Chapter Four: Life

Chapter 4: Life

The attempted french braid, was just that, an attempt. Casse pulled her mane into a standard bun and brushed gel through her edges. She sometimes dreamed about getting a relaxer or texturizer, but she loved her natural hair on every day but days she wanted it to do things it couldn't. African-American and Puerto Rican DNA had come together to give her long, beautiful hair, coiling hair. Those same generous chromosomes had also given her super thick hair. At 4:30 in the morning, impossibly thick hair.

Looking over her reflection in the full length mirror hanging on her bathroom door, Casse checked her front.

"Boobs in place, belly covered..." She checked her face.

"Eyeliner straight, lips tinted just right..." She wanted to impress her new employer. She had noticed that most of the ladies in the house wore the same basic makeup look if any, and she just wanted to look the part.

Then she checked her behind. Looking over her shoulder in the mirror over the sink, she sighed.

"Please stop growing...." Her behind had always been her best frenemy. At times it had been her best asset (pun intended) but now, she felt like it was getting out of control. It seemed to her like all of her pregnancy weight was settling there. She shook her head.

Checking her overall appearance once more, Casse approved. She was told that the outfit changed a few times a year, but that they were always stylish and always provided by Grandma.

The uniform for Waterston Manor was currently a white, long sleeved, high-low blouse with an a-line cut, black pants or long skirt and black flats. Jewelry was allowed but must be minimal and tasteful. Casse only wore one pair of earrings today, and the single, short string of pearls that matched.

The outfit was basic, but she thought it was a little sexy too. The blouse had been fitted to her perfectly the day before. It allowed room for her stomach to grow, but still fit her arms and chest closely enough to not be dumpy. Best maternity shirt ever.

Even without seeing her face or having ever seen her outfit, Aiden recognized the sway of her hips as Casse made her way to the elevator. He couldn't even smile about it. Smiling required being awake, which he was sure he was not.

Casse pressed the call button and the doors opened immediately.

"Oh yeah!" she knew it was going to be a great day. No waiting for the elevator meant no running for the bus.

Aiden was halfway there when she stepped inside and turned to face the hall.

"C'mon, you can do it." She laughed. It was a beautiful husky sound, normally. Right now, it grated against his nerves. Every sleep deprived nerve along his spine and out into his hands and feet, rejected the sound of her laughter. He wanted sleep...well, sleep and other things. The sound of her laughter was not even a remote part of it.

Aiden ground his teeth, the muscle in his jaw jumping as he quickened his step.

"How can you be so awake?" He grumbled. His shoulders slumped in another amazing suit. This one was a dark burgundy worn over a black, button down, crew neck shirt. His wingtips were polished to a high shine.

"Woah!" Casse had given him the once over and the approving thumbs up, on his walk to the elevator, but now reached up and grabbed his face, turning him manually to see his ears. Onyx studs set in silver completed today's ensemble.

Aiden stood still, willing his body not to overreact. Again. Casse was talking but he didn't know what she was saying, he could only feel the heat of her hands on either side of his face as she turned him this way and that to get a better look. She stopped when their eyes met, but didn't drop her hands right away.

"You should let me go now." His voice was low, but held a tone she hadn't heard from him before. She reacted as if he had shouted. Jumping away, she rubbed her hands down her sides to smooth imaginary wrinkles from her blouse.

"Sorry, that was rude. I never noticed you had pierced ears before now." She looked up at the floor indicator light. 3 floors left to go.

"I didn't mean to scare you."

Casse shook her head but said nothing. The rest of the ride was silent.

In the lobby, Joseph Gregory, Receptionist/Security Guard was awake and alert. He didn't know what he had been about to see on elevator surveillance, but if it was anything like what he had seen on 6th floor corridor view camera at 1:47 in the morning, his very boring job might be about to get significantly more interesting.

"Morning Mr. Wat...Choi." He silently apologized, as Aiden looked over at him sharply.

"Morning Ms. King." She waved brightly, happy to finally be spoken to instead of just waved at.

"Morning Mr. Gregory. I'm off." She started to slow jog, the same as she did every day.

"I keep telling her she shouldn't run." Listening to Aiden's grumbled complaint Joseph Gregory, shook his head. He could only imagine how upset he would have been if his wife had run while she carried any of their 5 children.

"I keep telling you that you have got to stop calling me Waterston." Aiden came across to the back of the desk and collected his mail.

"I know, it's so hard though. I've called you...that, your whole life." Gregory took off his company issued black cap and ran his hand through his thinning hair. He wasn't cut out for a life of intrigue. Everyday he wished he was back at head of security with the main firm. But, when you let yourself get talked into carrying the boss' kid to get his ears pierced...you get demoted.

