Hot Coffee (The Hollens Book 1)

Red Lace

Emma's POV

It'd been two weeks since I'd gotten back home and recovered, but I was reliving a nightmare. I kept envisioning Sharon and Mrs. Hollen inside the room with me whenever I tried to sleep. Their images were plastered in my head and their words still replayed. 

The swamp was another nightmare, too. How close I came to my death and the struggle and pain I endured trying to get out of it.

Now, I was no longer pregnant with Ethan's baby, and that just did a number on me. I was traumatized, and had been since the doctors told me the news when I awoke. My body had rejected the baby due to stress and the banging my body had taken at the hands of Mrs. Hollen and Sharon in the house, and in the van on my way to the swamp. They removed the fetus from inside me immediately so it wouldn't caused an infection.

I couldn't wrapped my mind around the fact that the baby wasn't inside me anymore, and I had to get through it by myself. Ethan couldn't understand how I was feeling and his entire agenda changed after the news about the baby. He became distant and cold and harsh towards me. It seemed like he was shutting me out for something that clearly wasn't my fault. I needed him in a time like this, but he was nowhere to be found. He spent late nights at the office, when he got home I would already be asleep, and when I woke up he would already be out the door. I hadn't seen him in days.

Was it possible that he wasn't sleeping with me at all?

I gathered myself again for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. I would break down and start crying whenever I thought about the baby, Sharon and Mrs. Hollen, or the swamp.

I headed  to the kitchen where I met Halley and a new face. Halley was teaching a woman how to use the coffee machine and the difference between the types of coffee, and I heard her mention how Mr. Hollen liked his coffee.

"What's going on here? And who's this?" I asked.

"Oh, good morning Emma, this is Hannah and she's the new maid Mr. Hollen hired." Halley turned to Hannah and gave a smile.

She had a tanned skin tone, slightly darker than Halley's skin. She had jet black, cut in a short bob at the back of her neck, and bangs. Her eyes were hazel and bright. Her nose was straight and her lips were small, which went well with her narrow face.

"New maid?" I asked, as if Halley had just stuttered.

"Hi, nice to meet you." Hannah held out her hand for a handshake but waved instead when I didn't return it.

I didn't meant to be rude and come off like a bitch, but I was surprised, and not in a good way. I had no idea Ethan was hiring a new maid, and someone else to do his coffee. Why didn't he said anything to me? Why was he doing this to me? I was the only one who made his coffee in this house, and had been since I'd arrived. And I was still here, and feeling better than I was two weeks ago, so what was his problem?

I broke down every now and again, but that was the healing stages of grief and a traumatic experience. Besides, I was still young and there was still life ahead of me. There could be another baby in the future.

"What's her job description?" I asked Halley.

"Oh, assisting with the house work and the making of Mr. Hollen's coffee every morning, or whenever he wants it," Hannah answered; she was plucky as hell.

"I'm the only one who makes coffee for him in this house, so there must be some kind of misunderstanding here. But I'll clarify it with him when he gets in tonight."

"Okay, Emma," Hannah answered coldly with a smirk.

She turned back to Halley who seemed surprised by the sudden change.

I left the kitchen and let them go about their daily duties. I went outside to the patio for some fresh air, flipping through a magazine and sipping on a glass of orange juice.

I'd become bored since I was no longer a maid. I didn't work side-by-side with Halley anymore but I missed talking to her, gossiping and joking. But now she treated me like we were no longer friends but employer and employee, which was uncalled for. I was nothing like Sharon. I would never demand such formality between us. Halley was my friend, the only friend I had, and I was losing her because I was engaged to Ethan.

I left the patio and headed back inside. I took a bucket and a mop from the storeroom and headed to the living room with supplies in hand. I began to mop when Hannah approached.

"Emma, I already did the floors," she said, folding her hands over her chest with satisfaction.

I cast my eyes around and did noticed that the floors were clean. I was too anxious to start mopping that I didn't even notice. I gave her a plastic smile and moved my cleaning supplies back to the storeroom in defeat. I went to the laundry room but the clothes had already been washed, dried, folded and placed in the basket. I took the basket upstairs since that was the only other thing left to do.

________

Ethan arrived home from work around ten that night and he was not in a good mood. There was a look on his face that made me think I should run for the mountains and hide forever. He didn't even look at me or greet me, but I was determined to get through to him because it was tearing us apart.

"Babe, we need to talk," I said softly.

He heaved a heavy sigh and sat at the edge of the bed with his back towards me. He removed his shoes, loosened his tie and took off his jacket.

"What is it Emma?" he finally spoke.

"You hired a new maid?"

"Yes," he answered sharply. The sound of his voice made me tremble in fear.

"She'll be making your coffee now?"

"Yes."

I nodded as I swallowed my defeat and replacement, but I wasn't pleased with any of it. She could be a maid, but not make his coffee. That was why he hired me for in the first place, that was how our love story began. Would he fall for her too?

"I'm the only one who makes your coffee in this house," I said, silencing the fear in me as I stood up.

"Emma, I'm not in a mood for this, okay? I had a shitty day at the office already and I don't wanna argue with you now. Just leave it as it is."

"As it is? What is this to you, Ethan? What have I ever done to you to deserve such a shut out like what you're doing?"

"Look, I hired a maid to make things easier for us. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

He got up and headed to the shower. His jacket was still laying on the bed. I picked it up to throw it in the laundry basket when something fell out and fell onto the floor—red lace underwear.