4

❦𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮❦

I knock on the door three times then take a step back and wait. A few moments later the door swings open as a smiling Mrs Brown appears.

"Oh thank goodness you're here. I was afraid that old man might have paid you to stay away from me just to piss me off." Mrs Brown grumbles the last part.

A smile makes its way onto my face at the thought.

"Come in, let's talk business." She gestures inside.

Once inside I look around, this place is gorgeous. Two stories with tall ceilings, dark floors, light walls and it's filled with beautiful furniture that must have cost a fortune.

"Come have a seat." She points to the seat across from her, a very white seat might I add. And I'm currently covered in dirt and grass.

"Oh, it's ok. I'll just stand. I don't want to get your furniture dirty." I bet it would cost hundreds to get a new cushion for it.

"Nonsense, I have a boy. Those cushions have removable covers and I have just about every stain removal formula you can find. Don't worry about it, have a seat." She laughs.

Shooting her a shy smile I go ahead and sit down. My butt sinks a good few inches into the couch and it almost feels like it's engulfing me, I haven't sat in something this comfy in a while.

"Thank you." I say as I sink even further into the couch.

"No problem dear. Now down to business, I really don't have that much for you to do, only the gutters like I mentioned before. It's quite high and the only way up is a ladder, but I have that along with everything else you would need. My son was supposed to do it weeks ago but he's been off hanging out with his friends and hasn't gotten around to it." She grumbled. "I would usually wait for him, but it's supposed to storm in the next few days, and the last time it rained the gutters were overflowing all over the place. I would just prefer that it gets taken care of now." She finished with a sigh.

Her son won't even help her with gutters? I wonder why? Maybe she's mean and he doesn't like her so he stays away.

I should be careful, angry ladies are not pleasant to deal with. "I can definitely take care of this problem for you. I could even do it right now, I have commitments later today, but I should be able to get it done before then." I smile at her.

Maybe if I keep smiling at her I won't see her bad side, it looks like they have a lot of money. And people with a lot of money can get away with murder. Especially if the victim was a homeless girl like me.

I sure hope I'm overthinking this, but I've seen some crazy stuff in my life. Maybe her gutters don't need to be cleaned, oh my gosh she probably doesn't have a son and all the stain removers she has is for the blood of the people she's killed!

"Oh that's perfect! I would love it if you could get started as soon as possible. Then I can use it against my son, get him home for dinner this weekend. He said no, but when I tell him I had to hire someone to do the work he promised to do, I bet you he'll come running over feeling guilty." She snickers. "Then I can stuff his face with my amazing cooking and he'll regret avoiding me all these weeks." She says with an evil glint in her eye.

I'm about to get murdered, I can just feel it. I left my stun gun in the back seat of Jack too, I'm such an idiot.

"Follow me, I'll show you where everything is, then I'll leave you to it." I nod my head wiping my sweaty palms on my overalls.

Letting my eyes wander around the room my heart beats a little faster. There are no pictures of her family anywhere in the living room, if that doesn't scream serial killer I'm not sure what does.

She starts to walk out of the room, and I need to follow her but my limbs suddenly feel heavy. Sucking in a quick breath to calm my nerves, I use my now weak arms to push me off the comfy couch all while keeping a bright smile on my face.

She steps out into a large hallway, and I fall into step behind her. She's probably leading me to my death and I'm following behind her like a lost puppy, who's going to watch the kids tonight?

Poor Lilly and Cole will be all alone for the night, probably scared out of their minds. My head snaps to the side as I catch a glimpse of something.

Oh, nevermind, found the pictures.

Awe, what a cute family, their son looks just like a male version of her.

Wow and I thought she was a killer, I'm so dramatic. I roll my eyes at myself as I scan all the happy family portraits on the hallway walls.

Suddenly my eyes go wide and my heart races once again, I almost stop right where I am but to draw less attention to myself I continue walking.

What... what if she is a killer and she killed her whole family, these happy family portraits are here just to take my guard down.

I should have known the moment I stepped inside, her house is way too clean. Only people trying to hide something keep their house this clean, shes definitely hiding something, something like murder...

She's a murderer, oh gosh I'm gonna die today.

"Would you like some water?" Mrs Brown looks over her shoulder at me with a sweet smile. Somehow while I was lost in my own thoughts we made it to the kitchen.

"Yes please." I smile back.

I almost laugh out loud at myself but keep it in. A murder wouldn't offer me water, why did I think she was a murder again?

Oh yeah, because her son didn't clean the gutters and she didn't have family portraits in her living room.

Gosh I can be so paranoid sometimes, what's got me so on edge today anyway?

