Chapter Six

While Marie is still sleeping, I hear a sound from below but nothing is heard, I feel euphoric, nervous. Is Jeanne Nizzari thinking of me? I walk from one side to the other trying to resist any idea that Jeanne may feel the same for me ... I feel a noise below and I stay still, going up a few steps from the stairs Jeanne approaches and finds my shy eyes, still annoyed by something and avoiding me, she walks into her office and I realize that she is still my boss, that my unfounded ideas must end, and that maybe I'm exaggerating.

Marie finally wakes up and I work hard to serve her a nutritious breakfast, I try my best to distract my mind but I can't, Jeanne hasn't been out of her office all morning and she has me lost. Marie and I play as usual, at the end of the afternoon I help her draw while we are both lying on the large carpet in the main room, every exact ten minutes I look towards the stairs waiting for Jeanne to come down and follow everything. . . . . normal as usual, but my shift is almost over and I'm sure she'll be locked up until dark, without thinking I start cooking a light dinner for Jeanne, it takes me over an hour to do it but I don't care.

A new week begins, I decide to dress again in a gray skirt and a matching blouse, I put a ponytail in my hair and I leave the house with the nervousness that always welcomes me when I go to the mansion. I arrive before the usual time and I find it strange not to see Jeanne anywhere, I go up the stairs to Marie's room and I do not see the owner of my thoughts anywhere. I ask the guard and he tells me that the lady has left earlier than usual and that she said she will be back late. I get back to myself as fast as I can and spend a day with Marie in peace, we eat and watch TV most of the day, I'm sure if it weren't for Marie and her distractions I would be locked up thinking about everything.

Thus two weeks pass in which Jeanne leaves almost at dawn and when she arrives she avoids my presence, she always ignores me and her eyes never meet mine, I want to think that her attitude does not hurt me but every day a small hole opens inside. . of me, in the end he was right, he doesn't feel the same about me. With some savings I made, I buy some dresses and fine underwear, my financial situation is finally stable and I can afford certain luxuries, I paint the house in royal blue and I renovate my living room with new furniture. My subconscious tells me that I only do it so as not to think about a certain blonde woman ignoring me, and maybe she is right.

I start another week in the mansion this time with more spirits, if Jeanne wants to ignore me I will too, I must eliminate these feelings that submerge me before I end up more hurt than I am. I arrive at the mansion with one of my new dresses and the first thing I see leaves me petrified, when I enter the kitchen for a glass of water there is Lizzy with a large shirt that I assume is Jeanne's and only some panties. When he notices my presence, he smiles at me from ear to ear.

"Good morning Emma," he says politely, but I can only reply with a nod. It means that he has slept here and had sex ... Just imagining it gives me a twinge in the stomach and I flee as soon as I can from the kitchen, but when I enter the door I collide with Jeanne's body and she looks at me strangely, I give her an elusive good morning greeting without looking at her and walk quickly to Marie's room, who is still asleep. I try to normalize my breathing, but I feel awful doing it. All my illusions collapse, what I thought was just a trick of my mind turned out to be true, Jeanne's girlfriend or whatever Lizzy has to be, she doesn't feel anything for me ...

I hear two knocks on the door and I get up to open it, it's Jeanne. She seems serious and I'm surprised that her eyes are looking for me now.

-Emma, could you walk me to my office?

I nod and follow her into the next room, she closes the door behind me and I stand in the middle of the room avoiding looking at her, but I know that she is watching me closely and approaching me.

-Sorry you saw Lizzy like this -she begins and I look at her incredulously- I'm sorry to put you through an uncomfortable situation.

I try to concentrate but I am still shocked. Do you apologize for seeing your girlfriend in panties?

"Mrs. Jeanne, it's your mansion and you can do whatever you want, it's none of my business what you do with your girlfriend or not," I say resentfully and Jeanne raises an eyebrow.

-What makes you think that Lizzy is my girlfriend? -she approaching and staying less than a meter from my position

"I ... I don't know," I answer honestly and ashamed.

-Lizzy is not my girlfriend -said sure- she is just a good friend ...

I remain silent and lower my head nodding, I just want to get out of here and her damn closeness that makes me lose control, Jeanne looks at me from head to toe and then stops in my eyes, seems lost in thought ...

