The maid
I was Still excited from my last journey and adventure it had become the time to take a break from it all, I was feeling a bit under the weather and kind of home sick so home was where I was planning on going for my vacation it was about the time that an old foster parents invited me come over for a few weeks,
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I was excited about being invited to join a few old friends of mine, that I viewed as like a mother and father "John and Eliza" an old English couple residing in south America in Guyana to be exact so I was going home in a matter of speaking.
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I left for the airport as soon as possible looking forward to get some very needed rest and relaxation. But rushing to pack and forgot to eat or bring along a snack of some sort so by the time got to the airport I was hungry and sleepy as I stepped out of the taxi I got something to eat and got lost in rush of trying to make my way to the departure lounge after checking in my luggage,
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I was Reading a book while waiting in the departure lounge Only to see a young girl staring at me constantly and to my surprise she called out my name royland now at this point I am completely embarrassed believing that she is probably the child of someone I met while working or visiting friends but I could Tell if I knew her from somewhere. so as I ask her if she knew me from somewhere ?
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She told me that she always saw me in pictures with her "Nana" now there is only one person I know by that name and that is Eliza it's a name I use to call her as a child all the kids around knew her as nana so I took out an old picture that I had of Eliza John and our two families and the the young girl recognized her as the Nana she was speaking of so I decided to befriend her and we just happen to be traveling to the same destination coincidentally I decided to allow her travel with me all the way to Eliza and John over the short flight we still got a little chance to get to know each other and how we both came to know nana and and had come to see as mother so she finally told me her name was isabel and that she was eighteen years old as we got to the airport in Guyana I pay for a taxi for us two and we made our way to one of the country side regions in Guyana,
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It was a long drive so I fell asleep and three hours later isabel woke me up tapping on my arm saying we are here now, as we got to the long walkway path leading the to John and Eliza's home as we got closer a woman came running out shouting "Isabel Isabel" get in this house now, she grab hold of her by by one of her hands pulling her in the yard, went into the house and slammed the door behind her. a lot of angry shouting started to take place at this point,
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I was left speechless, at that moment trying to think of what exactly I did wrong John came running out to see what was going on when he saw it me he was more confused about the situation than I was, so we went into the house and we all sat down and began to talk about what really happened so Isabel's mother complained about her daughter being warned about talking with strangers John and his wife started laughing and asked her if she was talking about me?
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she replied yes and angrily stated that an older man like me should not be around her daughter I tried to explain that it was all a misunderstanding and that I didn't mean any harm by speaking to her daughter and that I viewed her daughter as if I was like an uncle or even a fatherly figure and that nothing inappropriate crossed my mind, i apologized a few more times
And it's at this time that John came to my rescue, and explained to the young girl mother that my name was royland the very same royland that that they all knew from stories often told by Eliza.
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Now the room had gotten very quiet so no one said a word it is then politely introduced myself and the girl's mother shacked my hand and apologize for the whole misunderstanding and said her name was eve, by this time we had all been sitting around for about an hour John got up and got us some tea and we all sat around some more and and started talking Eliza then said to me this is my daughter eve to witch I was shocked because to my knowledge John and Eliza had no children, so she tell me this is the daughter from her first marriage before she and John got married, but that she and John loved and raise her like their own, but she lived mostly back in England with other relatives all the way up to most of her adult life, all the way until she got isabel and she often visited us back here in guyana twice a year so then it all started to make sense, so now that we all gotten more relaxed and well acquainted.
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I decided to ask Eliza about these stories she told about me she said it was from the long letters that I often wrote to her and John from time to time that she just narrated them into stories that was told around barbecues and camp fires. I was kinda embarrassed and flattered at the idea of me being the topic of campfire stories. now eve had on a maid outfit so I kindly and discreetly asked her what was the reason for this so she told me she ran a home cleaning and maid service business back in England and that she used some of her old uniforms when cleaning around the house.
