Page 13 of Play of Love
I watched her full lips tighten and her eyes widen again. Then I walked off to grab my drinks before she could protest.
* * *
Amy
* * *
What an absolute jerk!An absolute jerk. He didn’t even ask me if I was okay. What kind of person was so heartless?
I had fainted because he was so nasty he had disgusting rats in his house, and he was practically on the brink of throwing me out again. No decent person did that.
I took a moment to steady my fuzzy mind, and when I did I called pest control and asked them to come straight away. Thankfully they came within the hour and managed to catch the two rats. They also set traps for any others that might announce themselves.
Mr. Mancini—Josh—didn’t come down the whole time the pest control men were here. He just stayed upstairs with those women doing only God knew what. Or, maybe God himself didn’t want to know. The whole thing made me feel extremely uncomfortable.
I was still feeling unsteady from the incident earlier, but pushed aside my feelings and focused on working. I resumed my cleaning tasks in the office and managed to get it to a reasonable degree so I could get myself started on my actual work. I thought I’d tackle the other parts of the house later today, or tomorrow.
I turned on the computer just to see how many emails there were, and when I did my heart almost jumped out of my chest. I had 33,205 emails to work my way through and that landmine of letters. It was crazy, completely crazy.
Feeling faint again, I chose the letters first because that would also be filing and tidying the office. I also didn’t think I could stand staring at the computer screen for so long. I’d have to set aside a day for that.
I heard voices in the corridor as I opened up the first letter. It was the women. They were talking excitedly about shopping. I then heard the front door open and close as they left.
Josh came into the office. “I need these.” He held out his hand towards me with a piece of note paper.
I assessed him, he seemed different from earlier. He was drunk again. Just like yesterday.
“What do you need?” I asked, setting the letters I held down on the table.
He’d made a list for me, which he held out. I walked over to him and took it.
“You can get most of these at the drugstore.” He stated.
The first item on the list raised my eyes to him with disgust.
It was a large box of extra-extra-large condoms, ribbed, which he wrote in capital letters. He also wanted five bottles of lubricant, all different flavors, and ten cases of beer.
“I am not getting these.” I shook my head. But he only responded with a laugh.
“Yes Kansas, you will. Aren’t you my personal assistant? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Personally assist. Now go and assist me with my needs before my women come back.”
Lord Jesus, I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t do this at all. As I looked at the air of menace on his face and saw how serious he was I felt the backs of my eyes sting. This was day two, and I’d already been through so much.
My hands shook, as did my body, and I was ready to scream at him, but the image of my mother’s face and her frail body lying in the hospital bed after her last surgery sprung to my mind.
It sprung to my mind and stilled my soul, giving me strength to take the list from him.
I walked past him, heading towards the door and holding back the tears so I wouldn’t cry in front of him.
“Oh yeah. Hold on Kansas.” He caught up to me.
“Why are you calling me that?” I hissed. He could at least call me by my name.
“You’re my PA. I’ll call you what ever in the hell I want,Kansas.” He gave a cruel laugh. Then took hold of my elbow and ushered me to the sitting room. “Do you see that?” He pointed ahead to the glass wall.
“What am I looking at?”
“That kid,” he hissed.
