Cleo
Drake Markham has been watching me. I feel it more and more lately, ever since I turned eighteen. It looks like he’s eating breakfast or reading the newspaper but actually his eyes are trailing my body, taking in my every move.
I think it has something to do with my newly developed figure. Just six months ago, I was as skinny as a beanpole and looked like a boy. I had no boobs, no butt, no hips, straight as a ruler, yes sir. Add to that a terrible haircut and braces, and I was pretty much an ugly Pippi Longstocking complete with flaming red hair.
But I’ve changed these last few months.
“Mom,” I whispered, cheeks hot. “I need a bra. I can’t keep going around without one.”
It was so embarrassing to be talking about this at the breakfast table, but it was the only time I saw Lorena now. My mom was constantly disappearing, usually with our pool boy Carlos, and I could never catch her alone. My face colored, the heat rising all the way to my hairline, and I could barely move I was so humiliated.
But I’d seen Drake look. Despite the fact that I hadn’t glanced his way, I’d sensed his awareness of my words, of me. His eyes had flicked in my direction instinctively and then away, shielded by the rustle of his newspaper.
But Lorena knew no discretion.
“Oh honey, of course I’ll take you,” she singsonged, not bothering to lower her voice. “My little girl is growing up,” she trilled. “How delightful!”
And it was true, I did need a bra now. My girls were Double D’s, they’d puffed up overnight from invisible A’s and I could no longer go around without some support, my jugs were now so juicy and pendulous that they strained against my baby tee, the nips poking out like pebbles.
“Can you go this weekend?” I asked tightly, my voice strained. There was no point in whispering anymore, Drake could hear everything.
“Oh honey, this weekend is so soon,” Lorena replied, waving her hand at me, blowing at her nail polish. “How about a month from now? I have so much going on,” she offered as an excuse, although not saying exactly what. Probably lying by the pool watching Carlos, or him watching her, whichever way it went.
But our conversation got my stepdad’s attention. He snorted before growling, “Lorena, I think you should take her this weekend.”
I looked at him with grateful eyes, gazing into those dark blue irises. When had Daddy become so handsome, so arresting? My skin sizzled as he looked back at me, the intensity in the air electrifying, almost buzzing with our shared heat.
But Mom was immune to it all, sensing nothing.
“Oh alright,” pouted Lorena. “I’ll take her this weekend. Fine, since you guys are ganging up against me.”
And it was then that my stepdad got up, scooting back his chair and standing, his massive frame dominating the tiny breakfast nook.
“I’ve got to get to work now,” he rumbled, elegant in his thousand dollar suit. “Lorena, Cleo,” he nodded before striding out, his gait smooth, the long steps swallowing the distance in seconds.
And I sighed. Drake Markham … successful businessman, pillar of the community, handsome, charismatic, a man about town before he met my mom. How did Lorena snag him, when women everywhere were drooling, throwing themselves in his path?
But it’s not that hard to understand because my mom is really pretty with a bubbling, engaging personality. She used to be one of his cleaning ladies, someone the agency sent to sweep and vacuum every weekend. After six months at the estate, Drake noticed her. Not that I was surprised. My mom is a bombshell, the kind who has curves busting out in every direction, lots of pizzazz and juice.
And I saw the way she flirted with him, the way she always happened to trip and fall into his arms when he was around, the way she made herself available in the most obvious manner. And Drake was a man, he noticed too. He liked her curves, the way her ass was round and juicy, and pretty soon they were getting it on on a regular basis despite the fact that Lorena scrubbed his bathrooms.
“Mom, where were you?” I’d ask from the dining table after Mom had another late night. “Was it the Markham Estate again?”
I was almost afraid to ask. Before Lorena signed up with this housekeeping service we’d been living paycheck to paycheck, with no benefits, no security, nothing except the cash my mom brought home each week. So I was afraid that her illicit encounters with the boss were going to bring our newfound financial security down with a crash.
And Lorena nodded.
“I was with Drake Markham,” she exclaimed, fanning herself. “He’s so handsome isn’t he?” she giggled. “Now excuse me, I’ve got to change,” she pranced off, not even bothering to hide the fact that her uniform was askew, her hair a mess, no doubt from the hot session she’d just had.