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"things are not as they used to be for dad and mom she tells me they are much more older and feeble now more than before and can use as much help as possible so when my husband died I used my change in circumstances as an opportunity to help out my parents, so in order to make myself useful to them,
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I relocated my business to Guyana and me and daughter moved in with mom and dad seeing they had the extra rooms to accommodate so we moved in with them to make sure they would be taken care of"
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I got up and thanked her for taking care of John and Eliza and that they were both very important to me as they helped raise me from a young age and that I was happy to know that Eliza and John were being taken care of, she smiled and said that she didn't expect anyone to thank her for taking care of her own parents and we both smiled and sat down to enjoy our tea,
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as the days went on I got the needed rest I even I got a better chance to know eve and Isabel even more and gradually we all became friends. at times however I would often notice eve of course she was a beautiful woman of course but I was attracted to all her personality qualities that way she patiently takes care of her parents and her overprotective attitude towards her daughter made me realize how much of an amazing woman she is, but I only admired her from a distance. Because in my opinion I thought it would be better not to offend Eliza in any way if for some reason she found out I was checking out her daughter after all I respected Eliza like a mother because she and John took me in at a young age and treated as a son, so as attracted as I was to eve I just avoided knew it would be best not to create any trouble for these wonderful people.
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So one morning I was cleaning my tools and equipment that I used for work as I usually would take along a spare set of basic tools with me even when on vacation or business trips,
I was out cleaning them out by the back part of the house down by an old garbage pit that was use for burning tree trimmings and Small bits of trash, minding my own business and cleaning them not noticing what was happening around as everyone busy with one thing or the other and isabel was at collage,
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So eve came and sat down next to me and started to stare at me not saying anything just staring at me, at this time I was very embarrassed thinking to myself that maybe just maybe eve caught on to the fact that I always made secret glances at her when she was working so I just avoided eye contact as much as possible, and I just nicely asked her can I help you with something eve? I asked quietly not knowing if for some reason she knew about my attraction to her so then she replied "so why did you stop looking me ? Haaa................ Was all I could think of saying at that point being ridiculously embarrassed about the fact that she knew all this time I just started apologizing for any disrespect I never meant any, she smiled and started laughing out loud enough for everyone else inside to come out asking what was going on so eve tells John and Eliza " I have been noticing royland checking me out and admiring me from time to I and when I asked him about it be just started apologizing so that is why I burst out laughing because he acted like he caught doing something so wrong "
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At this I am just hoping that the ground can open up and swallow me up some how and John tells Liz ( as he sometimes calls his wife Liz ) Liz it finally happened he did it, so now both me and eve left confused about what exactly John and Eliza are taking about , so Eliza explained that is whole reason they invited me to come for a visit was with the hopes of me still being single and that somehow me and eve would meet each other and hit it off somehow, "because I only want the best for my daughter and in our opinion as her parents you are the best kind of man" exclaimed Eliza at this point I have my head bent down crying just thinking to myself that after all these years they are still looking out for me it just made my heart glad,
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So eve comes over and asked me if I was ok I answered yes I am fine thanks, but at that point I was beyond feeling anything I was just shocked by the turn of events eve now asked if we could just talk for a bit I was reluctant to answer at first but I decided that will be best to handle this maturely I agreed to sit down and talk with her she starts off by telling that if I interested in getting to know her and possibility dating her that I needed to know how her husband died and why it is hard for her to allow men to get close enough to her, she began by saying
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" I caught him cheating on me two days after my daughter was born he was older than me and he had money he came from a very rich and influential family and women would throw themselves at him all the time because of his family's money and he liked that kind of thing and he had his pick of women, but I thought it would end when he picked me to be his wife but I was so wrong because I never loved loved me he only wanted a star trophy for his collection of women I was heartbroken when I found him myself in our home with one of his women he had a heart attack on top of her and died and she didn't know she thought he just sleeping it off so that is my love life I have only known one intimate relationship and that was with my husband"
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At this time I began to feel angry that a man can be this heartless to such an amazing woman and eve noticed that I was upset about what she told me at this point I just got up and walked into the house angry and just mad at this man even though I never met him, at that moment eve ran in after me not knowing what was going on Eliza comes downstairs and asked "royland royland" what is it ?
