Note:
Sorry for the delay in posting. A touch of the flu, then a bit of travel for work, and next thing you know a few weeks have gone by! Anyway, I'm happy to present the third chapter in what will likely be a five-chapter series. I really can't thank my readers enough for the comments, votes and emails I've received – you're all helping to make me a better writer and I'm truly grateful. As always, this is a story about fictional and consenting adults. Thank you again for reading.
*****
A week later, Amara's shoulder brace was coming off. It was good news; she'd be able to dress herself again, bathe herself, drive herself. And without the restrictive harness immobilizing her shoulder and forearm, she'd be able to sleep more comfortably. Great news all around.
But as Dani sat in the waiting room at the doctor's office, part of her was dreading what would come next.
She sighed and tossed the fashion magazine back onto the table. Her concerns were petty. Awfully damn petty, to be resenting Amara's speedy recovery. Dani knew that. Petty, and selfish, too. She'd known from the start her thing with Amara was a limited-time opportunity. A week, maybe two. Amara had been desperate and Dani had been able to step in and help out. It was foolish to even dream it could be more than that. Amara was rich, educated and high-class. Dani wasn't any of those things.
And despite all that, Dani had let it get serious, developed feelings for Amara. Idiot! She knew what this was; knew how it ended. Why did she make the same mistakes over and over?
The door to the examination room opened and Dani stood up as Amara came out. Her arm was in an ordinary cloth sling now; no more torso strap. The brace on her wrist was gone too, replaced by a tensor bandage.
"You're free," Dani said and tried to force a smile.
Amara's smile was bright and unrestrained. "Yes! And even this can come off when I'm in bed. The doctor told me I'm ahead of schedule; I'm apparently a fast healer."
"That's great news. How long till you're pain-free?"
"If there are no setbacks? Another couple weeks at most. I'm going to have to start physio for the shoulder. She gave me the name of someone she recommends."
Dani walked her out of the medical building and helped her settle into the passenger seat of the car.
"Shall we get Anne a little early? Mrs. Hannah's going to be amazed," Dani said after sliding into the driver's seat. Amara nodded and Dani got them underway. They drove in silence for a few minutes.
"That reminds me, there's something I wanted to discuss," Amara said.
"Oh?" Dani braced herself for what she knew was coming.
"Well, now that I'm a bit more mobile I probably won't need as much help. Showering and dressing will be a bit of a challenge, but I think I can handle it."
"Makes sense."
"I won't be taking up so much of your time..."
"I guess not," Dani said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. Time to pack her stuff and move out. But hey, it had been a good week – that counted for something, right?
"So I was wondering, what would you think about looking after Anne during the day?"
"Wait...what?" Dani glanced sideways at the other woman.
Amara smiled apologetically. "I know she can be a handful sometimes, but she really likes you and I trust you, so..." she let the thought hang out there.
"But...I mean...there's already Mrs. Hannah."
"But she's going to Greece for two months so I'll be scrambling for child care anyway. I figured since you're already living with us it kind of makes sense."
"Yeah...I suppose it does."
"Look, I know childcare is hard work. I'm not asking you to do it for free. I'm thinking...maybe an extra hundred a week?"
"Seven hundred bucks a week?" Dani was incredulous.
"Well, you do all the housework, and as I said, Anne can be a handful at times. I'm paying two-fifty a week for Hannah as it is, so an extra hundred to you seems like a bargain. How do you feel about it?"
Dani lapsed into silence. How DID she feel about it? Was it stupid to stay with Amara in some weird half-maid, half-lover arrangement; to keep deluding herself into thinking it might turn into something more? Or was it stupid to turn down seven-hundred dollars a week – almost double what she was earning before she met Amara?
"If it's the money, please don't be shy about saying so. I know I'm asking for a lot of your time; evenings, weekends. You've probably got friends who are wondering where you ran off to this week," Amara said. "If you need some time off we could work the schedule a bit..."
Dani sighed. "No, the money's good, schedule's fine. I guess I'm wondering how you see things...you know...between us." She tried to keep her guard up. She'd put the question out there and there was no telling how it would be received.
"Well..." Amara said, then paused. Sugar-coating the response, or just getting her thoughts in order?
"I mean, I like how things are going. I like it a lot. You're a good one to have in charge. I really like having someone I can rely on. It feels good to be able to put myself in your hands," Amara said. "Does any of that make sense?"
Dani nodded, trying to decipher the message and decide if she should be encouraged or disappointed. She must have been silent for too long because Amara felt the need to continue.
"I trust you. I need you. You're my own personal miracle-worker!"
Dani could hear the warmth in Amara's voice. The honesty. Amara wasn't bullshitting her – Dani appreciated that a lot. And the money WAS good. Better than good, really. Anne was a cute kid; easy to get along with, and smart, too. The guest room was comfortable. She had real power; Amara had put Dani in charge. There was no rational reason to refuse the job.
But there was another side to consider and Dani knew better than to ignore it. The kissing. The gentle caresses. Shy smiles and knowing winks. Discreet pats on the bum. Warm hugs. Hand-holding.
Not when Anne was around – Amara had made it clear that stuff was off limits until she decided what she wanted to tell her daughter about it – but when the kid was in a different room things were getting touchy-feely for sure.
And when Anne was in bed, it all went to the next level. Dani figured Amara would want to take it slow but the other woman was an enthusiastic – if inexperienced – lover. Amara was eager to explore and to be explored. She'd said she was puzzled by her newfound feelings but not scared of them. Dani was her first female lover. That fact had become important to Dani, something she treasured.
Something she was eager to preserve. Something she wanted to build on.
"So we keep the same agreement we decided last week – all of it – and I keep Anne during the day?" Dani said at last. She knew from experience long silences made Amara uncomfortable.
"Absolutely. I'm completely good with that."
"Seven hundred is a lot of money. To be honest, I feel kind of guilty taking that much. I mean, you could-"
"If you tell me AGAIN I could hire a service for less than that, I'll scream," Amara said, the tease in her voice obvious. "And seven hundred a week doesn't come close to what you're worth."
Dani smiled. "Okay, let's do it."
