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Then, my mind wanders a bit. Maybe it’s the smell of spring in the air, or maybe it’s my broken heart. I wonder if Elliot ever thinks of me. Probably not, to be honest, and my heart drops.
Suddenly, a voice startles me from my reverie.
“Kaylee, are you with us?” Rebecca barks. I jerk back to attention.
“Yeah, sorry. Just lost in thought.”
“Alright. You’re going to be cleaning the master bedroom, including the en suite attached to it. Then, after that, you get the bathroom in the upstairs hallway and the office right across from it. Okay?”
Ugh. This isn’t where I want to be, but my son needs food to eat.
“Sounds good,” I say with fake enthusiasm. “On it, boss!”
I try to look happy, or at least professional, as we march into the home. Thankfully, this house isn’t too big, and the job shouldn’t take more than a few hours.
Once inside the master bathroom, I get to work. I pour bleach into the tub, per usual, and then spray the toilet liberally with an industrial strength cleaner. The flush is loud when I press the handle.
Evidently, a woman lives here because her make-up is scattered all across the counter. There are a lot of fancy brands, and she’s pretty careless too. Her mascara is uncapped, leaving ugly black streaks on the marble, and there’s spilled powder from an eyeshadow palette. Small hairs are scattered here and there, and there are a couple of bunched up Kleenexes left lying around. When I throw them in the trash, I spy a used condom inside, limp and damp. Ugh.
I’m all for women’s lib, but unfortunately, my freedom got me nowhere. Instead, now I have a baby, and Ezra is the light of my life. But my chances of leaving Millbrook are virtually nil. I’d had grand dreams before, but they were just that: dreams. Now, I’m tied even tighter to Sparkle Maids, and there are no roads leading me away from the trailer park.
I think of Olly, for a moment. At least my best friend made it out. She’s at Penn State now, and while I know the tuition is a stretch, she got some loans and grants to help her. When we talk on the phone, she tells me that college is just “okay” and that she misses me and Ezra a lot. But I know the truth. She’s just trying to make me feel better. Our paths have diverged, and Olly’s on the up and up, whereas I’m literally a teen mom with very few choices.
But I’m happy for her. Olly was my biggest supporter during my pregnancy, and she never judged me for my actions. Yes, she was right about everything, but she never rubbed it in my face. Instead, she drove me to my doctor’s appointments, and rubbed my back when I sobbed. When my mom went ballistic and tried to convince me to do a termination, Olly stood up for me. She literally screamed right back at Coralie before escorting me out of the trailer. I lived with her and her family for a few weeks during that difficult time.
But September came, and Olly had to move on. I stop for a moment, just thinking about how our lives have diverged. My best friend is taking classes, exploring a college campus, and meeting new people. Meanwhile, here I am on my hands and knees, cleaning a strange person’s bathroom. I have a baby now, with real responsibilities, while my friend has the opportunity to explore young adulthood, and be wild and crazy if she chooses.
Suddenly, a sound startles me from my thoughts, and I poke my head out into the master bedroom to see who it is. I’m expecting a woman, but the woman I see makes me gasp. It’s Brina, the blonde bitch from Elliot’s office the day we met.
What’s she doing here? Is this her house?
My eyes dart to the pictures on the dresser, and I gasp again. Oh my god, this is definitely Brina’s bedroom, and I’m definitely in her bathroom right now. But before I can call out to alert her to my presence, she turns her back on me and starts talking to someone behind her. It’s incredible, but it sounds like she’s trying to come on to whomever it is. Does this woman ever stop?
“Come in,” she breathes heavily, with a coy tone to her voice. “I want to show you something.”
I duck into the bathroom again. I can’t believe this is happening. Just my luck – to be trapped in the middle of another amorous encounter. What if she’s successful this time? What if they start having sex in the bedroom, and I’m here, stuck in the bathroom? What do I do? Climb out the window? But what about my cleaning supplies?
I poke my head out to assess the situation, but then my heart stops in my chest because the man with her is Elliot.
