HollyMaid - Chapter 2

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"Well, I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth either," she smiled as she put the box down. "Moved up the hard way?" I questioned? "Yes and no," she smiled. "My parents were dirt poor and pretty much still are. I got a college grant because my grades were good, and I used that to get myself into medical school. From there, I interned at a very large city hospital ER room, and from there, I came here and started doing what I really like." "And that is?" I asked. "Plastic surgeon and gender dysphoria work." "Sounds complicated," I replied. "I'm not even sure what it means," I smiled.

I pretty well had my living quarters squared away when Holly started asking more personal questions. "Any girlfriends I should know about, just in case I see another new face," she added. "No, not really. I don't have much of a social life for reasons you can easily see." "The scar?" she questioned. "Yes," I replied blankly. "I doubt a woman has ever even given me a second look." "Well, it is rather ugly, but I could fix it so you would never know it was there." "Right, and Elvis was taken by a UFO," I replied. "Really. I could fix that in one operation," she insisted.

"I have asked several doctors about getting something done, and they all said since it happened so long ago, it's not likely that it will ever go away or even be fixable. And besides that, how would I pay the bill?" "Well, think about it at least, and I assure you I can fix it, or my name isn't Holly Parker."

She left me after that as I had to shower and get ready for my night job. The scar was ugly and started just below my ear and went straight to the corner of my mouth. It was about a quarter-inch wide, and I got it in the car wreck that killed my parents. There was no nerve damage, and I guess that was a good thing, but I was never a hit with the ladies if you know what I mean. I did a quick inventory of the kitchen before I left, and it was pretty obvious Holly needed everything in the way of food, that is.

Grace let me in the back door at the store as soon as I hit the call button. Grace was very pretty and probably the only female that didn't seem bothered by the scar across my face. She knew how it got there and told me she felt sad for me a time or two. We often had a late dinner together, and she was about the closest thing I had to a female that I considered a friend. I told her about meeting Holly and how I had a place of my own now, as well as a car. She was very happy for me and said I should make the best of it.

I didn't go home that night, as I often took a nap in the storeroom, then went to my day job from the store. Bobby started right in on me as soon as I got there about quitting. "You're the best manager I have had in quite some time. You handle the orders for supplies; the books balance at the end of the month. All the other employees like working for you. Please don't quit." On and on, he went for the whole two weeks. I was never so glad to see the last day at that place.

I began in earnest after that to make Holly's house into a home. I cut the grass every Friday and did some kind of cleaning inside almost every day. The pool was cleaned now, so I kept the chemicals balanced, so the water was clean and clear. Holly never worked on Sunday and was off about every other Saturday. The store was closed on the weekends, so I was off as well, and that was about the only time we saw each other unless she came home in time for dinner.

It was early one Saturday, while I was cleaning the ground floor that Holly came down in just her robe. I had already had breakfast and told her I had fixed her a plate, as well. It was in the microwave. All she had to do was warm it up. "Don't you ever rest?" she asked as I placed the plate in front of her. "Just trying to earn my keep," I stated. "I've done some kind of work all my life." "The place doesn't have to be white glove all the time," she smiled. "Just the same," I spoke softly. "You never know when the snobs might stop by, and I would rather it was."

"You have been here two months now, and the place has never been cleaner or looked better. Your place with me is safe. You don't have to keep it spotless."

I took her plate as soon as she finished eating. I dumped the crumbs in the disposal and put the plate in the dishwasher. I filled her coffee cup and started to vacuum again. When I put the vacuum away, she called me from the dining room. I hurried to see what she needed. "Have a seat." She pushed the chair out with her foot. "I still have three more rooms to clean. Is this going to take long?" "No and no more cleaning today period end of the story." "Okay," I replied softly. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked.

"No, you have done everything right. You have cleaned and dusted every room in the house. Hell, you even clean my bathroom and wash all the linen. I do have one question," she added. I didn't answer. I just waited to hear the rest. "You never seem to make it to my bedroom. "Is there a reason for that?" "You never come to the basement or invade my privacy, so I was giving you the same respect. I will gladly clean your room, as well, but only if I have your permission. When you gave me the tour, it didn't include your bedroom, so I assumed it was off-limits. Women, it seems to me like their privacy."