"Please remember. It is important. I won't be able to get a true feel for the tenement if everyone knows I'm the owner."

Tucking the important pieces into his portfolio, Aiden raised his hand as goodbye.

"Tell your grandma I said hi." Gregory waved back.

"How did you know I'm going to see Ma?"

Joseph Gregory touched is ear then pointed to Aiden's. He only wore his earrings when he went to see his grandmother, who he called Ma. She had raised him and taught him how important it was to stay focused so that he could someday run the company. She also taught him to never stop being who he was. He had rebelled when he was 16 and gotten his ears pierced against his father's wishes. His father, Alistaire Waterston, of Waterston Holdings International Unlimited, had promptly sent him away from all of the evil influences in South Korea, to live with his grandmother in the US. When she had heard why he was coming to live with her, she bought him the studs he was wearing.

"They are both stylish and dignified, just like you." She'd said. "There is a balance in being who you are, while being who you must." His Ma was great like that.

"Oh, will do." Just like that, he had found his smile.

Cutting through traffic, Aiden relished this day. No appointments. No meetings. No pressing, stuffy engagements. Just he and Ma, sampling food that her new cook would prepare for an upcoming party. Ma always had an upcoming party. It's a shame he hadn't been able to talk Casse into letting him have one of her muffins. Ma would have loved it. Casse said they were for the nice old lady she worked for, though, so it was a no-go there.

"Maybe I can talk her into making me some more." Aiden maneuvered through traffic, not even aware of his knuckles grazing his lips.

Casse, unveiled the muffins for Grandma. They were no longer hot and fresh, but just fresh. She didn't know what the difference would be, but she didn't want to take the chance of changing the texture by reheating them too long.

"Explain it to me again. I'm excited to try them." Grandma sat at the breakfast bar again. Silver hair still full and thick flowing loose down her back held back with a simple black, braided headband. Now that the interview period was over, she was a completely different person. She was funny and had a quick laugh. She was also quick to drop a loaded comment or mischievous look.

"Okay, so the young gentleman that offered to taste test them last night..."Casse began telling her story again. She was trying to tell Grandma about the whole development process, but without going into Aiden's involvement too much. She still wasn't sure where they were.

"Wait...are you not seeing him? Romantically?" Grandma quickly, stuck out a small finger and pointed to Casse's belly. The rest of the staff around doing their daily tasks didn't even try to hide their amusement.

"No ma'am. He's not the father." Casse tried not to blush, and finished setting up the tea. The muffins she had brought from home. The tea she made fresh.

"Go on." Grandma pushed her to continue. She was amused by the girl’s discomfort and really did want to hear more about the guy then the muffins. They smelled great, but the guy was lighting this girl up like a flame.

"I don't know if I should tell you the next part." She stopped talking while she thinly sliced the lemons, limes and strawberries to add to the tea.

Magda, who was dusting the porcelain groaned. She was one of the permanent staff members and was used to Grandma.

"Come on, Casse. Just tell me then." She laughed as Grandma threw a napkin in her direction, then stooped to pick it up and brought it back to the table. Grandma swatted her hip as she sashayed away, laughing over her shoulder.

"You stay out of this. I'm her favorite." The older woman smiled at Casse and winked.

Casse burst out laughing. She was really starting to love this old woman.

"Okay. My friend said, they taste like...wait. This is 19+ stuff. Are you old enough to hear this?"

"Girl, stop!" But she laughed with the rest of the ladies in the room.

"I'm going to start guessing if you don't say he said. I'll probably be wrong the first few times." Magda choked and a girl named Chloe who was polishing the silverware doubled over at the thought of all the options to fill in that sentence.

"No...I'll tell you." Casse waited until everyone was relatively laughed out.

"My friend laid back on the floor and closed his eyes until he'd finished chewing and..." Grandma interrupted again.

"What! He's not the babies' father?" The other ladies weren't even working anymore. They were all crowded around the bar, fanning themselves with their clothes or their hands. All cracking up over Grandmas continued interruptions and comments.

"No. My baby's donor never complimented my cooking. He kinda ate silently." Casse shrugged. Grandma waived her words away.

"Boo on him. You've got a good one now, keep him." The other ladies agreed.

"I do not have anything. He is a guy I met in the elevator about a week ago. I might be stretching the truth even by calling him my friend." Casse turned back to her tea making. She added the sliced fruit on top of the ice, then poured the pre-sweetened tea slowly, so it wouldn't jostle the fruit too much. The ice rose with the level of the tea and the fruit stayed on top of the ice. Perfect.

