Housekeeping Novels & Stories

It was all perfe‌c‍t, and i‍t m⁠ade her⁠ skin cra‍wl. "Your belongi⁠ngs have been placed‌ in the closet and th‍e sitting room," Kaelan s‌aid fr⁠o‍m t⁠he doorway, not enter‌ing her space. "The k‍itchen is stocked. My‌ housekeeper, Mrs. Higgins, comes on Tuesdays and Fridays. Y‍ou'll find the Wi-Fi password‍ and other rele‍v‌ant d‌etails on the tab‌let on the desk." He was reciting a ma‍nual.

“Thank you so much.” “No problem, I hope you can find your way around easily. The apartment has a good electricity supply, thanks to back-up generators so you don’t need to worry about a power outage. Also, a housekeeper comes twice in month to tidy up so the apartment isn’t abandoned or gathers dust. You should be able to sleep here this night without having to do any cleaning.” “All I need is a roof over my head and this is already more than enough.” His phone rang and he informed me it was the boss.

"But I don't recall making any arrangements with Stellar Cleaners. Are you certain you have the right address?" The housekeeper consulted her notepad, her brow furrowing in genuine concern. "I double-checked the address provided, and it matches the one on our records," she replied, her tone carrying a mix of professionalism and perplexity. Blake expressed his gratitude to the housekeeper for her diligence despite the confusion. With a polite nod, he acknowledged the situation and the mix-up that had occurred. "Thank you for your time," Blake said, maintaining a polite yet puzzled tone. "It seems there has been a misunderstanding."

I stood in the kitchen, dicing some vegetables for the food I was cooking for dinner. I had gotten my first pay just yesterday, and used a small amount for the groceries we needed at home. Everything has just been so strange these past few days. It was nearly as if a magical wand had touched my step father. Suddenly, he was in such a good mood, that he was almost never at home, and when he was, he sat down in the garage welding for people, while humming some Korean old songs.

It was sustainable in a way I hadn't thought possible. Three weeks into the apartment, we were learning how to be a couple in actual functional relationship space. Which meant discovering that physical intimacy couldn't be isolated from everything else. That sex existed within the context of how you treated each other during the day. That vulnerability in bed had to be supported by vulnerability outside of it. We had our first real conflict about something mundane: dishes. Eli had left a pile in the sink. I'd made a comment about it. He'd gotten defensive. I'd made another comment about how his creative messiness needed to include consideration for shared space.

The spinning top itself rushed around the whole house, wiping every crack, every corner, as if they had not moved in three weeks ago, but had already lived in this house for at least six months and had never cleaned it. - And not a hundred years have passed! — Kayla snorted at her appearance, for some reason washing the door frame of the guest room. — Also tidy up the bathroom. When was the last time you washed it? And the hair drain needs to be cleaned, it’s already completely clogged. How many times should you repeat to put the nozzle on before taking a shower, and if you forget, don’t take it off at all. - Why have you been grumbling since this morning?

A countdown. The kitchen smells faintly of grilled mackerel and detergent. Warm. Familiar. Almost peaceful, if I ignore everything else. I fold a clean towel and hang it neatly by the sink. Then I move on — laundry next. There’s always something to do in this house. Always a mess to clean up. A chore. A routine. A job I never applied for.

Housekeeping shouldn't open any drawers in an occupied room. One of her eyebrows raises higher, but she pretends to lock a seal over her lips and throws away the key. "I guess you'll never find out." "I guess not." Under no conditions am I going to enter someone's room and then look through their underwear drawer. "No, I've got to go. I'll see you later?" The housekeeping staff gets out of work two hours before I do, but Cammie normally stops to say goodbye when her shift ends. ...

She stirred slightly but didn’t wake up. I took a deep breath and looked around the room. It needed a thorough cleaning. The house hadn't been used since Ava left, and dust had settled over everything. I rolled up my sleeves and got to work, starting with the bedroom. I wanted to make sure it was comfortable for Avery. As I cleaned, I thought about what to do next. I couldn’t order food or let anyone come here until I knew the situation was safe.

“I want to keep you company.” “Nah,” she shook her head. “I'm fine. If I need anything, the housekeeper is here to help.” A smile passed between us. The housekeeper appeared at the doorway as though knowing that she was needed. “Good night.” Ruth blew me a kiss. “Night,” I mumbled and joined the housekeeper. We sauntered through the hallway and slowed before a heavy wooden door. “The master’s bedroom. If you need anything, just press the call button by the bedside.”