A day later...

26th of November, 1965

As Valerie, Velika and Shona were altogether gathered in the living room as collectively family, they sat on every armchair as they enjoyed to discuss variety of topics especially on Friday the evening after the both occupied, responsible women had already finished their working schedules. 

All of a sudden, the red-haired young lady rose the topic about her job as Casey's maid. Even the topic itself was debatable. In the meantime, the young mother told her daughter to leave her and her aunt for a while on their own as they needed to discuss something important.

"Shona? Sweetheart?" Velika exclaimed her daughter's name with composed voice as the little girl stood from her couch, standing in front of her mother like a slave.

"Yes, mommy?" The little girl enquired mousily.

"Could you leave me and your auntie Velika to discuss something for adults, please?" As the young maid's plea sounded rather insistent, meanwhile she stroke her medium red-haired braided hair.

"Yes." She answered, thereafter rushing to her bedroom to play with her own toys.

As soon as the both female adults were lonely, they started their urgent, serious discussion.

"So Velika, I need to say something."

"What is it, sweetie?" The doctor questioned with concerned voice as she sipped her hot herbal tea as she wore her eyeglasses. In her chocolate eyes can be certainly visible her concerness for her partner, begging inwardly to receive her answer on her question at last.

"As I told you about the happened earlier the day before. Between me and Casey." Afterward the young woman exhaled sharply as she paused for a while, mustering up some courage to tell her the final decision, deciding her own fate if either to be still Casey's maid or clean somebody else's house though, first of all, she should be hired.

"I think I am not going to be his maid anymore." She continued as she looked down at Ms.Azarova's glass of water, pending for her partner's alternative response.

"But it won't be easy somebody else to hire you as their domestical maid, you know?"

"Yes, I know. But I think I should risk sooner or later, regardless if I lost my job and our family's crysis to commence." 

"It's your own decision. In spite of I can completely comprehend you why you don't want to be his maid due to his aggression and haughtiness towards you. You should be treated better."

In this moment, Valerie sighed as she hesistated between keep working as a maid of a person, who she detests mostly and vice versa, or otherwise to leave her position as a maid of Mr.Goodman, whenever she determines herself. 

"That's the main reason why I would like to leave, besides his disrespect towards me."

"I know. But don't you think about your child at least?"

"I care about my child, although I can be somebody else's maid rather than of a misogynist, who discrimnates me constantly."

"I can see how much do you care about your mental and physical health rather than about the money and your family." Velika snapped at her own lover as she slammed her small fist severely on the round table, glaring at the younger lady as she got from the armchair, exiting the living room as she headed outside to relax, besides for some fresh air, of course.

Once the young woman was all alone in the living room, she couldn't believe how tartly Velika reacted actually. It was more than her hopes. Furthermore she felt void, cold even upset for being misunderstood by her most beloved person in this world after her little precious angel Shona. As her heart went into her stomach. Except she felt so numb after this vexed discussion between them. 

Then Shona came out from her bedroom as she headed directly to the living room a little after the heated disputation ultimately ended, without any winners or even champions. As soon as she saw her mother's mood changed abruptly, she ran towards her as she jumped into her protective, affectionate arms as she sat on her lap, her head against her fiercely heart that currently beated in pain in her chest. Words hadn't been pelled yet. Until the hug broke off as the young girl prefered to sit on her mother's lap yet, opting to comfort her, thanks to her presence.

"Mommy, are you okay?" The little girl's big hazel eyes gazed at her frantic eyes as she can figure out her mother's recent mood, seeking the truth.

"How do you think, darling?" 

"You are upset." Shona guessed correctly as she replied boldly to her question.

"Yes, I am." She hugged even tighter her own daughter, leant down her head as she kissed the top of her head. "I cannot believe how your aunt misunderstands my alternative decision to not being Casey's maid anymore."

"You don't deserve to be that fool's maid."

"I have only 2 choices." She paused as she was frustrated with her older partner Velika, whilst, in the contrary, she forgave her. By the way, the red-haired woman restrained herself from sobbing. "If I am not Casey's maid, subsequently looking for somebody to hire me as a maid, I can spend more time with you."

***

As 7 o'clock in the evening hit, the Howards family started preparing for their night out in the restaurant that they used to be a several months ago. They had such splendid memories with the great food, the extraordinary atmosphere, the amazing retro music that played in the background, the nice and hospitable waiters. 

Ellie and Tristan's diapers were changed, their outfits were changed either too, besides they were already fed. 

