Miss Armani's Maid

~ Anne ~

by

Anne Bauer

  

Part III

© April 2003

  

It was a struggle to lift the laden shopping cart up into the bus; I needed both hands and had to lean over; bending my body over the strong objection of my tight girdle's busk and boning. That garment was a real encumbrance to wear, just doing normal things like sitting and, it was even more so, while performing my chores. When the bus lurched into motion before I was seated, I staggered on my heels and had to crouch to retain balance. A hand grabbed my arm to steady me.

"Sit here, maid." He slid over on the side-facing, front seat and patted it invitingly. I didn't argue and welcomed his offer.

"I'm Thomas Belamy," the gray-bearded, elderly black gentleman introduced. He was neatly dressed in a gray tweed jacket, with a darker pullover sweater underneath.

"I'm Maid Anne." I remembered the others telling me to use my title; certainly just my uniform identified my profession I'd thought. "Thank you catching me, sir."

"You are more then welcome. It's not often I can rescue pretty maidens and especially maids in distress," he smiled warmly. "Traveling the bus is often more difficult for me than when I could still drive a car."

"Words of advice, young maid, don't grow so old that you've worn out your body and they have to replace parts of it in the shop." He tapped his leg with the cane at his side to produce a hollow sound.

"Consider the alternative, sir," I quipped and he chuckled.

"Are all the groceries for you alone, or has your mistress sent her maid out shopping?" I thought the answer was obvious.

"My mistress has sent her maid shopping, sir."

We talked throughout the ride. Mr. Belamy told me he was a semi-retired Professor of Sociology and that his mother and aunt had worked as housemaids, too.

"We lived together in a small cottage at the rear of the grounds and, before Mrs. Abrams passed, she deeded the cottage to my mother and I inherited it when mother passed also." I guessed him to be at least seventy-five and it seemed unnecessary to comment on his mother's death.

"It's small, but quite adequate for an old lonely man like me, Anne." Had our ride been longer, I think he'd have told me his entire life story.

"This is my stop. Thank you for your pleasant company, sir and for helping me too."

"You are most welcome. If it is not too much burden, could you help me up now? I need to stand." Holding his arm while he pushed with his cane, I helped him stand in the aisle. I just thought he was being overly polite; standing when a woman stood, but he followed me to the door.

"If you get off first, I'll do what I can to assist with your groceries, maid." The cart had been heavy for me to lift aboard and had not become lighter during the ride. Despite his frailty, the assistance he provided was a big help for me.

Quite surprisingly, the bus pulled away before he could re-board it. "Thank you, sir. It wasn't necessary for you to help me so much that you must now wait for the next bus," I offered.

"Ah, but I live near here also. I often come to this park early to read my morning paper."

"I think you are being less then truthful, sir, but, instead, you come to watch all of us maids walking our employers' pets," I teased and giggled.

"Well, that too," Mr. Belamy admitted with a smile. We began to walk slowly towards Mrs. Armani's home. At the end of her driveway, I stopped to bid him good-bye and thanked him again for helping me and keeping me company.

"You are Julianna's maid?" he seemed genuinely surprised when I confirmed that Miss Armani was my employer.

"It is now an even more of a pleasant experience to have had the pleasure of meeting you, Maid Anne. I will look forward to meeting with you again soon. Good day." He turned and began to limp in the same direction we had been walking. What was that supposed to mean? 'Why was it even more of a pleasure; knowing whom I worked for?'

I was putting the groceries away when Miss Armani entered the kitchen. "Do be sure to put on pink lipstick again and change your shoes before resuming your chores, Anne." I was reminded. "I'll be going out about five o'clock and I do not expect to return before you should be asleep." She picked up the change and supermarket register tape from the table and left the room before I could speak. She seemed in a fine mood and there had been nothing unpleasant in her words or tone; just a matter-of-fact reminder of my assignments and what she expected of me.

Washing her delicate lingerie by hand in the washtub required that I kneel on the floor. Late in the afternoon Miss Armani opened the door to the laundry room.

"Good, I was going to tell you I was running low on panties," she smiled when she saw what I'd started. "Don't get up. I just wanted to tell you I was leaving now. It will be all right, since I'll not be home, if you don't change your uniform just yet. That way you can continue working and start to catch up on your chores until it's time to walk the dogs. Do be sure you are properly uniformed before you leave the house though." The door closed and she was gone.

"You wanted to be a real maid Anne," I told myself aloud then resumed scrubbing the lilac lace on the washboard.

