Chapter 1
Itās his turn to do the washing; yet unfortunately, I canāt find them. I swear if he hasnāt washed my things especially after Iād washed his just last week. I swear Iāll never take his crap to the laundrette ever again.
He still hasnāt heard me, so I have to tap his shoulder to grab his attention. He cannot hear me because listening to his music while reading a book.
How the hell he does this Iāll never know.
āHuh; did you say something?ā He asked with slightly wide eyes.
āI said; have you seen my gym shorts? Iām off to Mr and Mrs Charltonās soon and I wanna hit their gym sometime over the weekend.
Do you know where theyāre at?ā
His brows nip together now thinking of my question. As I knew he would, he asked if Iāve checked the pile. Itās the same āpileā Iād already checked.
āYes, I canāt find them. You sure youād taken all my things to the laundrette? Did you bring them all back home with you?ā
His head tilts again thinking about my question.
āBollocks! I think Iāve left a bag!ā He suddenly jumps up from his spot and grabs his keys. āI knew I was light on what I left with. Iāll go back now. They should still be open? I wonāt get back in time though unless you want me to drop them off for you?ā
I end up sighing. Damn it, Ry!
āNo, itās fine. Iāll grab something else. Besides Rachelās coming tonight. I doubt sheād be happy about you not being here for her.ā
As I turn to leave, he tells me heās sorry.
āItās fine Ry; these things happen.
Iāll see you on Monday.ā
Eventually, I go to my room. Once there I grab the rest of my essentials and place them all in my suitcase.
Before I zip it up though, I packed my bottle of vodka. Iāve got to spend an entire weekend in their gigantic house with no one to talk to. So I figured Iāve got to keep myself entertained somehow.
I know the Charltonās wonāt mind but what they donāt know wonāt kill them. Theyāll be too busy having fun on their weekend away. Theyāll be sailing around the Caribbean to even worry about what Iām doing. Normally theyād be working away on the weekends. Only itās kinda their anniversary. So Mr Charlton had surprised his wife.
Lucky bitch. I wish I had a husband like that. Hell, even a boyfriend would be nice. Sadly, with college and babysitting every weekend, I donāt have time for them. I could sneak them in with me and it would make my weekends more entertaining... Nah, I couldnāt be arsed.
Anyway, once Iām zipped up I head out. Then after jumping in my car, I switch the radio on. Almost instantly a smile graces my lips. I hear one of my favourite singerās voices blasting through my car speakers. Oh yes, āCeline Dionā. An āoldieā but a goodie... she was my motherās favourite so she rubbed off on me.
As Iām pulling out of our driveway, I see our neighbour Aden. Oh lord, please have mercy on my ovaries. The man is gorgeous with his ash-blond hair and his tanned, muscled skin. Not forgetting his breath-taking smile and ass. I wish he was my boyfriend because I know Iād never get bored with him. Sadly, heās taken. Well, heās not really ātakenā heās married to the gym. He practically lives there. I only go there like once a monthā when I want to āswoonā over him. It helps he works there. Yet when heās not working, heās working his hot abs.
Damn it! Trust me, to crush on somebody I cannot have. Iād gladly ask him out but as Iāve said before Iām too busy. I couldnāt be arsed to even attempt fitting in their schedule.
After shaking my wayward thoughts out of my head I end up taking a deep breath. Only it leaves as a sigh. Jesus, I look like Iāve lost it over the hottie.
āOkay, Kat; letās go. Stop with the stalking and get to work.ā
So how long have I done this? No not the āstalkingā the hottie. No how long have I babysat for? Well, technically itās not ābabysitting.ā No, I cat-sit.
Yep, I look after their three Persian-cats. Theyāre so beautiful but seriously grumpy. I get in there feed them and let them out in their potty room. You know, when they need to relieve themselves.
Oh yes, they have their litter-room. Theyāre kinda house cats, mainly because of Mrs Charlton. Sheās terrified if they run away.
The Charltonās are pretty rich, so I think if they were to run away, or worst-case scenario; suddenly dies. Well, sheād be able to afford to pay somebody to hunt them down. Hell, or get herself a shitload more... It wouldnāt surprise me if theyāve had a few threats. You know, like from people demanding money for their return and no, Iām not here to fight anyone; you know if they did. No, Iām just here to look after them. (Thatās the cats; not Mr and Mrs Charlton)
Aside from the possibility of me getting kidnapped, it is a pretty good setup. I get paid decent money and I get to play around in their home-Gym and pool.
Sadly, this weekend Iāll be hitting the gym in my short denim hot pants. Not my workout shorts.
Damn it, theyāll no doubt chafe my thighs.
Yay fun!
The first thing I see when I pull up to the main gates is Mrs Charltonās famous flower pots.
Theyāre that good sheād won awards for them. I mean theyāre pretty but āawardsā seriously? Crazy I know. Itās kinda her little hobby so I guess it gives her a break from her ārich lifeā for a while. Besides Mr Charlton works a lot too so she likes to keep herself busy when heās gone.
After Iāve tapped in the code, the gates finally open. Once Iām in there I take in their vast front lawn. I shake my head, after seeing sheās added more flower pots. Jesus, itās like Ground force has puked all over it if she carries on like this? Sheāll not have any lawn left at this rate.
So after grabbing my bag and locking my car up, I head inside. The first to greet me is Toby, one of their cats. I know itās him only because heās wearing a white-collar. He has a white spot at the end of his tail. I donāt even attempt to greet him though. No, heād only scratch me if I did.
Tink, however, sheās not so bad. Just donāt stroke her for too long though. Sadly, sheās prone to get sick of you stroking her and then sheāll attack.