As Jude had on herself an emerald green dress, slightly above the knees length with transparent long sleeves, square neckline, followed by a thick black pantyhose, her ruby-sapphire bracelet, silver earrings, her black coat due to the gradually chilling days especially in late November, Timothy dressed up himself in elegant, onyx tuxedo with black bow tie, dark formal shoes. His stubble beard framed his attractive, sparkling face.

Once he fixed his bow tie as his wife sat in front of the dressing table, watching her own reflexion as her manicured hand with ravishing red fingernails, held the lipstick, applying it on her naturally rosy lips as they were layered in extravagant red, she asked Mr. Howard to come help her to pull up the dress's zipper as he obediently helped her,  a little before that he kissed her back's delicate, sensitive skin as the phenomenal, breathtaking planted kisses on her back fascinated Mrs. Howard, complimenting him for being an incredible kisser, followed by teases between them as he admitted frankly that Jude is the first woman that he kisses on her lips, besides kissing steamy her body parts, hence, it left the former nun even more speechless, receiving one more answer to his questionable inexperience with women especially in intimate terms.

Thanks to his wife, he was being taught on many things in intimacy especially erotic as it influented him favorably, without a dubious drop. Further he wasn't ashamed at all. In the contrary, he knew how exactly to pleasure her since they inhabited in a mansion, much far away from horrid and violence of Briarcliff. As it was their sole savation.

As he pulled up her dress's zipper, she finished with applying her lipstick on her ethereally mesmerizing lips, as she started applying some mascara on her long black like piano keys eyelashes.

"Looking good, Jude." Timothy exclaimed as he massaged gently her shoulders as he placed hands on them, his fingers kneading her muscles through her dress's fabric. In the interim, he smiled broadly, genuinely.

"Almost ready, sweetheart." She responded with slight chuckle as she finished applying her mascara, putting it back in the dressing table's drawer with her make-up. 

Her bouncy curly golden hair was already brushed as she couldn't shield herself from the pleasant sensation. As her shoulders were being massaged by her most prominent person in this world. She threw her head back as the former priest can have an ultimate access to her neck, planting sensual, feather kisses on her neck, followed by nibbles of her sensitive, creamy skin as she moaned softly with utterly shutted eyes. She wanted to experience this all day, all night long. For eternity. In spite of their limited time as they had much different things to do rather than this, for sadly. 

Then he stopped as she put on her feet her special classy black stilettos that Timothy gave her on the last Christmas. Eventually she sprayed some perfume on her neck, hair and her wrists, thereafter taking their own children in badger baskets as they put on themselves coats, besides their children. They didn't have so much time to waste. Their night out was dawning on the horrizon, awaiting for its commencement. 

As Timothy took the car keys, Jude held the badger baskets, sitting on front seat next to the driver as she buckled her belt, meanwhile her husband locked the front door as he rushed to the car, buckling his belt as he started driving. Jude made sure Ellie and Tristan weren't afraid to being driven since it's their first time to be at car.

After he parked his car at the sole free parking lot, they left the car as they arrived inside the restaurant, taking their seats next to the wall. Furthermore there were a few people in this restaurant as it brang them some hope about the facitlity's spiritual revival. It astonished the couple how there were people in this restaurant unlike the last time. In fact, it wasn't their first time to attend this place.

As the waiter arrived who looked quite similar to the both adults as they left by their side the badger baskets, the waiter delivered them their menus to take their time to choose what they want to order such as food and drinks. Once they had chosen what they want to order, the waiter came back a few minutes later, taking notes in his notebook for each client's ordered food and drinks. As they ordered, they were being told to wait and their food and drinks will be served within a couple of minutes. After their promised patience served their ordered food and drinks, they thanked to the waiter and started tasting from their meals and drinks, sipping a handful of sips. Moreover they striked a conversation along.

They definitely savoured and loved the restaurant's meals and drinks, besides its ambience since the beginning. In the meantime, Tristan and Ellie were asleep, babbling silently, blissfully. 

"It's such a blessing for having a family with whom to celebrate your birthday." Jude exclaimed beatifically after munching her diet salad. 

"Not only, besides it's based on luck and God if he either heard your questions, delivering you precisely the answers." Mr.Howard replied her back in pragmatic way. 

"Absolutely!" She paused as she sipped her fresh, mineral water. "Oh God! Do you know how much I love this place?"She asked a rhetorical question with overwhelmed voice as her decibels mildly escalated.

