Easier Said Than Done (2)

Ari read over the paper once, twice, then a third time to make sure that she'd read the fine print. It was important to know what one was agreeing to. "May I have a red pen? I'd like to circle a few areas that I feel might need to be amended. I don't understand why we need a contract in the first place. You couldn't just ask me these things yourself? This is a lot, Alaric.

A lot to take in. Why do you need access to my birth records? I think some of these things might also be difficult in a wheelchair." Shapely brows drew together, reading the paper a fifth time. "Isn't this stepping into Benjamin's territory? I won't be taking his job?"

"Are you trying to tell me my legal documents are flawed Miss Ari?" He asked while leaning to reach for a red pen setting inside a wooden holder with his last name carved in the front. After plucking it up, he handed it to her. "Benjamin is a butler, you'd only be dealing with office work cleaning and my bedroom...." Alaric allowed the word bedroom to hang in the air while his gaze was directly on her own before adding. "Cleaning as well if you were wondering. Benjamin doesn't go into my room."

Again the suggestion of something more hung between them. They both seemed to toe a fine line between anger and attraction; or it was just a front for something else. Ideas she hadn't let herself think.

Finally it was her turn to smirk, "Not flawed. I suppose this is the least I can do. My shop means everything to me." Instead of marking up the clean pages like she'd claimed, Ari signed her name in looping cursive across the line. "I look forward to working with you."

"Good," The corner of his mouth quirked upwards. He leaned forward, seeming as though he was about to say something, but went downward instead, opening a drawer and pulling out a thick book that seemed over a thousand pages.

Slamming it down between them, dust rose in the air. "Would you look at those things to read for when you start your big day. Guess you can use that excitement to ravish through these pages." A brow lifted then.

Her jaw nearly dropped along with the ancient rome sitting between them. "What even is this? I'm surprised you've kept something that has dust on it." She recalled his reaction to her place and frowned. Ari grabbed the edges of the book, sliding it down onto her lap. The force rocked her wheelchair and she let out an, "Oof." Opening the cover and flipping through several pages. "You can't be serious?"

His head tilted to the side a bit. "Have we ever been on severe joking terms before?" Alaric tapped his own pen against his mouth, watching her curiously. ly.

"Well..no." Her shoulders slumped a bit. Not that she couldn't read but it had never been something she did in her spare time. She was more of a mover, although that had recently changed. Her nostrils flared and she let out a breath through her nose. "It might take me a while but I'll get it done." This was going to be her life for the time.

"It just dawned on me. This is on a contract but there's no specified time frame. Am I to do this until I get fed up and quit? Or fired." Although considering the consequences for the latter, she was going to avoid that route. Ari closed the book, leaning on it with her elbows.

"You can work as long as you'd like, or until you are terminated from the job." Alaric stopped tapping the lpen against his mouth.

"Or until you're dead." Another voice came from behind Ari, a woman with red hair and hypnotizing blue eyes. Long red coffin shaped nails glinted as she lifted a hand to toss her long straight hair that curled at their ends over one petite shoulder. "I'm his second secretary. Whenever you are ill or unable to attend work, I'll take your place. I'm also here to train you since I used to be in your place."

Alaric seemed unamused at her entrance, setting the pen down and glimpsing up. "I told you an hour."

"I was impatient and wanted to see her." The woman smiled, red lips plump. She looked exactly like Jessica rabbit made in the flesh. Though her incisors were a little longer and slightly pointed during her grin.

There seemed to be a whole cast of people involved in Alaric's business and life that she hadn't met yet. If he already had a secretary, why did he need her? To each their own she supposed. Rich people would always be a mystery.

Ari extended a hand out to the woman. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ari. This whole thing is rather new to me so I apologize now for my mistakes." She was nearly mesmerized by the woman. Was it possible for someone to look perfect? It was almost embarrassing sitting next to her.

Her hair was curly and hard to tame. Her eyes were a boring brown in comparison to vivid blues and her skin was peppered in freckles giving her an odd two toned complexion. Alaric must have been insane trading Ari for the one he had already.

"It is nice to meet you too Ari," She flashed her a feline-like smile, waving a gloved hand in the air. The woman dressed like she was in the Victorian Era, a black rose nestled into her hair above her ear.

"She's the old secretary who shouldn't even be here to introduce herself." Alaric didn't even bother to glimpse her way.

The woman blinked, pressing a hand to her chest. "Awww, you bruised my ego a bit. I do miss the snacks at your job though." She winked at Ari, then gestured for her to follow. "Come, Come. I have much to show a countryside girl such as yourself. Mr. Draconis is keen on how things are in his home."

Ari looked at the woman quizzically. There seemed to be some joke she wasn't getting. With a shrug of her shoulders she began wheeling herself after the fancy woman through the darkened hallway. "Do you enjoy this job? Is there anything I need to know beforehand?"

"Mr. Draconis is an asshole, but I'm sure you know that. I'm just here to make sure you know how to do things properly before I leave the estate." The woman said, walking with her hand on her hip.

"Oh yeah. He is the biggest asshole. Somehow he's nice but always ruins it." She would take a tour with an explanation before some dusty old book anyway. "I only need to keep the office and room clean, right? That shouldn't be too difficult." It had just occurred to her that she hadn't even thought to ask about pay.

Either way, he was already going above and beyond what she expected. There was no easy way for Ari to get up and down the stairs yet so she hoped that her new job didn't depend on mobility much.

"Sometimes he has his other needs too. Thank God, not that I'm a Christian or anything, I couldn't fulfill those. You better be careful." She glimpsed towards the side of her before they stopped in front of an old fashioned elevator. She helped her inside, then closed its doors as they descended slowly. "Sometimes keeping his personal files and appointments in check as well."

Ari wasn't sure what other needs but like everything else they'd cross that bridge when they got there. The elevator rattled quietly as they descended to the bottom floor. A too-yellow bulb was the only source of light. She took the moment to *stretch out her arms and hands. "That shouldn't be too difficult. Those sort of things I can manage."

"Here is where we'll practice." She gestured at the dusty old level where there was an old office, kitchen, and everything else she'd need to get started on the job. "Perhaps we should get you some crutches. You'll need to walk around a bit. Heard your legs are fine but you have a slight concussion."

Her nose wrinkled and she sneezed loudly from the dust mites floating around everywhere. The basement looked like a set from an old crime movie. Something more suited to black and white like Dick Jones. "Actually, that's a great idea. I'm already sick of being stuck in this chair." As she wheeled forward, Ari left tracks on the floor through the dirt. "What's first?"

"Cleaning," She plopped down into a chair and tossed her a rag. "Don't leave a speck of dust behind. If you want, you can ask questions. You look like you've been holding curiosity in." Pulling out a nail filer, the woman started shaping the tips of her nails.

Ari couldn't believe all she was given was a rag with three different areas to clean, all covered in grime from too much time spent neglected. Rolling over to the faucet she tried turning it on to wet the cloth only for the pipe to churn out a clot of mud. Instead she decided to start with the windows. Something simpler that might actually be possible. The sleeves on her white button up were rolled up first, beginning to scrub vigorously at the smudged glass.

"Why has he decided to help me? Or better yet what potential do you think he sees in me? And why do I need to be careful? Alaric is a jerk but he doesn't seem dangerous. I ended up with a broken finger and a small fracture from my own clumsiness." There wasn't much air flow so soon beads of sweat rolled down her back.