Maid for Me (20 page)

The doctor nodded. “Once the swelling in her brain goes down, Miss Helwick will be fine. As for the leg, she’ll be walking normally after approximately six months, as long as she attends regular therapy.”

“What about her baby?” Michael grabbed the doctor’s white sleeve.

“The baby will be fine.”

“Oh thank god.” Michael breathed a sigh of relief. “Nothing matters more to me than my family.” He decided he would resign and back out of the Mayoral race. Once his daughter’s condition was stable, they would go to Paris and hide away from the public eye. No where else in the entire world were the paparazzi as relentless and cruel as the Uptown paparazzi. Michael knew they could easily destroy his frail daughter’s life. All this, Michael told his sleeping daughter as he stroked her forehead and face.

Mina was glad to see Madison would recover. Perhaps she would learn to appreciate her life more after this ordeal. The accident could be a mix blessing for her.

Michael’s concern and love for his daughter surprised Mina. He even already loved his unborn grandchild. Madison was so sure Michael would have killed her.

Mina smiled, feeling slight envy.
Parents, after all, should love their children. It’s just that my own mother is an exception.

~*~

Earlier that morning

“I will take full responsibility,” said the forty-one-years old blushing bald virgin when he woke up in bed next to Kaila. Kaila wrapped her body in a white sheet. She puffed smoke into Bunion’s face before she lit another cigarette.

“Responsibility for what? We’re adults, aren’t we? Besides, I’m sorry but bald men aren’t my type.”

Kaila’s heart would forever belong to her deceased husband. “I don’t even remember what happened between us last night.

The truth was, they had shared one kiss and wrestled in Bunion’s bedroom like WWF stars before they fell asleep atop his bed. In sleep, they wrestled some more and ended up with their limbs tangled together.

“We have to get married. I will take care of you and Mina, I promise.” Every pore on his body emitted sincerity. Kaila rolled off the bed.

“No means no. Besides, Mina would never accept you as her stepfather. And I like being single.” Kaila waved her hand and walked toward the bedroom door. “Poker with the others tonight, right? See you later.”

Bunion rubbed his head. Someone had told him if he rubbed Vitamin E on his head, he would grow some hair. Or he could buy an Elvis-styled toupee. He would have to become buddy-buddies with Mina, buy an engagement ring, and convince Kaila Lin to marry him, for his heart and soul already belonged to the beautiful and bewitching woman. All his life, Bunion had dedicated himself to his work. He graduated Butler Boarding School at the tender age of nineteen and had served the Daniels ever since then, starting with Jameson’s father.

Bunion had never thought about love. But now, all he could think about was love.

~*~

That night, Mina returned to the manse after spending the entire day at UMC with Jaiden. Dr. D’atria had estimated he would discharge Jaiden from the hospital on Tuesday. Jaiden had to go through blood tests, MRIs, and X-Rays. Asides from the knife wound, Jaiden had residual sedative in his body, scrapes and rope burn, and a bump in the back of his head. He had hit his head when he fainted the second time.

Everything should be okay. If Madison and her baby could survive the nasty fall, then Jaiden should be fine.

And for some strange reason, when Bunion visited Jaiden today, he had spent most of his time in the hospital making small talk with Mina, asking her what she and her mother liked to eat and do for fun.

It’s like everyone has gone nuts. Suddenly, it’s like Bunion and I are all buddy-buddy.

Mina made her way to her bedroom. Five minutes later, someone knocked at her door. She regretted opening the door when she saw who her guest was.

Standing outside, wearing shades, a black wife-beater, ripped jeans and worn sneakers, Graham had his hands behind his back.

     
“Hey, Watson.”

     
“What do you want?”

     
“I was gonna say goodbye and thank you for your help yesterday.”

     
“Goodbye and you’re welcome.” Mina tried to close the door but Graham slipped right into her bedroom. He handed her a bouquet of yellow roses he had kept behind his back.

“For you.” He removed his shades. Mina noticed his cheeks turned rosy.

“The hell?” Mina sneezed, pretending to be allergic to roses.

“Well, uh I can’t just say thank you without a gift. Besides, Jameson wired a crapload of money into my Swiss bank account. So this is from Sherlock to Watson?”

“I didn’t know they were gay.” Mina grinned.

Graham chuckled. “Well, some people are debating they are. You’re feisty. I liked you the moment I met you.”

“I thought you were a kook and I still do. Please just go. I want to go to sleep.”

“Me too. I barely slept, thinking about you all night.” Graham wiggled his eyebrows.

“Oh come on. You barely know me.”

“Are you sure about that? I’m a private detective. Let’s see. You’re sixteen years old and—”

“And you’re way older than me so you liking me would make you a pedophile. Thanks for the flowers. See you later.” Actually, better never than later, but Mina didn’t want to be too rude. “Good night.” She shoved him out of her room.

Graham sighed. He whipped out a business card. “Too bad, Watson. You and I could’ve made one heck of a team. Well, if you ever need me, I’m a phone call away.” He winked. “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

Then you’ll have to wait for an eternity. Besides, he almost got Jaiden killed!
“Okay, thanks, bye!” Mina slammed her bedroom door shut and plopped down on the waterbed.

