SKYLER'S POV.
"Thank you again for coming Skyler. Really." Sam thanked me again as he drove us to Mr Montgomery's home.
"It's fine Sam. Besides it's my job. It's kinda what I'm paid for."
"It is just that the way he treated you when we dropped you home. I was worried you wouldn't come." I looked at his face at the rearview mirror and his eyes met mine.
"It's fine. I understood that he wasn't in a great mood." I said and he nodded his head before taking his eyes back on the road.
Mr Fredward groaned besides me and shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he leaned his head against the head rest.
*********
Taking Mr Montgomery across the huge and beautiful lobby even with the help of Sam was work. He could barely walk on his own and thankfully he had stopped babbling nonsense and being downright mean and offensive as we pulled him towards the elevator that later took us up to the top floor.
Surprise! He lives in a beautiful penthouse.
My inner self chipped in sarcastically, which I ignored as I was too occupied.
Sam helped me with him to his bedroom and helped me help Mr Montgomery to his bed. Honestly I and Sam both deserve a raise, if we weren't out of our jobs already.
"I'll get the water." I said and walked out of the huge bedroom which on a normal day I'll admire but again I am preoccupied. I walked around with the intention of figuring out where the kitchen was.
It was beautiful. I'm very average in the kitchen but I know a good kitchen when I see one and I couldn't help but wonder if Mr Montgomery could cook and I immediately shoved the image that that thought brought up into a tiny box and locked it far away in a secluded place at the deep and dark corner of my mind.
Sam entered the kitchen and I turned my attention to him. "Hey Sam. How is he?"
"I don't know what happened to him but I've never seen him like that. And I've worked with him for more than six years. That is a long time." Sam let out a worried sigh and rubbed his palm against his low shaven head. "It's like he's at the edge of a breakdown and to be honest it's freaking me out. I mean-" he stopped and let out a groan, like he was having a difficult time explaining it.
"-men like Mr Montgomery don't have breakdowns, right? I mean, they are always put together and collected." He finished.
"That doesn't mean they are not human. Being calm and collected has its downsides too. Holding things in all the time backfires" I understood where Sam was coming from. One wouldn't expect a man like Mr Montgomery to be like that but Mr Montgomery is human too. And I've seen him like this once, although this felt different.
I looked at Sam to see that his attention his now on my bunny slippers.
Shit. I was I'm a hurry that I totally forgot that I had put those on.
He looked up at me and his eyes held questions.
Ughhh. Not tonight, I'm worried about Mr Montgomery, I can't worry about this right now.
"It's comfortable." I said defending myself before turning away from the cabinet with an empty glass in my hand.
He doesn't look convinced and I don't understand the look on his face. He doesn't look very convinced and his eyes moved away from my face to my chest...Ok fuck!!!!
I'm not wearing any bra, all I had on was my shirt that said 'i'm a boss bitch' and normally my chest is normally flat because of my small breast but that didn't mean it's not there. The t-shirt was thin and my nipples strained against the material. My hoddie was a zip up hoodie but I've opened the zip and I've been preoccupied with Mr Montgomery that I completely let my guard down.
"Uhhh-" what the hell was I going to say.
Sam immediately took his eyes from my chest and looked away.
"I-I'm so s-sorry. I didn't t-think that-" he stammered. "-sorry." He said again, not stuttering this time.
"It's fine. I-I just, I-" I sought to explain myself but my brain was coming back blank.
"It's fine. You don't need to explain anything to me, you don't need to feel like you have to explain anything to me, to anyone in fact. You are who you are. I have no right to judge you." He spoke fast.
What the hell is he talking about?
Then it dawned on me.
Oh. He thinks I'm -
"No, it's not like that. I'm not trans." I said immediately correcting him. Now a look of confusion crossed his face and I didn't know if I should tell him or not.
Sam and Mr Montgomery have known each other for a longer period and Mr Montgomery trusts Sam very much and I know that and I couldn't help but wonder if I'm busted.
"I'm female, born female and still very much a woman. It's just-" I explained fast not even gathering my words before coming to a pause and letting out a resigned sigh. "- So, i've met Mr Montgomery before and he mistook me for a guy, obviously. The previous assistant hired me as a male which Mr Montgomery already thought I was. I wanted this job so bad I was scared that if he knew I'm female he wouldn't let me work for him so I left him under the misapprehension that I am a man." I finished the story of my life in less than thirty seconds.
"Oh. Oh." He said as I brought up to date on my whole situation. "I don't think Mr Montgomery would deny you employment just because you're female." He said defending his boss. Of course.
