Chapter Four

"Peppermint latte, please. And a muffin, thanks." I say to the waiter that takes my order as I stare at my watch one more time.

It's already 15 minutes past noon and I scan around the outside of the small cafe until I spot Maya exiting a taxi and making her way towards me. 

For some reason, I just enjoy a table out on the premises. The giggling children, the nice Orlando air, and the open space.

"Marcy! I haven't seen you for so long, it's a crime." Maya exclaims when she gets to the table and I get up to hug her, giggling.

"It's only been a week Maya." I say and she just rolls her eyes as she sits down.

"You try having a baby and tell me if a week doesn't seem like a year." She says, reminding me again of how her life's going beautifully well. Maya was in college a year ahead of me since I had to stay behind after high school. So, two years into college and I'd dropped out while she got married.

Now she is one year away from being done with school and has the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen, making me the luckiest God-mother of the sweetest child on earth.

"Speaking of which, how is Haley?" I ask as the waiter brings my order.

"Plum as a pumpkin and loud as a siren. But she is great and I'm pretty sure she is missing her godmother." Maya says before placing her order and I drop my gaze to my drink. 

"Some godmother I am. I'm a terrible role model, not to mention--"

"Stop it. Okay? I haven't seen you in a week and I'm not going to let you beat down yourself at the first opportunity we get." Maya scolds and I just sigh before I sip my lattè.

"You're right. Sorry. I miss her too." I say and attempt a smile even though I can tell Maya can see through my transparent expression. 

"Hmm." She says observing me as she scrunches her lips to a corner.

"What is it? What's been going on, I want to hear it all." She says as a waiter brings her order and I just plant my gaze on my muffin.

"Well, for starters, I should have quit stripping the first opportunity I got. Hell, I should have quit the minute you told me to be Haley's godmother. I don't know what I was thinking." 

"You were thinking of your dad and Tyler, and you shouldn't blame yourself for being responsible. And I never reconsidered once about making you Haley's godmother, stripper or not."

"I did. And maybe Haley will too. She'll grow up and learn her god-mother was once a stripper and she'll treat me--"

"Like an angel. She'll treat you like the strong, independent lady you are. You took a decision for the benefit of your family even though it put you in a bad position. So stop talking like this and tell me what's making you look down on yourself so badly. I know you were never fond of this, but I've never seen you judge yourself for it. What happened?"

Maya asks with so much care, I don't even realize I've started crying till a teardrop lands on the table.

"I quit stripping last night." I say and I'm glad Maya doesn't reply so I can get the words out.

"I wasn't going to, I didn't even see it coming. I just...I went to see dad yesterday and he called me Mia again, then we were short on money and the rent, and I had so much to sort out. I made a mistake while performing and nearly lost my job." 

Then I look up at Maya and continue,

"Then this guy from nowhere calls me to his private part of the club and he told me I was of no importance, then he uses the risk of me losing my job to his advantage and he makes me beg and he---" my voice cracks and I cry into my palms.

Maya stuffs a tissue in my hand and I clean my eyes with it.

"I have never felt so useless and meaningless."

"You're not."

"But I was. At that moment I was practically worthless and he made me know it, that my say didn't matter. I didn't feel like a human being, I felt...discarded. I had no choice Maya, I had to quit. He was going to make me take off the mask." I say, wiping the excess tears that keep flowing down my face.

Maya reaches out and holds my hand on the table.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay."

"How? I need a job."

"Then we'll get you a job, I promise. Just please stop crying, Marcy." She says and I nod, trying to stop the tears. I was never one to cry in public.

"I just can't do this stripping anymore."

"You won't have to. I never should have left you to handle all this pressure alone, even though it was just a week. I'm here for you now and we're in this together, okay?"

"Okay." I respond with a nod and even attempt a smile.

"I bet Tyler was happy as a pup when he heard you quit." Maya says as she takes a bite of her bagel and I laugh.

