A Housekeeper's Charm: Part 1.
Joy changes Simon's life in ways he never imagined.
Based on a post by Smutty and fun. Listen to the Podcast at Connected.
Not really sure what to expect when she started up the
winding driveway that led to her new employer's house, but Joy was as surprised
as she was delighted to find the most charming house she'd ever seen, her eyes
lighting up as she reached the end of her journey and pulled to a stop to take
a look. It was a picture perfect white Cape Cod with black shutters and three
white dormer windows across the front, with a slate roof and an attached
two-car garage. And although it was a fair size, she quickly decided that it
looked more cozy than palatial. And as she parked her little car out in front,
looking around, she could see that also it overlooked the ocean on one side,
and was forested on the other. Wow, what a lovely place to call home; at
Just in case, she decided it might be best to leave her
luggage in the car at least until she'd actually had a chance to finally meet
the man who had hired her to become his housekeeper and cook.
After inhaling a lungful of fresh crisp sea air, mixed with
a delightful hint of pine, once she'd pushed the doorbell and heard it chime
inside the house, she realized she had no idea what to expect. He'd told her
that he was a retired English professor who lived alone, but that was about it.
For all she knew he could be anywhere from forty to ninety, since it was hard
to tell from a disembodied voice on the phone how old he was, or what he'd be
Standing and waiting, it occurred to her after a few minutes
that no one seemed to be coming to the door. So she pushed the bell again and
waited a little more. But as the minutes began to drag on, she wondered if he
might be out for a walk on the beach or could even be somewhere out in the woods
going for a hike. Not sure what to do, she tried the doorbell one last time and
then wondered if she should try phoning him. Sure that they'd agreed for her to
start today, now she just hoped he hadn't changed his mind about hiring her,
especially after she'd driven all the way from Chicago to northern California,
which had been one long grueling trip, especially on her own in winter.
But at least she knew if he had taken the time to check her
references, he would have discovered, just as she'd told him that she'd tutored
a few kids while going through college, and later after graduating, worked as a
barista. At least until she decided she was wasting her English degree fixing
half-caff, non-fat, stevia sweetened, vegan lattes all day for a bunch of overly
demanding pretentious twits.
So she was certain she didn't have anything to be ashamed of
online, since she'd never been much of a partier. And although she loved to
have fun, she wasn't into taking selfies, naked or otherwise, or bragging about
her life and every meal she ate, like so many of her friends were into. So
there definitely wouldn't be any embarrassing pictures to be uncovered. And of
course she'd never been in trouble with the law or anyone else, since everyone
was always teasing her about being honest and law abiding to a fault, often
referring to her as an 'old soul.'
Truth was, a lot of other twenty-six year olds might not
think a job like this would suit them, but since Joy was more into books than
picking up men, and never cared much about barhopping or shopping till she
dropped, she imagined working for an elderly gentleman who'd claimed she could
use her liberal free time just as she pleased, sounded like the perfect gig to
her. And now finally she might have some time to get some writing done.
Settling In.
When there was still no sounds coming from inside the house,
about to go back to her car and try her phone, she was surprised when the door
slowly began to creep open and she found herself standing face to face with an
incredibly handsome man who she imagined to be in somewhere in fifties with
only a smidgen of gray at the temples of his dark hair, that only made him look
more distinguished. But right away she noticed that his blue eyes looked
watery, like he'd been crying. And when he wiped a hand across his eyes and
seemed to be struggling to pull himself together, she didn't know where to
look. Awkward didn't even begin to describe what she was feeling. Wow, what
a way to start a new job.
"I'm Joy," she finally explained, slightly wincing,
while doing her best to look anywhere but at him.
With a nod of his head, he stepped away from the doorway,
and said quietly, "Of course, come in, Joy." Finally, he heaved a
deep breath, extended his hand and introduced himself. "And I'm
Doing her best not to stare, figuring he had to be
uncomfortable enough, once she'd shaken his hand she glanced around the
gorgeous interior, and said, "Wow, you really have a beautiful home."