"I know but I don't think Mr Montgomery wants to hire a woman as his assistant."
"Uhh, that is true. It makes sense." He nodded his head. "You ever going to tell him?"
"Yes I will, just looking for the right time to do it."
"Well yeah, it better be fast. I've know Mr Montgomery some time now and I know he doesn't like being lied to." He warned and I could also hear the concern in his tone and see it in his eyes.
"I know-" his phone pinged interrupting me and he took it out, looking down and reading his text before typing back fast with a frown on his face.
"Hey Skyler, do you think you could handle Mr Montgomery on your own for a little while. I'm so sorry but I have-"he started to explain himself.
"It's okay Sam. Go do what you want to do, I can handle Mr Montgomery." I lied. I don't think I can handle a drunk boss but I can certainly try.
"Really?" He asked with uncertainty in his eyes.
"Yes." I gave him an assuring smile and he returned it before heading to the elevator and leaving the house. I let out a sigh as I realized that I was alone with Mr Montgomery.
For what it was worth, I am relieved that Sam knows that I'm really a woman. A lot of people might call be a tomboy or that I have male tendencies but apart from the fact that my dressing is not the typical female type, I have a lot of female tendencies, like for example; I love jewelries but I haven't been able to wear earrings since I started working. Although I love leather pants and non fitted jeans, I also love fitted leather pants and I love leather bomber jackets.
I carried the already filled glass to the bedroom and as I entered, Mr Montgomery was no longer on the bed, but he was sitting at the foot of his bed. His head was bowed, his hands were at both side of him and his shoulders were slumped.
"Mr Montgomery." I called and immediately placed the glass at the night stand before walking towards him.
I knelt besides him and shook his shoulders lightly. "Sir?" I called carefully.
"What are you doing here, Skyler?" His voice was low and if I wasn't kneeling next to him,I wouldn't have heard him.
"Taking care of your wasted ass." I replied and almost smacked myself on the lips to remind myself that I was still talking to my boss.
"Go home, Sky." His voice shook and I could hear the sadness at the edge of his voice.
"Mr Montgomery?" I called "are you okay?"
A few seconds passed and all that reigned was silence and I didn't attempt to break it and he didn't say anything either, neither did he answer my question but then...
"No." His voice was barely a whisper but I heard him and somehow my heart thumped against my chest and my heart had this aching feeling that I couldn't pinpoint the exact point but it was there.
I moved from my kneeling position and settled myself besides him at the foot of the bed, my back resting against the King size bed.
"Was it because of the Connor guy we saw today?" I asked but he didn't respond, he didn't have to because I knew that it was.
"Do you want to talk about it? It helps if you do. And I'll listen, I promise."
We sat next to each other for what felt like hours but it was a little over seven minutes and we stayed that way. No one was talking and the only thing that filled the silent void was the steady sound of our breathing. I would have thought he had fallen asleep if not for his breathing pattern.
Its fine if he didn't want to talk either, sometimes we don't want to but I'll stay by his side till I'm sure that he's okay or till he falls asleep.
"He was my best friend." He finally spoke up and my eyes shifted to him and so did my body and now we were shoulder to shoulder even if he was taller and we weren't exactly shoulder to shoulder even though his were slumped but now it was stiffed and I could feel how tense he is.
"We started acting together when we were in middle school. He became popular first but than I did. We were very famous child actors before we reached highschool and till we reached highschool. We were famous and known and it was cool, awesome even. Till it wasn't.
"The fame and the pressure of stardom got to us, we loved being worshipped. Everyone wanted us and everyone wanted to be us. We loved it but we were also scared and everything got to our head. The partying constantly, the drinking, the drugs-" I could feel him wince and shiver like he was having a bad cold, like recollecting those memories hurt physically. I placed my hand on his that rested on his lap and held his hand tightly in mine.
I know not all men are not very expressive or touchy feely and right now I'm supposed to be a man but right now, I also didn't care.
"We went out with bad messed up people and soon we lost sight of who we were. It all caught up to me and I got depressed. I felt like I had failed, I had really failed. My older brother was perfect and all my life, I thought that I could be like him, and not stand in his shadow. I didn't want to be taken care of, I wanted to measure up to the family name like he did but when I kept pushing and pushing, I didn't know when to stop until I fell and I fell hard.
"I wasn't the only one, Connor did too. He almost ODd and I-I wanted t-to... I wanted to end everything. It felt easier that way." His voice and his shoulders shook in anguish and I could feel the tears that threatened to spill and the sob that threatened to break at the back of my throat but all I did was tightened my hold on his hand.
