One

‘Gracie, is this the place?’ she asked her friend on the phone as she stopped in front of a big ranch house.

She could imagine Gracie nodding her head like a bobbing head again and again. They had looked at the picture of the building when they saw it on the internet and the building in front of her looked exactly like it

‘Yes, Pearl, it is the house.’

When she had seen it on the picture posted she had just admired the house but now  that she was in front of it her  mouth could not form the exact word to describe how huge and beautiful of a mansion it was. 'But very big, it…….’

Gracie was still talking. 'It is enough, just get out of the car and apply, show you are interested; only God knows how many women or men are there right now.’

Pearl nodded realizing she needed the job immediately.

'Wish me luck.' She said on the phone as she opened her car door.

'Best of luck.' she heard Gracie before she hang up.

She got down from her car, looked at the road and moved towards the gate in her black wedge and formal outfit; she took a deep breath, adjusted her clothes again, held her bag, looked straight and knocked on the gate; before she had the chance to knock again; the gate opened and a man, shorter than her with a long beard showed up looking at her from his big goggles.

He adjusted his glasses before he asked. 'Can I help you miss?’

She smiled and immediately nodded. ‘Yes, please I’m here to see the master of this household.’

The gate man held his glasses and scanned her from her head to her toe until he looked at her face again.

‘May I know your purpose?’

She continued.

‘Yes, I came to apply for the position offered.’

He paused and smiled. 'That was quick!’ before he opened the small gate and motioned her in

She did as he said.  Should she be surprised?

‘You can go in.’ He told her closing the gate behind her.

She looked at him one more time  before she continued walking towards the big house, a mile from the gate, she hoped it wouldn’t be like the last place she met; they had made her wait for hours before they attended to her and at the end, she wasn't given the job. She was here now, probably one of the few persons shortlisted for the interview. She tread slowly when she reach her destination and she just suddenly thought perhaps this wasn't what Katie and her needed.

Suddenly the door opened and a young lad came out holding a horsewhip; she looked at him; swinging the horsewhip, using to flog an imaginary person and using his mouth to make the sound 'Phap, phap!:

How could his father allow that?

‘Excuse me, please.’ She called the young boy before he turned the other direction.

The boy stopped and looked at her.

‘Yes, Madame.’

‘Where is the master of this house?’

He placed his hand on his chest. ‘I’m the master of this house.’

Pearl smiled. ‘No, I mean, the older man of the house.’

The boy made a sigh like he wanted to be the master of the house. ‘Dad is inside, please, excuse me.’ Then he walked away, probably to the backyard or something.

She took a deep breath and opened the door and walked into the house and the first thing that caught her attention was the sight of a man bare-chested seated on the couch, where were the other lucky applicants but at least she was the first.

She looked at him again. His eyes closed as his face remain up to the celling; she was starting to feel hot when she looked at his upper part; hairless and neat and his legs were on his table. She adjust the collar of her shirt that was suddenly becoming uncomfortable if there was too much heat; she wouldn’t have bothered putting on the long sleeve which she had on now.

And she heard his voice.

‘Senorita, I said not to be disturbed.’

She paused and looked back to see if there was someone else behind her but there wasn't.

He didn't know that...yet.

‘Good morning, My name is Pearl......’ She started as she approached him slowly.

He sat up, looked at her and suddenly her legs stopped moving; he blinked and diverted his attention somewhere which gave her time to regroup and March towards him but gently. He picked up his white shirt close to him and put it on  hand by hand but he didn't button it.

‘Yes, what can I help you with?’ he sat up.

She stopped in front of him. She breathed in again before she focused on his face instead of his chest she could still see. She stood confidently.

‘I came to apply for the job.’

‘That was quick!’ He said as he placed his feet down and buttoned the few buttons he came across.

‘That was quick?’ She didn’t understand why he said that too. When she realized she had repeated after him, it was too late to take it back.

He nodded looking straight in her eyes. ‘Yes, I only sent that four days ago and I didn’t think it would be soon…..or will you tell me, you are desperate for a job that you decided to pick the first one you saw?’

There was a humor in what he said and there was sarcasm.

She looked at him and gave a fake smile; she didn’t need to convince him otherwise, he can think anything he wants and she wasn't ready to ruin her chances of getting this job.

‘Sir, I came to apply because I have been desperate, yes, you are right, but I do have experience as a teacher, I just need you to give me this chance. I just move into the country and I have no job and I need to feed and so those……’

‘Stop!’ He stood up.

‘I don’t care what explanations you have, I only have one question……….'

She waited for it.

'Do you have a criminal record?’ He asked looking still at her.