Simon looked around then, too. "Thanks. My wife did all
Not too sure what to say, since she had no idea what of had
become of his wife, Joy just took in the splendor of the place, deciding that
wherever his wife was, she sure had good taste. It was so tastefully decorated
it looked like a spread from a design magazine. And it all worked together so
perfectly, from the detailed watercolors of old sailing ships on the walls to
the deep blue leather couches in the living area, and the incredible antiques
and brass accents scattered here and there, it was absolutely gorgeous, and yet
it still had such a homey feel.
Finally Simon looked at her confused. "Don't you have
"Yes, but since I wasn't sure where you wanted me to
stay, I left everything in the car for now."
"Well, I guess I should help you with it and show you
The oak staircase had a striking blue oriental runner that
led up to the second floor. Once they made their way up the winding oak
spindled steps, Simon walked her to the end of the hallway and opened a door.
It brought them into an incredibly beautiful bedroom with a huge
four-poster bed, and a view of the ocean that she instantly decided was to die
"Wow," she said, her gaze drawn to the sun
sparkling out on the shimmering water that seemed to go on forever. "What
a view. I've never seen anything like it."
Turning his head and taking it in, too, Simon, told her,
"It's the reason we built here. We both loved to sail. But I got rid of
the boat right after she died since I never felt much like going out on the
Not sure what to say to that, although she was sorry to hear
about his loss, Joy decided it might be best just to take a moment to
appreciate the room. Mostly white with a mahogany four-poster bed and a few
colorful pink and rose accents, she had to say his late wife's tastes were
impeccable. "And this is quite a beautiful room, too," she told him.
Finally he managed a bit of a smile. "Glad you like
Not sure what else she should say, she asked, "When
would you like me to start?"
Simon almost said, Start what? But thankfully he
As glad to have some company, as he was to find someone to
help keep his house in order; he told her, "Just so you know, Joy, I don't
really expect much of you. All I need is a few meals a day, and if you could
keep the house tidy, I'd be happy. And then the rest of the time is basically
Nodding thoughtfully, although pleased to hear that he
wouldn't be much of a task master she still wondered how badly he needed help,
if by the sounds of what he'd said, he wasn't expecting all that much of her.
She looked at her watch, and seeing as it was just after
one, she suggested, "If you haven't had lunch yet, I could fix you
Shaking his head, he said, "No, thanks, I don't think I
could stomach anything just yet. But if you want anything, feel free to help
yourself to whatever you'd like. I wasn't sure what you'd need, so I did a
little shopping yesterday, but I can show you where to shop later on if you'd
And as she looked into his eyes as he spoke, Simon's gaze
settled on hers and he felt almost a sense of d j vu. His late wife Jenny had
pretty chestnut brown hair like hers, and was about her height with a similar
slender build, and also had surprisingly striking sky blue eyes. And the way
she looked at him, kind of wide-eyed, had him remembering the first time he'd
ever set eyes on his wife, who'd looked just as innocent and every bit as
sweet. "Is anything wrong?" Joy finally asked, wondering why he was
staring at her the way he was.
Shaking his head to clear it, he said, "No, nothing's
wrong." Then walking towards the door, he said, "Anyway, I'll leave
you to get settled, and whenever you're ready I'll show you around."
Watching him leave, she wondered what had upset him, since
she could tell the moment he'd first opened the door that he'd been crying, and
began to wonder how long it had been since he'd lost his wife.
Careful not to take too long unpacking, Joy found Simon at
his computer in his office, sitting behind a beautiful big oak desk. But he
didn't seem to be doing much more than staring off into space, at least until
she knocked on the door and got his attention, making him quickly turn his
head, and ask, "All settled in?"
She nodded. "Yes. So if you'd like to show me around,
They walked to the other end of the house to the kitchen
that not surprisingly, was just as beautiful as the rest of the house. And as
she looked around, she noticed that everything looked almost brand new, like it
had barely been used ; from the state of the art appliances to the deep gray
granite counter tops to the rich cherry wood cabinetry. And then she smiled
when she saw there was even a view of the lush green forest, right outside the
kitchen window. And since she loved to cook, she already knew it would be fun
to work in a kitchen like this. And right beside the kitchen was the laundry
room, which looked so fresh and clean, everything was just so white with just a
few soft well-placed turquois accents. But then she noticed a water bowl on the
floor and her eyes lit up, and she smiled at him, and asked, "Oh, do you
Blinking hard, it took Simon a minute to clear his throat
and tell her, "I did, until about an hour ago. Just before you got here, I
was at the vets having him put down."