I gave thought to some of the things that had been said to me by Mwangaza and Mr. Belamy. 'What had these meant? What was the special significance to Mr. Belamy that I was Miss Armani's maid?'

Despite running the washing machine and dryer, as I had done some of the hand washing, there were still piles of laundry remaining when I called it a day and had gone upstairs for supper, before changing my uniform to walk the dogs.

"I'll be going out shopping later this morning," my employer informed me as I served her breakfast. "Is there anything that's needed for the house that you are aware of?"

"Not for the house, Miss Armani. However your maid requires something."

"Oh, and what is it you think you desire? Be mindful that I will determine what it is that is required for you."

"Certainly, Miss Armani. I hadn't fully thought of my improper choice of words.

"Your maid desires another girdle." Her eyebrow rose, but I went ahead despite her annoyed glare. "I've worn this one every day since Saturday and not found another in the maid's quarters. I desire another so that I may wash it and be properly uniformed and comply with your other order, to be properly groomed, Miss Armani." She chuckled.

"You were correct the first time, you do require more girdles. Is there anything you desire?"

"No, thank you for asking, Miss Armani."

She paused it the doorway, "Anne, I know you have been vacuuming downstairs everyday since you came to work for me and I'm sure you have been trying to do a good job of it. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Miss Armani." I'd no idea where she was going with her conversation.

"Then I'm sure too, that you've noticed that each day there are more and more long white hairs about. If my dogs had a good brushing every other morning, there will be less hair and they'll both look much prettier too." My list of never ending chores had just been added to. There simply was no way I'd ever manage to keep up with all of them.

Miss Nikita and Miss Natasha loved to be brushed and it took more than an hour before I considered it to be adequate. Their coats looked much better to me, when I finally rose from my knees to deposit all of the hair in the garbage and got on with my other chores.

Nothing of note happened the rest of the week and my chores filled my days completely. It wasn't until late Sunday morning when I finally eliminated the backlog, I had put away the last of the clean laundry; the hampers were all empty and there were no dirty things requiring my attention. I began to think that I was making some progress.

"Anne, I'll be having guests this afternoon and for dinner. I'd like you in the same evening uniform you wore last week, as soon as you've finished here in the kitchen." I curtseyed acknowledgement as I cleared her lunch things.

"Don't worry about planning dinner; one of the guests, there will be three, will bring the ingredients and you'll be instructed how to prepare everything." I was most curious, but speculated that one of her friends might have a special recipe and that my mistress would enjoy if I were to learn how to prepare it also.

"Oh, Anne, this is an occasion where much heavier makeup is appropriate for you. Try to show me how well you can apply it, please?" After telling me that she wouldn't, she'd said, 'please' and her instruction regarding my makeup took me completely by surprise. "False eyelashes would not be inappropriate today."

When she'd bought me another, identical white girdle, I was also given a black one to wear with my 'formal' evening uniform. While it was uncomfortable to sit wearing the others, it was nearly impossible to accomplish that in the still stiffer and more heavily boned black one.

Miss Armani explained her reasoning, while she helped me put it on for the first time. "I realize the difficulty this will give you, Anne. When serving my guests in a formal setting, I want everything to be perfect; including your appearance and deportment. It will require a greater degree of attention and self-discipline from you and I'm sure you'll appreciate the help this will give in applying yourself."

I'd found it easiest to put on my stockings, adjusting their seams and slipping on my shoes before I pulled the laces tight, not only when wearing the black girdle, but also when wearing the standard required ones, too. I had remembered to don the satin gloves, before I donned my dress and I finished dressing by tying my apron, adjusting the bow and placing my lace headpiece, checking all of it in the mirror.

For the first time since I'd mastered the needed skills to apply makeup properly, I thought I'd put on far too much. It no longer looked right and 'the way it should be' to me. The sound of the front door chimes ceased any thought of redoing my face then. I had to hurry to run downstairs and admit Miss Armani's guests.

As I'd done previously, I opened the door with a curtsey. Fully intending to remain silent, I gasped upon seeing the very pretty girl dressed in a black brocade cheongsam, "Maid Joi?"

"On her days off, like today, she is just 'Joi' or 'Miss Joi' to maids like you. Do show proper respect, girl." The tall man said authoritatively. "Now stand aside so we may enter." The man had the warmth and presence of a Marine drill sergeant; his solid build with a gray crew cut to that image. I did as I was told, with a curtsey.

Joi extended a heavy shopping bag for me to take. "Put in kitchen, maid. Joi show what do soon."

"Please make yourselves comfortable in the living room." I offered.