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I wanna kill him how can he do this to her that man now - John came inside from greenhouse at that time laughing and asking who is royland trying to kill this time we doin know answered liz,
What is it this time royland what seems to be the matter son? asked John how could he hurt her like that I can't forgive him for that now everyone started shouting forgive who royland ? eve's husband I angrily answered,
At this point eve all but fell over crying and asked "are you for real right now? are you trying to defend my case against a man you never even met before who died years ago". Eve got up and hugged me and thanked me caring about her so much
But she was confused about why I got so angry ,
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I simply replied I have not known you and your daughter that long but I believe you are both amazing women beautiful in and out and your daughter is just the best ever very she is kind and respectful,
I really like her style just the kind of intelligence I wish to have in a daughter of my own someday she has a great future ahead of her I can tell, you and her never deserved being betrayed like that, that is why I got so angry about what happened to you
sorry if I am being too presumptuous
Eliza now started crying and grabbed my shirt hugging me from saying "you see why I think you are the best person for my sweet eve"
Eve then went over to her father and ask "how can he love me and isabel without even knowing us that well" ?
"Because he is an excellent judge of people and his sense of justice and fairness is great it's just the way he is so don't be afraid to let him close to you and isabel he is the real deal sweetheart trust me", answered John
"Thank you papa" smiled eve hugging her dad
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She then grabbed my hand pulled me upstairs saying we have to talk now I must confess honestly me
being bossed around by her was the sexiest thing ever I must say when got up to her room we take a seat on her bed and she sees the look on my face as I was grinning like child and she asked me what are you smiling about so happily all of a sudden all I could think about to say was that " being bossed around by a beautiful woman like you was the sexiest thing in the world to me " eve started blushing holding her hands over face saying
after all these years she is glad someone thinks that she is still a beautiful woman most men only wanted to have sex with me on the first date night sometimes even treating me like prostitute and offered money sometimes just to see me naked I am not telling you this for you to get angry about people rudeness towards me I am just letting you know that I am finally happy to get noticed for my personality instead of being seen as object for men's pleasure so thank you for loving me but I need to take this very slowly as I have never had sex with any man other than my late husband witch was only about three times all these years I have never let any man come close enough for me to have sex with them because I was Still very afraid of heartbreak and infidelity that can be caused by making a bad choice out desperation just because I wanted my daughter to have a family again so I learn keep myself under control waiting for the right person that is just right for me and my daughter to so as become a family again someday so I will date you even hold your hand even kiss and hold you close enough and show you affection but will not have sex with you at least not yet I hope you are not disappointed by this "?
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I hugged her not saying anything else just holding her head closer to my chest as I told her I was hoping to meet a woman who would not mind waiting for us to get to know each before just having sex without the enjoyment of falling in love with the other person total personality every aspect of what makes them who they are,
She holds up her head and looks at me asking me "are you just saying so to make me feel comfortable around you or is this what you truly feel and want in a relationship ? Because this is how I feel too" no this is what I want indeed it is I am not trying to deceive you eve I answered,
because for me I have problems when dating I know I have wider hips and thighs than mostly all of my aunts and cousins and even my mom plus everyone tells me that I have a great body shape and that I should have more confidence in myself so I am very sensitive about myself since I was younger but I hate people looking at me like a sex object or someone who just satisfies their desires and lust instead of a human being when I would go on dates mostly all the men just go and grab at my buttocks sometimes even slapping it and telling me how much they want me and can't wait to have sex me it is always just a big total turn off honestly I hate being viewed like that but I am happy you different royland I truly am"
She then grabs me kisses me on my cheeks and leads me back downstairs and says "mom I will not lie to you I like royland too and i want to date him so just to let you know that we now together" she started hugging my arm and resting her head on my shoulder and started smiling ( eve liked showing affection just like her mom Eliza it's one of her qualities that I love about her I noticed that even the post woman delivering the mail would get a hug sometimes and she kissed her daughter isabel every chance she gets sometimes isabel runs away because of being shy about her mom always wanting to kiss her we all though it was cute and playful but to isabel it was embarrassing as she would tell her grandmother eliza "tell mom to stop kissing me I am an a grown up now"
