Sunday Evening’s Debauchery

Chapter Two

Catrin

I pull into Mary’s Maids Cleaning Services parking spot. Mary is already here. She always arrives before the staff. I see her getting all the things we will need for today and places them in the van. As she places down three new mops and floor cleaner, she sees me.

“Good morning, Catrin.” She calls out.

“Morning!” I say back to her. “Wow, Mary! New mops? This must be a very important job if you are busting out those bad boys.” I tease. Mary usually doesn’t replace mops, brooms, or anything unless it needs to be replaced. She is stingy when it comes to those things, but I guess that is how she has managed to own and keep her business running for 40 something years.

“It is! With any luck, they might just keep us on and make us their regular cleaners. Which would be a nice bonus for everyone.” She says as she steps down from the back of the van.

“Fingers crossed,” I say as I watch Emma pull into the parking lot and park next to me.

“Good morning, everyone.” She says has she walks over to us and looks around. “Who’s all coming today?” she asks Mary.

“I’m afraid it is just us today. I’m sorry, girls. I will help out the best I can.” She says looking a bit guilty and with a little bit of sadness in her voice. “The plus side is your bonuses will be bigger.” Mary is an older woman. I am not exactly sure how old, but I would guess that she is roughly around 70 years old.

When I first started, she was able to help with cleaning, but she had a fall and broke her hip about 3 years ago. Since then, she hasn’t been able to really help clean other than the light stuff. She mostly keeps to doing the paperwork, taking calls, and making the appointments.

Emma and I share a look. We don’t have to say anything. We already know that we are going to have a long day ahead of us.

As Marry sees the look we just gave each other she clears her throat to get our attention. “Anyways, we got the best cleaners here now, don’t we? So today will be a breeze.” She says trying to lighten the mood. “As you know. Today's job will be at StoneyRidge. From what I gathered, there is an event that gets hosted there every other Sunday evening or was it every Sunday. I am not sure, but that is not the point. I guess the previous cleaners they had weren't meeting standards. So, let's clean to impress today, ladies. Let’s get going.” She says as she shuts the van’s back door and heads for the driver's seat.

Emma and I climb into the cab and buckle our seat belts. Luckily, this is a van that has one large seat in the front, which can fit three people. As we pull off, Emma starts adjusting the radio. She flips through a few stations and finally settles on a station playing today's top 100. We all start humming along to the music.

The drive there didn’t take too long, about 25 minutes. Mary might be an older woman, but she has a lead foot and knows how to get from A to B in no time.

We start to go down the road that leads to StoneyRidge. It is huge and we can see part of it already. I look around and notice that there is no other buildings or homes on this road. We pull up to a huge gate. Clearly, they like their privacy here. I think to myself.

Mary rolls down the window and pushes the intercom button. Almost immediately, a feminine voice answers and ask who we are and to state our business here.

Mary clears her throat and replies that we are Mary’s Maids Cleaning Services, and that we were hired to clean here today.

Without saying another word, the gate buzzes and slowly begins to open. We continue up the drive. The driveway is very large and can easily fit two cars next to each other. It then splits into two smaller lanes that go in opposite directions that lead up to the main entrance of the castle. It reminds me of a hotel entrance. Where you pull up and drop someone off and then continue on. I noticed on the side there is a parking lot for people who drove themselves or who are staying for a while.

We pull up and park in front of the main entrance. We usually don’t park anywhere else unless asked or for an easier entrance. No one wants to spend the time and effort of carrying all the cleaning stuff in from a van parked so far away.

We all get out of the van and the place is heavenly. The grass has been freshly cut, and the hedges are trimmed to perfection. The outside of the castle looks stunning. Though it is an older building, it looks as if it was recently built. No bricks are missing, no chips in the stones or anything.

As we are all admiring the view, a woman comes out wearing a tight, nude-colored business suit.

“I take it you are the cleaning people?” she asks with a little bit a sneer in her voice.

Mary answers right away and explains whom we are and that she talked to a Mr. Muller yesterday. She has thicker skin than we do and knows when to pick her fights.

“Good. So, you know what to do then.” She says almost as if she was bored and uninterested. She was about to walk away when she looks back at us and says, “When you are finished, come find me at the front desk, and I will give you your payment. Mr. Muller isn’t here and won't be here until later this evening, at which time, you should be done and gone.” She then walks away without another word.

“What a bitch.” Emma says when she is out of earshot. I nod in agreement.

“Don’t mind her now. She can sit up there on her high horse if she wants but the same person is paying us all. “Mary states as she starts unloading the van.