Annie

Chapter Fifteen

'Oh, the sun finally rose for you?'

'Shut up.' She walked groggily and sunk beside me like a sack of potatoes, her legs crossed on the sofa and her voice still rasp from sleep.

'I thought you're on a sleep coma.'

'It's all your fault.' A yawn left her as she leaned back with her eyes closed.

'I was the one who didn't want to go home last night, isn't it?'

'It's not the terrace,' Another yawn left her. 'The movie is to blame.'

'Yet, you liked it.'

'No, it wasn't that good if you compare it with Harry Potter.'

I huffed. 'Keep denying.'

'Don't argue if you want to be strangled.'

I laughed and took my coffee mug to the kitchen. Sanity doesn't crawl back into her soul if coffee is not in her system. In the beginning, I didn't know why she was so irritable if I saw her walk out of her room after she wakes up. But after a couple of observations, I understood that the cause is not me.

The sink is filled to the brim with dirty dishes—side effects of Annie's cooking—and the maid didn't come when it is past the time she usually does. Sundays are an uncalled holiday for her these past few days. She shows her face at least for getting paid, but even that must be difficult. I might be too soft when everyone—including my maid—won't take me seriously.

'Annie, can you do me a favour?'

She lifted her head. 'Depends on what you ask.'

'It isn't much, I'll give money and you have to pay the maid when she comes tomorrow.'

She closed her eyes and leaned back on the headrest. Her silence should be a yes and paying is not rocket science to refuse to help.

'No.' It came out sharp and clear from her to think otherwise. She might have heard with that half-sleep mode to come up with an answer so quick, or no is her catchphrase.

'Arey, you just have to give her money. If you're uncomfortable with my money, we can share.'

'There should be a maid to feel uncomfortable for freeloading, right?'

My heart fell into the pit of my stomach and then left my body. If she wants to kill me, she's doing a damn good job at it.

'You asked her not to come?!'

'Yes.' Her answer sounded like she's at peace but my peaceful morning lost its peace with that one single word.

Finding lost keys is easy and so is the phone number of an old friend but a maid in a city is near to impossible, I was lucky to find one without a sweat. She doesn't interfere in my business, talks less and does her work with utmost perfection, but now I won't have that happy unbothered life back.

'Why would you do that? Who will do the household work, now?'

'Just like how it's done by the person who did since the past one month,' She spoke with her eyes still closed.

'A month? Who washed my clothes and pressed them—'

Her eyes snapped open and she cranked her head.

'You did all that?'

She rolled her eyes. 'Took you that long to notice?'

'But why do you have to take the pain? A maid can do everything and all we have to do is pay.'

'Seriously? You have a fully automated washing machine and cook for yourself but still you need a maid?'

I shrugged. 'I'm hopeless when it comes to household chores and I do need help.'