Daylight

Chapter V - New Year's Day

"Do you think this classifies as life imitating art?"

The state of her living room makes her want to drop the bin bag she's holding and go back to bed. But it's past noon already and Joe seemed keen on helping her clean up before he had to go back to the UK for the time being and she really should do something productive before inevitably crawling back into bed.

"What?" She swallows, her throat awkwardly dry after last night's drinking.

"You know," Joe gestures, ripping a bin bag from the roll and handing one to Taylor, "cleaning up bottles with you on," he clears his throat before singing wildly out of tune, "New Year's Day."

Taylor laughs as both cats scurry out of the living room and shakes her head.

"No taxis, no friends in the living room, the prerequisites have not been met." She shrugs, "We need cardboard boxes or something."

"What you need is a housekeeper," Joe mumbles, "I genuinely don't understand why you just don't, you know, get one."

She knows he has a point but she has thought about it before and there are about seventeen arguments against getting a housekeeper – she made a list. The cats might not like whoever she hires. She might be allergic to cleaning products they prefer to use. They might drop one of her breakables. They might find loosely jotted down lyrics here and there and throw them out or even worse, take them home, or sell them, or -

"I like my privacy."

"As if your team would not vet the absolute fuck out of anyone who would come into this place," Joe shakes his head, tossing an empty bottle of Jack Daniels into the bag, "I'm just saying – you should consider it."

"I'll have a think."

She won't. She has had the exact conversation before in the Beverly Hills estate.

-

"Please be quiet." She begged as Karlie almost fell out of the car giggling, "Kar. Karlie, please," she muttered under her breath even though she could not help but smiling at the taller blonde, "Kar, come on."

"As if your entire security team has not been monitoring every single step we take since we drove onto the estate." Karlie replied, annoying rational for someone as tipsy as she, "I'm sure they have infrared or night vision or something and they are watching us right now, trying to read my lips to see what I am saying to their boss."

"Let's hope they can read mine too then when I say we should get in." Taylor replied dryly, closing the car door and linking her arm with Karlie's, "Come on. Try to not make a mess."

"Do you think they can?"

"Do I think they can lip read?" Taylor echoed, "I don't know, that was not a question we asked when they got interviewed for the job."

"Will you ask?"

"I'll ask them tomorrow when I see them, I promise."

The easiest way to get Tipsy Karlie to cooperate was to indulge in her weird quirks. The model relaxed now she knew Taylor was going to find out for her and happily bumped into Taylor's side as they walked to the front door.

"I had a really nice time." Karlie continued, "And I wanted you to know that," she paused as Taylor unlocked the door, "It's important that you know."

"Say that again." Taylor grinned, tapping in the alarm code for the main house.

"Important." Karlie mumbled, "Hey."