They were seated very close together on the couch and Miss Armani had joined them, when I curtseyed with my tray. Wearing platform white sandals with thongs cris-crossed to her knees over black fishnet hosiery, Joi put on quite a leg show.

"Your ladyboy makes an attractive maid, Julie. Where did you ever find her?" the man asked. I was shocked! Had I been read?

"Thank you, Jack. We found each other on the Net."

"Easy to find prettier ladyboy Thailand. Nice master pay to buy them." Joi snuggled closer to her companion.

"Joi will have plum wine and I'll have a Jack Daniels up, girl," he ordered.

"Wine, Anne," Miss Armani instructed.

Before I could go down to the bar for the drinks, the door chimes sounded.

"Good afternoon, Maid Anne."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Belamy. It is pleasant to see you again. Please come in?" I escorted him to the room and took his request for coffee.

"Anne is coming along well, but I'm afraid that she still has much to learn to perform her chores properly," Miss Armani was saying when I entered with drinks. Conversation ceased while I served their refreshments then stood to the side.

"She seems a bit slow to understand all of the things required and I expect her to show me more initiative and acceptance of her responsibilities." I grew angry hearing what my employer was saying about me to the others.

"Why, just this week, I had to point out that grooming my dogs was part of her job. You'd think that a maid would have thought of that herself."

I had to fight not to look at Joi. I found her very attractive and knew that she was staring at me.

"I'm curious, Julianna, exactly why did you specifically seek out a transgendered girl to be your maid?" Mr. Belamy asked

"I've a theory that a maid of that sort will try that much harder to excel, to please me, Tom. Anne has had fantasy about being a maid for quite some time. Many girls like her do."

"Yes. However, most transgender girls with that fantasy only want to play at it. Certainly some serve an occasional party, but they take more pleasure from mincing about in a French maid's uniform then the performing any real chores," Mr. Belamy stated.

"I concur. Anne told me that she has played at it in the manner you describe, but for her, it provided no satisfaction. I must admit," Miss Armani continued, "that I didn't believe her, at first, when she claimed that her true desire was to be a real maid and not a pretend maid as so many enjoy.

"In a way, I decided to amuse myself and to call her bluff by offering her this job. Challenge her, to see if she wasn't just another phony." They were all staring at me with smiles of amusement. I was furious!

"Do you find much fault with her in carrying out her masquerade, Julie?"

"Other than she embarrasses quite easily, no, Jack, I haven't. Do let me know if you detect any flaws so I can work with her to correct them."

"In my studies, I've found that the maid fantasy is shared by quite a few of the girls who are transvestites, however it is much rarer in the true transsexuals," Mr. Belamy stated. "The research confirms what you've observed, Julianna."

"Exactly what is the difference, Thomas? I've heard both terms, but thought they were synonymous." Mr. Rivers questioned.

"There is often a misunderstanding among the girls themselves. Many who truly believe that they are transsexual, are in fact, just transvestites."

"Yes, but…" Jack started.

"Allow me to finish, please?"

"The transvestite finds satisfaction in just mimicking women; wearing the clothing make up and many even function, full-tine time, as females, while the transsexual believes that she was born a female with a male's body and that the only thing that will provide her with true satisfaction is to alter that body to appear completely feminine." Mr. Belamy said.

Joi stood and walked over to me. Gently, she rubbed the back of her small hand across my face. Her heavy perfume was intoxicating.

"That one way tell." She smiled at me. "This ladyboy maid have no beard."

Her fingers entered my hair. "Not wig, that good too." I fidgeted when she walked behind. I felt her undo then retie my apron's bow.

"Nice enough ladyboy." She returned to sit on the couch then whispered in his ear, which caused him to nod and smile.

"Anne, have you completely forgotten to serve my guests something to snack on?" I curtseyed and went to the kitchen. I was furious and fought not to let it show, as I filled bowls with nuts, chips and a dip. They were all staring at me while I served. Mr. Rivers placed his empty glass on my tray when I crouched before him, but his eyes turned to the gorgeous girl next to him.

I did have the thought to bring a second drink for Miss Armani and Joi, along with the coffee pot when I offered the refill.

"… have only a play fantasy, wearing silly, but attractive and totally impractical short uniforms."

"They do have their place in the livery a few of us provide them, Tom."

"Yes, but I think you and I might be the exceptions, Julie," Mr. Rivers offered with a grin. "After all, our maids are the exceptions too.

"I could never picture Charu wearing anything close to some of Joi's uniforms," Mr. Belamy said.

"Not Maid Charu, she much shy," Joi agreed. "Maid Conseura and Maid Monica have pretty Flench uniform."