"If I might ask...how old are you?" Magda leaned on the counter.

"I'll be 23 in about a month and a half." Casse smiled as she brought the tea to the bar and set the glasses beside the pitcher. Perfect

"So young. That's why she's confused." Grandma and Magda shared a knowing look and shook their heads at Casse.

Casse stood with her hands on her hips and fixed her gaze on the ceiling. They had done this to her twice today. The two older ladies proceeded to talk about her as if she were not present.

"She hasn't been in many relationships." Magda answered gravely, then winked in Casse's direction.

Chloe choked on the water she was drinking. She was the only one in service in the house younger than Casse. Chloe was Magda's niece that she had raised. She was pretty and quiet. She had a model's body, which was what had earned Casse the comments and laughter this morning.

Upon arriving to work, Casse had commented that Chloe's uniform fit her so nicely, while she might be overfilling hers. She looked over her shoulder at her behind, and the crowd went wild.

She walked away from that experience with much more confidence and boosted self-esteem. She wondered how this one was going to go.

"Okay, let's break it down like a fraction. Magda, you tell me if I miss something." Grandma held up a finger. The other woman nodded, and feigned complete concentration on what was being discussed, as if the object of the discussion was not present.

"He helped her with her bags, while she looked beastly."

Grandma and Magda both folded down one finger, to mark their point.

"OK, beastly though."Casse whined, embarrassed again at the memory of that day.

"You said that, not us. Check."

"He showed concern for her working, while pregnant. Even though she is telling us it isn't his baby."

"It's not."

"Check." Magda smiled at Grandma. They were having the most fun.

"He begged his way into your apartment claiming hunger, in bare feet and pajama pants." Grandma fanned herself. Chloe put her head on the counter, no longer able to contain her mirth.

"He had on slides...those house shoe kind." Casse clarified.

"Were his toes out?" Grandma looked pointedly at her over the rims of her glasses.

"Yes, a little bit though." Casse was starting to wish she had left out Aiden's involvement completely.

"That's two checks, Grandma. The begging his way in and the pajama pants and bare feet." Magda pretended to shiver. Casse burst into laughter. She had remained semi-stoic through their whole operation, but the open display of thirst was killing her.

"I'm going to start the dinner rolls. You two are a mess." Casse began to gather her ingredients, while laughing periodically at the older womens’ conversation.

"And lastly, he lay. On his back. In those pajama pants. With those bare feet. With his eyes closed...did I get it all?" Grandma asked Magda, who nodded at Casse, who was busy talking to herself as she combined the dry ingredients in a bowl. Casse looked over at them, never pausing in her recitation of her yeast roll recipe, shaking her head.

"...wait, before I conclude. Casseopia?" Ms. Waterston put on her official boss voice.

"Yes, Grandma?"Casse looked up as she began to combine wet ingredients into a separate bowl. She worked on auto pilot, looking back periodically to measure with her eyes.

"Did you see it?"

"See what?" Casse looked confused. Chloe coughed wildly and hurried out of the kitchen.

Magda, screeched with laughter, finally needing to sit on a stool beside Grandma, who held a straight face.

"Sweetheart, he was laying right there in front of you, you didn't even look?" Casse's mouth dropped open as she finally understood what was being said. In her shock, the egg she had just cracked, fell right into the bowl of dry ingredients.

"N- n- No, I didn't look at it! Why would I do that? I thought he laid back because my muffin wasn't that good." Casse stuttered and muttered under her breath how she needed to focus, because her rolls were going to be ruined and did they mind if the conversation continued at another time.

"You're right, we should go. My grandson will be here in a moment anyway." Grandma eased herself down from the stool and lifted the arranged tray of muffins.

"Magda, could you bring the tea service? I think we will share these muffins in the nook, in the great room."

"Yes, Grandma." Magda also feigned a serious and dignified air.

On their way out of the kitchen they both stopped to look back at Casse, as she extracted the egg and went over her recipe once again. They stood for so long Casse looked up. They were smiling, devilishly.

"Must have been quite a sight." Grandma winked, as her right hand, hench-woman fell apart into laughter again.

Casse stood shaking her head until she couldn't hear the two older ladies' laughter and rowdy conversation anymore. She took a deep breath and tried to regain her focus. Yeast rolls. Good yeast rolls. The best yeast rolls. The best yeast rolls, ever!

Yes, she had looked! How could she not? She expected that he had stared at her Teddies more than once, even though her shirt warned against it. But those pants... She closed, trying to erase, just for a moment, the glimpse she had stolen.

