In the morning, I got up and got ready for work. I decided to pin my hair up in a high ponytail today since my mother always told me my hair was beautiful when it was pinned up. Once I was dressed and ready for work, I left my room and walked down to the supply room. I got the necessary cleaning supplies needed for my tasks, and walked into Mrs. Anderson's office, to find her working at her desk.
"Oh I'm sorry Mrs. Anderson I had no idea that you would be here." She looked up to meet my eyes and smiled politely at me. "There's no need to worry, I just came in to get a couple of files," she says shuffling around the papers on her desk. She took a moment to look up and observe me. "Your hair looks pretty today, do you have any plans?"
"Yeah I actually wanted to go see my mother after I'm done here."
"That's right, how about you go after you tidy up the office. My room and bathroom are clean enough I wasn't here yesterday."
"Thank you Mrs. Anderson."
"Please dear call me Gloria; you make me feel old when you call me Mrs. Anderson."
"Sure no problem Gloria," I say with a smile.
She smiles back at me before finding the file she was searching for. "Got it, okay I'll be leaving now. Please say hello to your mother for me." I nod my head and begin cleaning. I organize the papers left on the desk, and see some sketches for her new designs. I place them in a folder and finish dusting the room. I head back upstairs to change my clothes. I put on a pair of jeans and a tank top with a leather jacket. I walk back downstairs and find April in the kitchen making breakfast, and singing.
"Well someone is in a good mood." April knocks the flour onto the counter and holds her hand to her chest. "Oh Christina please don't startle me like that."
I laugh before sitting down, "Why are you so happy this morning?"
"I still can't believe I can call Jason by his first name now."
"April it's not a big deal."
"Yes it is Christina. Jason and I are a step closer to each other now and I love that feeling."
"Wow you really like him." Her face turns crimson red, when Jason walks into the room.
"Something smells good," he said while eyeing the both of us suspiciously. We both made sure not to make eye contact with him.
"God you girls are quiet, you two were talking about me again weren't you?"
"No," we both say in unison, earning a laugh from Jason.
"Its fine really I'm just glad I'm on your minds all the time," he said throwing me a wink.
I gave him a glare before he looked away. "So April what's on the menu?"
"Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and French toast," she said with a big smile.
"You are a goddess, you know that." April blushed and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Jason saw me and turned his attention back to me. "So why are you all dressed up this morning?"
"I'm going to visit my mother."
"Oh that's good; she must be lonely in that place.
"Yeah I figured I'd bring her some of her favorite foods. Is there a restaurant around here that she fancied?"
"I'm not sure but there's a restaurant near the hospice she's staying at, I hear they have really good Latin food."
"Thanks I'll try it out." I grab a piece of French toast for the road, "bye you guys I'll see you later."
I leave and head out. Twenty minutes later I arrive at a restaurant named La Cocina. I go in and scan over their selections. Jason was right the food looked pretty decent. I ordered arroz con pollo and a chicken empanada for my mother. Once my order was done I got back in my car and in two minutes I was at the hospice. I walk up to the receptionist's desk to sign in.
"Hello Ms. Munoz, you're here to see your mother," the brunette receptionist asks with a smile.
"That's right; I brought her some food if that's okay."
"That's fine," she says as she hands me a visitor's badge.
"Enjoy your visit."
"Thank you," I say before heading to my mother's room. I opened the door to find her watching her favorite TV show, Devious Maids."
"Hey mama, how are you today?"
"A little weak but I'm fine."
"I brought your lunch for today arroz con pollo, and an empanada."
"Thank you sweetheart," she says before placing a kiss on my forehead. "So how do you like the Anderson home?"
"It's not so bad actually. I work with the other maid April, and she's really nice. Oh yeah did you know she has a crush on Mrs. Anderson's son, Jason, who you never told me existed."
"I didn't think it was important."
"Mom I thought he was her lover the first day." She laughed as I remembered the awkward ordeal all over again.
"Honey what gave you that idea?"
"I just figured that's what rich middle aged women do in Hollywood. I thought they all went after young guys."
My mom laughed hysterically at me, and all I could do is pout. "I'm sorry dear I was just picturing your face at that very moment, god it must have been awkward."
"You have no idea."
"So what do you think of him?"
"Who Jason?"
"Yes."
"He's okay mom, but he's not my type." She gave me a serious stare down and I gave up.
"Fine he's gorgeous, sexy, artistic, kind, and very persuasive."
Her eyes popped wide open when she heard the last one, "not that I'm saying I did anything with him if that's what you're implying."
"Good Christina, you have to always remember that you are there to do a job okay. Flirting with Jason is not in the description."
"Okay mama."
Around noon, I heat up the food I brought and give it to my mother. As she eats, one of the nurses came by and asked to speak with me.
"Christina, do you have a minute?"
"Yeah sure, mama I'll be right back."
I head outside with the nurse and walk into an empty room.
"Ms. Munoz hi my name is Carrie, and I'm the nurse in charge of your mother."
"Nice to meet you," I say shaking her hand. "Now what's the problem?"