"I know it especially when we arrived here for first time." A satisfied sigh escaped his lungs with an authentic smile on his glistening face. 

"But do you know what?" He arched an eyebrow, permitting her to continue. "This place isn't as lovingly as our "home sweet home", you and our children."

Then a smile grew, litting his face like a candle of the eternity, bright hopes and felicity. He knew right away that she is going to say it, nonetheless she prefered to express her perceptions directly rather than to hide them deep inside her heart and mind like oblivious memory. He admired so much her speech and vice versa. 

"I know. Because I love you, our children and our love nest more than this place." The former monsignor said softly. "Factly, they are more precious than here. They are more spacious than here. Our home embodies our freedom, love space unlike here where we cannot be open by doing more spicy things between us." Then a smirk flashed on her light complexion, staring at his affectionate, marvelous chocolate eyes in reprobated way like she was deeply losted into his eyes, entrancing the abysmal spiral like transmitted soul, falling in the depths of love like she had already drank a love potion though she naturally fell in love with him. Ever since first day though passing through the lunar days of mysticism, keeping her impure thoughts, her sincere feelings towards him inside herself with barriers, defending her from being betrayed, lied, hurted even penny for her thoughts. 

Afterward Jude agreed with his opinion, followed by chuckles as they carried on to talk, eat and drink. 

*** 

As it remained an hour before midngiht, Velika had relieved herself as she breathed some clean air outside as she went back in the 1 story house, shutting the door behind her as she locked, heading immediately to her first destination- the living room. To make sure if Valerie was there. 

"Valerie? Shona?" The doctor shouted their names in the punctured hollow, looking for her only family since she emigrated in the USA a little after WW2 in a secretive way, without the communist government to expose a Russian rebel, as the middle aged doctor prefered to live in more liberal country rather than in a restricted one such as the current Soviet Union. She peeped as she saw no soul in the living room, guessing correctly that they probably would be in Shona's bedroom.

Once she knocked on the litle girl's bedroom door, awaiting for a response, nobody answered. She pressed the door knob as she opened lightly the creaky door as she was completely sure they were already asleep. She was apparently right as she peeped through the opened door's gap.

The mother and the daughter were already asleep, collapsed like helpless corpses on the regular little girl's bed which was surprisingly fitting one more body. The Russian doctor couldn't help but smiling innocently as she stepped in the room, leaving the door opened as she sneaked to their bed side, planting kisses on their cheeks as she stroked Shona and Valerie's ruffled hairs all over the pillows, her fine, softly wrinkled fingers caressed every inch of their silk, youthful hairs. Then the red-haired young lady woke up as she stretched her body, as a result of waking up, rubbing her eyes, subsequently opening them.

"Hi, honey." The older woman said in purely innocent way like she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Hi!" Ms.Volkova muttered with still somnolent voice. "What do you want from me?" She enquired slightly cocky.

"I would like to apologize you for my acute reaction earlier tonight." Her thumb kneaded her forehead, gazing at her drowsy hazel green eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you or something." Ms.Azarova kept on with her apology.

"What apology?" Then she tittered virulently. "That's how you support your partner especially when she is halting between not being an imbecile's maid or keeping her position, still envenoming her mental and physical health?"

"I didn't mean to you to do but I had already warned you about the risks."

"I know already what awaits me though somebody else can hire me as a maid otherwise. Rather than to go daily in this snake pit, sniffing his plenty of smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol beverages and banged hoes."

"But I have an idea, at least."

"What's your idea, sweetie?"

"How about to be Howards' family maid?"

Then the red-haired young woman let out a chuckle that escaped her mouth, scarcely believing any word that her partner told her. Especially being Howards' family maid. In fact, she didn't know them sufficiently personally so that to ask them if they even cry for a maid's help around the house.

"Are you serious? I don't know them well enough."

"All you need to do is to arrange the things about being their maid after you stop being Casey's one, okay?" Then she patted friendly her shoulder, smiling to one another amicably as Ms.Volkova's anger vanished abruptly in the vacuum. "Furthermore you can invite Jude over there one day. Only if you want."

"I would like to. However thank you so much for your help, Velika."

"You are welcome. Likewise I am so sorry once again for the happened earlier. All I wanted to do is to protect you and our family, despite the health hazards."

"No need to apologize, dear. It's okay." Then she joined them as the entire family united, cuddling in one another's arms, falling asleep shortly after their discussion.

To be continued...