But I only shook my head, not knowing what to say. Don’t sleep with the boss? If the housekeeping service finds out, they’re going to fire your ass in a second and we’ll be living out of the car again? But these words had been said a thousand times before, so I just put my head down, turned back to my homework and kept my mouth shut.
But Lorena struck gold, literally. One morning when I got up, I found my mom making pancakes in the kitchen of our trailer.
“Honey,” she said, “Come take a seat, I made your favorite blueberry flapjacks!”
And I stumbled sleepily to the low bench, plopping myself down on the cheap velour. When had Lorena ever been up before noon? Usually she only took afternoon jobs because her late nights with Mr. Markham were so frequent now that morning bookings were impossible. So to find her puttering around in an apron, happily humming at the crack of dawn was a change.
“Mom, what’s going on?” I asked blearily, rubbing my eyes. “Why are you up?”
“Oh honey, I wanted to take care of you, make sure you had a nutritious breakfast before heading to school,” she admonished fondly from the griddle. “Besides isn’t blueberry your favorite? Here, and I got your favorite whipped butter too,” she said, plunking down a plastic tub of the good stuff in front of me.
But that was when I saw the ring on her hand. A shiny gold band adorned her ring finger, with a big diamond poking off of it.
“Mom,” I gasped, my voice trailing off. “What is that?”
“What is what?” she asked sweetly, pretending that she didn’t know, looking at me quizzically. But I wasn’t playing games.
“You know!” I said, staring at her hand. “Where is that from? Who gave it to you?”
“Oh honey,” my mom giggled. “It’s from Mr. Markham, who else? The man that I work for at Markham Estates, you know, the one I’ve been seeing.”
I was taken aback. I wasn’t aware that my mom was “seeing” someone, I’d thought it was fly-by-night sex at best, billionaire magnates don’t date their cleaning ladies. So I shook my head slowly at the Cinderella fantasy.
“No seriously Mom, where did you get that?” I asked, my brows lowered. Stealing from clients is a crime. Not many cleaning ladies do it because the risk is too high, losing a steady job isn’t something most of us can afford. So I was worried, really worried, that my mom was off her rocker and had put our livelihood in jeopardy by swiping the client’s stuff.
But my mom was in a good mood and wasn’t going to entertain my grilling.
“Honey, Drake Markham asked me to marry him last night and I said yes!” she trilled. “Aren’t you excited for me?”
I shook my head resignedly.
“Mom, this isn’t a joke,” I reprimanded. “Where … did … you … get that ring?” I finished in a huff.
But my mom just pooh-poohed at me.
“Cleo, you’re always stuck in the mud,” she said. “Drake Markham gave it to me, didn’t I tell you already? We’re getting married,” she repeated, and with that, laughed and started dancing around the kitchen, the trailer bouncing on its wheels from her excitement.
“No more scrubbing dishes … no more dirty laundry … no more bowing down … because I’m the boss now!” she squealed.
And I had to laugh too because my mom has had it hard as a maid, most people don’t realize the abuse she puts up with from employers. It goes beyond the pale, I’ve got so many stories of the horrible things that have happened, the insults, the mental abuse, the fact that she was dirt to them. So if it was true that Mr. Markham had asked her to marry him, then I was happy for her.
“Okay, when will the wedding take place then?” I asked, still a little wary. Good news didn’t come our way very often and it wouldn’t be surprising if the engagement dragged on forever, just to be broken off in the end. Clearly, we hadn’t had a lot of luck in our lives so far.
But Lorena surprised me again.
“This weekend,” she trilled happily. “We’re just going to have a civil ceremony because you know, this isn’t the most traditional of relationships. So get ready baby, because we’re moving across the railroad tracks to the good side of town!”
And I laughed suddenly, breathless. Lorena’s happy mood was contagious and I felt elated, dizzy almost with the possibilities. After all, her new hubby had unlimited resources, we wouldn’t have to scrimp, save, and work our fingers to the bone in the hopes of a square meal. I hoped against hope that it wasn’t just a dream and that this new guy, Drake Markham, was going to be our savior.