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Please, please just listen to me. Cater something and store it in one of your refrigerators downstairs. When she’s not looking, I’ll help you swap the whole meal out secretly. Just please listen to me. -Nessie
…come on, is this for real? Are you trying to get me killed? -C
No, it’s you who’s going to an early grave if you let this woman cook. Do not let her cook. Pay Mary a retainer or something for the holiday cooking. I’m so serious. Please don’t do this to us. -Nessie
I gotta give her a chance if she’s going to truly ever like me. -C
Like you? That ship sailed long ago, my friend. Cater. The. Fucking. Thanksgiving. Dinner. Bitch. -Nessie
You need your mouth washed out with some soap, Ma’am. Is ‘bitch’ your favorite cuss word or something? I’ll teach you how to curse in Spanish, it’ll sound prettier. My God. -C
Colin put the phone down and shot her an incredulous look. Johnathan roared with laughter, having read the text exchange the whole time over Vanessa’s shoulder. Colin’s eyes narrowed slightly as he began to really pay attention to their interaction.
Olivia, who had been talking to Vanessa and Johnathan about a new recipe she wanted to try this year, was oblivious to the secret exchange.
Johnathan was nodding at her intently, his usual humorous self-feigning ignorance. He politely asked Olivia questions about what she normally cooks for the holiday, because he needed everything to be “halal” of course. Vanessa chuckled under her breath and rolled her eyes. Doing a better job at hiding her laughter than her sister had.
Then Olivia said something absolutely atrocious that made Colin frown and Johnathan’s eyebrows raise on a slight head tilt, and he pulled up his text quickly again.
Hell no, we aren’t eating that. Send me the company you usually use. -C
Vanessa broke out in peals of laughter, stemming it quickly. She took a huge bite of food and glanced at Colin with humorously big eyes.
He leaned forward and kissed Olivia on the side of her head, giving her ass a firm pat.
Can’t be good at everything, he thought to himself, finishing his coffee.
***
The weekend went by in a blur.
Vanessa, Allison, and Johnathan left, and Olivia spent a few days at the home while he was off to work. She spent her free time swimming laps in the indoor pool, trying to strengthen her arm more.
She didn’t even complain when Colin added extra safety monitors, wanting to be able to check from his phone to make sure she didn’t injure herself and drown while he was at the office. She spent her days swimming laps, and then going upstairs and practicing making focaccia bread with Mary. Finding solace in decorating the bread, and the results were beautiful.
She surprised Colin one day when he’d come home from work with a gorgeous bread design, kissing him senseless when he came into the kitchen. Colin felt at peace for once in his life and found himself relaxing more. Enjoying Olivia's company and the lack of anxiety that had been his ever-present companion since he was sixteen.
Colin disclosed to his therapist about how he felt settled and went through his days feeling almost like a new person.
Day by day Olivia found her initial anxiety over their arrangement easing, but also found that this new peace brought time to think. And when she had time for her thoughts, she thought about the past, how she got into working for Gypsy. About her parents. About Vanessa and Allison’s situation.
Giving up a grueling schedule for four years, she wasn’t used to having so much free time. She managed to find other ways to fill up her time before she met Colin. Now, she was struggling to find ways to occupy herself.
Olivia spent some time practicing dance moves, as she loved dancing. She took every opportunity to practice her moves before she’d got into the lifestyle. Thinking back, she smiled, remembering fondly how she used to teach a techniques class every once in a while at her and Aliyah’s friends’ studio. However, she could only teach about five times a year, lessons had become less and less frequent the more her arm bothered her.
Colin came home one day to her in the attic dusting. Another day to her having all his car doors open and detailing each one. She’d begun to fall asleep on top of her self-imposed architectural studies due to wearing herself out during the day. He wore her out further by making love to her most nights a week.
Though she orgasmed during these sessions he’d got the niggling feeling that something was wrong. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.
He spent his days wondering if it would break her emotionally for her to endure him forcing it out of her sexually. Though he knew she was strong, he’d gleamed in these weeks just how fragile her psyche was. Olivia had a delicate disposition. Would she forgive him if he took it that far?
One day, he came home, and Mary pulled him to the side in his study. The older woman looked at him with raised eyebrows.
“Mary, what’s wrong?” Colin asked, folding his arms and leaning his hips against his desk.
“Mijo, Olivia’s cleaning everything. I’ve caught her cleaning multiple bedrooms and their bathrooms this week, and today she was polishing the leather seats in the media room. Yesterday she was scrubbing the grout in the mudroom with a toothbrush! I don’t feel right accepting a paycheck if I’m not even able to do my job,” Mary said softly, placing her hand on his arm. “Something is bothering her, amor.”
He leaned against his desk, regarding the older woman who had been like a mom to him for the last ten years.