Prince is the same only he wonāt scratch you. No, heāll just hiss at you until you walk away. Itās like a battle of wills, one to see whoāll back down first. Naturally, he always wins. Iām not crazy enough to challenge him.
As long as you feed them and leave their litter-room open. Oh and not forgetting to leave them alone too theyāre pretty content. This is totally fine for me. Oh yes because I get paid and again they have a freaking gym and a pool.
After closing the front door, I call out to see if anybodyās home. Iām not expecting them to be here, but I call out anyway just to make sure.
As usual, I get no response. I do however see my usual instructions from Mrs Charlton. She always... and I mean always leaves one. She tells me when they had their last feed, and if I need to know about anything.
āKat,
Sorry, weāve had to leave early.
Thereās a full fridge for you. I know you eat little while youāre here but Iāve filled it anyway.
I already fed my babies at about 3:00 PM. So if you can put some biscuits out when you arrive? That would see them till next feed. Also, donāt forget to change their bedding tomorrow. Their last change was two days ago.
Remember to change their litters every day. We donāt want stinky rooms.
Make sure you lock all doors and alarms set before you go to sleep.
Your room has fresh linens, but if you need a change? You find a fresh set in your wardrobe.
Anyway, weāll be back on Monday. If we donāt see you before then weāll see you next weekend.
Hug my babies. Tell them I love them.
Thanks again,
Mrs & Mrs Charlton
P.S. The Gardner canāt make it tomorrow so if you could give my plants a little water? That would be great.
Thanks.ā²
āOh, bloody hell.ā
I wonder if theyāll pay extra for this. She knows this isnāt in my job description. I donāt do gardening. Luckily as I turn the paper over it reads on.
āWeāll pay extra for your time.ā
Well, thatās a bonus, I guess. Jesus, Iām a cat-sitter, not a bloody Gardner. I suppose I can do it, but thereās a good chance Iād drown them. Yet being a student, I need the cash and art supplies donāt come cheap.
While reading her note, Iām making my way in their kitchen. Then when I open the fridge door my eyes open wide. Damn, she wasnāt kidding when she said sheād filled the fridge.
āHoly Mother! Is that Caviar?ā
It is. Sheās bought Caviar. Iāve never even seen it before; never mind taste it. How the hell do you eat it? Do I put it on fish? Do I heat it?
āAck! No way. Iām sorry I canāt eat this. Maybe I could pretend I had it and then sell it on eBay. Somebodyās bound to want it.ā
I also see her famous chocolate cake. Oh boy, thatās going straight to my thighs. Itās okay though, Iāll just work it off in their gym.
While thinking about my thighs, I see a bottle of champagne. Iām assuming they had a glass before leaving because itās opened. Either way, Iāll finish it later. Obviously, after Iāve fed the cats and watered her flower pots.
Before I do that; I dump my bag in my room. I got that when I got the job about three months ago. After theyād informed me of my duties around here it was kinda a given Iād have a place to sleep. Itās like my second home now. Well technically, my third. The second after my mumās home is with my flatmate Ryan Morgan. Iāve kinda known him for a long time now. Hell, since comprehensive actually. We kinda met again when I decided that college was a way to go, especially if I wanted my art degree.
As youāll find out I love art. I live and breathe it. Thatās when Iām not looking after cats I do anyway. Luckily again, Mr and Mrs Charlton allow me to use their library. Itās in the basement, but itās great when I have assignments due in. Iām lucky to have a little corner set-up. Itās kitted out with a little art desk and everything I need to make my creations. Seriously, itās up there with the greatest jobs for a student... and again the money is pretty sweet. Itās paying my rent every week, and my tuition bills. So as far as jobs go this is probably the sweetest so far.
Once Iād changed into my denim shorts and a little black vest T-shirt, I made my way back downstairs. I feed the cats before making sure their litter boxes were clean. Mrs Charlton likes them cleaned after every poop or piss. At first, I used to think she was mad. I used to think; what a waste of litter. You know, since one piss only takes up so much of the litter, but Mrs Charlton knows when Iāve not changed it. She knows how much that goes in the trays so by the time she returns. Well, she knows whatās left on them. Honestly, she doesnāt miss a trick.
After Iāve seen to them I head outside. Iāve no clue what she wants me to do here. do they have any āspecialā requirements? How hard can it be to water plants right? Well āapparentlyā itās not as easy as youād think. Hell, not in my case anyway.
Okay, so when you think about watering the plants outside; you think āhosepipeā right? No, just me then? Hey, I never said Iām green-fingered. Well as you can imagine; it didnāt exactly go the way I thought it would. No, itād gone the disastrous way instead. Yeah, imagine the worst scenario that could happen to a delicate flower. Hell, especially with the pressure of water coming at you. Yep, you guessed it Iād underestimated the power of the hose. Sadly, Iād flipped the switch and once it happened. Oh God, I screamed. My attempts to turn it off were futile because the switch had broken off.
By the time Iād remembered you can turn it off at the wall, it was too late. Iād taken out about thirty of her precious flowers. Not only that but when I stopped the water my eyes landed on a little watering can. Itās there with a little message on it.
āKat, only sprinkle a little water over them. Theyāre too delicate for anything heavier. So whatever you do; donāt use the water hose.ā
Yeah, and you couldnāt write this on your first note? Damn it! Sheāll fire my backside for this one. Granted, theyāre not her showcasing flowers. But still, theyāre just as precious as much as her cats.
What the hell am I meant to do? Maybe I can replace them? No, itās too late. The garden centres closed now. Besides sheād know Iāve changed them. Wait maybe Ryan can help? Heās bound to know what to do.