"You should have seen him. He was so happy, he looked like he would burst. He'd probably do all my chores if it means giving me time to get a better job." I say, gaining a little appetite and eating out of my muffin.

"Speaking of chores, you know you could come to babysit for me instead of the Nanny I have. She is so old I'm scared she'll crumble." Maya says and I laugh.

"Babysit Haley? That would be amazing, but the pay--"

"That's the only problem. We're still trying to finish the nursery and we might not pay--"

Maya stops mid-sentence and her eyes go wide with realization.

"Oh my God. That's it."

"What?" I ask, clueless.

"Chores. You could work for him and do the chores." Maya exclaims, still caught up in her idea and I'm still clueless.

"What are you talking about Maya?" I ask and she takes a deep breath before she speaks again.

"Josh has been complaining about how his boss wants a live-in maid because he thinks it's ridiculous to pay so much for doing chores." Maya says and continues,

"And so, his boss put him in charge of finding a maid between the ages of 20 to 50 within this week or he'd lose his job. He has been complaining non-stop about it, but he doesn't have to anymore because here you are! I'd call him right away." Maya says and reaches for her phone on the table but I beat her to it.

"Whoa, Maya. A live-in maid? Josh's boss? I don't know..."

I say, doubt clouding my mind due to her complaints about how demanding her husband's boss could be.

"Come on Marcy, think about it."

"If I'm not mistaken, Josh's boss is a successful billionaire. Why not just hire a bunch of chefs and butlers?" I say, trying to find holes in the whole idea, even though deep down I know it's my only choice so far.

"He used to have tons of chefs and housekeepers but he fired all of them over a theft incident. He says he just wants one staff now. A maid. All you have to do is cook and clean. Think of it as babysitting." Maya says and I sigh.

"Except it's Josh's boss. You complain about him and you don't even work for him. I'm trying to avoid a job where I'd be cowering every second under a dominant figure. I can't go through what I just went through,....I...I can't."

"Hey, it's okay." Maya says slowly.

"You don't have to if you're having doubts. I just felt I should lay it out there and then maybe later you can consider it okay? If you want to give it a try just call Josh directly and see what he has to say. I won't force you to do whatever you're uncomfortable with."

"Thank you." I say and drop her phone back. Maya still looks doubtful and troubled.

"Just don't take too long to decide." She says and I nod, knowing she's right. I can't afford any delay, especially with the bills.

I suddenly feel weighed with responsibility and I can't help thinking of how I don't have a range of choices. Today is supposed to be my free day but how long before I'm burdened yet again with the bills.

"Hey, what do you say we go to my house and you can spend some time with Haley? Won't that be fun?"

"Maya--"

"Come on." She insists and pats her hand stubbornly on the table as she gets up.

I know she's only trying to change the topic and make me feel better so I comply the minute she drags me up after dropping the money for our coffee.

"It'll be ecstatic." She says the minute we climb into a taxi...

And it was. I couldn't help the play of a smile on my face when I spotted Haley all dressed up in her cute, pink baby overalls.

I'd never felt so happy, especially when she grabbed my finger with her full fist, or when she laughed while I blew a raspberry on her tummy, or when she giggled while I jiggled the bunch of plastic objects hanging above her cradle.

I didn't leave until she fell asleep in my arms, and for that moment, I felt that I was important, that I was worthy and my say mattered.

I feel more than happy when I get home, but the minute I walk through the door, I know something is wrong.

Ty is at the breakfast table, pen in hand staring at a bunch of papers, and when he turns to me, his worried look tears at me. 

"What's wrong?" I ask, too scared to know the answer.

He sighs before replying,

"The bills came in today." He says and I still don't get why he is so worried.

"It's okay, we'll just use the 1800 dollars to settle it and--"

"That's the thing, Marcy. It's gone."

I can feel the blood drain from my face.

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

I ask and he reaches for me, holding my hands in his, he looks at me and says,

"Dad had an incident today at the Nursing home--"

"No...."

