CLEANER: Chapter Three - Part Eight

Dahlia

It was a phone call that ended it this time.

It had to end – I knew that – but I didn’t want it to. I was enjoying it too much. I’d finished in the kitchen and had started vacuuming the downstairs rooms, starting at the front of the house. The whoosh of the vacuum and the undulation was as calming any of it. I could have done it all day.

But the phone started ringing and I turned off the vacuum, going to pick up. For a split second before I did, I considered putting on a voice and saying, “Dahlia Western’s residence. How may I help you?” But I was too scared to and I was relieved I hadn’t when I recognised the voice on the other end.

“Dahlia? It’s Steven.”

My big brother.

“Steve? Hi! How are you?”

“Fine. Fine. I’m just on my way over; thought I'd check that you were in.”

“Oh. It’s not really... convenient at the moment.”

“It won’t take long,” he replied. “I’m not far from yours. I’m just crossing the river.”

“Oh. Okay. Oh.” I looked down at my clothes. “You’re in the car now?”

“Yes. I’ll be there in about ten minutes. If that.”

“Oh, right. Okay,” I said, feeling the sudden need to get off the phone. “I’d better get ready then. I’ll see you in a minute.”

He said something else but I was already putting the phone down.

It wasn’t like with Katherine’s sudden appearance; we had time to change. Steven drove like an old lady and there were road works down in the village that would slow him down. Nevertheless, I hurried through to the lounge.

Melissa was watching TV but when she saw me she started.

“We have to swap back,” I said. “My brother’s on his way over.”

She looked put out; not surprisingly considering how much she must have been enjoying herself, but she sprang up and came toward me.

I led the way back upstairs and we rushed to get out of our new outfits. We were getting used to undressing together. It didn’t feel as weird as it had done. I went into my closet and picked out a new outfit. I liked it when my brother came but I didn’t like the looks he gave me sometimes.

When I went back into the bedroom Melissa was dressed as well. She was waiting and I realised she was waiting for me to tell her what to do. On Monday I had given her the rest of the day off. She must have been wondering if I'd do the same. But my brother was almost here and I'd left various pieces of cleaning equipment out.

“Uh, do you mind finishing off in the dining room?” I asked. “The vacuum cleaner’s in there already.” 

She looked a little crestfallen but she nodded. “Alright.”

I felt a little guilty, but she'd got to lie around watching television instead of working. She hadn’t done me any favours. She was still my employee.

She turned to go. I almost called after her, but I didn’t.

She left the room and started downstairs and I just stood there, wishing it could have gone on longer and wondering if we should do it again.