"I tried to jump off a bridge." I felt my heart stop for a second and it suddenly felt cold. I felt a lone sweat slid from my next down my back and my lips shook as my sob threatened to break.
"I remember that night like it was yesterday. It was cold and the rain was loud, very loud but I wished it was louder and I was going to... t-to jump until she came and she saved me." I could hear his voice soften as he mentioned her.
"She?" I asked.
"Katherine." He said and I immediately recollected that that is the name of his brother's wife. Katherine Montgomery. The bitchy woman that night have been talking about her at the bar.
His brother's wife saved him and he fell in love with her.
"She was barely a teenager. She was very brutal. It takes courage to admit how much you've failed and how much of a failure you are." A chuckle escaped his lips. "That's what she said as she was crying. I had no right to end it all when I had the power to start again, when I could save myself. To become a man I'll one day be proud of. All those words she said echoed in my head again and again. It was like she was sent to me, my angel.
"So I changed. I accepted help and I realized that my brother was always there to help me. I went to rehab, I went to a therapist, I went back to school and quit acting but I didn't leave the industry and I did everything to be a man I'll be proud of, to be a man she'll be proud of. But while doing that, I left someone behind."
"Connor." His name escaped my lips and I finally came to understand why Connor hated him. Mr Montgomery had turned his life around while Connor had remained who he was and he hates Mr Montgomery for it.
"I tried to help him, he was my best friend but he was far too gone. But I should have tried harder. I did leave him behind. It's my fault."
"No it's not." I said immediately that I didn't notice the anger in my voice. He turned to look at me, now I could see his face. He had tears in his eyes, and his eyes looked sad, very sad.
"It's not your fault. You turned your life around, you changed your life even though it must have been hard. And he, he is jealous and angry that he didn't but it is too much for him to accept his fault, that he decides to put it on you to make himself feel better. But you should know better. You can force a horse to the river, but you can never force him to drink or you'll end up hurting yourself." I have now turned to him fully turned, facing him but my hand didn't leave his.
"Katherine might have changed your mind that day and your brother might have helped you but all they did was lead you to the river you were too lost to find. You chose to drink, you chose to quench your thirst and you chose to start over. No one did that for you, you did Fredward. And if Connor was too blind to drink, how is that your fault?
"Why should you tell yourself you should have tried harder when you tried your best to help him. If you had hung onto him, i don't think you'll be where you are because people like that- people like Connor- would only hurt you. Why should you be the one to cower and be ashamed, you have nothing to be ashamed about. Instead you should be proud of yourself. A lot of people respects you and look up to you and all you've accomplished is because of you. I work for you and all this time I have, I've seen your hard work and dedication to your company."
When I finally stopped he was staring at me with wide eyes.
Did I go too far? Have I said too much?
"W-What I mean is that-" I didn't finish what I was saying as he pulled me into him and hugging me.
Is Mr Montgomery really hugging me right now? Or am I also drunk?
And why am I hugging him back?
"For what it's worth, I think she's proud of the man you've become too." I said as my arms tightened around him. "You should be too." I whispered in his ear.
I don't hate hugging him and Damn, it's scaring the living hell out of me.
"Thank you. T-thank you." He said and I don't know why him saying that makes my heart warm.
We stayed like that for... I don't how long until he gagged and I had to help him empty his stomach, clean himself up and help him into bed.
I didn't leave because I was wanted to make sure that he was sound asleep. When I heard the steady pattern of his breathing, I pushed his hair away from his face and it was surprisingly very soft.
What the hell are you doing, Skyler?
"I'm happy that you opened up to me and I'm also sad that now, I am the only one hiding something." I let out a heavy sigh at the thought that one day, he'll be furious to know that I've been lying to him.
"I wonder what your reaction will be if you one day find out that I'm really a woman pretending to be a man? Will you hate me?" It felt bitter on my tongue to say it and the thought that he would one day hate me unsettled me.
I looked at his sleeping from and angelic face and my heart skipped at how beautiful he is.
"Goodnight Fredward." I said as I switched off the lap at his bed side and headed out.
*******
As Skyler walked towards the door, she didn't notice that the sleeping form on the bed had moved and his eyes opened as he watched her walk out of the door.
AUTHOR'S NOTES.
I am so sorry for not updating and I response for not updating fast, this chapters are yours and I'll like to inform you that 'How to make the Mafia love pink' which is Vincenzo and Bianca's story would be out soon, before I finish Suit and leather.
Don't forget to vote and comment and follow me.
Until the next chapter. No matter how far or near it might be.