulder and stuff his hands in his pockets.
"Would you like to share what's on your mind with the rest of the class?" I joke. Cade laughs and whatever tension that was in his shoulders before seems to vanish.
"I was just wondering if you'd want to hang out after work or on a Saturday when you're off? Just as friends of course."
That sounds nice. I hadn't plan on doing much with my summer besides working and finding a show or two to watch on Netflix. Going out with a friend seemed like a much more fun idea.
"Sure, that would be great." I smile.
"Okay, cool. I'll let you know what we're doing in a few days." He grins at me.
We say our goodbyes and I finally turn and head up the stairs to the second floor. Glancing down the balcony, I can see Cade leaning against the hood of his car, watching me. I wave before unlocking the door and letting myself inside. Once the door is locked I go search for Celine.
I call out her name several times only to get no answer. Finally I step inside her bedroom where I find her sprawled on her bed passed out, a bottle of Hennessy, tucked underneath her arm like it was her favorite teddy bear.
I quietly walk over to her and check to see if she was breathing. Little snoring confirms that she's sleeping and not completely unconscious. Sighing, I fix her properly on the bed so that she would be more comfortable when she wakes up then head to my own room.
I strip out of my jeans and hoodie and grab my towel and head for the bathroom. A nice cool shower is calling my name. After showering, I change into my pajamas and climb into bed with my legs crossed and laptop in front of me just like before. Only this time I had a slice of Ms. Nancy delicious cheesecake.
Today was a long day and I had passed my biggest obstacle. Tomorrow I could go into work and not worry about if today was my last day. I don't expect Drew to pay me anymore attention which will make my job a whole lot easier from here on out.
***
The rest of the week flies by. I would come in, change into my uniform and help Ms. Victoria in the kitchen. She was a lot nicer than I originally thought. As we cooked, she told me stories about her single daughter and how if she didn't find a husband soon she was ready to make her a profile on EHarmony. Then there was Ms. Nancy who has a son who has given her two grandsons. Hearing their stories made me realize how dysfunctional my family is.
It's just me, Layla, and Celine.
Celine told me my dad didn't want me and walked away when he found out she was pregnant and Layla's dad was just a face at a bar during Celine's club phase. I wondered what life would be like if there was a man in our lives who loved Layla and I just as much as Nancy's son loved his kids or as much as Ms. Victoria loves her daughter. One day, after Layla left for college and I was a lot older, I hope I would have a family of my own. One that was filled with love, game nights and trips to Disney.
It was a life I'd never admit to anyone out loud.
I wasn't quiet during my lunch breaks anymore. I talked and laughed with the rest of the staff and Ms. Nancy was teaching me how to play Mancala. I sucked but thankfully she had a lot of patience and promised I would be a pro by the end of the summer. At the end of the day Cade would be waiting for me to take me home every night and before I knew it, it was Saturday.
It felt nice to sleep in for once. I didn't mind waking up early but it was nice to lay in bed and not worry about having to rush out the house.
I lay in bed with the covers pulled over my head as I read the latest text from my sister. She recapped her day yesterday and told me how excited she was for the painting war they were going to have this afternoon and asked about mom.
I send her a quick response, telling her that a paint war sounded like a lot more fun than working and Celine is fine.
She's Celine after all.
After sending the text I uncover myself and head for the bathroom to start my morning. Today I was going out with Cade who told me last night that we were going to a pool party thrown by one of his friends. I'm a lot more excited than I want to admit. It's been way too long since I went out with people my own age and even longer since I went out period.
It's still early so I only brush my teeth and splash some water on my face. I'd shower when it neared time for Cade to pick me up.
The tile floor is cool underneath my bare feet as I head down the hall and into the kitchen for some breakfast. The house is quiet but Celine did usually sleep all day. I walk over to the fridge and pull out the gallon of milk and fix myself a bowl of Frosted Flakes.
Celine walks in, hair everywhere and dressed in her cheetah print robe.
"What you eating?" She strolls over to the table and peeks down at my bowl.
"Frosted Flakes." I answer and take another spoonful of my favorite cereal.
"Why don't you go on and fix your momma a plate." She suggest.
"The box is right there." I tell her and take another spoonful.
Suddenly there's a smack behind my head and I nearly spit up everything in my mouth.
"It wasn't a question." She says through gritted teeth right next to my ears. I roll my eyes and bite down on my lip to keep from saying something I'd regret.
Celine is in the living room and just settled into her recliner when I walk in with her bowl of cereal in my hand.
"Here you go." I hold it out for her to take.
"Thank you baby."
I figured I'd tell her about Cade now before he showed up and she ask a thousand questions.
"There's a boy name Cade from work and we're sort of friends now. He invited me to hang out with him today and he's going to be coming over to pick me up soon." I tell her.
Celine narrows her eyes at me and the surprise glint that colors them doesn't go unnoticed.
"Really?"
"Is that okay?" Despite being the only mature one in the house I still had to ask for permission to go out.
"Yeah, yeah, that's fine." A slow smirk played against her lips.
"It's not what you think, so stop looking at me like that." I tell her.
"I'm just surprised that's all. I didn't think there was anyone out there who would find you interesting, let alone want to be your friend." Celine tells me and I turn and leave the room, not wanting to hear my own mother insult me. "Relax child, I'm just messing with you." She laughs. "I'm glad you're going out. You work too hard."