"Yes, Joi, I've seen Monica's too," Mr. Belamy affirmed.

Their conversation about transgendered girls and maids, along with me personally, continued until I was sent to the kitchen with Joi to prepare the meal.

"I don't have another pinafore to offer you, Joi," I said while I slipped mine on. She glared her dissatisfaction, but said nothing to explain her annoyance.

"Empty," her long nail pointed to the bag she'd given me upon her arrival.

It contained the ingredients for supper: the largest shrimp I had ever seen, a container of marinating meat, I guessed was pork, red and yellow peppers, onions and an assortment of other things along with a package of chopsticks. There was even an unusual cleaver with a much narrower blade than I was accustomed to.

"That Joi," she pointed to it. "Must calful be, velly sharp."

"Get big wok and other." They hung on the rack above the island.

Standing on the other side of the cooking pedestal, she gave thorough instructions on how to completely prepare coated, butterfly shrimp and a mixed stir-fry of the meat, peppers, onions, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts, with an assortment of spices she'd packed. She would not permit me to do anything in ways I was familiar with, nor get ahead of the step I was being taught. Joi was extremely demanding; I had to hold her cleaver the way she wanted me to, as well as, whatever I was cutting at the time.

At first it was very awkward to do as she required, but by the time I had prepared everything and was ready to cook, it was much easier and it almost seemed natural.

Other that to instruct or correct me, we did not engage in conversation."

"Anne good pubil. Make good maid, Miss Armani." She displayed a big smile with the compliment.

"Joi, good teacher," I returned with a curtsey and won another smile.

"Five minute, serve." Joi curtseyed and left the room.

I was almost totally ignored while they dined. At least the conversation had changed to Mr. Rivers telling of his recent vacation with Joi to Las Vegas and Tahoe. Again, there was nothing left for my meal when they finished. It was Joi, who received the compliments for the excellent feast, but I didn't resent that; without her instructions, what I'd have done with the contents of the bag, would have been a completely different meal.

"So, tell me your assessment of my maid?" Miss Armani asked while I poured coffee.

"I must state, I expected a caricature, Julianna. Joi, having met her, told me only that you had indeed acquired a ladyboy maid, but offered no details. She told me to judge 'ladyboy self' when I asked," Mr. Rivers chuckled.

"Had you not told me previously of the nature of the maid you'd been seeking, I'd not have guessed."

Miss Armani looked over at me then to Mr. Belamy, "Tom?"

"I first met Maid Anne on the bus and was completely unaware that she was other than what she appeared to be; one of the regular maids in our community. You have been most skillful in selecting her then training her, Julianna."

"Joi, spot Maid Anne flom flist, Miss Almani. Joi, know Miss Tasha, Miss Kita. But floor dog, Joi not know shuly, Maid Anne ladyboy. She good. Make you good maid" I was to hear her compliment. Joi was smiling at me. She placed her hands in prayer style and bowed her head. Her words and gesture warmed me greatly.

"Clear, Anne." Miss Armani stood to escort her guests from the dining room.

I busied myself doing the dishes then cleaning the kitchen.

"Finish here, then walk the dogs. That will be all today." Miss Armani hadn't even entered the kitchen to say that and had left before I'd straightened from a curtsey. The guests had departed without saying anything to me. I was angry. I'd forgotten their conversation earlier, but it all came back as I got ready to take the dogs out. Despite hearing what was said after dinner, I believed everyone, including Joi, had treated me very rudely.

My mood returned the following morning, while I dressed to go on duty and I promised myself to talk it out with my employer. They had no right to talk like they had, nor treat me that way; I'm a person too!

It was raining when I stepped outside. Miss Natasha and Miss Nikita didn't even seem to notice that it was.

"Sure, you two don't mind this miserable weather at all. It's me that will have to groom you, once we get back inside," I said to my charges as I walked them towards the park. Nothing about this was any fun.

The walkers and morning joggers had stayed inside to avoid the rain. They could make choices in their lives. I was nothing but a miserable maid! There seemed to be far fewer maids out too and I resented that they had a choice in deciding too.

Apparently, my attitude showed and Miss Armani became aware of it quickly as I served her breakfast.

"It is not that I do not care about whatever it is that is bothering you this morning, Anne, I simply do not wish to be reminded of it; nor do I want to hear about it," she said firmly. "Have I made my desires clear?"

"Yes, Miss Armani."

"Very well. See to it that you conduct yourself in such a way that they are fulfilled." She had very effectively shut me up and cut off anything I wanted to tell to her.

