FIRED

KAREN ANDERSON 

"Who are you?"

I heard a commanding voice behind me. 

Startled, I turned sharply to see a pair of unfriendly dark eyes shooting right up at me.

"Shit!"

I quickly started to climb down the ladder. But I mistakenly missed a step and my grip on the ladder went loose the next second. I heard the creaking sound from the ladder and felt my feet slipping away from the rungs of the ladder and next I saw my dear self flying in the air. 

My heart raced as a sense of dread enveloped me. And the only thing I imagined that moment as I fell was being moved around in a wheelchair. Just like Dad. The tears in Dad and Lilly's face. How Capon and every other debtee we owed will run riot in our home and our house would be taken. Lily would drop out of school. Father's treatment will stop and…

"What are you doing? Won't you get down?"

"Huh…"

My eyes flicked open and I was met with a scowling face and strong arms holding me up. 

Frightened, I jumped with my buttocks nearly landing roughly against the floor. 

"I…"

I tried to speak but he cut me off. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

I inwardly pleaded with my thumping heart to calm down. I knew I had to settle this here lest Mr Hendricks get a wind of it and both Mrs Caro and I would be a goner. 

"I.. I am a…"

"Wait…you…" he blurted, pointing at me. 

"We have met before, haven't we? Who sent you? Which company do you work for?"

I frowned. His words confused me. Then I stopped and looked at him. He looked oddly familiar. 

His gaze held me. Fine dark eyes. 

Those eyes… where have I seen them… 

Then it hit me. The snob at the club. What was he doing in Mr Hendricks house and in the young Master's room…

Wait… Was he an old servant I hadn't met or was he a new man servant? 

I scanned him. He looked nothing like a servant. The aura from him felt nothing like that a servant could possess. 

His eyes pinched and he took a step towards me. 

"Did you not just hear me? What are you doing in my house?"

His house? There was only one person aside from Mr Hendricks that could say those words. Young master. 

I looked at him again and hell the resemblance struck me. My jaw hung in the air and for a moment I felt my body numb. 

He was the Young master? Jay Adams?

But apart from being Jay Adams, another thing struck me. The realisation of where I had met him. I couldn't have forgotten those eyes that held me captive and yet hurled those words at me. 

Nightclub!

"We have met before, haven't we?" He asked again, taking another daring step towards me. 

"No, we haven't met before. I don't work for any company and I was sent by no one." I scrambled over to where my cleaning tools were and grabbed them. I knew I had to leave before it was too late. 

Before he realised who I was. 

As my heavy feet sauntered towards the door, I prayed earnestly that he never remembered where he had met me. 

But I barely made it out of the room before I heard his thundering voice behind me. "Stop right there!"

My muscles tensed up and my heart started to pound again. He started towards me, the sound of his shoes becoming louder and ominous as he neared me. I gripped my dress and held my breath.

"You know me, don't you?"

I wasn't sure if he already knew who I was or he was just trying to stylishly sniff out the truth from me. 

But I maintained my ground.

"No sir, I'm just a common cleaner here. How could I have met someone as affluent as you when I'm just a common cleaner."

"Then why do you avoid my eyes?"

My eyes widened but quickly dropped. Then my heart raced. I looked at the door handle., I was just a step from it. I could just run out of there and out of job or remain there and…

"You are the lady from the club… " he said, halting my thoughts. I had been caught. 

I turned around slowly. "I.. yes it was me."

His face tightened. 

"What are you doing here? What are you doing in my house?"

I swallowed. 

"I work here… as a part time maid here."

I watched as his brows furrowed together.

"What did you just say?" His lips pursed. 

I blinked. He looked really furious. I couldn't help but wonder if it was because I tried seducing him at the nightclub or because I was working as his maid in his house.

"Did you just say you work here? Who said so? Who said you can work here? Who allowed you into my house!" 

My body shook as his darkened eyes shot daggers at me. 

"Did you not hear me? Who brought you into my house?" He snarled.

"I…I was employed. Mr Hendricks employed me.." I blurted with quivering lips.

He scoffed. "My grandfather won't do it. He would never let your kind into my house!"

I could hear his bark echoe against the marble walls and vibrating within my ear drums. 

"Follow me, He said, briskly walking past me and stormed out the door. 

I followed him, lifting my legs that had gone heavy and could barely carry my frightened body. I had never been this scared before. I couldn't think…

I had no idea what I was supposed to think. 

Danger was imminent. I smelt it. I felt it but I refused to think about it. 

He marched towards Mr Hendricks' room but we were only halfway the long corridor when Mr Hendricks stepped out of his room. 

"Jay… you haven't left for work…" Mr Hendricks was speaking but stopped when he looked past the furious young Master and sighted me.

I bent my head, ashamed and sorry. I had put him in a tight spot. 

"Grandfather, did you bring her in here?" Jay asked Mr Hendricks. 

"Yes, I did. I'm sorry Jay," Mr Hendricks said calmly. 

Jay looked at him. I saw him drag a shaky breath and for a few seconds he just lowered his head trying to calm himself. 

"Jay, can we talk?" Mr Hendricks started after a short while. "I'm sorry for not talking to you about this…"

"There is nothing to talk about grandfather… you know everything. Why then have you done this? You know how much… how much…I don't want this…" 

Jay staggered a bit. Mr Hendricks impulsively reached out to hold him. 

Jay looked like he was having difficult breathing. 

He gripped his chest as though it was tight. I couldn't see his face but when I managed to see the side of his face, it was flushed and pale. He looked like he was sick. 

"I'm fine …" he whispered under his breath as his right hand reached the wall and gripped it.

"Jay, are you okay… should I get your medication?" Mr Hendricks charged forward and held him close, ignoring his "I'm fine"

I was shocked. I couldn't believe what I was watching. I was literally seeing a different Jay. The cold hardened man I saw at the nightclub had vanished, replaced with a totally different person. 

After a while, Jay steadied and stood straight again. 

"I'm sure you must have had your reason for defying the rules of our house, grandfather. But I want her gone before tomorrow. I do not want to ever see her face in my house."

I heard Jay say before he spun on his heels and started to walk out. 

As he walked past me, he stopped beside me briefly, glared at me a bit longer before he walked past me. 

I looked at Mr Hendricks. He was still looking towards the road Jay had passed. His eyes were sad. I went over to where he was standing. 

"I'm sorry Mr Hendricks. It's all my fault. I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have entered his room." 

"Well," he let out a soft sigh and forced a smile. "It's okay."

"But Mr Hendricks, am I really fired?" I looked up at him. His sad eyes held mine. 

"I'm sorry Karen. I wished I could have been of more help but there is nothing I can do."

My ears twitched. I thought I had heard wrong. 

"I don't understand… have I done something to offend him without knowing?"

"It's not you Karen. It's just… it's just that…" his voice trailed off and my curiosity piqued. But he didn't continue what he was saying. 

"I'm sorry Karen. You can't work here anymore."

Mr He

ndricks turned and walked back into his room. 

I watched, rooted to the spot and only heard the faint sound of the door as it went shut. Everything else went blank.