"Well Ms. Munoz..."
"Please call me Christina."
"Well Christina it seems that your mother's condition has worsened over the past couple of days. The cancer seems to be spreading more rapidly than we had thought, so we had a specialist come in and run some tests."
"What happened please tell me."
"Your mother has at least three more weeks to live, I'm so sorry I know this must be hard on you."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing as I begin to tear up. "No thank you for letting me know."
Carrie nods her head and walks me out of the room. "Oh Christina before you go in could you please keep the results of the test from your mother. I'm afraid anymore added stress could cause the cancer to spread more rapidly."
"I understand."
"Thank you." Carrie walks away, and I head back into the room with my head faced down.
"Is everything okay dear?"
I snapped out of my daze before answering her, "Oh yeah everything is fine mom, they just wanted me to look at your file. Three weeks is all she has left. Every passing day she'll slip further and further away from me, but I can't tell her. All I can do is be here for her and give her every ounce of my love.
I stayed with my mother for two more hours, before she fell asleep. I covered her and kissed her on the forehead, before gathering my belongings and leaving. I signed out at the front desk and walked back to my car. Once I was inside, I broke down crying. I swear people were staring at me as if I was a crazy person through the window, but I didn't care. They have no idea what I'm going through and I don't expect them to understand. Wiping away my tears, I try to regain my composure before I drive back to the Anderson residence.
Once I'm home, April comes running to me. "How's your mom?"
"She's fine thanks for asking."
"Christina are you okay?"
"I'm fine April I just really want to be left alone right now okay."
She nods her head, and I head up to my room. I isolate myself from everyone for the rest of the day. April was kind enough to bring dinner up to my bedroom, and I like the fact that she didn't ask questions. Around ten I take a night shower, and head on to Jason's bedroom. I knock twice before the door opens by itself. I walk in and Jason comes out of another room.
"Hey glad you actually came. I didn't see you at dinner so I didn't know if you would show up.
"I have to fulfill our little deal remember, I'm not someone who goes back on their word."
"Good to know, please come this way I'll show you my studio."
I follow Jason into a big white room filled with fabrics and sewing machines.
"Wow I'm surprised you could actually get all of this into your bedroom."
"Yeah you should have seen my mom's face when I furnished the room."
"So where do you need me?"
"I need you to stand on that platform." I walked to the center of the room and stood on the platform before Jason came to stand in front of me with a measuring tape.
"Okay now what?"
"Strip."
"I'm sorry what?"
"Well Christina I need to take your measurements. You don't want me to do that with your clothes on do you?"
"I thought you already had them."
"No I told you I just got a good feel for your size."
I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. The only other person who I've shown my body to was my boyfriend back in high school, and I had known him for years. I just met Jason this week there's no way I'll be comfortable with this.
"Are you shy Christina?"
"A little, it's just that I don't really show people my body."
"So are you a virgin?"
"No I'm not," I shout out a little too quickly. I couldn't help but notice that Jason looked almost sad about the fact that I wasn't a virgin, but I shook the thought from my mind.
"Okay, what would make you more comfortable?"
"If you would leave the room while I change out of my clothes, I guess that would help."
"Fine," Jason said as he put down the measuring tape. He left the room, and I began to undress. I put on a robe that was on a nearby chair, and called Jason to come back into the room.
"You put on a robe," he said with an amused smile.
"It's cold in here."
"Really," he said as he circled around me. "I don't know about you but I think it's pretty hot in here." He stopped behind me and slid the robe down my arms. The robe hit the ground, and there was a long pause. I could feel Jason's breath on my back which caused me to stiffen.
"Relax Christina."
I felt him run his hands down my shoulders down to my waist stopping at the small of my back. I heard him take a deep breath, before walking around to the front of me.
"You know there's one thing you have that Amanda doesn't."
"What's that," I ask with a raised eyebrow."
"An ass and I do have to say yours is perfect." I blush at his comment and he laughed at me.
"That's a nice color on you." I punched his arm, "shut up."
He got the measuring tape, and measured my waist. "I was right; you have a twenty-four inch waist." He then measured my chest, "thirty-five inches, so you're about a C cup not bad." I rolled my eyes at him and he smirked. "Okay I just need your hip measurements and we're done."
Once he finished my measurements, he let me put my clothes back on. "So what next," I ask trying to put on my jeans as quickly as possible. "I come up with sketches of designs and get to work. I can't thank you enough for agreeing to this."
"No problem, I kind of owe you for not telling your mom about the dress I wore."
"So I'm done for the night?"
"Yeah pretty much, you can leave if you want but I hope you stay for a while."
"Jason I don't think that's a good idea."
"Come on I told you I wasn't going to do anything to you. I just want to talk and get to know you better." He walked up to me and placed a stray hair on my face behind my ear. "So what do you say Christina?"
I shivered under his touch, and looked up into his pleading eyes, "I guess a few more minutes wouldn't hurt." Jason smiled before taking my hand in his, as he pulled me into the lounge area of his room.