As Mrs Brown gets a bottle of water out of the fridge I take a look around the Kitchen. White marble countertops with brick backsplash, stainless steel appliances, huge windows overlooking the pool in the backyard, a large island with a ginormous sink in it.

Dang, If I lived here I'd probably just plop a pillow down on the kitchen floor and sleep there. Who needs a bedroom when the kitchen is so huge and looks like something out of a magazine.

"Here you go." She hands me a huge bottle of water. "Everything you'll need is in the shed out back." She adds, grabbing a shiny set of keys off the counter.

"Follow me darling."

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After getting everything out of the shed I needed, I started to clean the gutters.

Mrs Brown left after she showed me where everything was, apparently she had dinner plans already. So she locked up the house and left me to work on the agreement that if I finished before she got back, I would come back tomorrow for the rest of the payment we agreed on.

She didn't want me to think she was trying to get out of paying me, so she insisted on paying half upfront.

The house was pretty tall and scrapping all the leaves and gunk out of the gutters would have me shaking in my boots if I wasn't used to heights. I'm not a fan of heights nor am I terrified of them, I can just sort of tune it out if necessary.

After about an hour of moving the ladder around and cleaning I'm left with one side of the house that has trees, I can't get the ladder there so I have to be on the roof and lean over the side to clean those ones.

Grabbing a black trash bag I walk across the roof and grab the first fist full of leaves. I hear a car pull up into the driveway, I thought Mrs Brown was going to be gone until sundown but I guess her dinner was cut short.

Shrugging my shoulders I throw another fist full of gunk into the trash bag.

I hear footsteps below me, walking around the outside of the house and start to feel uneasy.

Why isn't she saying anything to me? I hear the ladder squeak and snap my head in the direction of it, and then it disappears followed by a thundering laugh of a man.

Crap, what's happening?

Running over to where the ladder was, I peek over the edge and spot the back of a guy running around the corner to the front of the house.

"Paybacks a bitch, Isaiah! Have fun sleeping under the stars tonight!" The man yells.

No, no, no, no.

"Wait!" I yell as I scramble back to my feet and run towards the driveway, but it's too late.

The man's black car is peeling out of the driveway and down the street by the time the word leaves my mouth.

Oh no, oh no this isn't good. This is bad, really bad.

I watch as the car disappears, my heart sinking at the sight. If Mrs Brown isn't back until sundown I'll be late to watch the kids, I can't do that to them.

Lilly would be worried sick.

Walking back over to where the ladder used to be I glared at the ground, the ladder now haphazardly laying across it.

Shoot, if it wasn't so high up I'd consider jumping down, but I can't drive with broken legs so there's no point in trying that option. Sadly jumping isn't one of my talents and the large pool they have is just a tad bit too far for me to risk a jump to the water. And the trees lining the other side of the house don't have any branches I can reach from up here.

I'm stuck, this would be a time that a cell phone would come in very handy.

Well isn't this just phenomenal, my only hope is that Mrs Brown will make it home before the sun sets so I can make it to the kids before dark.

I really had my heart set on being there for dinner with them, Lilly says she loves it when I'm with them for meals. Whoever this Isaiah person is really screwed up my plans.

I can't do anything but wait, so I might as well finish getting the gunk out of the gutter. I'll still have to wash them out later, but I can't magically get the hose up here now that whoever Isaiah messed with took the ladder away from me.

Jerk.

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It's been hours, I've finished all the work I could do without getting more supplies, and now I'm just sitting up on top of a stranger's roof like a loser.

No sign of Mrs Brown, and the sun is going to set soon.

My mind wanders to Lilly and Cole, all alone in their house waiting for me. But I might not ever make it, what if Mrs Brown decides to take a mini vacation or gets food poisoning from dinner and has to stay at the hospital overnight.

I'd have to sleep up here under the stars like that guy wanted Isaiah to do, on any other day I'd be down for it, but not when those kids are counting on me.

I hate letting them down.

The world goes a little blurry, my thoughts are getting the best of me and my eyes start to water. They don't stop and the next thing I know tear after tear is slowly trailing down my cheek.

I hate this, feeling so helpless. I'm stuck up here and can see the ground, but I've got no way to get to it.

An agonizing guilt creeps up my spine and clutches at my heart. I shouldn't have taken this job, how idiotic of me to think I could get it done on time and not have any hiccups.

Life always throws stuff in my way, why would today be any different?

I could have got by for the time being with the money I made this morning, but I got greedy and tried to make more cash and now the kids are going to pay for my stupid mistake.

Oh gosh, I'll never forgive myself if something happens to them.

A soft cry escapes me, I place my hand to my mouth and bite down on the knuckle of my thumb trying to keep myself from losing it.