I'd confined her pets to the mudroom until after I'd finished in the kitchen then attended to brushing their coats and using a blow dryer until they looked decent again. Both Miss Nikita and Miss Natasha liked to be attended and it seemed like they'd let me go on for hours grooming them.

As I worked on my knees, I talked to them as if they were humans; getting my resentment and ill feelings off my chest and working myself into a much better mood in the process. I realized that no one had done anything to warrant the feeling that had developed. I'd been instructed not to listen to their conversation. What Miss Armani and her friends talked about, even if it was me, was none of my business!

"OK, girls, the beauty parlor is closed. Remember, you promised me to keep our secrets to yourselves. Now run along and have a very good day. I'll see you both later," I had opened the door with the dryer in my hand and sent them on their way with a big smile on my face.

"And what secrets are my pets not to talk about. Anne?" she had been walking in my direction.

"Shhhhh, It's a secret, Miss Armani," I curtseyed with one finger to my smiling lips. "I promised them I wouldn't tell."

"Explain why you haven't addressed your chores for the past two hours," she was firm again.

"The inclement weather this morning required that I reorder their priorities, Miss Armani."

"Are you arguing with me?"

"Not at all, Miss Armani. Perhaps I erred in believing the Miss Nikita and Miss Natasha's very wet coats had a higher priority than my other responsibilities." I was still smiling and stood perfectly still awaiting instruction.

Miss Armani's stern countenance changed to a big smile and she walked away, not saying anything further.

I'd changed into an evening uniform before I approached her in the living room, as she read a magazine. I curtseyed then waited for her to acknowledge my presence.

"Yes, Anne?" She didn't raise her eyes from the page.

"Is there anything special you would like for your evening repast, Miss Armani?"

"Fish and a salad."

"Miss Armani, may I discuss an idea with you, please?" She did look at me.

"And what is that?"

"While I managed them yesterday OK, I believe my service could be improved were I to have a better knowledge of the liquid refreshments your guests might desire."

By her surprised expression, I think she was expecting a totally different subject.

"And how do you propose to improve this knowledge, Anne?"

"I was wondering if your library contained any books which might instruct me."

"You dusted the bookshelves last week. I'm sure you saw…" She stopped in mid-sentence to smile at me.

"Yes, I believe there are three. They should be on the middle shelf to the right of the window. When your chores permit, you may go there and remove them to the maid's quarters for your study."

"I shall attend to it, Miss Armani. Will there be anything further, before I prepare your repast this evening?"

She giggled, "Explain why you suddenly have changed 'supper' to 'repast'."

"I thought my service might be more pleasing, if I would endeavor to act more formerly with you, Miss Armani."

She looked at me for a minute or two.

"Bring me the telephone book and a telephone, Anne, then you can get started on my supper."

She was part way through her meal when she paused to ask, "Did you eat last night?"

"No, Miss Armani I did not"

"That's two times I've entertained and my guests have eaten everything you've prepared."

"I'm happy your meals pleased your friends so much, Miss Armani." She shook her head with a smile.

"What are your thoughts regarding the conversation we had, Anne?"

"Which conversation might that be, Miss Armani?" She put down her fork, stopped eating and turned to stare at me for a moment.

"I invited my guests here yesterday, specifically to test you."

I countered her statement with, "Thank you for considering that I was worthy of that, Miss Armani," I smiled and curtseyed. "I shall endeavor to improve my performance so that I am worthy at sometime in the future of further examination. I welcome the opportunity." She grimaced and resumed eating her meal.

"I have enrolled you in a class." Nothing more was said until she finished.

"Coffee. Make yourself tea then sit when they are ready." I cleared the table and did as I'd been told.

She sipped before speaking again. "They offer culinary classes at the County Technical School, along with other adult continuing education classes. Beginning next Wednesday and for the following five weeks, they are also presenting a beginning bartender's course."

"Thank you very much for investing in me, Miss Armani,"

"The school is about twenty miles from here and you'll need to change buses once en route. I think it will be appropriate for you to wear one of your evening uniforms for the bar tending classes."

"But of course, I assume it is in the evening and that would be appropriate at that time, Miss Armani."

She stared at me for a long time.

"The cooking course is in the morning," she added.

"Then my day uniform will be appropriate. Miss Armani."

"What changed in you, Anne?" she asked in a serious tone.

"Changed, Miss Armani?" I giggled.

"How to phrase this best? …I decided that I do like my job and to start doing things with the proper mindset, so that I can really enjoy it." I dropped my deepest curtsey with a big smile.

 

The End

  

  

  

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