Jesse made me ginger tea before he wrapped us in the blanket. We spoke for a while about how distant we had been and how much work he had to do. Although I didn't want to, I found myself talking about how I felt with Ives. How uncomfortable and insufficient she made me feel. Jesse laughed when I mentioned it saying she was better than before.
We slept holding each other like we would slip away if we didn't. My head on his chest and his face on my head, we slept, hoping the night will drag on longer than usual.
It was still dark when I felt him slip away. I opened my sleepy eyes. "You're off?" I asked, still cold from the water yesterday.
"Yeah. Sadly, they need me. But you'd be joining me by next week." He said holding my cold hands.
I jolted "Next week? But I don't know anything..."
He placed his finger on my lips "Yes you do. And you'll learn more once we start having real experiences."
"But Ives..." My voice trailed off.
He scoffed. "I didn't give her an option. You're joining me from next week." He planted a kiss on my forehead and hugged me "You smell great."
I whispered. "You too."
He handed me his card. "Go crazy, love." He kissed me again. "And that's an order." I grabbed the card and watched him leave. Yet again, the house was empty and I was left to myself.
I saw him pass instructions to the security who took me to the club the previous night and then he took off with Ronnie and his driver. I took a good look at the card. I didn't want anything. At least not yet. Ives texted that she was mandated to give me a day off, but we were working double time the next day.
I started my morning by ordering breakfast from my favorite British restaurant. Before then, Sandra and I would order for a cup of coffee and then sit by the window to watch the kind of men who came in. They were always looking high class, dressed in ironed out shirts and suits. Beards shaved and hair grey. The restaurant served the best and most expensive breakfasts. Even their coffee was expensive. Sandra and I had to work long hours and pray hard for tips to get to drink their coffee.
But there it was. My breakfast from The Momonth Restaurant. Bread freshly baked, soft and milky. It was hot and tasted home-made. Nothing as good as Jesse's but definitely worth the $30,000 I just spent on just bread, scrambled eggs and tea. They even added a complimentary cupcake.
"I see you're enjoying your unmerited break." Ives said, walking in with a bag of groceries. I was glad she came in after I was done with breakfast, I would have lost my appetite.
"Sí." I tried to impress her but she kept a straight face. Ives sighed and said a bunch of things only she could understand. "Excuse me?"
She shrieked in frustration. "You don't understand simple things like this and yet he wants you in the office."
"I'd learn." I said barely audible.
Ives scoffed. "You'd learn? When? How?" She dropped the groceries she was unpacking and moved closer to me. "Word of advice, stay back and learn some more. Else he'd discard you like he did with others."
It sounded more like a warning than it did an advice. I simply nodded and suddenly remembered, "Ives, can I ask you something?"
She didn't respond but I was going to ask anyway. "Who's Natalie?" Ives eyes widened and she stopped in her tracks, her back turned. There was a loud noise from behind.
"Mum." Ives yelled and moved towards Mira who had dropped the plate she had in her hand unto the floor. She stood there shaking while her eyes searched the room. Ives held her close. "It's gonna be ok." She kept repeating.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen." I tried helping but she shoved my hands away. "I'm really sorry, Mira. I just wanted to know cause I heard them talk about her..."
"Who!!" Mira screamed, startling me and making me loose my balance and fall to the ground.
"Jesse's brothers." I said, my breath heavy and shaky.
Ives lifted Mira who had sat on a glass by accident. "You should go to your room." She tried to lift her mother but she turned out heavier.
"Let me help." I offered. "It'd be a lot easier with both of us."
"If you really want to help..." She dragged Mira up. "Then stop acting ignorant. It's sickening."
I felt as though I had been inserted into a horror movie as I watched them walk back to Mira's room, hand in hand. Should I just ask Jesse? I thought but immediately decided against it. If they reacted this way, Jesse's might just send me back to Sandra's ice cream store.
Elle was the name of Jesse's late daughter, so Natalie couldn't be his daughter. I have a lot to learn, I whispered as I carried out my plate. As I walked by Mira's room, I heard her ask through the sob "How do you think she found out?"
"Men say so much when they're aroused, I guess Jesse isn't different after all." Ives replied with so much disdain in her voice.
Maybe Sandra's ice cream store wasn't such a bad idea. "I'm not a fan of horror movies." I whispered.