Outside, Graham paced the hallway and sighed. “I can wait until you reach a legal age, Mina. I totally can!”

“You’re creeping me out, Graham. Good bye.”

Graham pouted and walked away.

Mina closed her eyes. Every bone in her body complained, especially her feet. They throbbed and felt detached from her legs. Though her body welcomed sleep, her mind wouldn’t stay quiet. Thoughts of Jaiden, Kiterin, and even Graham kept her awake.

Whoever said boys were simple is so wrong.
All three boys toyed with her head and her heart. Except Mina had a feeling Graham had a real crush on her.
Of course, the wackiest and least attractive of the trio likes me.

Her heart reacted strongly when she thought about Jaiden’s kisses and everything he had said to her. She had waited for five years for Kit’s kiss and yet when he kissed her, it felt so wrong. But when Jaiden kissed her, it felt so right. All three times felt amazing.

What’s wrong with me?

Mina decided she should avoid boys until after college. With the Stalker(s) caught, she convinced herself she had earned the fifty-grand Jaiden had paid her. Madison and Michael would soon leave the Uptown.

Which means
Jaiden doesn’t need a pretend girlfriend anymore. I could continue to be his maid and bodyguard.

But that would mean I’ll spend the rest of the summer in the manse and run the risk of falling in love again.

Mina-Angel and Mina-Devil appeared on her shoulders and both reached a similar conclusion.

Because there’s no way someone like Jaiden Daniels would ever fall for someone like Mina Lin. And even if he has fallen for me, there's no way he'll love me forever.

In our superficial world, beautiful people belong with other beautiful people. Jaiden may have some feelings for me now because I'm different-- odd, strange, violent, but he'll grow tired of me. When I'm deeply in love with him, he'll destroy my heart. My heart will always be the one broken. I can't have that happen again.

One heartbreak was all her heart could take this summer. Before the Pauper fell for the Prince, Mina knew she should leave the manse. For once, she would choose flight over fight. She didn’t belong in this ritzy, glamorous world anyway. And before Kaila became delusional, they had to go.

Mina removed herself from the comfy bed and gathered all of Kaila’s belongings into the shoddy suitcase she had brought from home.

*SIXTEEN*

The next morning, Jaiden lay in bed, staring at the door and waiting for Mina to come visit him. Unbeknownst to him, before noon, Mina and her mother were already back in South Uptown in their own house.

He waited the entire day. His father visited him. Bunion visited him. Mina still didn’t show up.

Late in the afternoon the next day, someone he had never expected would visit him came as well.

Emma Daniels walked into the suite with a basket of fruits. She set the basket down on the table next to Jaiden and looked at her son like a stranger. Both opened their mouths to speak but neither said a word.

To Jaiden, Emma looked unchanged, as if thirteen years did not pass since he last saw her in person. She was still slim and beautiful, with her blond curls pinned up in a chignon. She wore a pair of tight blue jeans, heels, and a black tank top. Her expression softened when she looked at Jaiden’s sling. She turned to face the door.

“Come inside and meet your brother, Aaron.”

A blond teenage boy plodded through the door. He removed white ear-buds from his ears, frowned and said, “Hey.”

Jaiden laughed and stared at the boy. “I have a brother?”

Aaron rolled his eyes. He was scrawny, with dark eye circles beneath his light blue eyes. He wore baggy clothes and dog tags around his neck. “A half-brother.”

Emma smiled, sat on the bed, and embraced her older son. “I missed you, love. I’m sorry so much has happened and I wasn’t here for you. Things will change. I promise.” Emma kissed Jaiden’s forehead.

“Hey if you’re both going to start crying, I’m getting out of here.” Aaron plugged the ear-buds back into his ears and blasted his Ipod. He sat on the lounging sofa, crossed his legs, and played air guitar with his eyes closed.

Jaiden imagined they would have great jamming sessions together. Except Aaron would probably think Jaiden was un-cool since no rock bands included pianists.

“I like him already,” Jaiden said, hugging Emma back. “I missed you too, Mom.”

Hating someone was draining and Jaiden was too tired to continue to hate Emma, especially when she had all the reasons in the world to leave his father thirteen years ago.

Jaiden wasn’t even mad at his father anymore. After this near death experience, Jameson would allow his son to do whatever he pleased, which included enrolling into medical school next year.

Despite everything that had happened, Jaiden believed he wasn’t the biggest victim. Amelia was.

For years to come, Jaiden would watch over Amelia and make sure the people in Epoh, an asylum outside of the Uptown, took good care of her. Every now and then, he would send her white orchids with purple centers, and play her favorite songs at Epoh.

~*~

Wednesday afternoon, Mina sat in front of her house sketching the Daniels’s manse from memory. She spent extra time drawing the pillars to perfection.

Inside the house, Kaila played Internet poker. After her brief vacation in the manse, she discovered she loved pai gow, mah jong, poker and the likes for the sheer thrill of mastering both chance and skill gambling games offered. She realized she did not have to gamble away real money to escape from reality. Though she still smoked, drank, and refused to work, at least now she didn’t make Mina worry about losing their house.

Mina sighed and looked at their house behind her.