Eliza then started crying came across to the steps and kissed us both and says to John in the next room "sweetheart I has happened out eve had found someone she finally like , "well my lovely wife we can relax now finally knowing she is in great hands with royland". exclaims john as he comes out to give us his blessings as he likes to put it, things go on like this for some time as me and eve began to get to know each other more and more taking things slow and steady as we agreed two weeks after we started dating just like any other day I would help around the house and assist everyone else with their own individual projects or tasks I have always been a very handyman kind of person at the end of each day I like sleeping on the outside in the workshop it is always windy and cool John was an old master carpenter who still worked on projects for people around the area where they lived so he was sleeping in the workshop too, when we Suddenly herd a screen we all rushed into the house to see eve and eliza with their faces in shock when eve saw me however she ran off into her room and locked the door what is happening I asked "nothing to worry about we will handle it love go back outside and rest"
Now I am thinking to myself I can't just pretend like nothing is not happening, the next morning I was out weeding with John in the vegetable garden next to the kitchen I walked back to the kitchen to get water for me and John when I overheard eve saying " mom can I be pregnant I don't remember having sex with any other man besides my late husband so how can this be" at that very moment I walked in and pretended not to know what was going with eve, I greeted good morning everyone just getting some water for me and John eve tried not to make eye contact with me as she sob trying not to show the fact that she was crying, I grabbed the water went over kissed her on the cheeks not saying anything to her and just went back outside I decided to give her the time she needed to sort out all the emotions she was more than likely feeling at this time
Now things got complicated when eliza and eve went to hospital to confirm that she was really pregnant and how far gone she was so they it is two days after the visit to the doctor. No one sed anything to each other for two days but all wanted to learn about the results of the visit to the doctor's office especially me and John so eve finally speak up saying " I am four months pregnant the doctor told us" as she looked over at me to my reaction as she give us the news we all just sip on our coffee but I was so angry that I bent my spoon in half everyone was now looking for me to make some sort of outburst "he must pay" was the only words I was able to speak with all the anger I was feeling at that moment,
Everyone looks at me all confused about what I was saying who will pay what are you talking about royland ?.asked John "the man that did this to my eve he must pay"
Eve jumps up and rushes over to me saying "you mean that you believe I am innocent" yes I answered l believe someone may have drugged you and raped you at some point it's the only explanation I can think of eve"
eliza joins the conversation saying "It makes sense to me too royland but who"?
"Just check back all the men you went out on dates with, or was in a private place with them someone must be behind this wickedness committed against you eve my daughter" says John
"Even you too papa you believe I am innocent as well"?
"Of course I do we all do sweetheart but we still must find who is responsible for it" Eliza gets up and checks out the schedule on the fridge saying "I think I have an idea everyone how about appointments she had with men in the last six months maybe that can give us a clue"
Eve started to cry thanking everyone for believing her and being supportive about the whole situation
She looks at me partly holding her head down saying "I am sorry for keeping you and papa at a distance I was afraid you might not want anything to do with me anymore I was afraid of rejection and everyone being disappointed in me I am very sorry royland"
At that I just grabbed her head and kissed her for the first time and told her in front of her parents "I am in love with you eve and nothing will change that" trying to put her mind at ease as much as possible she smiled and puts her head on my chest, Eliza shouted out all finished come and see everyone we go over to the kitchen table we see a list of men's names and some of them underlined in red we started to check out the names of the men from the inspector that inspected her equipment for her business and all the men she went on dates with to the family doctor and family dentist and even the new preacher that would visit their home from time to time no was above being a suspect as eve recounts the time spent with each men after hours of checking every evidence was pointing to the dentist Dr. Stone and that new preacher Mr. wander,
It must be that new pretty boy preacher that comes around our house every other week shouts John he always rubs me the wrong "o hush John you always say that about everyone you don't like" says Eliza
"Are you sure you want to do this royland I mean this is a family matter after all don't feel obligated to help or stick around because of us" says eve as she looks away trying not to make eye with me I simply just ignored her and smiled and walked out of the house and closed the door behind me and walked to the corner of the porch and I grabbed isabel sitting on the bench with eyes red from crying and gently pulled her inside of the house ( I had happen to see her by chance when she sat down)
"Isabel sweetheart what are you doing hare at home don't you have school what happened and why are you crying ?
"Well mom an explosion took place in the scientific building next to our department no one got hurt but lectures got canceled for the next few days I wanted to come home and surprise you all, but as I got close to the house I stumbled upon the conversation and when I realized that you had gone through this this kind of suffering and harassment from men I got angry and upset about whole thing so I began to cry"
I just had speak up at this point, Well everyone please let me just say that I care about all of you very much I have not been around for a long time but when I decided to make a trip back to Guyana for my vacation from Egypt I never knew that I would find a loving family all together supporting each other and I am glad to be here for you all I am not going anywhere.
O royland you always been a big kind hearted man you carry your heart on your sleeve says Eliza as John shakes his head in agreement