"Flannel?" Chloe came back in, and watched Casse from the bar. She ate a few slices of strawberry that were left on the tray.

"Yup...loose fit."

"Clear view?" Chloe raised a perfect, pencil thin eyebrow.

"Perfect."

Chloe leaned over the counter and offered a hi-five. Casse accepted.

Moments later, Casse was elbow deep in dinner rolls. Most baked goods at Waterston Manor were made for a week's time. A week's worth of dinner rolls. A week's worth of breakfast biscuits. A week's worth of banana bread. No variation in amount, just in what was being made. The baking was done first thing in the morning so that the other cooking would not interfere. Meals needed to be ready on time, every time, no matter how friendly Grandma was to the staff. Every task needed to be completed. The boss was very clear about that. As long as the house ran like a well oiled, polished and planned machine, Grandma was very happy.

Because the staff and employer were so friendly, most of the family was also on friendship terms. A family member at the door was immediately directed to wherever Grandma was at the moment. The exception to this rule were Mr. and Mrs. Waterston. They were to be greeted, offered refreshment, told where Grandma was and offered an escort to accompany them there.

Today, though, the grandson was expected to arrive. Chloe stayed close to the front entrance, doing her work there, so she could tell him where to go.

The alarm chimed "Front Door Open" and "Front Door Closed".

"Ma!" A man's voice from the front of the house, loud close up, but muffled in the kitchen.

"Must be the grandson." Casse commented to herself, taking out her last batch of rolls and carrying them into the pantry to place on the rack so they could cool.

"She's in the Great Room!" Chloe called from the hall closet.

"Thank you!" He called back. "What is cooking?" He said more to himself than to anyone else, and let his nose lead him to the kitchen, where perfect, steaming rolls were grouped and waiting to be boxed and frozen for the week.

There was no one in the kitchen, at present...he really hoped whoever the new cook was, wouldn't mind.

Casse heard an exclamation of "Damn, that's good." as she arranged boxes in the pantry and rushed to greet the thief, but he was gone when she came in. Three rolls were also gone.

"Great. Thanks for messing up my count." she sneered after the unknown someone.

"Ma." Aiden called his grandmother from the door and walked across the Great Room to kiss her on the cheek.

"Too loud." She swatted his arm affectionately, and he kissed the place where she popped him. Just like he always did.

"Your new cook is amazing." Aiden chewed the last of the second roll, as he tore into the third.

"You probably messed up her count. She's a little obsessive. In a good way." They both laughed, at the inside joke. She proceeded to tell him all about her. She was funny and magazine pretty and very well built. And did she mention that the girl was an amazing cook?

"Ma...are you trying to set me up?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "With your cook..."

"Hey, don't knock a working girl. You know I was head of staff in this house before I was ...well, head of staff." They both laughed.

"Ma. I'm not knocking working girls nor am I looking for a set up. I can find my own woman. I know Dad has been calling you, but just give me some time. I might have something working itself out." He finished the roll and winked at her.

As grandmother and grandson caught up, Magda came in and poured the tea. After sipping, Aiden looked at his grandmother with confusion plain on his face.

"You made this?"

"No, my cook did. Her name is Casseopia. Isn't that unique?" She placed a muffin on his plate and he shook his head in disbelief.

"What's in this?" He tried to sound nonchalant, as he leaned in and sniffed the confection. It was definitely familiar.

"Peaches, I think. She's trying something new." She smiled and cut into her muffin. The whole time his grandmother was talking about how hardworking and serious her new cook was. She never mentioned her wild hair, her beautiful skin, her infectious laughter or her baby bump...must be someone else. Plus, he was pretty sure her name was just Casse. Casse King, single, pregnant, great laugh, empty apartment, half crazy, fully beautiful, sexy as hell...

"I'm glad you found someone you like, Ma." He tried not to seem distracted as he picked up a large forkful of the muffin.

"After you." He waited to see her reaction to the breakfast dessert, even though he was sure he’d tasted better.

The cake was moist and sweet. The Orange marmalade and cream cheese balanced one another out, neither adding or taking away any more than then other. Smooth, sweet, salty, a touch sour and completely delicious.

"Oh, that is sexy." His grandmother did a shimmy in her chair. Magda laughed lightly, off to the side, doing more watching than dusting.

"I don't know what he said, but I'm going to guess her boyfriend was right." Both women succumbed to gales of laughter.

"Fill me in. Who's boyfriend?" He smiled and put down his fork, giving the women who'd been his greatest supporter in life his full attention.