"I have to go find Marie," I tell her nervously and Jeanne nods, letting me pass. Jeanne goes to work while I make Marie breakfast, she seems sad and I immediately worry.

-What's up little girl? I say sitting next to her and she sighs.

-Aunt Jeanne is weird -she starts to say- now she doesn't smile like she used to and stays up late ...

"She must be busy with her little work," I try to reassure her but Marie refuses.

"My aunt seems lost ..." she ends and I nod, calming her down. And it's true, when I notice Jeanne she seems to be in another world, during the week every day I see Lizzy leave the mansion when I arrive, and Jeanne every single day looks at me like she wants to tell me something, but she doesn't and She just stares at me too long, she has stayed at home with the excuse of having to organize some papers but most of the time she shares with Marie and me, several times I have caught her watching me but she does not look away, she only seems to deepen her observation and I am nervous.

On Friday Jeanne stays home all day, her silent company becomes a habit for me again, and we play with Marie around the house, at her request. But in the evening Jeanne goes to lock herself in her office and doesn't move from there until it is time to leave. I debate between going or not to say goodbye and I choose the last one, I go up the stairs and knock on the door to be immediately opened by her.

-I'm leaving Mrs. Jeanne -I say by way of farewell and Jeanne nods strangely, she staggers to the side and I know something is wrong -Are you okay? -I say worried and getting closer.

-I'm being sincere? -He says raising an eyebrow and I nod- no ...

-What can I do to help?

-Stay a few minutes with me ...- she says seriously and surprises me but I end up accepting, I enter Jeanne's office I look at the room and everything is messy, leaves scattered on the ground and there is a monumental disorder on her desk.

-I have been working ..- he apologizes and I nodded smiling- Why are you smiling? -Question on the defensive.

-I am amused that the most famous businesswoman in the country has a mess in her office- Jeanne smiles at my comment and raises her eyebrow again.

-Care with what you say Miss Emma, it offends me a lot ..- she laughs and I imitate her.

-Do you want to eat something? I can serve you something before I go ...- I say

-You are not the employee Emma-assures-I just need to distract myself from all this work, it has me overwhelmed ...

-I imagine it -I answer sincerely- if you want I can help order ...

-That would be of great help ...- she agrees and we start collecting and stacking papers, Jeanne pours herself a glass of wine whenever she can and I am surprised by the amount of alcohol she can consume in an hour. By the time we finish night is almost falling and Jeanne is carrying half a bottle of wine.

-I think that's it-says Jeanne and I nod-thanks Emma for your help, you're always so ... kind.

-Don't worry, it's my duty to help you too ...

-I think you are one of the most humble people I have ever met and also one of the most beautiful women ...- she rests her body on her desk and I nod ashamed- I wonder what you hide behind those eyes ...

-I must go Mrs. Jeanne- I tell her trying to escape her sudden confessions and I'm almost sure that the wine is the cause- she has had a couple of drinks madam, if she wants I can help her to go to your room to sleep. ..

"You're right", she says convinced, "I think it's hard for me to keep my balance ..." she gets up and walks, I help her by taking her arm and letting her rest her body on me, it is the first time that I am so close to her and I do a miracle so that my nervousness is not noticed, and I walk her to the door of her room.

-It's late Emma, I don't want anything to happen to you, if you want you can stay to sleep in the mansion -she says worried and I deny it.

-I'll be fine -I say sure- See you tomorrow Mrs. Jeanne ...

But she takes my hand before I walk andand she watches me carefully.

-Please stay -he insists- I won't be able to sleep if you're alone at night, it doesn't bother me that you stay ...

I look at her in disbelief but I end up accepting, she shows me my room and hands me one of her pajamas.

-It's the least I can do after you help me ...- I smile and Jeanne imitates me.

-I think you are a beautiful woman Emma, inside and out - she just says it and my cheeks are stained red - the man next to you will be very lucky ...

-Woman-I clarify-I like women- Jeanne opens her eyes in surprise but nods, I know that my sexuality was a mystery and now it is solved.

-I didn't know ...- she says lost in her thoughts- well, have a nice night ...

"You too, Mrs. Jeanne," I say, smiling at her and she responds to me. I enter the room where I will sleep and I sit on the bed with a silly smile on my face, it will be a long night ...