She stopped for a second. Really? ‘Is that necessary?’

He shrugged.

‘Not really but since I am going to be your boss, I want to know everything. I hate anything that deals with the law but in due time.’

She ponder on the question for a minute. She was not a criminal. 'Sir, the issue is that…….’

‘Save it.’ He said putting on his slippers this time and taking his phone with him.

He looked at her again and smiled.

‘Call me William and whatever it is, you can explain it while working, I will like if you begin immediately, if you please.’

She stood there looking at him. So fast? But...

‘I would like to ask a question…..’

He looked at her, his face undoubtedly strict.

‘Whatever you want to ask, ask while working. You start tomorrow.’

She blinked as she remained there.

What is wrong with this man? So she didn’t have any say now? How could she when he was her boss?

‘I have a daughter who also needs me.’ That is very important not to be push over.

That stopped him before he passed her. Well, at least he would have a soft spot for a little girl.

He put on his phone. 'Just bring all your things here, I hate having problems of transportation, punctuality and all those, I refer those working with me live here.’ he said without looking at her.

He looked up from his phone and took the last look at her for a few seconds before he continued. ‘Tomorrow, you begin work, ma’am, excuse me.’ He said and excused himself.

She stood where she was for what seemed like hours that her legs even hurt; maybe just thinking about it; she would hate working with this authoritative human being but It was her cross, so she had to carry it. If she wanted to make a good life for Katie and her, she had to do this, even now that this was the only thing she could get at least for now.

******

'Mommy, you didn’t tell me about the person we will be staying with.’ Katie asked her in the car, after they said goodbye to Gracie and parked their bags into the car.

Pearl kept her eyes on the road as she heard Katie question; the only thing that was important was they were fine and together. Where they are going, no one would find them there.

‘His name is Mr. William; I think he is a nice man.’

Think?

‘He is going to be like daddy?’

Pearl looked at her daughter as she melted her heart, she touched her cheek and smiled. ‘No, He has a son, so, you can become his friend, you can have someone to talk to until we find a good school for you, wouldn’t that be nice?’

Katie nodded her head, already smiling. ‘A school that have people like Nathaniel and Willy right, mom?’

She nodded as she patted her baby's head. ‘We will find that school.’

She smiled and faced the road.

When she got back yesterday, Gracie had queried her about everything that happened with the half-naked master, she met, although she had not been able to tell her how she felt, Gracie had told her to wait for a while and look for another job but she couldn’t soon she would have to stop depending on Gracie; what will she do then, she had to take what she is being offered, no matter how small or of poor quality it might seem, she would take that risk rather than waiting lowly for Richard to find them.

‘Mom, do you think the master will like my present?’ Her sweet, sweet seven year old angel asked her.

She smiled at her.

‘Honey, no one in this world wouldn’t like your present.’ So far the way she knew the master he wasn’t nice, he wasn’t pleasant or polite, he wasn’t warm-hearted but he was indeed good-looking at least she wouldn’t kill the man soon enough he needed some credits after he gave her the job.

They got close to the gate as it opened; the gate man greeted her with a bow as she drove her car into the large compound.

Kate looked at the huge mansion.

They both came out as Katie still held on to her bag pack admiring the hug building, her mouth open and huge big smile on her face that was interpreted as I live here now.  The master approached them with the horse he was sitting on.

‘Good morning, ma’am I see you are here early.’

‘Good morning.’ She greeted back not meeting his eyes.

She watched his glance moved to Katie.

‘Honey say hello to the master.’

Katie smiled and greeted. ‘Good morning, master I made this for you.’ She stretched her hand with a card in it.

He looked at her hand and the card then he turned to Pearl who half expected him to collect but he just pat the horse he sat on and nodded. ‘How sweet, little miss, hold on to that till we meet again.’

Pearl looked at him; would it have removed anything from him, if he collected it now?

Katie took her hand back and replaced them by her sides.

‘This must be your daughter……..’

‘Katherine Jackson.’ She told him, and then she remembered, she hasn’t even told him her name yet.

‘Katherine, okay.’ He nodded like he had more pressing matters to attend to and called from the house.

‘Clarissa! Clarissa!’

A lady came running from inside.

Pearl frowned and shake her head. How delightful! He calls, the maids runs!

‘Get them settled.’ He told her and turned his horse.

‘Listen…..’ she called for his attention.

Then he turned. ‘I want to see you in my office with your CV at four.’ Then he turned and left without even caring what she had to say.

She watched him excuse himself.

What kind of person is this? What kind of world does he think he is living in?

She stopped suddenly and looked at her baby as Clarissa smiled with her.

She had better stop complaining; no one forced her here.