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Without even thinking, she
reached out and ran her hand soothingly over his arm. No wonder he'd been upset
and didn't want to answer the door.
Oh god, the poor man ; how much could one person take
; losing his wife and now his dog. She was glad now that she'd come, otherwise
Heaving a sigh, he told her, "Beau was twelve, and his
kidneys were failing. And he was such a good dog, that I couldn't stand to
watch him suffer anymore, so;"
Giving his arm a little squeeze, Joy said, "Of
course." She knew having to put a pet down was never easy, and she could
When he looked down and noticed that she still had her hand
on his arm, he lifted his gaze to hers and said, "Well, at least it's over
with. But taking him in the car for that final ride had to be one of the
hardest things I've ever had to do."
"I know," she said, still gently rubbing her hand
up and down his arm. "Growing up I always had pets, and I know how much it
hurts to lose one." After a few minutes of awkward silence, she tipped her
head, and suggested, "Why don't you show me the beach?" And as he was
opening the side door, she quickly grabbed the water bowl and tucked it into
the cupboard under the laundry tub, so he wouldn't have to see it again.
A Long Walk on the beach.
They walked together along the beach, with her arm looped
through his. Already he was finding her surprisingly easy to be with, and not
afraid of being close, judging by how comfortably she was walking with him arm
in arm. Then he rolled his eyes, thinking back ; unlike the last woman he'd had
to let go. Tall, heavyset and bossy, although she was probably only in her
forties, for some reason, she thought she had to mother him ; almost to death.
And he sure as hell didn't need another mother. But this girl, on the other
hand, seemed to be able to balance being compassionate without being
overbearing. And already he had a feeling they were going to get along just
fine. Providing of course, she didn't start trying to tell him how to live his
life. He'd had enough of well-meaning friends and family telling him that it
was long past time to stop grieving over losing his wife. Five years might seem
like a long time for most people, but being as happily married as they were, he
still felt like he'd lost part of himself once she was gone, and every day felt
like a challenge just to try to keep living without her, even after so many
Sensing he was still in a dark place, Joy squeezed his arm
to her side, smiling as they walked along the sand. Turning her face up to the
sun, she said, "Do you have any idea how lucky you are to have all this
right outside your front door?"
Although he nodded, he hadn't really considered it in a very
long time. She was right though, and part of him knew that he should be
grateful for a lot of things, even just having his health.
But watching her, he couldn't help noticing how happy she
looked just to be out here by the ocean and the way her face lit up when she
smiled, had him smiling, too. "I know," he finally agreed, squeezing
her arm to pull her a little closer. Funny, but already it felt like they'd
known each other for a while. She was nothing like most of the young women he'd
known, especially when he was still lecturing, so many of them were just so
showy and shallow, only caring about their looks and of course their precious
cellphones. He noticed as he looked at her a little more closely that she
didn't seem to be wearing any makeup, not that she needed it, with features as
perfect as hers. Her high cheeks had a healthy rosy glow and her lips were full
and pink. And he decided that she was even prettier than he'd first realized,
since she seemed to shine with an inner beauty and warmth that he imagined not
every woman naturally possessed.
Finally letting go of his arm, Joy bent and picked up a flat
white seashell from the sand, turning it in her hand, her eyes twinkling, she
told him, "I think I'll put this in my room to remind me of the day I
first walked here with you." With the captivating way she smiled into his
eyes, despite how glum he'd been feeling, he found he couldn't help but smile
back. She was pretty sweet, and he already had a feeling they were going to enjoy
each other's company immensely. And then he felt something stir inside him that
he hadn't felt in so long, that he hardly recognized it as the sensation of
being attracted to a woman. Not that he'd act on it, especially with her being
so young, but it still felt kind of nice to know that he wasn't quite dead yet.
