REMAID- Maid In Distress

September 6th, 2023

I open my eyes to a room vaguely filled with some sunshine. I sit up, stretching my arms. Smacking my dry as hell lips, I look to the window. Outside, leaves of varying colors gently float by in the breeze. I smile. The sight of fall is always just a bit heartwarming. What is undoubtedly even more heartwarming, though, is how damn good I slept! Man, I feel like a bag of rocks just getting smoothed with a grinder. That medicine Tanya bought for me really did the trick. I gotta thank her properly when I see her this morning.

Speaking of Tanya, that’s weird, I feel like she usually wakes me up. Maybe she’s finally decided I really am old enough to get my ass out of bed? Fair enough I suppose, though it is nice being woken up by a hot maid...heheeh~.

Ah well, guess I'll count my losses.

I sigh, going to slip out of bed when my foot touches something warm and soft. I look where I’m going. My foot has just firmly planted itself on a collapsed Tanya’s back…WAIT, TANYA?! I scramble out of bed, starting to freak out.

“Tanya?! Hey, Tanya!” I try to shake her but it doesn’t seem to work. Fuck! No this can’t be happening. I let my ear touch her chest. I don’t hear a heartbeat, just my panicked one. “Uhh, okay, okay, think. Uhm, cpr! How did that go…right, compressions!” I put my hands together and try to remember where they go. Uh…just under the breasts right? Right, yeah, there I think. I take a deep breath and perform a compression.

“AHHHHHHH!” Tanya screams, bolting up and smacking me in the face. I fall over, slamming my head on the floor.

“JESUS…GNGHHHH!” I hold both sides of my head as I try to recover from what’s just happened.

“Master Yuta?! Oh goodness, I’m so sorry.” She comes over, gently peeling back my hands and examining for damages. “Oh thank goodness. You’re just fine. Ah, please forgive me, Master Yuta. I didn’t mean to harm you any.” She bows her head to me, leaving me lost for words.

“Ah-uhm, I mean, like you seemed to figure, It’s nothing serious. I’m more concerned about why you were passed out on the floor.”

“Passed out?” Tanya finally seems to realize she’s sitting on the floor. “Ah…I see…” She seems to go pale. “I-I-it’s nothing, Master Yuta.” She tries to lie, but I can see through it.

“Now Tanya, clever guys like me can see through a lie like that. Just be honest, it’s not gonna upset me or anything.” I try to meet her averting gaze, eventually succeeding. Staring into each other's eyes, she groans some, before relenting.

“I…may be overworking myself by just a tad bit.” She whispers, trying to look away.

“Overwork? Has it been a stressful few days?” I ask, gauging a reaction. She…seems to find my statement humorous.

“I believe a few years is a better descriptor.”

###

“So…you work from 5 AM to 3 PM on keeping my grandmother alive…and then from 3PM to 12AM on other people’s graphic design jobs…and even then those hours can be more than that…Tanya, how are you still alive?” Tanya giggles at my serious question. I mean, there’s no way that kind of schedule is good for your continued health. Is she also taking naps when she can? No, even then that isn’t enough sleep.

“Oh Master Yuta, you don’t need to be worrying about me any. I’ve been working like this for…what, 6 years? It’s just something you get used to.” She gives me something like a convincing smile, but I don’t believe it. I feel like she just isn’t telling the truth. There’s no way anybody could ever be truly okay with this. I feel a pit form in my stomach…it feels familiar.

“You know, if you need some help, I can wake up earlier and make grandma her breakfast.” I say the first thing that comes to mind. I mean, come on, what the hell should I be saying? I’m watching a woman who should, for all intents and purposes, be dead, still sitting in front of me.

“Aww, that’s okay. You’re such a sweet boy, you know? Even if my daughter has her gripes, I’m happy to have you here.” She coos gently, making me blush.

“Y-you’re sure there’s nothing I can do?” I ask, gulping. It feels wrong not to do a single thing. Like I’m just saying it’s perfectly fine to tear yourself apart.

“There is one thing.” She puts her hands on my face, and squishes my cheeks. “Keep on smiling.” She says.

“I think we call that toxic positivity, but man, I’ve never had a better overdose.” She chuckles at my joke, but I just…I don’t know. I feel like I’m failing, and it’s starting to tear at me on the inside. I bite my tongue. Not now. I can think of a solution when I’m alone. She doesn’t seem very receptive to any help at the moment. If that’s so, the best thing I can do is stay on her good side until I can figure something out. But…I WILL figure something out, I swear it. I…I won’t lose anyone else!

I stand up, putting my objectives into a file in my brain and returning to the main goal of today I have just remembered.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Tanya. I got something really important this morning.” I try to say as seriously as possible. Her expression seems to change to one of curiosity.

“What’s that?” She asks.

“Something…serious.”

###

“-and that one is Hermes. He’s a strong lil slowpoke, but man can he be fun. You know, if you wear red shoes, he won’t stop losing his mind.” Rimi explains, pointing to a turtle sitting on the edge of the river. I nod with vigor. Yes…this was definitely worth showering last night for.

“Fuckin love turtles.” I whisper.