Hand-maid

The flowers are wilting, dust is piling up, and I’m pretty sure I could use some deodorant or perhaps a shower. Maybe if I jumped off the edge of the boat house that’ll do the trick…but then I’d really have to shower.

“Ms. Are you planning on staying there all day?” Maybe I should stay here. “Maybe, I haven’t decided yet!”. I should work on “Ms. you should work on your designs today”. Whoa… how did she know I was thinking the same thing. “I’ll get up after I have a piece of chocolate cake Daphne.” “No!.. I mean not right now Ms. Sharp, Try and finish some designs and then I’ll send one up for you later ok?”.

I decide to head up to my studio but I still have nothing. All I can think about if that damn cake, and how ungodly addicting it is.. maybe I can sneak downstairs and see if there is anything left. WAIT, I’m not going to keep procrastinating. As I look around the studio I notice all my stuff has been moved around, papers are stacked in orders that I would have never made. “Damn it, Daphne did you move my things around again!?”. “I’ve asked you to only dust and sweep the space not touch and move things around, you have no business touching anything besides the dust and dirt!”. “Ms. Sharp I Apologize, I tried not to touch anything but the papers just fell and we’ll you see I couldn’t just leave them there on the floor so I organize them, I’m very sorry Ms”. “Sharp, Daphne”.

“ I don’t understand?” “It's Ms. Sharp Daphne, not just Ms.” “Ok, Ms. sharp.” “Can I please have you go out and get some new flowers as these are wilting, pick up food for tonight's dinner and please never touch my stuff again. These designs could be worth more than you could imagine.” Daphne left to pick up everything I asked her to do and I stayed behind spending most of my time reorganizing the damn designs. I managed to get out 5 new designs and as a reward I decided to go down to the shopping center and pick up a couple of things.

I returned from my shopping and Daphne from hers, she’d prepared this roast with vegetables and her secret ingredient which she never shuts up about. She makes good food and I believe this is the only reason I keep her around, she’s useless to me otherwise. “Daphne, this was delicious thank you very much”. “Well Ms. Sharp it's was no big deal, I'll go get the dessert ready for you now”. After dessert I feel so tired I can nearly walk. Perhaps this is why I can never get anything done, I'm so tired I think Ill just sit here for a moment. I fall fast asleep on the couch again.

The next day I'm awoken by a loud banging at my door. “DAPHNE! Please get that damn door will you”. She opens the door and I hear the footsteps of what sounds like a pig running on the tile floor, my tile floor to be exact. “Oh! Ms. Sharp I've been trying to reach you all morning, I thought something might have happened to you. Thank goodness, you're alright”. Allen and his assistant, but why are they here and why must they be so loud. “Alright I get you're worried Allen but why?”. “Ms. Sharp do I need to remind you that tonight is the very important dinner with you know who!” “RIGHT! How could I forget, I mean I haven't forgotten I was just getting ready to head out soon”. “Sure you were, and I assume her outfit has yet to be picked out Daphne?” “ I... She just woke up, I haven't a clue if-.” “As if I could even trust her to pick out my socks.” we laugh and head upstairs, I walk past Daphne and I can see her looking at me with a bitter look. She looked like a mouse fighting for scraps, I feel sorry for the poor thing.

We finally reach Upstairs and step inside my bedroom. Man, it feels like ages since I've slept in here. That couch is nowhere near as comfortable as this bed. Allen reaches for the garment bag and zips it open “I had this flown in from Italy, it's by an up-and-coming designer Vincenzo Puddu.” “It's Gorgeous Allen, Why did you go through all this trouble to get this!?”Allen smiles as I examine the dress closely and then look up at him. “This is my design... Allen, how did you get this?” “Sophia, now what the hell are you talking about, clearly you had a rough night looking through all the designs last night I'm sure you’re just mixed up.” “Allen, I think I know one of my designs when I see it, this Vincenzo Puddu is a Thief.” I flag down one of the drivers from outside my balcony window and have them fetch Daphne for me. I wait for her to reach the door. “Who did you let in my house Daphne!” “ I don't know what you mean Ms. Sharp?” I picked the dress up and approach her “Who DID YOU LET IN MY HOUSE DAPHNE!? This dress is one of my designs and now it's in the hands of another designer, HOW? The only people in this house are you and I. So, please explain to me why or how this design could have reached the hands of another designer.” I could slap her right now. “Sophia, Maybe we could save this for another time seeing as well need to get going soon.” “I'm not done with this Daphne, you better come clean or you can start making yourself comfortable outside because that's where you'll be living from now on, do you hear me?” “Yes, Ms. Sharp. I'm so sorry Ms. Sharp Please-.” “That’ll be all Daphne”. Allen walks her to the door and whispers something to her, He's Probably trying to make me seem like the bad guy to make her feel better I bet. “Why don't you bring us some drinks, some red wine would be lovely”. Allen whispers to Daphne.

Allen walks back and pulls up a chair. “A little bit too harsh don't you think Soph, she's trying her best”. “No, you have no idea what I have to put up with, she's only good at making food and everything else, well if shes not breaking something she's losing things.” Allen decided to send his assistant to check on Daphne while we finished up upstairs.

Downstairs Daphne wipes her tears as she carefully grabs every glass. She reaches into her apron when Allen’s assistant walks up behind her. “Daphne.” she jumps startled and grasping the hell out of the glass she's holding in fear that Ms. Sharp would continue to hound her for breaking something. “Alex, I... I had no idea you were down here. Did Ms. Sharp need something else?” “Relax, I was just sent here to make sure you were ok. You are ok right?” Alex steps in a bit too close for comfort and bends down to match Daphne’s eye level. “You did hear me didn't you?” “Yes. I heard you.” he steps back and reaches for an extra glass “So?” “I'm ok Alex, I'm Fine. It's just Ms. Sharp, she's so-.” “Evil?” after grabbing a bottle of wine from the rack and placing it onto the tray Daphne opens the bottle of wine and puts her hand back in her apron. “You sure are taking a long time to pour some wine, I can see why Ms. Sharp gets a little upset.” they both laughs and Daphne smiles “turn around and close your eyes Alex, I have a surprise for you.” Alex turns around and after a few seconds hears the flow of wine “Can I open my eyes now?” “Oh, yeah.” “What the hell! Where's the surprise?” “oh, I lied, I just wanted you to turn around.” “You are a very strange girl Daphne.”

They head upstairs and meet up with Allen and Sophia. “Took you guys long enough, what took you so long. Forgot how to open a bottle of wine?.” Allen said after giving Alex a stare only a proud father gives his son. Daphne hands us each our glass of wine. “Ms. Sharp this is for you, Alex, Allen.”

After some wine and a couple minutes of finding a new dresses to wear we were off to meet Adam Trainn, the editor and chief of Furell Magazine but something wasn't right. Why do I feel so tired? Allen nudged me as to wake me up but I can feel a heavy sleep coming on.