Page 3 of A Convenient Secret

A cry for help. Or I’m just projecting, probably.

“Of course. Is there anything—”

The line dies. I sigh and open the contacts to dial the childcare agency.

“You wouldn’t believe what that old hag wanted.” Aaron’s head pops up again.

“Aaron!” I widen my eyes, grinning. “We don’t gossip about clients.”

He waves his hand. “It’s not gossip if it’s true. Listen to this: she requested I get her a new pool boy with a large dick.”

I burst out laughing, and a few heads emerge from the cubicles around us. “She didn’t,” I laugh-whisper.

“Keep it quiet.” Aaron glares at me and looks around, waiting for our colleagues to return to their jobs. “She sure did,” he says through his teeth, his lips quirking up. “Like, what the fuck, that’s not exactly on their resume.” He shimmies his shoulders.

I turn my chair to him, chuckling. “What did you tell her?”

“That perhaps she should consider an escort service, and she got upset because she wouldn’t want that on her husband’s credit card.”

I giggle again.

“Don’t laugh, bitch; she’s going toget me fired. What was I supposed to do? Hire a pool boy and risk he has a small package?”

I can’t hold it anymore and double over, laughing. We get eccentric requests often, but Aaron seems to get the best of them. “You could have screened the candidates for her.”

“I’m in a committed, monogamous relationship with Jack. I’m not going to check other dicks.”

I wipe a tear. “I don’t know how you attract these demands.”

“I can’t wait to quit this place. I don’t know how you maintain such a level of understanding with their fancies.”

“They don’t know any other way of life. Or they are unhinged, but that is not exclusive to the rich. There are worse jobs.” Not that I would know. “Did you resolve her request at the end?” I try to divert his attention away from me.

“At the end, she agreed to interview ten candidates.”

“Ten? They should be warned.”

“Yeah, I hope she at least has a pool.”

Another laugh escapes me, but it dies on my lips as a loud shrill fills the room. My body freezes completely, my eyes darting around.

On the edges of my paralyzed mind, I see everyone standing up and heading toward the exit.

“What are you doing, Lily? Move.”

The words reach me, but I’m unable to execute the command.

There is a fire.

Fire.

Fire.

Someone yanks me to stand up and ushers me forward. I’m pulled into the staircase. I want to inhale and take charge of my body, but it’s like I’m submerged underwater.

Unable to breathe. Unable to act. Unable to think.

The air outside is hot. Fire. Fire. Fire.