She took me by the hand and led me to her bedroom. It looked like a federal disaster zone, and I suspect that was why it wasn't included on the first tour. "Now, anytime you need to, you have my permission to come into my bedroom even if I am here. I would prefer that you knock, just in case, I'm not dressed. You seem to do really well with the other laundry. Do you know how to handle delicate's? "Yes, my first foster mom made sure of that." 'You were in foster care?" She looked at me, puzzled. "Yes," I replied, 'and was till the very day I moved in here." She got an emergency call from the hospital about that time and had to leave right away. "No more work today," she ordered before she left. You have today off."

As much as I would have loved to take the day off, after seeing her room, there was no way I could. I can't stand clutter, and her room was a poster child for it. It had to be cleaned, and the sooner, the better. I walked her to the car and waited till she was out of sight. I immediately went to her room and basically took it apart.

I sorted her dirty clothes and started the first load. Then I surveyed the room, looking for some way to organize it. The two walk-in closets would come in handy, and with the huge bedroom suite, there was plenty of drawers for the other stuff. I decided that one should be for work and casual clothes and the other for the dress and formal things. The first load of clothes were done by the time I had sorted the first closet. I put those in the dryer and started another, figuring that three loads would get the job done.

There was a mountain of formal and dress clothes on the bed, and I sorted them by putting dresses and skirts on one side and slacks and blouses on the other. She had a ton of shoes and more high heels than any woman I had known. Many of them were scuffed, so I lined the bottom of the closet with them as I polished and removed the scuffs, as well. I folded the first load of clothes, putting them on the bed for the time being. I had already changed the bed linen and made it for her, as well as dusting and vacuuming the floor.

Her chest of drawers, as well as her dresser, were as big a mess as the rest of the room. I dumped it all on the bed and started over. I filled two drawers with nothing but panties. Then another two with bras and half slips. Stockings and garter belts found their own drawer, and then I moved onto less delicate things. Socks, pajamas, and the likes went in the dresser. Her robe, as well as her sleep sets, got washed just for the sake of it, and they were put away, as well.

Last but not least, I cleaned her bathroom and polished everything that needed it. I even cleaned and polished the ceiling fan that had a good inch of dust on the blades. I had started this project just afternoon, and now it was almost 5: 30. Holly should be back soon, I thought, so I headed for the kitchen to make a nice dinner.

I was satisfied when I left her room that I had done a good job. It was clean and neat and sparkled like a new coin when I turned out the light. I had steaks and potatoes on the grill and was fixing us both a salad when she called. She was on her way home and would be here in about ten minutes. I told her dinner was almost ready, and I would see her then.

I had just set the table when she walked in, and she stopped long enough to tell me dinner smelled good. So I told her to have a seat if she wanted it hot. What she wanted was a hot shower, but she decided it could wait till after she ate. "I gave you the day off, but it looks to me like you have been very busy." "Just the normal stuff," I replied as I put the food on the table. "Tomorrow, we're both taking the day off, and that's final. If you even think about work, I'll throw you in the pool," she smiled.

She finished her dinner long before I did and said it was great. "I'm going to take a shower and change clothes then, well, watch a movie or something." I finished eating and cleaned up the kitchen. I had just put the last plate in the dishwasher when I heard the doorbell. "Coming," Holly shouted as she bounced down the stairs. "Hi Cathy," Holly greeted the person at the door. I made a quick exit waiting till Holly took her guest to the living room. I took the back way to the basement. I hoped she hadn't seen me, as it might have looked bad for Holly having a man in the house, as it were.

Cathy had one of those voices that carried very good. It was hard not to hear almost every word she said. Although, I didn't always hear Holly's reply. There were a few minutes of small talk before Cathy noticed how clean the house was. "You must have gotten a maid," Cathy asserted. "Yes, I did," Holly replied. "And I have never been so thankful. This place is so clean now." "She does good work," Cathy stated. "I don't ever recall this place looking so good. Is she full-time," Cathy asked? "No, just part-time," Holly replied, "but I assure you the whole house is spotless.