And as he watched her run over to the shore and try and
touch the water without getting her feet wet, when she squealed and laughed as
a wave crashed ashore and soaked her shoes, making her jump back, for the first
time in a long time, he found himself laughing, too. God, she really was a
delight, and he decided that she was very aptly named. Then she turned that
pretty smile on him, and said, "Oh, well, at least I got to feel the ocean
washing over my hand; and my feet. And that's a first, because I've
never had a chance to touch the ocean before." Then he watched her slip
her tongue out and touch a finger to the end of it to have a taste, telling
him, "Oh, and it really is salty isn't it?"
He laughed. "Yeah, it is."
As she happily wrapped her arms around herself, closed her
eyes and smiled up at the warmth of the sun on her face, he decided that she
was more than just fun, she was like a welcome little ray of sunshine, and
could possibly be just what he needed to help him get out of the funk his life
Eventually continuing on their walk along the deserted
beach, they conversed like old friends as they strolled together arm in arm.
Curious about her, he asked her what she ultimately wanted to do with her life.
And when she told him that her dream was to become a successful writer, he
smiled nodding his head, knowing just where she was coming from since he'd been
hopelessly stuck on finishing the book he'd started just before his wife Jenny
had been diagnosed with cancer. And he'd published so many before, that he was
beginning to think that he'd lost his touch. So, who knows, maybe she could
Soup Weather.
Once they finally got back to the house, both of them were quivering
a little, feeling chilled, since the beach got cool in February, especially as
the day wore on. And seeing her shiver, he noticed once she took her jacket off
that he could see her nipples plain as day, pressed hard against her snug pink
sweater, he felt that stirring again, as his gaze froze on the enticing sight
of her erect little peaks poking at the fabric. And when he finally lifted his
gaze and their eyes met, from the warmth he could see in hers, he wondered if
she was feeling it, too. But then he gave his head a shake. What was he
thinking? She was way too young for him, even if he was interested, which he
told himself he wasn't. Of course he hadn't hired her to fool around with,
since he really only needed her to try and help keep him sane so that he
wouldn't actually become the house hermit everyone had accused him of turning
into since Jenny had died.
Then she got his attention when she tipped her head, and
said, "Do you like to cook, Simon?"
With a shrug, he said, "I manage to feed myself."
Then she flashed that pretty grin that he was already
beginning to enjoy. "Well, how about we make some soup together, then? It
sure feels like soup weather to me."
With a nod, he followed her into the kitchen, suddenly very
aware of the way her jeans were hugging her tight little ass, and just how
amazingly long her legs really were, especially with how enticingly they were
encased in skin tight denim. And as he enjoyed the sway of her hips, he began
to wonder how fetching she might look if she were out of them. But then he
rolled his eyes, a little surprised where his thoughts had taken him, since he
hadn't so much as looked at another woman since the day he'd met his wife, over
twenty five years ago. And now here he was, shamelessly ogling this young woman
that he had no business ogling.
But no matter what he'd told himself, watching her smile at
him playfully as she got everything out of the fridge that they'd need, he
couldn't stop himself from smiling back. And he enjoyed how effortlessly she
joked with him and laughed, even gave him a teasing little hip bump as they
worked together side-by-side at the kitchen counter chopping up vegetables. And
after she'd taken a bite, she held out a crisp strip of red pepper for him to
taste, and said, "Hmm, you have to taste this, Simon, it's just so
And as he accepted the crunchy morsel, with his gaze fixed
on hers as he enjoyed it, he decided that she was even sweeter. And he
was beginning to wonder if hiring such a pretty young thing had been such a good
idea. It sure wouldn't take much to find himself getting carried away with her,
and he had a feeling that no matter where his thoughts were going that she saw
him for what he was, a man who was old enough to be her father, and probably
nothing more. But he had to admit, it was still fun to work in the kitchen with
her, especially since he'd never done it with his wife. Of course Jenny had
been such a good cook, that she'd never really encouraged him to help her.
But he noticed as they worked together on creating a huge
pot of soup ; that she seemed to be putting together out of her head ; that he
found himself laughing more with her than he'd laughed in ages, she was just so
much fun and so playful, that it almost felt therapeutic just to be with her.
The year before, he'd seen a shrink at his brother's
insistence, who had told him he thought he needed professional help if he was
ever going to get over his loss. It turned out to be a total waste of time,
since the only words of wisdom the quack had for him, was that time would
heal. Yeah, right. He already knew from experience, that time didn'