Well I wouldn't have to if you would do more than just sit on your ass and get drunk all day. Of course I don't say any of this out loud, afraid she'd hit me again.
"Don't be staying out all day you hear me? With your sister gone I don't have anyone to talk to."
I hated when she made me feel guilty. Like I wasn't allowed a life outside of her.
"You could go out too you know? Maybe take a nice drive or maybe a walk in a park." I suggest.
"I could go get my hair done." Celine runs her fingers through her matted hair to prove a point.
"Fine. Just don't go to the same hair salon you usually go to, they charge way too much." I warn her.
"Mhm, whatever." Celine replies and I knew she tuned me out and was most likely going to do the exact opposite I asked her to do.
I leave the living room and go into my room so I can get ready. I have an hour before Cade shows up and I still need to shower and I have no idea what I'm going to wear or where my swimsuit is.
"Good morning." Cade greets me when I answer the door. He's dressed casually in a pair of brown cargo shorts and a loose white V-neck.
"Hey." I smile, brightly.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah, just let me tell my mom I'm leaving then I'll be right out." I tell him before backing up inside the house and head into the living room. "I'm going. Try to eat some food with your alcohol."
"You're not going to introduce me?"
"Maybe another time." I call out over my shoulder as I head back to the front.
"Ready?" Cade's green eyes gleam when he sees me and I nod my head.
"You're going to have a great time." Cade promises me as we climb inside his car. "Did you have a big breakfast?"
I shake my head. "Just some cereal."
"Good. There's gonna be a ton of food where we're going. Burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, corn on the cob." He explains.
"You had me at hot dog." I giggle.
"We're going to a friend's house," Cade reminds me. "They're grilling then we're hitting the pool. You know how to swim right?"
"Wouldn't be a Floridian if I didn't." I answer.
"You're going to like the people there. I've known Nate since we were kids. By the time you leave you'll be part of the crew."
A few minutes later we're pulling up to a single story yellow house. It looked like just the other houses in the quiet neighborhood. Faintly, I hear music as Cade helps me out the car and near closer to the front door.
"Please tell me you put on sunblock. You don't want to get sunburn."
"I did."
"Good." He chuckles before leading us around the house. Cade removes the lock from the wooden picket fence and we step into the backyard. There's a rectangular pool in the middle with guys in swim trunks and girls in bikinis sitting around it. They're all laughing and smiling and I remind myself not to be stand-offish today.
Cade takes my hand and leads me further into the party.
"It's about damn time you showed up Morris!" A guy with dirty blonde hair shouts.
Cade looks down at me and smiles. "Let me know when you want to leave."
I shake my head. "Don't worry about me." I reassure him. Together we walk towards his group of friends and suddenly I'm nervous.
"Guys this is Mia, Mia this is Nate," He points to a guy with quiff brown almost black hair and a sleeve of tattoos on both arms. "Myles," It's the guy who shouted when we arrived. His hair is blonde and I notice he has a couple tattoos too. "And Holden." He points to a guy with pretty blue eyes and the perfect tan. "We've been friends since the first grade."
Holden grins. "We were on the same little league team."
"Myles dad was our coach." Cade says.
"I was the best player." Nate announces confidently only to get shoved at the shoulder by Holden.
"Don't you mean I was." Holden argues.
"Bullshit. The two of you threw a ball like a couple bitches back then." Myles chimes in, earning a few laughs from everyone.
"Jerk." Holden says.
"Asshole." Replies Nate.
"Bitch." Cade finishes and they all laugh together. It's obvious from the way they easily called each other names that they loved each other and it made me smile as I try to picture them as little boys. They must have been a handful.
"So Mia, where did this asshat find a beautiful girl like you?" Myles asks as he flips a burger.
I glance at Cade to see him smiling at me. "We work together. And he isn't an asshat... at least not all the time." I smirk at Cade, hoping he knows I'm joking.
Cade chuckles to my relief and pokes my side.
"I see you already brainwashed her." Myles jokes and I can't help but giggle.
"Just keep on laughing Mia. None of us has the heart to tell him he's not funny." Cade tells me which makes Myles shove him and Cade just shoves him right back.
"I'm going to take Mia home if you keep it up." Cade warns him.
"Fine, I'll behave." A boyish look crosses Myles face.
"You want a drink?" Holden asks and I nod my head. I wasn't really thirsty but it seemed like the right thing to say.
Holden reaches into the cooler and pulls out a wine cooler for me which I accept.
The four of them start talking about a MMA match and the fighter who they think is going to win. I sit quietly and sip my 'Jamaican Me Crazy' as names of fighters and records are thrown around until a gorgeous curly hair girl with mocha colored skin approaches us and wraps her arms around Nate's neck.
"I came to save you Mia." She tells me, smiling.
"Mia, this is Kaia, Nate's girlfriend." Cade introduces us. I turn my head back to Kaia just in time to see Nate pull her into his lap and wrap his arm around her. "I didn't even think you could be bored listening to all this MMA talk." Cade shakes his head. "You want to go with Kaia?"
"I wouldn't mind hanging with the girls for a little bit." I admit.
Kaia smiles in triumph before standing up from Nate's lap. She holds out her hand to me and I take it, allowing her to lead me away from the guys.
"Stare any harder Cade and you'll burn a whole through Mia's ass." Nate says as we walk away.