THE HOUSE MAID

CHAPTER 3

My heart stopped when I heard the familiar voice at the front door.

Footsteps approached, echoing through the family room. I quickly rushed to the kitchen, hoping to avoid being seen.

"What's wrong?" mother asked, as she watched me pace around the kitchen.

"It's Asher," I whispered, feeling my heart racing in her chest.

"You still like him, don't you?" mother said knowingly.

"No, I don't," I said, shaking my head intensively. "I haven't seen him in years. I'm not sure how he'll react if he sees me."

"Lucia, it's okay to feel nervous, but I think you're selling yourself short," mother said gently. "He'll probably be happy to see you."

Just then, the footsteps stopped right outside the kitchen door. I held my breath, unsure of what to do.

"Lucia?" he said in disbelief, his eyes wide. I looked up at him, my heart racing in my chest. "Hey," I managed to say.

I was trying to hide my feelings, but I'm not sure if I was doing a good job.

"When did you get back to town?" he asked. "Yesterday," I said. "I came to help my mom out."

He nodded, his eyes searching my face. "And what about you?" I asked. "You don't usually visit your parents that often.

"I know," he said, his hands resting on his sides lazily. "But Mom really wanted me to come for the holidays this year, so I decided to go with it."

" I'm sure they are glad you did" I said. A moment of silence passed between us. "Well I have something I was doing earlier so you should be going " I lied wanting to get out of this situation.

"Wait," he blurted out, reaching out to grasp my arm. I turned back to face him, his brow furrowed. "Is something wrong?" I asked, looking at his hands that were on mine.

"I just..." He trailed off, not sure what to say. "I'm glad you're here and I'd hate for us to just go back to our separate lives without getting a chance to really catch up."He completes before leaving.

…

Ahser took a bottle of water and headed outside. As he walked down the dark hallway he couldn't help thinking about Lucia.

He hadn't expected to see her at all, and seeing her here was such a surprise, seeing her unlocked feelings he had buckled up after she left .

She looked even more beautiful than I remembered, time really did her well.

Her brown hair was a bit longer, and it gave her a confident look. Her face, which she'd always considered too "baby-like," now suited her body perfectly.

She had grown into a beautiful young lady. Asher calmly walks to the family room, there he met his mother

"Why didn't you tell me?" Asher asks. She was sprawled on the couch, her legs splayed out in a decidedly unladylike manner.

"It was a surprise to me, so I decided to make it a surprise for you," she said, giggling, like an 8th grader . She sat up straight and smoothed out her dress.

"She's grown up beautiful, hasn't she?"

"Yes, she has," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I hoped my mother wouldn't notice how nervous I was.

" You still like her don't you?" She asked me with a smirk on her face

"definitely not" I defend.

" Look, I am your mother, you came out of this wombs, so I know when you're lying about something" she smirks before walking away leaving me to my thoughts.

Asher stood there, my mouth agape in shock. Lucia just came today and she's already messing up with his mind, without even knowing she's doing it.

He walked up to his old room and started picking out an outfit from his arranged closet.

After bathing and dressing, Asher lay on his bed and started responding to emails he had been avoiding.

"The marketing team is asking for another week extension on the project we asked of them" one message said. Quickly, he calls his secretary.

"Good day, sir," he said, picking up after the first ring.

"I can't approve another week extension for the marketing team," Asher started, "We've already given them two weeks, tell them that if they don't deliver the project at the end of this week they'll see my real colours" Asher shouted.

"Ye-Yes, sir," James, his secretary, stammered. "Should I tell the shareholders about your new offer?"

"Yes, tell them I'm willing to give them a 5% share of the company," Asher says. "If they don't agree, they can leave the deal. I'm sure I can find other clients who are more serious than they are."

"I'll pass on the message, sir," James said. "Is there anything else you need?"

I thought for a moment. "No, that's all for now," Asher stops, " You know what James, you can take the holidays off" he added feeling in a good mood.

" Are you for real sir" he gasped, doubt filled his voice.

" Don't make me repeat myself " Asher stated

"Thank you sir " James says before Asher cuts the call.

Aher looked outside and he could see a rain storm was coming in a moment . He felt thirsty and decided to go down to grab a bottle of water.

" Where are you guys going?" Asher questioned as I saw Lucia and her Mom standing at the front door area.

" We are about to leave Asher," her Mom answered back.

" But it's about to rain, you two can't go out like that, not especially in the heavy rainfall that is currently heading this way, '' Asher stated.

"We've got so many things we have to do, am sure we can manage" Lucia replies this time, as she held her mother's hands and made a move in opening the door. He quickly rushed and stood at their front.

" At least let me drive you," Asher requested. He just couldn't allow them to leave without shade

" Alright then we'll be waiting" her Mom answers. So Asher quickly rushed to the table where he dropped his keys.