The Bachelor's Housekeeper

Chapter 1

Sitting on her favourite spot in her bedroom, Rebecca slowly filed her nails. It was a beautiful sunny morning but all that was lost in her eyes, as her mind was focused on other things. Looking down at her work, she flexed her nails before continuing with the slow filing. Being fresh out of college should have been exciting but at this day and age it was more of a challenge, and she was facing one of the biggest. Her mother had taken to early retirement due to poor health, her brother was still too young to even consider him taking a job, and her father was gone, leaving only her to take care of the family. 

Step-father, she reminded herself firmly. 

Rebecca and her brother had nine years difference between them. They did share a mother but different fathers. Rebecca's biological father had passed away so long ago that she could not even remember him. For a while it was just her and her mother until Andy came along. At first he had showered them with attention, always coming running when they were having issues with the house her father had left them. He never showed his true character, not once before the marriage and three years after. 

When Nathan was born that was when Andy showed who really was. After getting laid off at work for drunkenness and misbehaving, he had become very abusive to the family. His abusiveness did not have boundaries, both physical and emotional. It had reached a point where little Nathan would run and hide from his own father once he heard him come in through the front door. 

All Rebecca remembered was the once handsome man she loved had turned out to be a drunken slob who would help himself right where he sat if he could do it. 

The challenge that faced Rebecca now was to find a job, any job and fast. Yes, their mother had been one of the clever ones who had put aside a few cents for the rainy days. And the fact that their house was mortgage free meant they were ok with the saving that they had but how long will that last? Just taking without putting back in was not the way to go. That being said, Rebecca had dropped off her job applications to all employment agencies that she could think off and she crossed her fingers and hoped for the best. 

Looking down at her nails she smiled. 'There we go,' she mumbled as she glanced at the clock on the opposite side of her bed. Standing up she slipped her freshly manicured feet into her fluffy bedroom slippers and made her way out of her bedroom. Jogging down the stairs she headed straight to the kitchen. It was a Sunday and that meant a family breakfast was in order. 

A small smile formed on her soft pink lips. She was remembering when she was young and how her mother could force her to sit on the table for a meal. It had never worked and they reached a compromise after Andy had disappeared from their lives. 

Humming to herself, Rebecca started on breakfast. 

'Something smells yummy,' her mother commented half an hour later as she made her way into the kitchen. She sniffed the air and smiled at her daughter. 'Aah yes, I should have guessed you were going to make waffles.' 

Rebecca smiled, 'morning, Mom.' 

'How are you this morning?' Her mother asked as she pushed herself onto the bar stool next to the island where Rebecca was finishing up on the waffles. 

Rebecca shrugged, 'I'm good. Keeping my fingers crossed.' 

'Something will come up, darling,' her mother reassured her with her best winning smile. Just by looking at the woman, no one would say that Emma was ill, Rebecca herself forgot sometimes. The only reminder that her mother was ill was the heavy breathing and constant shortness of breath that she experienced together with the slow motion that she used when walking. 

Rebecca just shrugged, 'how about you? How are you feeling?' 

'There are good days and bad days,' Emma replied, looking at the waffle that Rebecca was placing on the plate. 'Today looks to be a good day.'