Page 91 of Enthrall
“The towel rack is heated?” I shot her a look.
“It gets pretty chilly in winter. You’ll be glad of it.”
Disconcerted with all this luxury and terrified I’d somehow mess it up, I followed after Lotte. Next came the airy kitchen with its cream colored cabinets and central marble isle. This place had been newly furnished, I was sure of it. Everything looked flawless. I couldn’t understand how the owner wouldn’t want to live here.
This was a first for me in so many ways, and until now I’d never felt the urge to hug an appliance. The grand stainless steel fridge loomed large, fitting snugly between two glass fronted cupboards.
“This is your welcome home gift.” Lotte pointed to the deluxe fridge. “It has smart cooling technology. It’s from all of us.”
That was all it took. Unable to fight back tears that had been building for the last half hour, all I could do was swipe at them, losing a fighting battle.
Lotte wrapped her arm around me. “There, there, sweetheart. You’ll get used to it. Change is never easy.”
“It’s the most beautiful fridge I’ve ever seen.” I turned to her. “I can’t believe it.”
“Believe it. Now do you have a paper bag?”
I looked around for one. “Why?”
She peered across the room. “Behind that door over there is a cupboard. In there is a washer and dryer. I’m terrified you’re going to hyperventilate and you’ll have to breathe into a bag so you don’t faint.”
Having had to drag my washing over to my old apartment’s Laundromat, Lotte had been wise to break that little nugget of info slowly. For goodness sake I probably made her think I lived in a cave.
She took my hand and guided me back to the living room and over to the fish tank. “Remember, you’re doing the owner a favor.” Her gaze widened. “Keep those little suckers alive and everything will be fine.”
On the coffee table rested the instructions Lotte had gone over with me about how to maintain the tank. It all seemed easy enough, especially since the fish received a visit once a week from the pet store owner who apparently would change out the water. All I had to do was feed them several times a day.
Within half an hour Penny and Scarlet had arrived. They, like Lotte, were dressed in jeans and t-shirts. Still, they couldn’t pull off ordinary. They were far too pretty for that. Scarlet even wore Ugg boots, a far cry from her usual leather and lace. As promised they’d brought wine and pizza as well as delivering on their offer to help me unpack.
We split up, each taking a box to a room, and began what would have otherwise been an arduous task. Time slipped by as I hung my clothes up in the walk-in closet, musing how it reminded me of my entire studio.
I owed Lotte so much for making this happen for me.
Bailey and Tara arrived an hour later. I introduced Bailey to the girls, though Tara had needed no introduction and chatted away with them, catching up on all she’d been doing lately and everyone shared with her what she’d missed at Enthrall.
Watching them all interact, their shared respect for each other, the way they fondly listened to each other’s stories, there came a feeling this might be the closest I’d ever come to having a family.
Lotte, Penny, and Scarlet all bubbled with happiness for me and shared with Bailey how much they loved having me around. Apparently many of the clients were fond of me too. Even Monsieur Trourville had developed a soft spot, sans Venus balls.
For the first time in my life I’d found a purpose. I belonged somewhere.
The unpacking resumed and we made great headway with getting the place straight. Bailey took me aside to speak with me privately. She couldn’t believe my good luck either. I reassured her I was merely doing a friend of Lotte’s a favor. We strolled over to examine the tank, eyeing the fish as they eyed us back, unfazed with all the activity.
“You’re not becoming a dominatrix are you?” she said.
“Hardly.”
Her gaze swept the room. “How much is your rent?”
“Four hundred a month.” I pointed to the tank. “This guy needs someone to watch those.”
Bailey folded her arms. “Why have a fish tank if you don’t intend to enjoy it?”
“He had to go out of town on business.”
“For a year?”
I stared at the small blue one with its pale white stripes. “I might give them names.”