I don't like letting people down, it kills me a little inside.

Sobbing quietly I bring my knees to my chest and hug them tight. I hate myself, I'm so stupid.

I hate how weak I am, I know I shouldn't be breaking down over this but I am. But what if Bob hates me for this? What if he never lets me see the kids again?

The sound of car doors slamming snaps me out of my agonizing thoughts.

"Rose, are you still here?" Mrs Brown's voice travels from the ground and rings in my ears.

"Yes!" I yell. Relieve filling my veins.

I can't believe it, the sun hasn't set yet and if I get out of here quickly I can still make it to the kids before it's dark.

"I'm so happy you're here! Can you put the ladder back up so I can leave? I'm going to be late for what I need to do tonight." I stammer out quickly as I peer over the side of the roof, breathing quickly.

"Yes, of course dear. Isaiah, can you get the ladder for Rose?" She questions the boy next to her, her voice full of confusion.

My eyes are too blurry for me to focus on him, but I'm assuming he agrees as the two of them round the corner of the house and step foot into the back yard. Rubbing my eyes I follow them to the back where the ladder was originally placed.

"What happened? How did the ladder get down here anyway? You're not hurt are you?" Mrs Brown says her voice thick with concern.

I aggressively shake my head no. "I'm fine, I just got stuck up here." I explained.

"How? Did the ladder slip?" She asks, more confused than she already was.

Yeah join the club, I'm still confused as to why someone thought I was Isaiah, do I look like an Isaiah?

I think not.

"I'm really not sure what happened. Some guy in a black car took it down and said 'Paybacks a bitch, Isaiah! Have fun sleeping under the stars tonight!' Then took off before I could say anything." I rush out as I see the ladder getting leaned up against the roof again.

I'm gonna make it, possibly a little late still, but nowhere near as late as I thought I was going to be minutes ago.

"What? Did you see what they looked like?" She gasped.

Placing my foot on the ladder I hurry my way down. "No, not really... I just heard the guy's voice, by the time I was able to look over the edge I only caught a glimpse of his back as he ran around the corner and then his black car sped off down the road." I explained, I was too panicked, I don't even remember what he was wearing.

"Shit." A new voice says, I'm assuming it's the one who put the ladder back up for me, but my eyes are still blurry from all the crying I was just doing, so I'm not sure.

Hopping onto the ground I rub my eyes some more trying to clear them then look up at Mrs Brown.

She's looking over at the boy who put the ladder back for me, it must be her son, he looks like the boy from the pictures in the hall I saw earlier.

"Do you know who it was?" She asks him in a stern voice.

"Yeah, I do. Fucking, Blake." He mumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have to go, I'm going to be late. Can I finish the rest tomorrow?" I hurry out as my breathing picks up slightly. The sun is currently setting and it's sending me into more of a panic.

"Yes, honey. I'm so sorry about all this." Her voice sounded genuinely upset at the sight of me starting to panic. Gosh I must look like a mess.

"Thank you." I rush out as I turn on my heels and run to my car.

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I made it just in time, the lady from across the street was placing the bookmark and heading inside as I parked Jack.

Running up to the door I do the secret knock. Seconds later two sweet kids open the door and pull me inside as they giggle.

"Sweep over, sweep over, sweep over!" Cole chants as he does a cute dance around the living room out of pure excitement.

Lilly is looking over at him with amusement all over her face, she still holds my hand. I can't believe I almost missed this.

"Sorry I'm late." I say softly to Lilly.

"Late? Dad said you'd be here before dark. It's not dark yet silly." She laughs up at me.

It might as well be, the last rays of sun are disappearing into the horizon.

"Ok, so Cole wants to have a movie night. Dad even got us popcorn to eat, but he said I'm not allowed to pop it. So you'll have to do it for me." She mumbles.

That's strange, there isn't much that Lilly isn't allowed to do when it comes to things like that around the house.

"Why aren't you?" I question raising my brow.

"Fire!" Cole screams as he runs over to us and makes wild gestures with his hands that I'm assuming are supposed to be explosions.

"Uhh. Yeah, I caught the last bag on fire. The house smelt bad for days and dad even had to get a new microwave." She winces. "He wasn't mad, but said popcorn and I are no longer allowed to be in the kitchen unsupervised." She finishes.

I'm not even sure how she managed that, she's usually so careful.

"Ok, well how about I go make popcorn. Lilly, you can get drinks and Cole can go pick out a movie?" I offer.

"Yeah!" They both scream and head off into different directions to start their task. Gosh I love them.

Hey, I like your face. It's really cool, the way you grew those features on it. I hope you enjoyed this update!