Maid for Me (12 page)

“That’s pretty interesting. And inspiring,” Mina said. “Didn’t think someone like you would have experienced something like that,” she teased, finally smiling.

Mina had a passion too-a few passions in fact. She wanted to be a part-time stunt woman. As for her main career, she wanted to become an architect like her dad.
.

“And I didn’t think you really had to help your mom pay off gambling debts. We’re even then. Alright, let’s go de-stress and play tennis in space.”

“Tennis in space?” Mina imagined Jaiden would really take her into outer space to play tennis-just like how astronauts played golf on the moon’s surface.

“Alright, let’s go.”

They left the hospital and took a cab ten blocks down to the Astro-Court, a newly built zero-gravity indoor tennis courtyard. Players floated gracefully like trained astronauts as they sent balls spinning across the court. Instead of running to hit the ball, one had to air-swim.

Mina and Jaiden changed into one-time use space-tennis outfits—white tank tops with loose gray sweatpants.

At first, Mina spun out of control, watching Jaiden play a set with a space-tennis coach like an expert. Jaiden sailed smoothly toward the balls and served them like a pro. Mina dove to retrieve the out-of-bound balls. She had never had more fun, forgetting her troubles, swimming and dancing like a spastic swan in the air.

“Come join me,” Jaiden said. “Just serve the ball like this.” He tossed the ball skyward and served it toward Mina. Mina swung at the ball and missed.

She chuckled. “I can’t even play real tennis.”

“Just try serving the ball.”

Mina tossed the ball, mirroring Jaiden’s movements, and smacked it squarely. The ball sliced through the air toward Jaiden. Jaiden sent it right back at Mina, who missed it by inches.

When the set was over, they floated to the Gravity Station and slowly planted their feet on the floor. Mina wiped sweat from her forehead and smiled.

“That was fun.” Though she would love to do it again, she knew she wouldn’t, at least not on her own. An hour in the Astro Court required annual membership, and the membership fee was five hundred dollars a month.

The rich play tennis. The really rich play space-tennis.

“Next stop, bowling,” Jaiden said.

“But I want to go back to the hospital to check on Mom.”

Jaiden waggled his finger. “Remember, we’re on a de-stressing mission. You staying in your mom’s room watching her sleep won’t do her any good anyway.”

Though at first Mina resisted, minutes later, they hopped another cab and rode down fifteen blocks to the Neo-Bowl. Mina just couldn’t say no to bowling, one of her favorite sports, even though her average was in the mid-sixties. She was the queen of guttering.

Neo-Bowl, however, wasn’t a regular bowling alley. The dim alley had longer, wider lanes with human-sized glowing rubber pins. Instead of launching bowling balls down the lane, players launched each other. Mina and Jaiden strapped on roller-skates with glow-in-the dark wheels.

Booming disco music played in the background courtesy of a live DJ. A waitress on roller-skates served them mango juice and oil-free fast food.

Mina strapped a helmet over her head and squatted by the end of the lane. Jaiden put his hands around her waist and positioned her for launch. "You ready?" Without waiting for her to answer, he pushed Mina down the lane and she rolled forward, flailing her arms. She knocked over all the pins.

STRIKE! Wobbly, she skated back and gave Jaiden a high five. The gesture seemed natural and practiced, as if they had been friends for a long time. Hanging out with someone other than Kit for a change felt different but nice.

Besides,
Jaiden’s not that bad, after all.

By nine PM, they returned to UMC, exhausted from playing. Hints of the setting sun reddened the purplish skies. Jaiden stepped into the hospital with Mina trailing behind him.

Call it intuition, call it a nagging feeling. Mina paused and turned around.

Standing across the street was a slim figure who wore a gray trench coat, gray fedora, and shades. Cover blown, the figure spun around and ran down the street. Instinctively like a predator, Mina bolted after the person. By the time Jaiden turned around to talk to Mina, Mina was already halfway down the street across from the hospital, chasing someone in a trench coat like a vigilante.

Give the girl a gun and she’ll shoot before the neurons and synapses in her brain fired.
Jaiden shook his head and ran after Mina.

The person Mina chased sprinted fast, like a trained runner. He or she turned a corner, so Mina doubled her pace. Stopping before a dead-end alley, the chased and chaser both panted. Mina studied the person— a woman, she figured. The woman’s face was slim and pale.

“You’re the Stalker. You sent Jaiden the threatening message, the knife, and busted his car,” Mina said, pointing an accusative finger. She readied herself to take down the Stalker.

“I would never do such a thing,” the woman said with a soft, soothing voice. She removed her shades and revealed her reflective light blue eyes. With each pretty blink, dark soot lashes fanned her high cheekbones. “I would never do anything to hurt my son.”

“Your son?” Mina dropped her fists to her sides.
This is the woman Jaiden had said was dead to him?

With legs longer than a yard each, Jaiden caught up to Mina and the woman.

“Amelia?” Jaiden said, winded and staring at his favorite maid. “What did you just say?”

*NINE*

Amelia ran toward Jaiden and embraced his torso, holding him as if he would disappear if she let go.

“I missed you so much,” she said, weeping. She removed her fedora and cascades of dark brown, wavy hair fell past her shoulders.

The woman, who was closer to him than Emma Daniels, was as beautiful as Jaiden remembered her to be. A little thinner and tired looking, but still lovely like Vivien Leigh in her prime.