"He collapsed and they had to rush him to the hospital."

"Oh, my God." 

I want to pull away and run. Run to him. Run to wherever they took my dad and tell him I'm sorry for not being there.

And I'm pulling and trying to tug my hands from Tyler's firm grip.

"Where is he?!" I demand in tears but Tyler doesn't free his grip on me.

"It's fine, Marcy. I promise you, it's fine." He says and pulls me into a hug.

"I was just gone for the day...I should have been there...I didn't know...." I say while crying on his chest and he holds me closer than ever.

"I handled it, don't worry. They just needed us to pay the bills and that's how the money was used."

"But it's not your duty to handle it, it's mine. I'm responsible and I let him down." I cry.

Tyler moves his hands to my shoulder and pulls me back a little to look at me.

"Marcy, it's okay, you can't blame yourself. He is doing well now, isn't that all that matters? We just have to think of how to settle the bills." Tyler says as he wipes my face and I now, trying to pull myself together.

"How much is left?" I ask, bracing myself for his response. He hesitates a little before replying,

"A hundred." He says and I stare down at my cellphone in my hand.

"When is the rent due?" I ask.

"The day after tomorrow."

He says and that's enough for me to start dialing Josh's number.

"Marcy?" He picks on the first ring and I turn to avoid Ţylers confused face before replying,

"Hey Josh, is there still a vacancy for the job?"

"The one for my boss? The live-in maid?" He asks and I can almost hear hope in his voice.

"Yes. I...uh...I'm interested."

I can hear him hesitate before replying,

"It's open, but you don't sound so sure--"

"I am. Just tell me when to meet him to apply."

"Why don't you come over to our house tomorrow? I'll drop you at his place before I leave for work."

"I will, thank you." I say and cut the call, not needing to hear him give me doubts because deep down, I wasn't sure.

But I need this job badly.

"What job?" Tyler asks behind me and I turn to him.

"Don't worry, it's decent. I'll tell you everything tomorrow, just....just go to bed, okay?" I say and he is still frowning but he simply walks towards me instead of his bedroom. 

"Don't do something you'll regret, okay? I love you, Marcy."

"To the moon and back." I reply before he plants a kiss on my cheek and heads for his room.

When he is gone, I divert my attention to the bills and try to pick out the ones I could pay for with the money left in my account.

All the while praying,

Oh, God...Oh my God, please help me...

******

I feel more nervous than when I went to apply for being a stripper.

Even though then, I had to wear less, and now, I'm in a knee-length floral gown with my hair packed neatly into a bun.

Josh parks in front of a gate and pressed the buzzer next to it.

"Who is it?" Comes a cold, quiet voice.

"It's Mr. Josh Parker, boss. I have an applicant for the maid job." He says and the buzzer light comes back on.

"Good." The voice says and the gate buzzes and slides open. Josh drives in and I stare at the huge house made of bricks and glass, mostly glass. There is a huge manicured lawn to the side and the rest of the surroundings is gravel, mostly occupied with cars.

"Now, listen Marcy...if you're having second thoughts or--"

"It's fine Josh. I thought about it. What other choice do I have? Don't worry." I say and climb out of the car and head straight for the door. I can hear Josh drive away the minute I ring the doorbell.

"It's open." Comes the voice and I take a deep breath before opening the door.

He has his back to me in a completely black, perfectly tailored suit and I stand there...waiting for his instruction.

Without turning to me, he walks forward into the living room and I follow suit.

Then he rounds the table in the middle and sits down before looking up at me.

Oh...God.

Oh no.

I recognize every detail about him and I can feel the air leave my lungs at the memory.

The man in suit. His perfectly combed hair, his perfect tie that he keeps adjusting, those cold blue eyes, and that tilt of the corner of his lip.

"Well, let's get started." He says and I stand, a prisoner to the spot as his gaze bores into mine.

"How bad do you want this job?"