DONOVAN (Book Three)

FIVE

 I can feel my back aching as I lean and roll my neck, returning to wiping the tables. Once they are done, I gather the dirty glass cups and plates, heading to the kitchen to wash. It has been two weeks since I've worked here at B&M bar things are working great, and the money is good. Although I work every night, I also work in the daytime too. Doing laundry, cleaning dishes, cleaning each room, and grocery shopping. I don't mind the hard labor in my cousins' home.

Back in Wellington, London, we have maids and one butler, Reuben. Old man Reuben has been with the family since his father served my grandfather, my father's dad.

Reuben is loyal to my father and the family. While my parents have always been busy, he took care of me. He lost his wife and daughter in a car accident, so he's very cautious about me. He's always there for me.

Reuben has also helped me escape the biggest mistake of marrying Eddie. He protected me more than my father.

I miss Reuben.

I hope he isn't punished harshly for helping me. I'm very worried about him every day. Father would punish him with a cut pay, but Mother would scold him for over an hour.

I sigh.

"Claire, after you are done with that table. You can leave."

I look over my shoulder with a confused expression at Billie and look down at my watch. "I have an hour left. Still have other tables that have not been cleaned."

"Don't worry about that." Swing the towel rag over her shoulder. "I heard about your little boy, a single mother like you shouldn't stay here at the bar late."

"How do you know?"

"Oh, a little bird told me."

Hypothetically, neither of my cousins told Billie about Leo's incident on the bed. Since he wet the bed, Leo felt ashamed and stayed in the room.

He apologized and cried not to do it again. I only did what any mother did and calmed him. I told him it's natural for boys and girls his age to make mistakes. But I couldn't tell him why he did it. It will stress him out thinking about his father. I reassured him that his mother needed to earn money to support them both. He understood, but his face gave it away that he didn't like the idea of me working late.

I want to argue with my boss, but Billie says before I can open my mouth, "I'm not going to cut your pay in half. After two weeks of working here, you're a natural. Though you ignore some men here who tried to hit on you." She chuckles. "Anyways, to the point. However, you are fast at work and good at the job. Have you ever thought of working someplace else? You can't stay here forever, you know."

I never thought of that.

I need the money to earn enough for a place Leo and I can call home. I think of not staying at my cousins' home because they have too many people. I love the company and the comical acts in the morning between Ares and Thea or Seth, who seems pretty down this pasture weeks since Terry had gone to Guatemala last month. He always smiled and laughed, but only to hide his true feelings. Thea told me Seth pesters Terry a lot because they are about the same age and considered best friends, but I know no one else is aware.

Terry is a woman.

I know another woman when I see one. The only clue to distinguish between the opposite sex is the Adam's Apple on the man; women have smaller hands than men. Unless Terry had a sex change, then that is a different story.

I'm surprised no one noticed about Terry.

Well, I'm going to investigate more about her life. If she wants to be a man, that is her life. Like Jessi, we used to date in high school, and I know she is different from other guys who cared about her hair and getting a manicure. Should all men care about their hygiene? Jessi was way too obsessed with herself for being perfect.