On the train, sitting opposite her was a plump woman who loved to talk. She began to share stories about herself and her children and asked Joan why she was crying. Joan decided to tell her everything, wiping tears from her cheeks.
I’m heading to the city for work. I work in the kitchen of a businessman’s house. They’re good, decent people and always pay on time.
They’re looking for a maid right now. If you want, you can come with me. Maybe they’ll hire you.
It’s a long shot, but you never know. Just be honest. Tell them everything like you told me.
I can see you’re a hard worker. They appreciate people who work well and aren’t fussy. Debbie suggested.
Joan decided to try for the maid job. Debbie seemed trustworthy and sincere. An hour later, they arrived at the businessman’s home.
It was a comfortable two-story house with balconies. The yard was beautifully landscaped with neat pathways and a fountain. The owner met them at the door.
Debbie gently nudged the somewhat nervous Joan forward and said, good afternoon. Chase, I’ve brought a potential maid for you. She’s a responsible young woman from a small town, not lazy, and she’s looking for work.
Maybe you could give her a chance. The last maid from the agency only cared about her manicure and did nothing around the house. She even ruined your shirt and jacket while doing the laundry.
The owner looked Joan over carefully and said, all right, come into my office for an interview. We’ll discuss what you can do around the house. Generally, I’m reluctant to hire young girls because they tend to be irresponsible.
We need hard workers here. Joan showed her documents and said honestly, I can do any household chores and garden work too. I can work without days off.
I promise not to touch any expensive equipment without permission and I’ll consult Debbie for everything. But you probably won’t hire me. I can tell by the way you’re looking at me.
Is it because I’m pregnant? I’m still in the early stages. I know my chances of finding a job are slim since no one wants an employee who can’t work after six months. But I don’t want to lie.
That’s why I left my small town. My fiance refused the baby and told me to get an abortion, but I can’t kill my child. Joan closed her eyes, expecting to be thrown out of the house.
After all, who would want a pregnant employee? But to her surprise, Chase quietly said, Joan, you’re in a tough situation right now, but I admire that you chose to keep the baby instead of having an abortion. Not every woman can bear a child. It will be very difficult for you in this big city.
You know what? I’ll hire you. Initially, it will be for a three month trial period and then we’ll see how well you perform. You can stay here.
We have a guest house for the staff and it has everything you need. Debbie will show you around, but I warn you, if you steal or fail to do your duties, you’ll be immediately dismissed. Thank you.
I won’t let you down. I’ll work responsibly. You won’t regret hiring me.
Joan said with a smile. Joan sincerely thanked Debbie and the owner for their kindness. She worked diligently on her first day and in the evening, she and Debbie had tea in the guest house.
The boss agreed to hire you because of your pregnancy. It’s a very important topic for him. He and his wife have been unable to have a child for many years.
They’ve tried all sorts of treatments at the most expensive clinics and even went to healers, but nothing worked. Recently, I overheard that they decided to hire a surrogate to have a baby for them. She’ll soon be living here in this house, but for me, it’s a very strange decision.
Just try not to get involved in their affairs and most importantly, don’t say anything unnecessary to the boss’s wife. She’s a very difficult woman and often criticizes us. Just agree with her and don’t argue.
Otherwise, she’ll quickly fire you. She has a very tough character. Joan was given a uniform and began working for the businessman’s family.
She worked hard to keep the house clean and the garden beautiful. The boss was indeed a pleasant and polite man, but his wife was quite the opposite. Initially, she constantly criticized Joan, sometimes seeming to test her.
Mara would even inspect the laundry Joan washed and ironed and if she found any faults, she would immediately reprimand the maid. She would often check for dust with her finger, running it across the surfaces of the furniture. Joan, as Debbie had taught her, agreed with all the criticisms without arguing, fearing she might lose her job.
Soon, the surrogate mother, a young and pretty girl named Clarissa, moved into the house. At first, Clarissa felt uncomfortable. Everyone treated her like an incubator.
She had a special balanced diet that she had to eat even if she didn’t like it. She took various vitamins, was weighed daily and had to work outside in all kinds of weather. Even a doctor from the hospital came to their home to check on her.
Joan felt sorry for her, understanding how hard it was to force oneself to eat or drink when feeling nauseous. One day, Joan overheard Clarissa asking for pickles and Mara responded irritably, what whims? The dietician doesn’t approve of salty foods during pregnancy and there’s no benefit to the baby from such food. Joan felt sorry for Clarissa and remembered she had a small jar of her grandmother’s homemade pickles.
Seizing a moment when no one was around, she gave the jar to Clarissa. Here, these are for you. Eat them in good health.
Just don’t tell anyone I gave them to you or Mara will scold me. I’m pregnant too, so I understand how you feel. Clarissa smiled at her and thanked her.
Thank you. I really crave salty food but they keep feeding me fresh salads and fish. I don’t want to eat that anymore.
Clarissa initially tried to get what she wanted but no one listened to her so she decided to change her approach, dressing provocatively in short robes and tops, giving Chase flirtatious looks and constantly showing him attention. It seemed she did this intentionally to further provoke his already tense wife. When Mara saw Chase gently stroking Clarissa’s rounded belly and smiling as he listened to the baby’s movements, a terrible scene erupted.
What are you doing here? Chase, what do you think you’re doing? Maybe you’ll start sleeping with her right in front of me. Why did we even let this shameless girl into our home? Mara shouted. Chase couldn’t stay silent and replied sharply.
Don’t shout, Mara. It’s bad for our babies. They can hear everything in there.
I’m just talking to them. You can touch the belly too and feel them kicking. It’s an amazing feeling.
Just imagine, soon our little babies will be born, three of them, and it’s such a joy. Clarissa pretended not to understand why Mara was so angry, though she had been deliberately provoking Chase. Joan watched the whole situation, feeling a twinge of envy.