Episode 17

Ah, at last my first day off... the single day of the week when I could be myself, not fret over the words I choose, wear whatever I wished, be free...

I rose early as usual but since it was Sunday, the necessity to adhere to the routine laid out on page 03 was absent—a routine I rigorously followed from Monday through Friday.

As the night had been quite warm, I had slept in a white satin nightgown that was very cool...

On tiptoe, I descended the still-dark stairs, made my way to the kitchen to have some water, and as I took a gulp, I almost choked from the shock...

Blake was restless... though it was Sunday, the day he could sleep in, he got up early and went down to the kitchen to grab a bite. As he neared the kitchen door, he stopped...

Silently, he crossed his arms and soaked in the sight before him of Helena barefoot, donned in a white satin nightgown, which promptly stirred his "buddy" awake.

Helena was sipping the water with such relish that he would give anything to be the glass, just to touch her lips.

"Thirsty much, huh?"

Helena spun around in alarm and the glass she was holding dropped from her grip, shattering on the floor...

"Ah, my God... what a fright...

Oh dear... sorry... m"

So quickly she crouched down and began to pick up the shards of glass with her hand...

Blake also crouched down and took them from her, collecting all the glass, and they both rose together.

There was a peculiar tension in the air.

Since Julliane had died, he had never felt anything akin, not even for Megan whom he sometimes dated.

As for her, it was something new... a warmth, a hastened heartbeat, and while she detested him for being a harsh, coarse, and cold man, she yearned to grab him, kiss him, and most importantly, to take care of him and his screwed-up emotions.