Nightly Illusion

Chapter 1

“This?” I looked around, “This is my living space?” the room was larger than I had expected; rather it was twice as big as what I was used to.

A bed was placed in the middle of the white washed room with bedside tables on either side. The bed frame was a mahogany brown colour with a pale blue bed sheet stretched across and tucked neatly under the mattress. A white blanket was placed on the foot of the mattress with some length of the blanket dangling down the side of the bed. Along with them, was a beaten up dresser, a brown closet with its steel doors rusted completely and a clock above the bed. There was a bathroom across the room that looked small and awkward, surrounded by a big window and the dresser.

“I hope you like it,” the woman said as I reached the foot of the bed and stroked the soft material of the blanket. I looked at her and smiled, “It’s more than enough.”

She wore a suit with her white shirt tucked into her pants like professionals, and her black coat perfectly ironed and buttoned.

I had found out that she was the secretary of the people that owned the house. Her name, had surprised me, I hadn’t heard a Mexican with Emma as a name before. It was quite rare, but my name was fitting to my origins. Russian. Natasha. At least it fit my backstory which is exactly what I need. To be common. “Freshen up and meet me in the dining room and I’ll introduce you to the owners,” she told me as I nodded and gave a small smile.

She turned around and walked out of the servant quarters. I walked into the bathroom and instantly became surrounded by white tiles and a mirror that filled the entire wall above the sink.

I washed my face and stared silently at my face for a moment as I let the water drip from my face. My brown eyes stared back at me as I tried smiling. I wasn’t feeling it today. Maybe it was nervousness, but whatever it was, I needed to get over it. I changed into my uniform in the bathroom and hung my clothes on the rack on the bathroom wall. It was a black dress with black leggings, a white frill surrounding the neckline like that of a local maid uniform.

I walked over to the dresser and rummaged through my bag for a perfume. I took out a small bottle and sprayed some on my neck, wrists and collar area. Fixing my hair, I walked out of the servant quarters. I passed through the gigantic lawn, in front of the mansion, which guarded by an electrical fence that was remotely controlled.

I walked silently into the house, hearing suppressed noises inside a room at the far end of the hallway. I reached the door to the dining room and knocked on the expensive French doors and waited till someone answered.

After a few seconds, the door opened and Emma’s face popped out with a forced smile. She opened the door wide and I stepped in. on one of the sofas was a woman seated with her laptop on her lap and her glasses on her nose.

Across the room, beside the window was a man in his late 30s wearing an army suit and beside him, tugging on his leg was a young girl about 5 or 6 in age. Clearly being ignored, by her father.

“Dad!” I used to squeal, “I’ll miss you! You promise you’ll be back early this time, right?” I tugged his legs until he would pick me up and hug me. It was great until the day came. Folded flag and a wooden casket.

“This is the maid?” I came back into reality, my eyes shot back to the woman who was eyeing me suspiciously as I forced a smile onto my face.

“Yes,” Emma answered for me as I continued to smile. The man put his phone back in his pocket and walked over to the couch.

“I’m getting late for work,” he said as he bent over and kissed his wife.

“Alright, stay safe,” she replied after he broke away. He stepped away and walked past me as he walked out of the room.

“Ok, first things first,” she had diverted her attention from her laptop to me, “Your job is to clean. So keep it that way. I don’t want you snooping around and sticking your nose in our business. Both my husband and I’s.”

Sounds like she has experience with those kinds of people.

“Emma will guide you through the house and if you want to ask anything feel free to ask but don’t take it for granted. I hope you understand,” she ended. She waved her hand to dismiss me from the room. Emma escorted me out and exited the room herself.

“That was Madame Julia,” Emma introduced with her thick Mexican accent. We walked down the hall into the foyer, “Well then, shall we start the tour?”

“Of course,” I answered excited. It was unusual for me to get excited at work but it doesn’t really matter. It’s not like they know or they’ll realize. She took me through every room, hall, foyer, etc.

“You!” I turned around to see Julia pointing at me.

“Me?” I accusingly pointed to myself.

“What’s your name?” She was practically yelling.

“Natasha,” I answered.

“Yeah, whatever, start with the dusting and sweeping of the foyer,” she instructed me as I nodded quietly and started making my way towards the foyer that was built past the hall.

“Emma! Get me a glass of water!”

Well, there she goes again.