Frivolous Ecstasy

6| Replaced?

    With the light beaming from the windows, Ashley shifted in bed to suit her comfortable position. With her eyes still shut, she outstretched her arm to her right side, searching for a body, only to feel it's cold emptiness.

She briskly opened her eyes and sat upright in wonder as to where her new husband was. Just as she felt, she could see that he had not been laying next to her as she thought he would, neither was he anywhere in the room.

"Dominic?" She called getting out of bed. On her left, a wooden table kept the alarm clock, showing that it was only half past 7AM.

She had at least an hour left to be at work, still exhausted from the events of the day before, she felt enslaved by her own job.

Ashley reached for her morning gown over a chair, getting into her house slippers and walking out of the room.

The petals of the night before had vanished, everything else. The mansion was as clean as a castle. She heard sweeping coming from the end of the hallway, quickly walking towards it as she still shouted Dominic's name.

"Dom, are you there?" She inquired peeping her head through the ajar door, only to find a middle aged woman dressed in maid uniform and sweeping dirt into the dustpan. The woman froze and spun around in surprise, only to find a black woman in a pink fluffy morning gown with the words Morning already? embroidered on the left.

"Good morning, madam, you must be Mrs Lucas", she stood upright and faced her body at her, however, not looking straight at her face and instead lowering her head to meet the floor. "I am Cherish, one of the maids".

"One of the maids?" Ashley repeated in confusion, wondering where and when they came. "But how—"

"Good morning, you".

Ashley turned her head to her left upon hearing his voice. Standing by the corner of the stairs was her husband, Dominic, looking back at her as he held a white mug in hand. His other hand was in his short's pockets, crossing one leg over the other whilst leaning his right onto the brick pillar holding the higher floor to the ground.

"Was just coming to check up on you, breakfast will be ready in twenty", he informed before taking a sip of his coffee, walking towards her as she still stood in confusion.

Ashley neared towards the balcony showing the ground entrance foyer. The large space was occupied by at least three women dressed in maid uniforms too and dusting or wiping the place around. The floors were already shining after the intense polishing.

"What? Breakfast?" Ashley turned her head towards Dominic who stood facing the floor as much as she. He did not however hold an expression of amazement or awe as much as she. "Someone's making breakfast for us?"

"Yes... you don't wish on eating?" To him, or anyone that lived like him, one would consider it a dumb question.

The truth was, however, that Ashley had been hoping she would make him breakfast. Perhaps some pancakes or toast with scrambled eggs, eating together in bed because that would be sweet. That was how she imagined her after wedding morning to be.

Ashley opened her mouth to speak before a woman beat her to it, standing behind the couple just five feet in distance, bowing her head as she spoke.

"Sir, you have guests".

"Guests?" Dominic turned his head back down to the foyer, looking at the entrance doors as if he had X-ray vision to see through it. The least thing he expected was disturbance on their after wedding morning. For Christs sake, why wake up so early for just a visit?

"Yes, sir. A man and woman".

Dominic sighed and left the two women, just as he left his empty mug, too. Ashley attempted to reach for it before the maid beat her to it again, quickly walking away towards the kitchen downstairs.