Not knowing how to react, he patted Amelia’s shoulder. “I missed you too. What did you say before? Something about me being your son?”

Mina did a double take, staring at Jaiden and then at Amelia. Their eyes had the same shape. They had the same nose. Even Amelia’s lips, though plumper, also looked similar to Jaiden’s. In fact, they looked more like mother and child than Mina did with her mother.

Mixing the shade of blue of Amelia’s eyes and Jameson’s shade of darker blue, the end result would be Jaiden’s violet-blue eyes.

But this doesn’t mean she’s not a suspect!

“I mean I love you like you’re my son. That’s right,” Amelia said. “After all, I’ve watched you grow up.”

“I see. What are you doing here? Father said you had moved to Japan.”

Amelia’s eyes darkened at Jaiden’s mention of his father. She pressed her lips together. “For the past two years, I’ve lived in the city.”

“Why were you acting so suspiciously?” Mina asked, her arms crossed and her foot tapping. She didn’t want to interrupt this sweet moment, but the bodyguard in her couldn’t help herself.

“I… I’ll admit it. I was following Jaiden. I’ve been secretly staying in contact with Driver and had learned about the stalker’s attacks.” Amelia faced Jaiden. She touched his cheek. “I just wanted to watch over you and protect you.”

Either the woman is a cougar or she thinks Jaiden is her son. Otherwise, she’s being a bit too touchy feely.
Mina scrutinized the woman-she was probably in her early forties, like Kaila.
Or she’s really Jaiden’s mother. That would make things very soap-opera-ish.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Jaiden said. “I’m worried about you though. Why don’t you come back and work for us again?”

Amelia shook her head. “No, dear, I’m retired now. I’m just happy to see you’re okay.” She smiled sweetly. “I should get going.”

Jaiden held onto Amelia’s thin wrist. “I’ll have Driver take you home.”

“I’ll be fine. You and your little friend here go ahead and continue with your date.”

“We’re not dating,” Mina and Jaiden said in unison.

Amelia grinned and waved her hand. “We’ll keep in touch, Jaiden.” With that, she walked away, leaving Jaiden staring at her back like a dejected puppy. His legs itched to run after her, but he knew Amelia would just push him away. Two years ago, she had left without saying goodbye.

But as long as she stayed in the Uptown, Jaiden knew he could easily find her. He would start by interrogating Driver.

“You two look related,” Mina blurted.

“Yes, people had always said that. My biological mother is a blond haired, green-eyed bitch.”

Mina clicked her tongue. “Even if that’s the case, she’s still your mother. She worked hard to bring you into this world. You shouldn’t be so disrespectful.”

Challenge flashed across Jaiden’s darkened eyes. “Your mother didn’t abandon you when you were five, did she?”

Mina scanned Jaiden’s face. Her demeanor became sullen. “Not physically, but she mentally abandoned me when I was eleven. The same year my Dad left us.”

As sad as Jaiden’s story was, he had always lived a privileged life—even when he was a child going through rehabilitation. Emma Daniels had abandoned him, but at least she was still alive. And Jameson had provided him with everything money could buy.

“I’m sorry.” Jaiden looked down at his loafers. “I’ll walk you back to the hospital.”

Mina shrugged. “Apology accepted.”

One thing he admired about Mina, Jaiden noted, was how easily she forgave people. He patted her poofy hair and grinned.

In front of UMC, Mina waited with Jaiden for Driver to pick him up before she went upstairs to see her mother. She spent the entire night on the recliner chair, barely sleeping a wink. Every now and then, she woke up to check if Kaila was breathing properly. Mina had the nurse-bell tied around her wrist. If anything happened, she would be able to call for help.

Mom…

Though Kaila’s forte was tormenting her daughter, Mina knew she would sink into a spiraling depression if she had lost her mother today. Without Kaila, Mina wouldn’t have a reason to fight, struggle and force herself to grow up. Losing her father was tough, but because Mina had to take care of Kaila, she didn’t have time to be depressed. Mina brushed hair away from her mother’s face and fought back tears. She kissed Kaila on the forehead and smiled.

“Love you, Mom.”

As usual, Kaila slept like a baby who wouldn’t wake up even if a tornado struck through UMC and brought everyone to the land of Oz.

~*~

The second he stepped into the limo, Jaiden confronted Driver.

“I need a word with you when we’re back in the manse,” Jaiden said.

Driver turned his face and sneered. “Yes, Young Master.”

They returned to the manse and Driver parked the limo. Jaiden exited the vehicle and waited for Driver to come out before he interrogated him.

“So how is dear Amelia these days? Does she like it in Japan?” Jaiden raised his brows.

Driver cleared his throat, sweat beads forming on his forehead. “She really enjoys it there. Especially Tokyo.”

“Really? So how come I just bumped into her near UMC?”

Driver scratched his nose. “UMC? Oh right, she did say she was visiting the city in the summer. That’s probably why.”

Jaiden glowered at Driver. “Stop lying. I don’t like to have secrets kept from me. You know, plenty of chauffeurs are jobless in the city these days. Most would kill for your position.”

Driver turned his face and sneered again. “Alright, it’s true. Amelia had never left the city.”

“Where is she living right now?” Jaiden tapped his foot.

“Master Jameson wouldn’t like it if you went to see her.”

“Why not? And why did she resign all of sudden?”

Driver looked away again.