Cleaner: Chapter One - Part Four

Melissa

DAHLIA 

Melissa disappeared into the lounge to go on with her cleaning and I found myself trying to imagine what she would be doing exactly.

She’d taken a dust cloth and can of furniture polish through. She would be spraying down the coffee table or the mantelpiece and setting to work bringing them up to a shine. I wondered if she would lean into it as she had done with the mopping. Did her mind wander or was it caught up only in that simple activity?

I rubbed my power legs together then crossed them slowly, leaning back on the lounger and closing my eyes.

The sun was coming through the glass roof and it was wonderfully warm. It made me feel dozy. A smile crept over my face as I imagined her doing her task and then, without any kind of seam, I slipped myself into the vision so that it was me spraying the coffee table; setting the cab down; setting to work. In the daydream I worked hard, trying to get the best unblemished shine that I could.

Then I heard a clatter and opened my eyes with a start.

Melissa was in the doorway to the pool room, looking at me oddly. I’d lost track of the minutes going by. She was done in the lounge. She had a broom by the top of the handle and was looking at me expectantly.

I blushed darkly and stammered, “Sorry Melissa, I was away with the fairies. I didn’t see you come in.”

“I was going to sweep up in here,” she replied. “But I can do it later or tomorrow.”

“No. That’s fine. Go ahead.” After a pause I added, “Please.”

She looked slightly put out for some reason but started to work her way from the far corner beyond the pool along the glass wall.

I repositioned the sun lounger so that it pointed in that direction, making a show of looking up at the sky. “The sun’s moved,” I said, but Melissa didn’t even look my way.

Settling back into place, I took my magazine back up but over the top of it I watched what she was doing. As in the hall with the mopping, she remained focused on her task.

She was wearing a navy blue dress that stopped above the knee with a square neck and short sleeves. Her dark bobbed hair swung back and forth with each movement. Her body was morbidly obese but the dress was designed to smooth the bulges and she moved with surprising grace on her low heels. It was strangely mesmerising. Back and forth went the broom; back and forth; one step forward then one back, then two steps forward, working along the foot of the wall, gathering what could only have been the lightest layering of dust.

For a moment my mind went back to Tommy and his talk of comebacks and parties, meetings and photo shoots.

I knew I should call him; make up for my shortness when we spoke; reassure him that I was committed to seeing his plans through to the finish; but even though the phone was there within easy reach, I couldn’t quite summon the strength to reach for it.

Instead, I looked back at the cleaner as she swept, thinking of my crazy idea, ignoring how silly it was; how embarrassing. I’d actually almost put it to her before! Just imagine her response! I blushed again just to think of it. Katherine, my assistant would insist I went back to my therapist if I told her about it. Or she’d have me committed!

I let out a single brief giggle like rattling beads then covered my mouth immediately. Mellissa glanced across, freezing in place, assuming probably that I was laughing at her. Her face had a sullen look but she smoothed it out and went on working and I thought to myself, What harm would it do to ask her?

She would see it as a break from her job. What did it matter if she thought I was loony?

But no. I shook my head. It really was too stupid. I wasn’t going to ask her. I should have my head examined.

“Melissa?”

She stopped and looked at me and only when she met my gaze did my brain catch up to what I was doing. I'd always had a certain impulsiveness and that part of me was the part that had pushed out that word; that egged me to go on with what it wanted me to say.

“Yes miss?”

I grinned awkwardly, stuttering a little but saying nothing. She looked back at me with a cocktail of emotional shadows: curiosity; maybe a breath of resentment, impatience; respect; expectation.

The silence went on. I knew I couldn’t go on with my ridiculous question but my mind was blank to any other alternative. I stuttered again, sounding like an idiot, flushing red from top to toe.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“Uh, yes,” I stammered. “Yes, please. You can.”

Again that drawn moment of expectation.

“I wanted to ask you a favour,” I said. “Something silly really.” I giggled and flushed.

I couldn’t say it. I really couldn’t go through with it.

“I’d like to swap places with you,” I said. “Just until the end of your shift.”

And then it was out there and both of us gaped at one another.

I couldn't believe I’d blurted it out. I immediately wanted to take it back. But that other part of me kept my mouth clamped and another moment ticked out as we looked back at each other.

Then finally the cleaner spoke, curling her lips up slightly, her brows coming together in a frown. “What?”